Nestled within a loop of the River Severn lies the beautiful medieval market town of Shrewsbury. The county seat of Shropshire, Shrewsbury, is known for its medieval timber-framed buildings, narrow streets and over 600 listed buildings, as well as being the birthplace of Charles Darwin.

Yet, it is Shrewsbury’s incredible array of high streets – three to be exact – that have become a major focal point for the stunning market town. In fact, it was named as having the best high street in the UK by The Telegraph, describing it as a “beacon of light piercing the gloom” which gives shoppers a “fine reason to escape the tyranny of Amazon”. Wyle Cop, a steep, historic street in the town centre, fringed by incredible 16th and 17th century timber-framed buildings, is actually the UK’s longest uninterrupted row of independent businesses, boasting everything from unique boutiques to cafes and specialised shops, including the family-owned, family-run Tanners Wine Merchants, which celebrated its 180th anniversary in 2022 and was named ‘Best National Wine Shops’ in 2018.

“If you want big shops, chains, go to Telford, if you want independent bars, pubs, smaller shops, come to Shrewsbury,” town mayor, Alex Wagner, the youngest mayor in the history of Shrewsbury, told the Express.

While businesses still come and go on Wyle Cop, on the whole, the street is a lot “stickier” now than it used to be, he added. “Wyle Cop used to be famous [for businesses changing hands […] a lot of these places have six-month, 12-month contracts.

“I think part of [the change] is that we’ve ended up with the Market Hall [with over 50 traders] where the cheapest store is only £200 a month. So, if you’ve got a micro-business that’s not a full-time job, or you want to get started, you’ve got quite good options.

“We often get a business starting in the Market Hall, which ends up picking up pace, getting a small place on the Cop, and then moves to a bigger place in town.”

That was certainly the case for The Toy Box, run by Vonny Simons.

“We’ve been around for about five years,” staff member Sarah Prokopiak told the Express. “We opened our first store in Ironbridge five years ago and then we opened our second store in Shrewsbury four years ago. We were further down the hill in a smaller shop for three years, and then we opened here. We get lots of footfall in Shrewsbury, lots of people visiting for a shopping day, but also people who live here.”

On choosing Shrewsbury as the site of their second store, Ms Prokopiak said: “Shrewsbury was chosen because it’s Shrewsbury. It’s the capital of Shropshire and we are a Shropshire business […] there was no question of anywhere else.

“It just ticked all the boxes – we are an independent business, an independent toy shop, which you just don’t get many of anymore.”

While they do have an online store, Ms Prokopiak said that they still find people prefer to visit in person: “I think people still like to see and touch a product and see what the quality is like. And speak to our lovely staff – we’ve all got families ourselves. We all want to help people find the perfect toy. There’s also a lot of nostalgia around touching toys, remembering what it was like, talking about what my kids do with the toys.”

Just across the street from The Toy Box is Pretty in Pink Vintage, run by Graham Holbrook, which operates a quirky set-up of three shops, each with its own theme, next door to each other on the High Street, further up the hill from Wyle Cop.

Store manager Lola Moore agreed with The Telegraph’s ranking: “I’ve been to quite a few high streets where I walk down and all the shops are closed, or there’s nobody there. But here, it’s busy. I love going to Wales on little road trips and then I go into town, but I remember it took us so long to find somewhere to eat. I think it was a Tuesday, but here, you can go anywhere and get food on a Tuesday.”

The community spirit is also very strong in Shrewsbury, Mr Wagner said. The Nag’s Head, also on Wyle Cop, dates back to the 16^th century and its beer garden is “legendary”, he said.

“You will find solicitors in their 70s sitting next to college students having their first drinks after their A-levels, sitting next to young professionals, sitting next to hen parties, sitting next to your mum and her friends on a night out. It’s one of those pubs for everyone.”

While Wyle Cop and the High Street take much of the attention, Shrewsbury also has the pedestrianised Pride Hill, which provides access to the main shopping centre and many of the town’s chain businesses, including a Boots, Tesco Express and banks like Lloyds, so visitors and residents can still access everything they need.