Francis Iles Art Works

Francis Iles is really a combination of two shops.
The first one is a gallery, on the ground floor there are things like gift wrap, humorous birthday cards, photo frames and albums, notebooks, organisers and stationery. From the moment you start walking up the stairs to the first floor, the walls are covered in paintings of all styles, sizes and themes. They also frequently hold exhibitions, such as portrayals of Rochester or specifically from local artists. You can count on a glass of champagne and an urge to buy a vastly overpriced canvas.
The second shop is an art supplies shop, there are also paintings and Dali-​style clocks in the window. Inside, you can buy paper, paints, an easel, a canvas and many other things. Students get discount but even so I can’t really imagine many of them shopping there — budget this ain’t. It all seems to be good quality though and the staff are happy to help. Expect the same atmosphere as a library — you’ll feel compelled to talk in a whisper.