Exeter's Christmas late night shopping starts Thursday 19 November, then 26 Nov, 3, 10 and 17 Dec. Princesshay, John Lewis, the High Street and what else is on.
Exeter’s Christmas late night shopping starts on Thursday 19 November 2026 and runs on five Thursdays up to 17 December. John Lewis, Princesshay and many High Street shops stay open later, and the Guildhall Shopping Centre joins from 26 November. The dates come from the Christmas listings Exeter City Council published with InExeter, the city centre business group, on 22 October (Exeter City Council).
The quick answer
- Late night Thursdays: 19 and 26 November, 3, 10 and 17 December.
- Who opens late: Princesshay, John Lewis and “many High Street stores”; the Guildhall Shopping Centre from 26 November.
- Closing time: not published yet. Princesshay’s own hours page still shows 6pm on Thursdays, its normal time.
- Opening night: SPARK! Drummers play Princesshay at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm on 19 November.
- Parking: the council keeps King William Street car park open until 10pm on late night shopping evenings.
Checked against the council’s listings and the shopping centres’ own pages on 26 October 2026.
The late night Thursdays
| Date | Who is open late |
|---|---|
| Thursday 19 November | Princesshay, John Lewis, High Street stores. SPARK! Drummers at Princesshay, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm |
| Thursday 26 November | As above, plus the Guildhall Shopping Centre |
| Thursday 3 December | As above. Gandy Street’s Festive First Thursday, 5pm to 8pm |
| Thursday 10 December | As above |
| Thursday 17 December | As above |
The council’s listing says shops will be “staying open later” but gives no closing time. Princesshay’s shopping hours page still lists 9.30am to 6pm on Thursdays and has no Christmas hours yet. We will add the late closing times when the centres publish them.
The Christmas season around it
The late nights sit inside a run of city-centre Christmas dates, all from the same council listing:
- Friday 13 November: the Christmas lights go on across the city as the Cathedral Christmas Market and Princesshay’s Festive Market and Mistletoe Bar open. The council lists no switch-on ceremony.
- Friday 20 November: Winter Wonderland opens in Northernhay Gardens, with the ice rink, fairground rides and street food, until 3 January.
- From Sunday 29 November: Santa Sundays at Princesshay, 10.30am to 4.30pm, until 21 December; Signing Santa on Saturdays 5 and 12 December. More on our Santa’s grotto page.
- Friday 18 December: “Factory Friday” in the city, with a special late-night bus service. The council has not published the bus times yet.
Other shopping dates
- Sunday 22 November, 12pm to 4pm. Festive Fore Street Flea. Fore Street businesses trade outdoors alongside local makers and crafters.
- Thursday 3 December, 5pm to 8pm. Festive First Thursday, Gandy Street. New this year: Gandy Street’s monthly First Thursday gets live music, street performers and late shopping, sponsored by Costa Coffee’s Exeter shops.
- Saturday 5 December, 2pm to 6pm. Magdalen Road Christmas Fair, on Small Business Saturday, with local traders, food and live music on the village street.
Parking and getting home
King William Street car park is normally locked at 7pm. The council says it “is not locked until 10.00pm on Exeter City FC evening match nights as well as late night shopping evenings” (Exeter City Council, King William Street car park). Tariffs for the other city-centre car parks, and the park and ride sites, are on our parking in Exeter page. Road closures and works are on Exeter roadworks and travel.
For concerts, pantos and markets on the same evenings, see what’s on in Exeter.
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