If you live in the South West of the UK than I imagine you would have heard of Frome. It’s a very small town but what it lacks in size it definitely makes up for in style. Frome is famous for its independent shops and cafes, along with the quintessentially English streets that they inhabit. Every month (in non-COVID times), they’re host to the Frome Independent Market. I’ve only been to this myself at Christmas time and it was incredibly busy, but definitely worth visiting. If you’re planning a trip, here’s what to do in Frome.
How to get there
Frome is south of Bath and south east of Bristol. If you’re driving, it’s a lovely drive down from the M4. We’ve also driven to it from the south coast which was pleasant too. If you’re visiting during one of the market days then definitely use the park and ride services. We used the parking and then just walked in as it was a nice day. It was around a 10-15 minute walk each way from Frome Sport & Fitness Leisure Centre. Other times that we’ve visited, we’ve used the market car park and Cork Street which were both really decent prices.
Frome also has a train station so you can get there easily even without a car. And then you don’t have to worry about parking either!
What to see
There are a lot of great shops to visit in Frome. My personal favourites are mostly along Catherine Hill. Pilea plant shop is beautiful and has some lovely pots as well as plants. There are also a few vintage shops, a couple of which were closed when we visited but we popped into The Dandy Lion which had some fab pieces.
One of my favourite shops is Resident. It’s the kind of place you walk into and your soul is instantly soothed, but I’ve just learned that they’re now online only. For men’s clothing, Assembly and Nomad are great. Frome Hardware is also pretty cool. There really is a shop for everyone in Frome.
A visit to Bramble and Wild is kind of a must when in Frome, they have a great selection of plants and flowers. I picked up a tiny monkey mask plant there a year ago which has now more than doubled in size. The other street that you definitely have to stroll down is Cheap Street. There’s gift shops, café’s, a health food shop, chocolate shop, book store and more!
Where to eat
The pizza at Eight Stony Street was beautiful, as were the chips and roasted veg that I had. If you can get a window seat upstairs you get a great view of Catherine Hill which is perfect for people watching. We could’ve spent all day sat there watching the world go by. At the market we had amazing vegan festive wraps but I can’t remember the name of the vendor at all. We’ve also eaten at Cordero Lounge which has a fun interior (in keeping with the other Lounge’s that are dotted around the country).
What’s nearby
The town of Shepton Mallet isn’t far and if you’re looking for some designer bargains then you should check out the outlet mall there. It’s a lovely space to walk around and dip in and out of the different boutiques. There’s homeware, clothing, plants and a couple of café’s to enjoy.
Bath is also quite close to Frome, and definitely a city worth visiting if you haven’t before. The architecture in Bath is one of the main attractions. It’s just beautiful! Another place to go for markets at Christmas time, though it does get very busy.
If you’re looking for guides to other parts of the UK then have a read of my posts on the best places for UK staycations.
