High Street, Shanklin

Street guide, Isle of Wight

The main commercial street in Shanklin, running through the centre of the town between the Old Village at the top and the modern shopping area below. Shanklin High Street has a mix of independent shops, cafes, restaurants and service businesses. The street has more character than many comparable resort town high streets, partly because of the quality of the Victorian architecture and partly because of the independent businesses that have survived. Gift shops and galleries sit alongside everyday retailers. The upper part of the High Street approaches the Old Village, where the thatched cottages and narrow lanes create a very different atmosphere. The lower section connects to the Esplanade and the beach, and the gradient between the two gives the street a dynamic, layered quality.