What are the best places outside London to find antiques and artisans?
Posted by Cute_Gollum@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 31 comments
I love London, but I'd like to explore smaller neighborhoods brimming with independent shops, workshops, and designers, especially for home decor. Do you know of any places within an hour and a half by train for a day trip?
WhiteDiamondK@reddit
West Street in Dorking, Surrey. Not a huge number of outlets but you can definitely spend an afternoon browsing if that’s your thing. (Very regularly appears on shows like Antiques Roadtrip.
Direct train from London Victoria or Waterloo (although the town centre is a bit of a walk from the station)
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
Good to know, thanks !
TumblyBump@reddit
Hay on Wye?
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
Thank you !
MaleFeministActuary@reddit
Is anywhere outside London really worth going in the UK?
Bristol is a bit of a shithole. Manchester is just BTEC London. Birmingham is a literal wasteland.
Edinburgh maybe.
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
More than worth it, England is gorgeous, especialy the countryside and I'm sorry you think London is peak, as lovely as the city is.
MaleFeministActuary@reddit
The UK doesn't really have much countryside compared with France, then you get the shitty solar panels in fields and ugly new build estates. Ghastly place really
halfemptyoasis@reddit
As someone who has lived in northern France this is very funny to me
WhiteDiamondK@reddit
Yes. Also lived in France. As beautiful as some places are, France has a lot of absolute shithole areas.
Then there’s Marseille which makes Birmingham look like a heavenly paradise.
When you visit France as a tourist, you tend not to visit the shitholes. (The same as visitors to Britain don’t often go to Rotherham or Sunderland)
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
2000%
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
There's no need to compare 2 very different countries. England is beautifull in its own way, and there are things you'll never find in other places. Also... I'm here for nice places recommendations, not hearing you complain.
MaleFeministActuary@reddit
It's not all sunshine and roses, some people have to live in Grimsby.
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
I really don't care, you are free to move.
Also... You clearly have never been in "the bad parts" of France.
Character_Layer_5938@reddit
I found St Leonard's near Hastings to have great antiques
Not being cynical but I think you need somewhere up and coming very close to an old town where lots of old people are dying. The English riviera no doubt has many similar towns
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
When I can take advantage of a long week-end and go, I will for sure have a look up north ! I'm unfortunately a bit stuck for now close to London...
Sea-Still5427@reddit
Hastings is about an hour from London on the south coast.
seven-cents@reddit
I live in St Leonards. There are loads of antique shops! Lots of tat, but some really cool stuff too. A few of them are rammed so full that you can barely walk through them, but if you start chatting to the owners they will help you dig deeper (if you have something specific in mind).
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
That sounds like heaven !
rachaelg666@reddit
Lewes is great!
d_dawg_23@reddit
My favourite place!
Fine-State8014@reddit
Rye has more antique shops than people
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
Thank you ! And it looks stunning !
Fine-State8014@reddit
It's lovely there. But if you're claustrophobic don't climb up the church tower.
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
Good to know, will stay on the ground then lol
Rabbit-1989@reddit
Hungerford
TumblyBump@reddit
There is a place called Weedon in Northants that was full of just antique shops. Also try West Bay, stow-on-the-Wold and Broadway.
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
Thank you ! stow-on-the-Wold is actualy on my list to visit next year, I need to discover that part of england !
Mondays-fundays@reddit
Arundel is a nice day trip sort of town in its own right and has quite a few antique hops and galleries. Lewes similarly
Cute_Gollum@reddit (OP)
Thank you very much, I just had a look online and it's incredibly gorgeous !
neilm1000@reddit
Suffolk. There's a dude called Lovejoy.
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