Published in the Birmingham Live Magazine
Brightly coloured wellies are festooned across the black and white streets of Wellington in Shropshire and there are loads of great walks, playgrounds and eateries nearby
There’s a fun market town which is booming with new independent shops and quirky boutiques. In fact, 40 new businesses have launched in Wellington since lockdown lifted.
With brightly coloured wellington boots festooned across the street, a thriving indoor market and buzzing foodie scene, there’s plenty to discover here. Thought to be the oldest town in Shropshire, the bunting-lined streets combine red brick and half-timbered buildings with little lanes of retro and vintage stores.
Just 10 minutes from Telford Town Park – which boasts seven themed play areas – there are loads of things to do for the whole family here. Wellington sits on the northern gateway to the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is just a mile from The Wrekin, making it an ideal place to play, walk, shop and go for a bite to eat without spending a fortune.
An officially designated Walkers Are Welcome town, there’s a range of footpaths connecting it to The Wrekin and the Shropshire Way and two long distance National Cycle Network routes pass through the town – Route 55 and Route 81. Granted its first Royal Charter in 1244, it was here that poet Philip Larkin first worked as a librarian, publishing his first collection of poetry and writing his two only novels.
Regular events take place here. Look out for the annual Walking Festival every summer and the Wellington Festival each October, which is a celebration of arts, culture and literature. Find out more via the Visit Shropshire website.
Wellington’s independent shops
Around four years ago, the shop vacancy rate in Wellington was above the national average at 15 percent. Today it has almost halved – and there have been over 40 new businesses and food outlets opening their doors in the past couple of years. If you head over for an afternoon out, be sure to factor in a pit stop at one of the area’s independent cafes or pubs too. Here are some of the stars of the Wellington scene:
The Little Green Pantry on Crown Street is an award winning refill shop. Owned by green campaigner Keli King who has been proactive in pushing Wellington’s green agenda – and helped Wellington attain plastic free status.
Anthony’s of Wellington is a farm shop style shop with a butchers and deli on Market Street. It sells locally sourced meat, beers and spirits such as Wrekin Gin, and even has its own café
OLS Stone on Queen Street sells unusual garden ornaments and stone carvings
Zoetrends on Market Street is a fun place to go for women and men’s clothes at great prices
The Bookends is an independent bookshop on Duke Street, which holds regular ‘meet the author’ events and readings as well as storytelling events
Bath Bombs by JC on Bell Street is an Aladdin’s cave of bath goodies and wax melts with a national customer base
