High streets with a future

[Sleepysand]

After all the doom and gloom - and a lot of posts about why high streets cannot survive - another poster suggested a thread about High Streets that really deserve our money and that genuinely offer something different that you cannot get on t'Internet. Maybe if we can publicise and popularise these towns, some of us will visit them and keep them going. Let's reclaim the high streets!

I'll start with one that the other poster mentioned - Frome, in Somerset. Lovely little town with two especially gorgeous streets, Catherine Street and Cheap Street. Picturesque but not twee, with nice places for ladies who lunch (la Strada at the top of Cheap Street, the Garden Cafe at the bottom of Catherine Hill) and some incredible places for shoes, undies, vintage clothes, handbags, and quirky and inexpensive gifts. I'll put in a special mention for Amica (opposite la Strada) where you will find almost anything a woman could want.

Frome is worth a weekend trip - if you are loaded go to Babington House, but if you are not there is a decent hotel in the middle of town and a travelodge on the outskirts. Some nice pubs, too.

Anyone else got gems to share?

[GoldPlatedNineDoors]

Tynemouth high street. Sooo lovely!

[mumzy]

Henleaze high street, bristol. Lovely butchers, greengrocers, bakers, garden centre, great charity recycling shops. Serves local community and walkable

[PartTimeModel]

I do like Bellenden Road though

Turnham Green Terrace in Chiswick is very nice and has all the lovely shops - butcher, fishmonger, greengrocers etc. I just don't know anyone that can afford to shop there (me included apart from the Fara Kids charity shop)

[wewereherefirst]

Totnes- one maybe two big chains lots of lovely local shops

[ethelb]

Lymington High Street

[Oodsigma]

Cumbria- Kendal, Penrith, Keswick, ulverston, Ambleside, Bowness.

[ethelb]

Lower Richmond Road Putney. Great butcher, wine shop, pubs, cafes, tailors and specialist shops (bridal, home wear, look after your laundry shop!) toy shop, florist, indi bathroom/kitchen/flooring shops). Plus right by the river!

[miaowmix]

Bellenden Road, in a chi chi part of London (Peckham ).
Lovely butcher, cafes, clothes shops and restaurants, book shop, pub and grocers. It's one of those streets that was dirt cheap to rent so nice shops sprung up from howhere. Not sure anyone would make a weekend trip here though!

[DuchessOfAvon]

Wetherby, Yorkshire - fishmongers, proper greengrocer, independent toy shop plus loads more - its ace. I wish I could afford to live there.