This is the best place in London to go 'thrift shopping'
Thrifting has surged in popularity in recent years, with high streets across the UK full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. For anyone who enjoys spending an afternoon exploring vintage shops and second-hand stores, there has never been a better time to hunt for unique fashion finds.
To uncover where thrifting culture is strongest, researchers at Eden Ashram analysed cities across the UK using a range of indicators, including the density of charity and second-hand shops, access to car boot sales, online resale listings, and the visibility of thrifting on social media. The study examined UK towns and cities based on second-hand and charity shops, car boot sales, fashion listings on Gumtree, and Instagram activity around thrifted fashion.
Westminster ranks second overall, with the highest number of second-hand shops in the UK at 9.69 per 10,000 residents, and 6.46 charity shops per 10,000 residents, the second highest in the country. Car boot sales are less common, at 0.04 per 10,000 residents, and online activity shows 4.60 fashion-only Gumtree listings and 2.02 Instagram thrift hashtags per 10,000 residents.
The other cities in the top ten are Armagh (1st), Canterbury (3rd), Chichester (4th), Newry (5th), Lancaster (6th), Perth (7th), Salford (8th), Manchester (9th), and Stirling (10th).
Greg Watson, expert at Eden Ashram, commented: “We’ve seen a real shift in how people think about fashion. While many still buy new clothes, more shoppers are turning to second-hand as a conscious decision. Thrifting not only offers access to one-of-a-kind pieces, but it also reduces waste and extends the life of garments that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Unfortunately, a huge volume of clothing is still being thrown away instead of being donated or sold on, and that’s where communities with strong thrift cultures are leading the way. They show that fashion doesn’t have to be fast to be exciting.”
“The growing popularity of thrifting, particularly among younger generations, reflects a desire to shop more responsibly without sacrificing style. Social media has amplified this movement, with people proudly sharing their thrifted finds and proving that second-hand can be just as fashionable, if not more so, than buying new.”
Ranking of the 20 best UK spots for thrift shopping:
| Rank | City | Second-hand shops per 10,000 residents | Charity shops per 10,000 residents | Car boot sales per 10,000 residents | Fashion only gumtree listing per 10,000 residents | Instagram thrift hashtags per 10,000 residents | Total Score |
| 1 | Armagh | 8.05 | 8.05 | 1.34 | 31.54 | 33.55 | 70.89 |
| 2 | Westminster | 9.69 | 6.46 | 0.04 | 4.60 | 2.02 | 55.31 |
| 3 | Canterbury | 9.05 | 5.43 | 0.72 | 15.39 | 2.35 | 54.29 |
| 4 | Chichester | 7.90 | 4.74 | 0.95 | 27.17 | 15.80 | 54.14 |
| 5 | Newry | 7.93 | 4.68 | 0.72 | 19.09 | 18.01 | 50.91 |
| 6 | Lancaster | 7.42 | 5.51 | 0.64 | 8.91 | 8.91 | 47.56 |
| 7 | Perth | 4.66 | 2.54 | 0.42 | 26.71 | 102.37 | 43.53 |
| 8 | Salford | 6.87 | 3.85 | 0.55 | 17.87 | 6.87 | 42.75 |
| 9 | Manchester | 4.55 | 3.29 | 0.30 | 40.91 | 1.64 | 41.47 |
| 10 | Stirling | 5.49 | 3.02 | 0.55 | 26.07 | 13.72 | 39.12 |
| 11 | Bath | 6.86 | 3.69 | 0.53 | 9.28 | 5.28 | 38.64 |
| 12 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 5.72 | 4.57 | 0.36 | 6.91 | 0.73 | 36.87 |
| 13 | Cambridge | 5.37 | 2.84 | 0.38 | 24.43 | 0.06 | 35.93 |
| 14 | Exeter | 5.09 | 3.40 | 0.42 | 14.86 | 4.25 | 33.95 |
| 15 | Winchester | 5.21 | 2.60 | 0.43 | 17.15 | 10.85 | 32.87 |
| 16 | Oxford | 5.25 | 3.50 | 0.29 | 9.51 | 0.18 | 32.25 |
| 17 | Lichfield | 4.26 | 3.04 | 0.61 | 14.90 | 15.21 | 31.27 |
| 18 | Aberdeen City | 4.07 | 3.05 | 0.31 | 17.44 | 3.61 | 30.25 |
| 19 | Chester | 4.97 | 2.76 | 0.44 | 9.39 | 3.87 | 29.06 |
| 20 | Norwich | 3.05 | 2.25 | 0.28 | 30.49 | 0.66 | 28.76 |