A practical guide to retail, markets and everyday essentials
Shopping in Hemel Hempstead offers a useful mix of familiar high-street names, larger retail parks, independent businesses and traditional markets. Whether you are looking for a weekly food shop, new clothes, homeware, gifts or a relaxed weekend browse, you can usually find what you need without travelling far.
For visitors and residents, the town centre is particularly practical. The main shopping areas are close together, with Marlowes, Riverside and local cafés, restaurants and services forming a walkable central hub. Further afield, Jarman Park and Apsley Mills provide larger-format stores and supermarkets, while Old Town brings a more personal and characterful shopping experience.
This guide explains where to shop in town centre Hemel Hempstead during 2026, what each area is best for and how ongoing regeneration is influencing the retail experience.
The Marlowes Shopping Centre
The Marlowes Shopping Centre is the main indoor shopping destination in Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire. Its covered layout makes it a convenient choice when the weather is poor, while its central location means you can combine shopping with lunch, a coffee or other errands.
The centre includes a broad selection of high-street retailers and everyday services. The mix can change over time, but commonly listed stores include:
• Marks & Spencer
• Primark
• H&M
• Boots
• WHSmith
• TK Maxx
• New Look
• Waterstones
• Clarks
• Card Factory
• Poundland
• Robert Dyas
You will also find food and convenience options in and around the centre, including Marks & Spencer Food and smaller top-up shopping facilities. This makes the Marlowes useful for both planned shopping trips and quick visits between appointments.
Families may also appreciate the centre’s accessible layout, toilets, parking and proximity to other town-centre amenities. Check individual retailer websites before travelling, as opening hours, store listings and seasonal arrangements can change.
The Marlowes is becoming more than a conventional shopping centre. New leisure and entertainment uses are helping to create reasons to stay longer, rather than simply arriving to buy something and leaving. That shift reflects the changing role of town centres across the country, where shopping now works alongside dining, culture, services and family activities.
Riverside: open-air shopping beside the River Gade
Riverside sits next to The Marlowes and offers a different atmosphere from the enclosed shopping centre. It is an open-air, mixed-use shopping area arranged around the River Gade, with modern units, pedestrian routes and places to stop for food or refreshments.
The retail offer includes well-known fashion and lifestyle names, with stores such as Next and Clarks complementing the selection found at The Marlowes. Riverside is a useful part of a wider town-centre shopping trip because you can move between the two areas on foot rather than needing to drive from one destination to another.
The open layout also gives Riverside a more spacious feel. On a dry day, you can browse the shops, pause beside the water and continue towards the cafés and restaurants nearby. It is worth noting that Riverside is sometimes described informally as a retail park, but it is technically a town-centre shopping scheme rather than a traditional out-of-town retail park.
For a wider look at cafés, restaurants, pubs and entertainment venues close to the shopping areas, explore our guide to leisure and dining in Hemel Hempstead.
Jarman Park for larger stores, food shopping and leisure
Jarman Park is located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead and combines retail with entertainment and leisure. It is a popular destination when you need more space, larger stores or a supermarket visit as part of the same trip.
The area includes retailers such as Next, TK Maxx and Pets at Home, alongside a multiplex cinema and other leisure facilities. This makes Jarman Park particularly useful for family outings, furnishing-related errands, clothing purchases and activities that are easier to access by car.
Tesco Extra is a major anchor for the area, providing a large supermarket shop alongside the wider retail offer. Proposals for additional supermarket provision have also been part of the area’s ongoing development, so check the latest local information before relying on a particular store or opening date.
Jarman Park is also a convenient option when you want to combine shopping with entertainment. A cinema visit, meal or activity can turn a practical errand into one of the more straightforward things to do in Hemel. You can find more ideas for local days out and visitor activities in our Hemel Hempstead attractions guide.
Apsley Mills Retail Park
Although it is outside the central shopping area, Apsley Mills Retail Park is important for practical shopping in Hemel Hempstead. Its location near Apsley station makes it useful for local residents and commuters, while the larger units suit household, motoring and food-related purchases.
The retail park includes Sainsbury’s, Halfords, Argos and a selection of home and garden stores. It is a good place to visit when you need items that may not be available in the central malls, such as car accessories, DIY products or larger household goods.
Apsley also has a strong connection to the Grand Union Canal, with waterside walks, restaurants and cafés nearby. If you are visiting the retail park at the weekend, consider extending your trip with a walk or meal around the marina.
