The historic coastal town of Lymington is loved by residents and visitors alike, including those searching for fashionable boutiques and other upmarket outlets. Other attractions include trendy cafes and an annual seafood festival that draws thousands of foodies from across the south. Once described by Daniel Defoe as a town "teeming with smugglers and all sorts of desperados", it also has a relatively low rate.
The 18th century author - best known for writing Robinson Crusoe - would struggle to recognise the town today. Its High Street has recently been named as one of the best in the UK. Citing Lymington's "grand architecture", the Daily Mail said the town combined "historical elegance with coastal charm".
Its verdict - the latest in a long list of accolades - has come as no surprise to the town mayor. Cllr Jack Davies said: "Like all High Streets, Lymington has its fair share of challenges. However, we're very fortunate to have a wide variety of independent shops, cafes, and bars.
"They help to give Lymington a unique shopping experience that can’t be matched. “The charter market on Saturday has been running since 1243. The number and variety of stalls, combined with the unique nature of the High Street, makes Lymington the best market in the south.
"I'm incredibly proud to have grown up working on it." Town centres across the UK have been hit by the growth of online shopping and the cost of living crisis, but Lymington is seeing something of a renaissance. Over the past few months several buildings in main shopping area have either been refurbished or brought back into use.
Stanwell House, a boutique hotel on the south side of the High Street, was given a multi-million-pound facelift at the end of last year. Part of a former HSBC bank is now a restaurant called Huddle and plans have been submitted to convert the rest of it into a hotel. Just across the road, an old Barclays building has been transformed into the Solento Lounge after standing empty for a year.
Assistant manager Abigail Pearson, 32, who moved to Lymington about ten years ago, said: "It's a beautiful town. You've got the sea, and the is just down the road. Its also full of people who care about the community.
" The new cafe bar has done a roaring trade since it opened on August 29. Abigail said: "Things are going well and we've had a lot of positive feedback. Lymington has a lot of independent cafes that we massively support, but this is something different.
" A former Boots pharmacy at St Thomas Street could also be given a new lease of life. The building has stood empty for several years but New Forest District Council has received an application to turn it into a restaurant. Situated at the mouth of the Lymington River, the town boasts boatyards, luxury yacht marinas and a busy ferry terminal run by Wightlink, which operates a cross-Solent service to Yarmouth.
The High Street comprises a charming mix of Georgian and Victorian buildings, plus a few relics of the Medieval period. A cobbled street that leads from the bottom of the High Street to the Town Quay has appeared on countless calendars and postcards. Blue plaques have been attached to several buildings in the town to mark their contribution to the area's history.
Thought to be the oldest pub in Lymington, The Angel and Blue Pig had become a major coaching inn by the late 18th century. Many of the town's proclamations were made from the first floor balcony. One of the other buildings in the High Street dates from the 15th century and is regarded as the oldest surviving house in the town.
Elliotts fashion store, which opened in the early 1870s, is Lymington's oldest established business. Don Mackenzie, chairman of the Lymington Society, said: "Unlike many other towns, Lymington has bounced back from lockdown. It has a bustling High Street, with new shops opening on a regular basis and many buildings being refurbished to a high standard.
"Banks are being replaced by an exciting collection of restaurants and cafes." Mr Mackenzie praised the length and width of the High Street, saying it was an attractive area with a large number of beautiful Grade 1 and Grade II-listed Georgian buildings. He added: "Lymington is really a slice of heaven and once people arrive, they don’t usually move away.
" The town has seen its fair share of celebrities over the years including Sir Ben Ainslie, dubbed the greatest sailor in Olympic history. In 2012 he was given a hero's welcome at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club after winning his fourth Olympic gold medal. Princess Anne is also a keen sailor and makes regular visits to the club.
Novelist Leslie Thomas, who wrote The Virgin Soldiers in 1966, lived at nearby Captain's Row before moving to Salisbury. Other former residents include the late Emma Chambers, who played Alice Tinker in the Vicar of Dibley as well as appearing alongside Hugh Grant in the film 1999 film Notting Hill. Former Saints chairman Leon Crouch, who died in 2019, also had a house in the town.
Gina Campbell, whose father Donald was killed attempting to set a new water speed record in the Lake District in 1967, used to run a restaurant in a narrow street leading down to the quay. The restaurant was called Bluebird, the name given to the high-speed cars and boats used by Donald and his father, Sir Malcolm Campbell..
