Union Street, Ryde

Street guide, Isle of Wight

The main shopping street in Ryde, running steeply uphill from the Esplanade and the pier towards the upper town. Union Street is the commercial spine of the island's largest town, lined with independent shops, charity shops, cafes, restaurants and a few national chains. The architecture is predominantly Victorian and Edwardian, with ornate shopfronts and upper storeys that reward a glance upwards. The gradient is steep, and the views from the upper end look out over the rooftops and across the Solent to Portsmouth. The street has retained more independent character than many mainland high streets of comparable size, with vintage shops, bookshops and specialists alongside the standard retail mix.