For a mix of both independent and well-known high street names, go shopping in Congleton
A pleasant summery day is the perfect excuse to experience Congleton’s charms. It has gorgeous Georgian buildings and a quaint ‘olde worlde’ feel that encourages visitors to shop at a much more civilised pace.
‘Congleton rare, Congleton rare, sold the town bible to buy a new bear.’ This little rhyme dates back to Elizabethan times when bear baiting was a fashionable sport and it still retains its Bear connection to this day and is often referred to as Beartown.
So steeped in history and such a good location for a spot of retail therapy, with more than 160 shops and 32 places to eat and drink.While the town has its fair share of well-known high street names it is also blessed with enthusiastic independents who hand-pick their wares, ranging from designer clothes to French furniture.
Top shopping areas include bridge Street and High street, there’s also the re-vamped West Heath shopping centre off Holmes Chapel Road, while the out of town Barn Road retail park is the place to visit for everything from homewares to mobile phones.
Capitol Walk is an especially attractive place to browse. It’s a lovely undercover arcade, which gets its name from the cinema that used to be on the site and it is here you’ll find a diverse selection of goodies.
And Congleton hasn’t forsaken its origins as a market town. It has a covered market twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays and one Tuesday a month a Farmers’ Market, while on Sunday it’s the place to head to snap up car boot bargains.
It promotes itself as a place with a big heart and certainly shows this in its status as a fair trade town with a growing number of cafes and retailers placing fair trade goods ahead of profit.
Where it isCongleton is a town and civil parish in the authority of Cheshire East on the banks of the River Dane, to the west of the Macclesfield Canal. It has a population around 25,750.
What else besides shopping?Congleton has plenty of attractions for a day out in Cheshire. Make like Moll Flanders at Little Moreton Hall, or visit nearby Capesthorne Hall.
Stroll along the River Dane, cycle the Biddulph Valley Way or walk to the atmospheric ruins of Mow Cop Castle. Take a walking tour around the town and discover Congleton’s hidden history, then sit back and relax in one of Congleton’s many bars and restaurants.
