New photo Picturesque town's high street is named the best in the UK

A high street in a picturesque town which prides itself on having just one chain store has been crowned the best in Britain.

Crickhowell, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, was named winner of the Great British High Street Awards.

Judges were wowed by the bustling street full of family-run, independent shops.

Crickhowell, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, was named winner of the Great British High Street Awards. Its High Street is pictured

Emma Corfield-Walters, owner of Bookish, one of the shops on Crickhowell High Street

Determined to stop large national chains taking over, 267 residents even collectively bought a pub due to close down, transforming it into three more shops.

The town, close to the site of the annual Green Man festival, was nominated for the awards after a scheme called Totally Locally brought together 100 shopkeepers to promote their businesses and the town’s unique appeal in the face of growing competition from online retailers.

Among shops in the quaint stretch are family-run butchers MT Cashell and Sons, independent bookstore Book-Ish and ladies boutique CwCw. Crickhowell, with a population of just over 2,000, also boasts Wales’s first zero-waste shop.

While many towns are dominated by chain stores, Crickhowell’s only one is a Premier convenience outlet tucked between a small charity shop and bank

The awards scheme is run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with the winner chosen from 38 shortlisted finalists

While many towns are dominated by chain stores, Crickhowell’s only one is a Premier convenience outlet tucked between a small charity shop and bank.

Awards judge Hemlata Narasimhan, from sponsor Visa Europe, said: ‘Crickhowell is a fantastic example of a community that has made huge strides in transforming its high street.’ The town’s tourism website advertises the high street as one of the ‘few shopping streets left’ in Wales, where ‘local businesses selling local produce recall a long-lost era when all high streets reflected the character of their town’.

Proud resident Dean Christy, 69. who nominated the high street, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled. Many of the stores are family run, not just one generation but handed down from previous generations as well.’ He added: ‘It has not really sunk in yet. The key thing is the character of the people in the town and the shopkeepers.’

The awards scheme is run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with the winner chosen from 38 shortlisted finalists by an independent judging panel.

He added: ‘The awards celebrate the great work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify our high streets and the quality of entries this year has been outstanding.

 How much coffee can one town drink? Council bans new cafes on high street that already has FOURTEEN on a 500-yard stretch   

• High street of Christchurch, Dorset has 14 coffee shops - which works out as one every 35 yards on average

• Local officials have decided to leave a shoe store empty rather than allow another trendy coffee spot to open

• The seaside town has popular chains including Caffe Nero and Costa as well as a host of independent cafes

• Jacqueline and Meghan Francis said they struggle to pay £2,500 rent and £1,360 business rates for their shop

• Is your town blighted by coffee shops? Email your pictures and stories to alex.robertson@mailonline.co.uk

A high street in a picturesque town which prides itself on having just one chain store has been crowned the best in Britain.

Crickhowell, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, was named winner of the Great British High Street Awards.

Judges were wowed by the bustling street full of family-run, independent shops.

Determined to stop large national chains taking over, 267 residents even collectively bought a pub due to close down, transforming it into three more shops.

Christchurch in Dorset has 14 different coffee shops on a 500-yard stretch of its High Street, forcing local planners to ban more from opening

Attending the awards ceremony at Lancaster House in London, high streets minister Jake Berry praised Crickhowell’s residents for their ‘determination’.

Among shops in the quaint stretch are family-run butchers MT Cashell and Sons, independent bookstore Book-Ish and ladies boutique CwCw. Crickhowell, with a population of just over 2,000, also boasts Wales’s first zero-waste shop.

Mike Ismail, owner of Baggies Cafe, said that even the large customer base of middle-class caffeine-lovers with time on their hands is not enough to keep all the cafes going

Christchurch has become so overrun with the cafes that officials have decided to leave this former shoe shop (pictured) empty rather than allow another trendy coffee spot to open

Mother and daughter Jacqueline and Meghan Francis, who run Coast Coffee Co, struggle to pay the bills which includes £2,500 a month in rent and £1,360 a month in business rates

Mother and daughter Jacqueline and Meghan Francis, who run Coast Coffee Co, struggle to pay the bills which includes £2,500 a month in rent and £1,360 a month in business rates

The town, close to the site of the annual Green Man festival, was nominated for the awards after a scheme called Totally Locally brought together 100 shopkeepers to promote their businesses and the town’s unique appeal in the face of growing competition from online retailers.

