Deputy editor Emma Mayoh grew up in Bolton and has lived in Australia. Yearning for the coast, she and her young family have called Lytham home since 2010
Morning
Mornings are made for mooching in Lytham. In the cooler months, life is a little more slow-paced and laid back while the crowds in the spring and summer bring a buzzy, vibrant edge to the town. There are stylish boutique shops selling everything from the latest home interiors to designer clothing under pretty Victorian canopies that run along the main street. Family-run department store Stringers is a good place to head. It started life in 1852 as a drapery store and his been owned by the Clarke family since 1957. Today, the independent store sells everything from Kurt Geiger handbags, White Company goods and luxurious lifestyle products.
It isn’t a morning mooch without a stop for coffee or something more substantial. Much-loved by locals, Apex Cycleworks bike repair shop and cycle café is the top of my list when it comes to breakfast and brunch. It’s a good choice for any time of day – and their new Sunday Club events and Friday night street food and DJ sets are popular. But cowboy beans and a giant mug of tea, with cakes to take home for later? Yes please!
Other favourites are Fig and Olive, tucked down a side street not far from the main square, the long-running and popular Lytham Kitchen in the centre, and relative newcomers Trevino.
After a stroll and some sustenance, the younger members of the family will love a stop at Park View 4 U, a fabulous space with playgrounds for every age and stage, sand pits, zip wires, basketball courts, a woodland walk and a skate park. It was all built more than 20 years ago but continues to evolve. All members of the family will love a pit stop for an ice cream or treat from Sticky Chocolate Ltd, a café on the park which also has a shop on the main high street.
Afternoon
Enjoy lunch in one of the local places to eat – don’t miss seafront favourite The Queens Hotel, run by local couple, Kate Baillie and Ross Robinson, and set in a listed Victorian building. Very much a dog-friendly venue, like so many Lytham spots, you’ll find everything from breakfast to dinner, as well as coffee and cakes, but their classic pub plates are ones to try.
For fresh air, a walk along Lytham Green or the jetty near Ribble Cruising Club is a must whether it’s a blow-the-cobwebs-away walk on a breezy day or taking in the sun, and an ice cream, on warmer days. It’s also the perfect place to picnic with pals. If you prefer a longer leg-stretch, a new path, part of the town’s coastal defences, connects the end of the green to Fairhaven Lake, where you can spot bird life, enjoy a spot of sailing or paddleboarding or sip on hot chocolate on a cold day. Lowther Gardens is also a great place for a pleasant potter.
Heading back into town, pop in to Lytham Heritage Centre, a Grade II-listed building built in 1899 for the Manchester and County Bank. You’ll find a programme of heritage and art exhibitions here from February to December as well as a collection telling the history of Lytham.
A five-minute walk, through the town, takes you to the gates of Lytham Hall. It has been a constant in my life here. It’s where we celebrated our wedding, a place we have spent many an hour exploring with our young daughter and Leafy Lytham, owned by Greg Anderton and located at the back of the hall, is always our first stop each year when choosing our Christmas tree. Now, for our family, it’s a place to wander, spend a while and soak in the surroundings. It’s run by the fabulous Peter Anthony and Paul Lomax, who took over the stewardship of the Georgian house, once home to the Clifton family, just over 10 years ago. They have transformed this local landmark into a place much beloved by locals as well as day-trippers. Wander the parkland, enjoy popular snowdrop walks in the colder months, take afternoon tea in the café, pick up plants from Leafy Lytham or pack up a picnic and some Pimm’s, for its popular outdoor theatre series in the summer. They have even turned Lytham Hall Gate House at the end of the drive into a place to stay. It’s something special, with the one property split across two buildings on either side of the drive, but the real gem is having all of the grounds to yourself when the gates close each evening. You can read more about Lytham Hall in our next issue.
Evening
Lytham’s food and drink scene is busy day and night, but it really comes into its own after dark. Blending a relaxed bar atmosphere with high-quality dining, places like The Deacon, The Olive Tree and Novello are favourites with locals and visitors. You’ll always be assured of the warmest of welcomes and great Italian food at Bosco, which has been feeding locals and visitors for some time. Just a few doors down Pizza Rana, a successful pizza restaurant which has gone from back garden set up to a spot at Blackpool’s Abingdon Street Market before opening a restaurant in Lytham less than two years ago, is a popular spot with families.
For drinks, the top of many locals’ list is The Taps, a proper pub dating back to the early 1800s celebrating real ales. Craft beer lovers would also love a stop at the small but perfectly formed Craft House, a micropub with a changing rota of ales.
On warmer days, cafés and restaurants spill out into the open air. It’s a fabulous atmosphere with people sipping on summer sundowners while the sun sets. The outdoor bars at The Deacon and Apex Cycleworks are particularly popular during Lytham Festival.
Lovers of theatre and the arts will enjoy a visit to the newly refurbished Lowther Pavilion. As well as being home to several amateur dramatic productions, it attracts an impressive line-up of big names.
Keep an eye out for guest chef nights, too.
Don’t miss in 2026
Lytham Festival
July 1-5
Lytham will be thriving when this annual music festival returns this summer. The event, which attracts more than 120,000 music lovers each year, takes place on Lytham Green. This year’s line-up includes pop duo Pet Shop Boys, global artist Teddy Swims, renowned singer/songwriter Michael Bublé and renowned rap artist, Pitbull. Raise a glass and dance to the sounds of some of the best in the music industry. lythamfestival.com
Lytham 1940s Weekend
August 15-16
The streets and promenade of the town are filled with people dressed in vintage 1940s clothing as well as throngs of visitors enjoying this feel-good event. Take in the displays of historic vehicles and aircraft, performances from the Kalamazoo Dance Band, fashion shows and soak up the atmosphere during this two-day event. discoverfylde.co.uk
A tale of two towns
Although commonly referred to as Lytham St Annes, Lytham and St Annes are actually two separate towns, alongside other areas Ansdell and Fairhaven. The two towns were administered separately until 1922 when they were merged to become a larger borough and civil parish, hence the name Lytham St Annes.
Sea or estuary?
Sitting on the Fylde coast, Lytham, described by The Guardian newspaper as the yin to Blackpool’s yang, is located on the River Ribble estuary where marshlands meet the saltwater of the Irish Sea.
A place to stroll
Lytham Green, a long and wide strip of grass running between the shore and the main coastal road, is a local landmark that attracts everyone from locals on a morning walk to day-trippers and picnic parties. It’s also the focal point for some of the town’s largest events, including Lytham Festival.
Lytham Windmill and Museum
The windmill is a landmark as synonymous with Lytham as Blackpool is with rock. And this gorgeous building and former lifeboat house is open throughout the year on various weekends and bank holidays. Explore exhibits on the history of Lytham and the Clifton family, who called Lytham Hall home, and a history of the milling that was once done there.
Make a weekend of it
To extend your stay on the coast, there is plenty of accommodation to choose from. Many of the local places to stay are owned and run by individuals and families. The multi award-winning Rooms in Lytham has gorgeous spaces to rest your head and The Queens Hotel and The Clifton Arms offer great dining as well as comfortable, lovely rooms, including some with views over Lytham Green.
If you want a luxury spot to sleep but would rather eat in one of the local dining spots, Auberge’s boutique bedrooms are ideal, as well as being in a great location in the main square..
