Which UK cities or towns have lovely centres worth visiting?

[Smokeywater]

What city has a great city centre and possibly worth a visit (in response to the other thread about the worst city centres), but towns included too.
Edinburgh obviously, Carlisle is being spruced up and has a cathedral (it became a cathedral in 1133, many restorations but last was in 19thC)), smallish museum and art gallery, a castle and the station all within a short walk of the centre. The centre has lost quite a few of the usual shopping venues but still has a large M&S.
Beverley still has a nice old market town feel. The minster is impressive and St Mary's Church is lovely. One or two nice clothes shops.
Any other suggestions?

I was going to say somewhere like Macclesfield but then the centre (as in high street) is arguably not great. But it's a really lovely looking town with a pretty church, beautiful hills in the background, interesting buildings, some nice places to eat. And actually thinking about it the town centre isn't that bad. There are shops there, it just isn't that glamorous. But even if the decline of the high street wasn't a national problem most city/town centres would have run of the mill shops, indoor market areas with a weird cheese stall, a bookstore, a Tesco's and a bookshop. And a somewhat grubby bus shelter. The places which are more "exciting/unique" will also be crowded with tourists.

But having lived elsewhere I always appreciated when I came back to the UK how pretty the buildings are, and how polite people are usually. Probably partly because of homesickness. But I do think sometimes the nice bits are in the background/not worth commenting on so people only talk about the negatives of places and make them seem worse than they are.

Ripon.

Beautiful little city, everything within walking distance. Canal, racecourse, museums, cathedral and loads of indi pubs, restaurants and cafes. Loads to do in the area too, Newby Hall, Fountains Abbey etc. Fantastic, family friendly NYE celebrations with candlelight procession from the cathedral, live music and fireworks over the market square.
The Ripon Inn has great gardens and is beside a small park with crazy golf and a traditional cafe. Another park with play equipment, opposite.

www.visitripon.co.uk

Canterbury.

Warwick

Woburn

Many of the above. Also, (not sure it’s been mentioned) I visited Folkestone recently and loved the harbourside and creative quarter

Liverpool, Coventry, Manchester, York, Edinburgh.

Top 5 ⬆️

Great Malvern, Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Stow on the Wold (but tourists), Chipping Campden (also touristy), Cirencester, Much Wenlock, Topsham, Totnes, Tavistock, Truro. Hereford.

I love the Industrial Revolution/merchant/manufacturing cities (I may be wrong so don’t come at me) like Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Belfast with their imposing public buildings, and bustling and vibrant city centres and markets

I'm another industrial fan - when my sister and I were in Lanzarote we enquired about a visit to the desalination plant! To no avail 🙁

Apart from London, Liverpool is about the best - so much to see and do in a relatively small, walkable area

Great thread 🙂

Obviously depends what you like seeing / what makes a town or City Centre "worth visiting" for you. Some people would love a great array of shops. Some people like a pleasant, quirky High Street. Some people like history. Some people like museums or Cathedrals.
Some people appreciate how easy it is to park, or arrive by train and get about.
Plus, where you'd be traveling from - a town than is 30mins drive or train ride away is "worth" going to more than one that is 6 hours away from you.

I think all big Cities are worth visiting - there's not a City out there that doesn't have something to see.

One place I visited recently that I liked, that I haven't seen mentioned is Tewkesbury.

The London one is also lovely - Ted Lasso fans might want to make a visit

Bath is beautful

Hexham is a lovely small town with a beautiful abbey, lots of restaurants and coffe shops. Also lots of independent shops. Grateful Bread makes the best ever sourdough. Lovely walks in the park and by the river.

And the abbey has a super informative, free (donations) museum.