The thriving town with 80 independent shops that locals love | UK | News

It’s not on many tourists’ bucket lists for a tour of Britain, but locals in Chesterfield say they can’t think of a better place they’d rather live. Just half an hour from Sheffield, it’s home to a thriving community, a fantastic market and a wide range of independent shops.

Life in the town, where residents and tradesmen meet on a gray day, exceeds the gloomy weather. Chesterfield is known for its historic, crooked church tower that dominates its skyline. In recent years the town has begun to grow and much more is on the horizon.

Alec Chapman-Taylor (32) works at the Cheese Factory. The business became an important part of the town, with people traveling to Chesterfield to buy cheese. Despite the dull weather, there is a constant flow of customers.

He says: “There’s a new market square, it’s going to look like the new events square. It’s fantastic. It looks a lot better. I think it’s hard to be an independent business these days. I think it’s really hard. Luckily, Simon, who owns the place, has lived here with his father since the 60s.”

“I’ve been working in the town for probably the last 10 or 15 years. Chesterfield has a unique position where we have heritage here, so the town hall is quite old. Again, I would say the market is quite old and traditional.”

“It’s been going on for a long time. A lot of people have family ties to the market, which makes it really special.”

He says one of the town’s strengths is its interesting independent shops, and he estimates there are about 80 shops in Chesterfield.

He adds: “The Davidson family has run a cheese shop since the early 60s, I’ve only worked there for two years but I’ve lived in Chesterfield since the mid 90s and I love it. I really love it.

“I’ve lived in many places, including Manchester, but always come back to Chesterfield. It’s the perfect size and has everything you want.

“I really enjoy it, the people are really nice. It’s got great pubs. I’m raising a family here. All my brothers and sisters live here too; we moved our family from elsewhere to Chesterfield.”

In terms of improvements, he says he always wants to see more events and now they’re starting to be organised.

“We had a great animatronic dinosaurs day for the kids and a 1940s market that people loved too,” he explains.

On the main street, many customers are walking around, going in and out of stores.

Janice Wallhead, 72, went shopping today. He says: “I’ve lived here for 40 years and I love it. I can walk into town and I think the high street is nice but I’d like to see a bit more diversity.

“We’ve lost a few things over the years, a few of the fashion stores.

“Some money has been spent on improving the market, but I still think there are other things in the city that need to be improved beyond the market.”

Bringing new life to a well-known pub, The Royal Oak, Patrick Hopman, 30, and Meg Hopman, 29, say they think Chesterfield has a lot to offer.

The couple became known among local business owners for defying the odds and achieving success at the bar despite the current economic climate.

Two former school teachers say the pub has been a huge success, and once you step inside it’s not hard to see why.

You enter through a small door on a side street and the building opens as you enter. The bright orange walls are adorned with memorabilia the couple has collected. From decorative plates to signs and posters, it’s a feast for the eyes.

On the other side of the bar, there is a church-like atmosphere, not too different from a movie set. There are stained glass windows, high ceilings and dried flowers.

The couple have clearly identified the pub as a place to visit and a destination in the town.

Pat says: “We took a bit of a risk buying this pub but we were really pleasantly surprised. We’d had it for a year but reopened in April last year.

“There are a few really unique buildings in Chesterfield, most notably the Spire. But then our pub is definitely on the list too; school trips come and sit outside on our benches.”

Pat grew up in London and Meg in Devon, but they say they now feel at home in Chesterfield.

They both agree that they initially wanted to live in Sheffield, but opted for Chesterfield as it was cheaper and thought Sheffield was just a short drive away.

But after living in Chesterfield they say everything they need is there and they find themselves visiting Sheffield less and less.

Pat says: “We’re around five minutes’ drive from the Peak District. We’re perfectly placed for Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham. We’re less than two hours into London.

“We even went to Newcastle last weekend, which is only two hours away. Location-wise it’s great.”

Pat adds: “There’s a fair amount of negativity around, especially when I’ve been to a lot of meetings where everyone is saying downtown is dead. I think that’s complete nonsense – certainly from what we’ve seen.”

Locals say the town is a place full of creativity and life.

Emily Bowman, 44, chief executive of Junction Arts, a community-based arts charity based in the town, wants a number of artists to paint murals on some of the town’s buildings to add color and vibrancy.

When we arrive at his new home, there are paintings and sculptures around as we head towards the conference room to talk about Chesterfield’s future. A total of 11 local creatives took part in the building on February 1.

Emily says she has high hopes for the town. “All our work is grassroots and upwards, so we work really closely with our community and there is a real sense of pride in where people come from and what our communities go through,” he tells the Express.

“We’re an old mining community and an old industrial community, so there’s been quite a bit of change, but there’s a real sense of history in our town. That’s reflected in our business and the community.”

Emily says she’s looking forward to the Chesterfield Make-Off in May, which will see around 40 artists “make and create”. He adds that it’s an opportunity for local people to get involved and “see what’s on our doorstep and how amazing it is.”

He adds: “It’s really important to recognize the huge passion for the future of Chesterfield.” Chesterfield might not be your first thought for going out, but it’s definitely a place that’s put itself on the map. With affordable homes and excellent transport links to nearby major cities, it’s no wonder so many people don’t want to leave.