11 November 2023 , 10:00
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With its quaint cottages, independent boutiques and Georgian streets, it’s not hard to see why Burnham Market in Norfolk has been dubbed ‘Chelsea on sea’. Just over a mile from the stunning coastline and white sandy beach, it’s one of the most charming and pretty villages in North Norfolk. The picturesque village is also a celebrity hotspot where you can spot celebs such as Stephen Fry, Amanda Holden and Anneka Rice enjoying everything it has to offer.
Located conveniently close to London by train from Kings Cross, Burnham Market is a charming 17th-century village surrounded by lovely countryside and full of independent shops. It’s been named among the UK’s ‘most beautiful’ villages multiple times - and is right next to top beaches and nature reserves. But its popularity has come at a cost - with houses now costing an average of £1m.
The average property in Burnham Market, Norfolk sells for a cool £1m (Chris Bishop / Newsquest / SWNS)The soar in property values has priced many young locals out of the market. More than 80 percent of the village’s residents have voted for the introduction of new measures to stop people buying second homes and turning them into holiday lets. Dennis Clark, chairman of Burnham Market parish council, said: “We don't want to keep people away from Burnham Market, but we want to encourage lower-cost housing so that the people who work here can live here. We need young people to be able to stay here to keep the village vibrant.”
Around one in four properties in Burnham Market is a second home leading to the population falling by more than a fifth in just two decades. In 2019 the sale of the local chemist caused locals to erect a fake English Heritage site plaque reading: 'The Pharmacy 1830-2019 Burnham Market; a dying village, poisoned by wealth. Finally dispensed with. RIP.' But some businesses are booming - Pentney House is a hat shop which sells thousands of hats in every colour and Miss Mable’s is a pottery painting studio and sweet shop where you can easily spend an afternoon.
The town also has its fair share of eateries like Tilly’s Cafe, the Tuscan Farm Shop and No. Twenty9 Bar & Restaurant. And a visit to the seaside wouldn’t be complete without a serving of fish and chips which you can get from the Mermaid chip shop. Meanwhile, the Hoste Hotel, a traditional pub dating back to 1651, is now a luxury 62-room boutique hotel with a historic bar, restaurants and a spa. The luxury hotel has been at the centre of north Norfolk's social scene for years, attracting many a famous guest and was named one of the UK’s leading ‘cool hotels’ by The Times.
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Giles Coren is a big fan of Norfolk (Channel 4)TV presenter and restaurant critic Giles Coren is a big fan of Norfolk and in summer 2020 he visited Michelin-star restaurant Socius in Burnham Market and gave it a glowing review. Hollywood heartthrob Tom Hardy sent pulses racing when he went to The Wood Fired Food Co. in Burnham Deepdale for a pizza and Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade with his family in 2020. In 2006, Amanda Holden told The Independent that Burnham Market was her favourite place in the British Isles. “Holkham is a vast beach where we walk our dogs - it's like walking on the moon," she gushed. "We eat at the Hoste Arms, which is owned by friends of ours. Norfolk hasn't been spoilt by tourism; it's one of the best places in the world.”
Things to do in Norfolk:
Campaigners voiced fears that the explosion in holiday lets was creating 'ghost towns' and making property unaffordable for local residents. (SWNS)You’ll never be bored in Norfolk according to Essentially England which recommends:
Visiting Norwich Castle and its teapot museum.
Admiral Lord Nelson's birthplace at Burham Thorpe
Spending a day at Sandringham and Castle Rising Castle
Shopping in Burnham Market
Taking a ride on the Holt to Sheringham Railway and exploring the beautiful little town of Holt and the seaside town of Sheringham
Exploring the ruins of Castle Acre
Wandering around the small town of Blakeney and Blakeney Point
Admiring the famous windmill and birdwatching in Cley-next-the-Sea
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Visit Anne Boleyn's family home, Blickling Hall, or explore Oxburgh Hall, a manor house with a moat.
Wildlife spotting while walking through the Cley marshes from Blakeney
Fishing for crabs and wandering along the famous pier at Cromer.
You can reach Burnham Market from London by catching a train from King's Cross to Kings Lynn and then hopping in a 40-minute taxi. But you can drive there as well via the M11 or A12 and then take local roads.