Wales


<p>There’s a new reason to get thrifting on the brain (as if you needed one). <em><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002v2wf/shift-the-thrift" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shift the Thrift</a></em>, fronted by Joanna Page (of <em>Gavin &amp; Stacey</em> fame), has just landed in full on BBC iPlayer, and it’s a savvy, feel-good spin on the nation’s love of a good find. Each episode drops into a different UK town, where contestants race against the clock to source second-hand gems, give them a glow-up and flip them for profit in a live-streamed auction. Think <em>Bargain Hunt</em>, but with better styling and a seriously addictive edge.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Joanna-Page-Shift-the-Thrift.png" alt="Joanna Page Shift the Thrift" class="wp-image-6858" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Joanna-Page-Shift-the-Thrift.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Joanna-Page-Shift-the-Thrift-300x200.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Joanna-Page-Shift-the-Thrift-1024x683.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Joanna-Page-Shift-the-Thrift-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Set across 12 episodes, six Welsh locations take centre stage (Carmarthen, Llandudno, Bridgend, Aberystwyth, Chepstow and Abergavenny), and while the focus is firmly on charity shops, the premise taps into something bigger: the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of rare finds and the satisfaction of giving pre-loved pieces a second life. And if it’s got you itching to rummage, you’re in exactly the right place — here’s where to find the best antiques and bargain buys in Wales.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-penderyn-antiques-penderyn"><a href="https://www.penderynantiques.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penderyn Antiques</a>, Penderyn</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Penderyn-Antiques-Penderyn.png" alt="Penderyn Antiques, Penderyn" class="wp-image-6856" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Penderyn-Antiques-Penderyn.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Penderyn-Antiques-Penderyn-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Penderyn-Antiques-Penderyn-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Penderyn-Antiques-Penderyn-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Penderyn-Antiques-Penderyn-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Set on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Penderyn Antiques is hard to miss — housed in a striking pink former chapel with serious main character energy. Inside, the showroom is a beautifully curated mix of antique farmhouse pieces, mid-century finds and everything in between. The team know their stuff but keep things refreshingly unsnobby — whether you’re hunting a big-ticket showstopper or a smaller piece with a story. You&#8217;ll find everything from stunning Welsh oak dressers and walnut whatnots to grand compactum wardrobes and Georgian planters.</p>



<p>Just down the road, two warehouse spaces dial things up with larger furniture, deeper rummaging potential and plenty of unexpected gems. There&#8217;s also an in-house workshop quietly working its magic, restoring each piece with care —bringing it back to its best while keeping all that lovely, timeworn character intact. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-pumping-station-cardiff"><a href="https://www.thepumpingstation-cardiff.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Pumping Station</a>, Cardiff</h2>



<p>If you like your antiques with a bit of attitude, The Pumping Station delivers in spades. Set inside a hulking former Victorian sewage station (yes, really) on the edge of Cardiff, it’s now a gloriously chaotic playground of over 40 independent traders, all doing their own thing under one vast, glass-roofed space. Expect the unexpected — church pews rubbing shoulders with retro signage, antique posters, reclaimed doors and industrial pieces that look like they’ve <em>lived</em>. It’s not polished or precious — more dig-and-discover, with everything from proper period antiques to mid-century gems, modern bits and downright oddities (including the retired and iconic Barry Island log flume).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bazaar-narberth"><a href="https://bazaarhomeandgarden.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bazaar</a>, Narberth</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Bazaar-1.png" alt="Bazaar, Narberth" class="wp-image-6850" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Bazaar-1.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Bazaar-1-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Bazaar-1-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Bazaar-1-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Bazaar-1-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Creating spaces with personality (and a lighter footprint), The Old Brewery Antiques is the kind of place where a &#8220;quick browse&#8221; turns into a full-on treasure hunt. Tucked inside a 3,000 sq ft warehouse in Narberth (blink and you&#8217;ll miss it behind a convenience store), the mix is wide, eclectic and just the right side of unpredictable. One minute you&#8217;re eyeing delicate ceramics or a handsome Victorian chest, the next it’s a statement leather sofa or something wonderfully niche, like a salvaged communion jug with a slice of local history attached.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jacobs-antique-centre-cardiff"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jacobsmarketcardiff/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jacobs Antique Centre</a>, Cardiff</h2>



<p>Two minutes from Cardiff Central railway station, Jacob&#8217;s Antiques Market stands proud across three floors of a converted warehouse, and it&#8217;s a proper mixed bag. Filled with second-hand books, vintage clothing, records, military bits and bobs, comics, and (worth the stair climb alone) some seriously good furniture and lighting.</p>



<p>You might head in with a plan (mid-century velvet chair, perhaps?) but don&#8217;t bank on sticking with it. Between rattan headboards, Tiffany lamps and the odd vintage doll’s house, distraction is part of the charm. There’s a café too, and if you time it right, the rooftop terrace is open too — hosting everything from yoga sessions to open-air film nights, all with a decent view over Cardiff thrown in.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chris-charles-antiques-anglesey"><a href="https://chrischarlesantiques.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chris Charles Antiques</a>, Anglesey</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Chris-Charles.png" alt="Chris Charles Antiques, Anglesey" class="wp-image-6854" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Chris-Charles.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Chris-Charles-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Chris-Charles-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Chris-Charles-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/Chris-Charles-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Chris Charles Antiques keeps Anglesey well supplied with seriously covetable pieces — bringing the good stuff to the island without the need to venture further afield. Viewings are by appointment only, and the setup (inside a working garage) is all part of the charm. The focus is firmly on proper characterful finds you won&#8217;t see everywhere else — Welsh settles, apothecary drawers, solid country furniture, cricket tables and pig benches, with smaller treasures like stick chairs and enamel signs popping up depending on the latest sourcing trip. </p>



<p>Stock moves quickly (blink and it’s gone), especially when Chris is out on the hunt — so if you can’t visit in person, the online shop is well worth a regular scroll.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hay-antique-market-hay-on-wye"><a href="http://hayantiquemarket.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hay Antique Market</a>, Hay-on-Wye</h2>



<p>A proper rummage spot in every sense, Hay Antiques Market gathers more than 20 dealers under one handsome Georgian roof, each bringing their own ever-changing mix of pieces. You&#8217;ll find teacups alongside taxidermy, and you’ll move between cabinets of jewellery and ceramics to larger farmhouse furniture, clocks and those ever-covetable vintage Welsh blankets.</p>



<p>There’s a strong thread of classic antiques running through it, but plenty that dips into Art Deco, retro and mid-century too, so it never feels stuck in one lane. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-emporium-machynlleth"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/estuary.antiques/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Emporium</a>, Machynlleth</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/The-Emporium-Machynlleth.png" alt="The Emporium, Machynlleth" class="wp-image-6852" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/The-Emporium-Machynlleth.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/The-Emporium-Machynlleth-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/The-Emporium-Machynlleth-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/The-Emporium-Machynlleth-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wales/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/The-Emporium-Machynlleth-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Known locally as The Emporium, Estuary Antiques brings together antiques, curios, taxidermy and militaria across two treasure-packed shops in Machynlleth. The mix swings wildly — in the best way — from mid-century porcelain and glassware to model railways and steam engines, with plenty that joyfully leans into the unusual (Clangers figurines and a 36in tall fox butler included&#8230; yes, really.) </p>



<p>It’s not all eccentric showstoppers, though. There are plenty of more classic finds in the mix too, like Underwood typewriters, retro floor lamps and cast iron bedsteads, striking that sweet spot between decorative staples and proper conversation starters. </p>



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Vintage gold: Where to snap up the best antiques in Wales

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