Nice towns/villages with little independent shops

[StudentHelp]

Can anyone recommend some little villages/towns to visit that I might enjoy?
I love Pickering, Whitby and Helmsley in North Yorkshire. I really like the Shambles in York and lots of places in Northumberland/Tyne and Wear e.g. Tynemouth, Newcastle Quayside market.

I also really quite liked Harrogate and I am going to Bakewell next week. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for somewhere with lots of little gift shops/galleries/craft markets and maybe somewhere nice to eat too.

Thanks in advance, I know it's quite a specific request

Anyone know what Frome is like?

Castleton in Derbyshire and Stratford upon avon are my recommendations. One small but perfect, one is large and busy but still amazing.

Lancaster always used to be nice...not been for years though. Lewes in East Sussex is nice, as is Rye as others have said.

Primrose Hill in London is lovely too, as is Greenwich.

Frome is nice actually, and Bruton nearby.

Come to Petworth, it's lovely. Arundel and Chichester are nearby and well worth a visit too.

Castleton in Derbyshire

Certainly without rival if you want independent shops selling Blue John wares.

I love everywhere you have listed @StudentHelp. I also love...

Dartmouth and Ashburton In Devon.

Knutsford near Chester.

Bowness in the Lake District.

North Berwick and St. Andrews on the East coast of Scotland.

Some really great suggestions, thanks everyone!

@BikeRunSki Been to holmfirth in June and my boyfriend loved it, also know Hexham very well

@BazzleJet Go to Malton every year and it’s nice

@wildhairdontcare I love Berwick, I was just there last week which is probably what inspired the thread It’s close enough to go for the morning from home

Lancaster good

Bowness like Blackpool.

Far better places in. The lakes / Cumbria - Hawkshead, kirkby Lonsdale, ulverston, Arnside, Cartmel,

I'd go for Kirkby Lonsdale over Lancaster.

Student - are you thinking of Berwick or North Berwick?!

Lavenham in Suffolk for antiques, nice restaurants and bars and stunning architecture

Second Stamford, Oakham, uppingham and lyddington a lovely village nearby.
Buxton, castleton in the peaks.
Battle in East sussex
Ely

Nice thread!

Saltaire is great. I hope to get back there v very soon.

Great Malvern - a small town centre but then great walks in the hills. Plenty of places for coffee and/or lunch.

Lichfield - wonderful cathedral, second hand book shops, a couple of nice places to eat/drink

Tetbury in cotswolds
Porlock and lynton/ lynmouth north Devon
Dunster in Somerset

Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Not particularly touristy with plenty of workaday shops in amongst the "cute" ones, but a lovely town.
Other places I would've suggested have already been mentioned but +1 for Ledbury, Ludlow, Kirkby Lonsdale.

I'm adding Ledbury and Ludlow to my list.

@weebarra
I was thinking Berwick upon Tweed, but have also been to North Berwick when I was younger but don't remember it much at all

I second Ulverston and Cartmel - edge of the Lake District. Beautiful, lots of lovely things to eat and buy, stunning views, great people.

Lewes (near Brighton) is lovely. Lots of independent shops and some historical interest

Coming on to suggest Frome! Independent market the first week of every month I think. I'd give Leamington Spa a miss, it's predominantly chain stores IME. Also Ludlow in Shropshire and Dornoch and Ullapool in the Highlands.

Ooo yes and Dunkeld in Perthshire is lovely, especially in the autumn.

Tewkesbury

Frome - full of interesting little independent shops and cobbled streets, especially around the St Catherine's Hill area. A bit like The Laines in Brighton, but smaller.

Alresford, Hampshire