Old Town independent shops and specialist businesses
Old Town provides the greatest contrast to the modern retail areas. Its historic High Street is lined with period buildings, traditional pubs, cafés, restaurants and independent businesses. Instead of a single enclosed centre, shopping here is spread along a characterful street where browsing is part of the experience.
Independent shops in Old Town include boutiques, gift shops, specialist retailers, antique businesses and other services. The selection is often more distinctive than the standard high-street offer, making it a good choice when you are searching for a thoughtful present, a vintage item or something different for your home.
The area is also well suited to a slower shopping trip. Take time to look at the architecture, stop for coffee and explore the side streets rather than treating the visit as a quick in-and-out errand. The historic setting gives Old Town a strong sense of identity and helps explain why it remains one of the most popular areas to visit in the town.
If you are considering living nearby, our guide comparing Boxmoor, Apsley, Old Town and other Hemel Hempstead neighbourhoods explains how each area differs in character, amenities and transport.
Markets and fresh local produce
Markets add variety to Hemel Hempstead’s shopping offer and provide an opportunity to buy directly from traders and smaller producers. The traditional market in the Marlowes pedestrian area is generally held on Thursdays and Saturdays, with stalls selling items such as:
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Flowers
• Clothing
• Household goods
• Street food
Market days can bring extra activity to the town centre and are a useful reason to visit even when you are not looking for a particular high-street purchase. Traders and schedules can vary, so check current local listings before making a special journey.
Boxmoor Farmers’ Market is another option, usually held monthly at St John’s Church Hall. It showcases Hertfordshire producers and may include artisan bread, cheese, meat, preserves and seasonal goods. Old Town also hosts occasional vintage, antique and craft markets, giving independent makers and collectors a chance to bring additional interest to the High Street.
Supermarkets and everyday shopping
Hemel Hempstead has a useful spread of supermarkets serving different budgets and shopping habits. Larger stores include Tesco Extra at Jarman Park and Sainsbury’s at Apsley Mills, while Aldi and Lidl provide discount supermarket options in and around the town.
For smaller top-up trips, you can also find convenience stores and food outlets within or close to the central shopping areas. Marks & Spencer Food offers a more premium convenience option near The Marlowes, while Iceland provides another choice for frozen food and everyday essentials.
Store locations and opening hours may change, particularly as new developments progress. Always check the retailer’s own website before travelling, especially on bank holidays or during the Christmas period.
How town-centre regeneration is shaping shopping in 2026
The regeneration of Hemel Hempstead town centre is changing how the central shopping district looks and functions. Current plans and activity include improvements to public spaces, landscaping, seating, pedestrian connections and the Bank Court area, alongside efforts to bring underused units back into use.
The wider goal is to create a town centre that supports shopping but is not dependent on retail alone. New independent businesses, community facilities, co-working spaces, seasonal markets, street art and pop-up events can all help increase footfall and make the centre feel more active throughout the day.
For shoppers, this should mean a more comfortable and varied visit. Better public spaces make it easier to pause between shops, while additional dining, leisure and cultural uses give people more reasons to spend time in the area. The regeneration is also expected to support improved links for pedestrians and cyclists travelling from surrounding neighbourhoods.
Read our latest update on Hemel Hempstead town-centre regeneration in 2026 for more detail about the projects and their potential impact.
Which shopping area should you choose?
Choose The Marlowes when you want covered, central shopping and a wide range of high-street stores. Choose Riverside for open-air browsing, modern surroundings and easy access to food outlets. Visit Jarman Park for larger stores, Tesco Extra, cinema trips and family-friendly leisure. Head to Apsley Mills for supermarket shopping, household goods and motoring-related purchases. Choose Old Town when you want independent shops, historic surroundings, cafés and a more individual shopping experience.
The best option often depends on the type of trip you are planning. A central visit can combine The Marlowes, Riverside, the market and town-centre dining in one walkable itinerary. A car-based trip may be more convenient at Jarman Park or Apsley Mills. For gifts, antiques and local character, Old Town is hard to beat.
Final thoughts
Shopping in Hemel Hempstead is practical because the town offers several distinct retail destinations rather than relying on one centre. You have covered malls, open-air shopping, retail parks, supermarkets, markets and independent businesses within a relatively compact area.
That variety is one of the town’s strengths for residents, commuters and visitors. As regeneration continues through 2026, the town centre is gradually developing into a broader destination for shopping, dining, leisure and community life. For more local recommendations, browse our complete shopping guide to Hemel Hempstead and discover more things to do in Hemel Hempstead.