Even the UK's biggest retiree community can't fill town's cafes

Christchurch, a town of 50,000 people, has one of the oldest populations in the UK, with 30 per cent of residents aged over 65.

Its harbour, beaches and nature reserves also see it welcome thousands of older tourists each year.

But even the large customer base of middle-class caffeine-lovers with time on their hands is not enough to keep all 14 coffee shops going.

Mike Ismail, owner of Baggies Cafe, said: 'To have that many in a town centre of this size is a crazy situation.'

Christchurch's picturesque town harbour

Among shops in the quaint stretch are family-run butchers MT Cashell and Sons, independent bookstore Book-Ish and ladies boutique CwCw. Crickhowell, with a population of just over 2,000, also boasts Wales’s first zero-waste shop.

 He added: ‘The awards celebrate the great work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify our high streets and the quality of entries this year has been outstanding.

Awards judge Hemlata Narasimhan, from sponsor Visa Europe, said: ‘Crickhowell is a fantastic example of a community that has made huge strides in transforming its high street.’ The town’s tourism website advertises the high street as one of the ‘few shopping streets left’ in Wales, where ‘local businesses selling local produce recall a long-lost era when all high streets reflected the character of their town’. 

While many towns are dominated by chain stores, Crickhowell’s only one is a Premier convenience outlet tucked between a small charity shop and bank.

While many towns are dominated by chain stores, Crickhowell’s only one is a Premier convenience outlet tucked between a small charity shop and bank.

The trendy-looking The Boardroom is situated right at the end of the High Street in Christchurch

While many towns are dominated by chain stores, Crickhowell’s only one is a Premier convenience outlet tucked between a small charity shop and bank.

Proud resident Dean Christy, 69. who nominated the high street, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled. Many of the stores are family run, not just one generation but handed down from previous generations as well.’ He added: ‘It has not really sunk in yet. The key thing is the character of the people in the town and the shopkeepers.’

Attending the awards ceremony at Lancaster House in London, high streets minister Jake Berry praised Crickhowell’s residents for their ‘determination’

Determined to stop large national chains taking over, 267 residents even collectively bought a pub due to close down, transforming it into three more shops.

Kelly's Kitchen is one of the town's food and drink outlets. Guidelines suggest the town should not have more than 30 per cent of its shops as food outlets. Christchurch has 40 per cent

The awards scheme is run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with the winner chosen from 38 shortlisted finalists by an independent judging panel.

Rose Kelly (left), owner of the long-establish cafe Kelly's Kitchen, said the loss of retail stores and rise in coffee shops had impacted on her business, while local resident Judith Lewis (right), 78, said there were too many coffee shops in Christchurch

Christchurch (pictured) has the highest population of elderly people in Britain, with 30 per cent of its 46,000 residents aged over 65

Among the trendy establishments already on the High Street is the popular coffee shop chain Caffe Nero (pictured here)

Wild & Free is located within a minute's walk of no less than four other cafes offering hot caffeinated beverages

The Clay Studio allows customers to paint their own pottery while enjoying a hot beverage

Fleur-De-Lis Tearooms (pictured above) is another of the establishments situated on the road

Kelly's Kitchen is one of the town's food and drink outlets. Guidelines suggest the town should not have more than 30 per cent of its shops as food outlets. Christchurch has 40 per cent

The Indulge Yourself cafe faces stiff competition for customers given its location right in the middle of the High Street

Arcado Lounge cafe and bar was among those to benefit after councillors at Christchurch Borough Council voted to refuse permission for the new coffee shop

Soho, which is next to The Boardroom, proudly displays 'fresh coffee' first among the wares that it sells inside

The trendy-looking The Boardroom is situated right at the end of the High Street in Christchurch

Wild & Free is located within a minute's walk of no less than four other cafes offering hot caffeinated beverages

Cuckoos, found at the end of the High Street, is another of the fashionable coffee shops that is forced to compete with a host of rivals

As well as having to contend with other independents, many local business people also have to fight giants of the industry such as Costa

Rose Kelly (left), owner of the long-establish cafe Kelly's Kitchen, said the loss of retail stores and rise in coffee shops had impacted on her business, while local resident Judith Lewis (right), 78, said there were too many coffee shops in Christchurch

 

 

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News Pictures Picturesque town's high street is named the best in the UK

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Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
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kim cattrall

Size: 10-12
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