• Swindon & Wiltshire Retail
• Wednesday July 10 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Marlborough voted Britain’s Number 1 High Street by readers of The Times

Readers of The Times have voted Marlborough as their favourite high street in a new poll.

The town saw off competition from Sherborne in Dorset, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, Wells in Somerset, Lincoln, Ludlow in Shropshire, and Rye in East Sussex to seize the crown.

The accolade comes in the same month that The Telegraph, in a feature headlined ‘Towns do not come much better than this’ said: “More towns like this, instead of generic unwanted shopping centres and high-rise flats, would do us all good.”

Of the east Wiltshire town, The Times wrote “This north Wiltshire market town has form when it comes to best-of lists.

“In 2022 it came second in the British Harper Dennis Hobbs Vitality Ranking, which tracks the health and prosperity of town centres.”

“Readers felt that Marlborough — with its thriving twice-weekly markets, spacious high street and 15th-century church — had been overlooked.”

A couple of readers were quoted to give weight to the claim. Vergil Berger said: “Marlborough must be near the top high-street ranking,” while Alan Jackson said: ““Second-widest high street in the UK, lovely range of shops, picturesque town hall at one end and beautiful church at the other end, all with views to neighbouring hills. Picture-perfect town.” What’s not to love?”

Whether Marlborough or Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham has the widest high street has long been a matter of contention, as the latter’s has been largely pedestrianised.

Marlborough was granted a charter by King John in 1204.

In the 17th century Marlborough High Street was described as having “on both sides many goodly shops well filled with rich and costly commodities, silks and tafety, cloath, and lace, linnen and woolen, gold and silver. No braver wares can be had or bought in London.”

The town is still a magnet for well-heeled shoppers, and particularly known for ladies fashion in its many independent boutiques. The town centre has just one supermarket – a Waitrose.