Beautiful UK market town named the best in the country for Christmas shopping

07 November 2023 , 09:49

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Pedestrians walk along the High Street in Frome (Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A picturesque market town boasting an antiques market and hand-crafted stalls has been named one of the best for Christmas shopping in the UK.

Frome in Somerset made the cut for The Times list for "prettiest towns for Christmas shopping". The town has an Independent Market that operates on the first Sunday of every month, allowing small businesses to showcase handmade items. Weekly markets also run on a Wednesday and Saturday. Meanwhile, a flea and antique market also operates on a Wednesday.

The town has also been named one of the best places to live in the country - and it's home to multiple celebrities. Last year, Love Actually star Hugh Grant was spotted going into Parsons bakery to buy a sausage roll. Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud also lives there in a converted 15th century farmhouse.

Frome has been ranked as one of the best Christmas shopping locations (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Frome also boasts great transport links, including hourly direct trains to Bristol and Weymouth. A Christmas Market is also set to open on November 24, and will feature a lantern procession, live music and a light switch-on event. The 'Light the Night' lantern procession will see dozens of people walk through the town on the opening day.

Each year has its own theme, though 2023's is yet to be named. In 2022, the theme was 'Gingerbread Town' with lanterns coming in the form of gingerbread biscuits, lollipops, sweets and candy canes. There will also be refreshments on offer, with bags of festive food being handed out at the end of the event.

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In it's description, the Times said: "Do you remember when Frome was just a pretty English market town? Now it’s second-home territory for big-name celebs where the local gallery sells pieces for five-figure sums and you might spot Hugh Grant stopping at the bakery for a sausage roll.

"Happily, this makes for marvellous shopping. Try the Raves from the Grave record store (ravesfromthegrave.com) or the ceramicist-owned Ground for pots and plates (fiunderhill.com). Han-Made sells jewellery crafted from polymer clay at the Frome Independent market (first Sunday of each month from March to December; thefromeindependent.org.uk).

"There are also weekly markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays (9am-3pm) and a flea and antiques market every Wednesday (9am-2pm). Stay at the Archangel, a pint-size pub with rooms."

Full list of 'prettiest towns for Christmas shopping'

• Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
• St Andrews, Fife
• Frome, Somerset
• Cardigan, Ceredigion
• Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
• Ludlow, Shropshire
• Lewes, East Sussex

Ryan Merrifield