North Street

Street guide, Chichester

North Street is Chichester's principal shopping street, running north from the Market Cross to the junction with Priory Road and the edge of Priory Park. It was pedestrianised in the 1990s and remains the busiest retail thoroughfare in the city. National chains including Marks and Spencer, Boots, and WHSmith occupy prominent units, alongside banks and cafes. The street follows the line of the Roman road that ran through Noviomagus Reginorum from south to north, and the basic layout has been in continuous use for nearly two thousand years. At the southern end, the ornate Market Cross provides a visual anchor where all four principal streets converge. A regular market operates along sections of the street on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Recent years have brought a gradual shift, with more food and drink outlets replacing traditional retail. The northern end connects to Priory Road and the residential streets beyond the city walls.