Shopping in the Tweed Valley

Peebles has the distinction of being ranked as the Top Independent Retailing Town in Scotland, and second in the UK, for its range of independent shops and 'home town' identity in contrast to the ubiquitous 'cloned towns' predominant in other areas.

A report from the New Economics Foundation estimated how far the UK's high streets had been taken over by a phenomenon it called "clone town Britain", but placed Peebles in the top 10 for "most local identity".

Innerleithen is renowned for its antiquarian book shops and antique dealers, not to mention mountain bike shops for visitors to the area.