Written by Paul Worrall
Chester is one of those cities where the setting does half the work for you. The Roman walls, the black and white timbered Rows — the medieval covered walkways that run above street level through the city centre — the cathedral, the racecourse on the Roodee, the Dee bending around the south of the city. It’s a genuinly beautiful place that attracts artists and tourists in roughly equal measure, and Watergate Street in particular has developed into a creative quarter of independent galleries, boutiques and specialist shops that feels entirely unlike the homogenised high streets you find in most comparable English cities. I’ve been to Chester exactly once, as a child, and remember almost nothing about it except that the Rows seemed impossibly old and slightly magical. Researching this guide has made me want to go back properly.
I run Discount Art Supplies — a price comparison platform used by over 36,000 UK artists every week — and I’ve spent sixteen years in the UK art supplies industry. Here’s the honest guide to what Chester offers artists right now. If you’re planning visits to nearby cities, also check out our guides to the best art supply shops in Manchester and the best art supply shops in Liverpool.
1. Watergate Contemporary — Watergate Street
Watergate Contemporary on Watergate Street describes itself as the home of art in Chester — a fine art gallery stocking original works and signed limited edition prints from national, international and emerging artists including Kerry Darlington, Jack Vettriano, Leigh Lambert and Quentin Blake. The gallery opened in 1992 with a philosophy of bringing fresh, different and affordable art to as wide an audience as possible, and has been a consistent presence on Chester’s most creative street ever since.
For artists visiting Chester who want to see what’s selling and what’s resonating with a regional audience for original and limited edition work — always useful market intelligence — Watergate Contemporary is worth an hour of anyone’s time. The online shop is active with regular new arrivals. Worth checking their Chester art event calendar before visiting to time a trip around an exhibition opening.
Visit Watergate Contemporary online →
2. Baron Fine Art — Watergate Street
Also on Watergate Street, Baron Fine Art is an independent gallery selling high quality original artwork both in the Chester gallery and online, with worldwide delivery available. The concentration of two serious fine art galleries on the same street tells you something about Watergate Street’s genuine status as Chester’s creative quarter rather than just a tourist shopping destination. Baron Fine Art’s particular focus on original work — rather than prints or reproductions — makes it the destination for collectors and artists wanting to see what serious buying looks like in this market.
3. Place for Art — Northgate Street
Place for Art is Chester’s community-led pop-up shop showcasing local artists and makers — based at 35 Northgate Street, running with the explicit philosophy of being “of Chester, for Chester.” The pop-up model means the work on show changes regularly, reflecting what Chester’s creative community is actually producing rather than a fixed permanent stock. For artists wanting to see and support local practice, or for anyone wanting to buy something genuinly made in the city rather than imported and branded for the tourist market, this is Chester’s most distinctive creative retail destination.
Worth checking their Facebook page before visiting to confirm current opening hours and what’s showing — the pop-up format means things change more frequently than a conventional gallery.
Find Place for Art on Facebook →
4. Hobbycraft Chester
The honest version of Hobbycraft, consistent with every guide: not specialist, not deep in professional-grade range, but genuinly the most comprehensively stocked everyday art and craft resource in Chester for canvases, basic paints, sketchbooks, seasonal kits and kids’ craft supplies. Reviewers specifically praise the Chester branch as well-organised and well-stocked with friendly staff. Check our Hobbycraft discount code guide before visiting.
5. The Works — Chester
The honest version of The Works, consistent with every guide: starter sets, sketchpads, pencils and craft kits at prices that make experimenting risk-free. In-person purchase only since March when The Works stopped selling online nationally. For parents, teachers and complete beginners it earns its place.
A Note on Art Supplies in Chester
Chester’s art scene is more interesting than a quick glance at its tourist-focused reputation might suggest. Watergate Street has two genuinly serious fine art galleries operating independently alongside each other, and Place for Art brings something most cities don’t have — a community-led platform for local creative practice that feels authentically rooted in the city rather than imported. The Roman Rows and the independent character of Watergate Street make Chester one of the more pleasent cities in this series to contemplate visiting, which helps. For professional-grade materials and the best current UK prices, Discount Art Supplies compares prices in real time across all major UK art retailers.
