Shoppers walk through a covered arcade beneath ribbed red ironwork and hanging lanterns, shopfronts including a jewellers lining both sides.

Inverness

The Victorian Market

Inverness's covered market of 1870, rebuilt after a fire in 1889, with arcades of small independent shops under red iron arches and a food hall.

Welcome

Across from the station on Academy Street, a grand sandstone front with three tall arches leads into the Victorian Market.

Visited and photographed by Simon Hird

Look up at the keystones as you go in: a bull's head in the middle, a ram's head either side.

The market opened in 1870, and burned down in 1889, leaving only this front standing. It was rebuilt within two years, bigger than before, and its arcades now run right through the block to Church Street, Union Street and Queensgate. Inside, a curved roof rests on red-painted iron arches, light falls through high windows, and the old shop-fronts are painted with scenes of Inverness long ago.

The shops are small and independent: jewellers, a fishmonger and game dealer, a butcher, barbers, florists and gift shops. The old fish market is now a food hall, where Bad Girl Bakery's cakes are among the draws.

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Before you go

Open every day from 8am to 6pm, and to 8pm Thursday to Saturday.

Individual shops keep their own hours.

Where: Academy Street, Inverness, IV1 1JN.
Open: Daily from 8am.
Inside: Shops, cafés and a food hall.

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Did you know

A sandstone market building with carved finials and a lettered parapet has three arched entrances flanked by shopfronts, cars parked along the street.

Did you know

A bull and two rams.

The keystones over the Academy Street arches are carved with a bull's head and two rams' heads.

A sandstone market building with carved finials and arched entrances stands on a street corner, shopfronts and a directional sign beside it.

Did you know

It survived the fire.

When fire gutted the market in 1889, only its Academy Street front was left standing.

Hidden Scotland

From our guide to Inverness-shire

Step through the grand sandstone arches on Academy Street, opposite the station, and you are in the covered market Inverness has shopped in since 1870. Glance up at the keystones on the way in: a bull's head in the middle and a ram's head on either side. Fire destroyed the market in 1889, leaving only that front standing, and it was rebuilt within two years. Today its arcades under red iron arches hold small independent shops, from a butcher and a fishmonger to jewellers and florists, and the old fish market is now a food hall.

What is on

What is new across Inverness, day by day.

New places, news and stories, as we find them.

What is on in Inverness

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Where it is

In the centre of Inverness, entered from Academy Street, Church Street, Union Street and Queensgate, IV1 1JN.

Close byInverness.

Directions

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Recommend to a friend

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the market, and when each is next free.

A white harled cottage with a slated roof and gabled porch sits behind a garden of wildflowers, a table and chairs on the patio.

Garden Cottage

Sleeps 6
In Dores
6 miles from the Victorian Market

Check dates

A stone steading with green shutters and a slated roof sits beside a gravel drive, mature trees framing the entrance.

South Bothy

Sleeps 2
In Inverness
7 miles from the Victorian Market

Check dates

A pink harled house with turreted gables and stepped chimneys stands among pine trees behind a dry stone wall.

Gatehouse Cottage

Sleeps 4
In Dores
7 miles from the Victorian Market

Check dates

A white harled house with multiple gables sits behind clipped box hedging and shrubs, framed by overhanging trees.

Factors Cottage

Sleeps 6
In Dores
7 miles from the Victorian Market

Check dates Places to stayEvery stay in InvernessAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all

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For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on 27 September 2026.