High Street, Ventnor

Street guide, Isle of Wight

Ventnor's High Street runs along a terrace cut into the steep hillside, halfway between the Esplanade at the bottom and the residential streets climbing to the top of the town. The street has a distinctive character, with independent shops, galleries, vintage dealers, cafes and a few pubs occupying the ground floors of Victorian buildings. The gradient is gentle along the High Street itself, but the side streets and steps that connect it to the tiers above and below are steep. Ventnor's High Street has attracted a growing number of creative and independent businesses, giving it a slightly bohemian atmosphere. The buildings are mainly Victorian, built in local stone, and the scale is intimate. The town's position on the south-facing slope means the High Street gets good sun, and the cafes with outdoor seating do good business on warm days.