The traditional shop buildings along the High Street, Burford. (Image: Getty)
This gorgeous little town, made up of winding streets and historic buildings, is often voted the prettiest in the UK and has a truly vibrant, bustling high street that feels like it’s frozen in time.
Despite being a very small town, with most of its shops and eateries dotted along the main high street, it does, according to the town council’s website, which helpfully lists them all, boast 60 independent shops.
From independent book shops to gift shops, crafts, old-fashioned sweets, fashion, jewellery, interiors and florists, not to mention an abundance of quirky tea rooms, coffee shops, bars and restaurants, this quaint little corner of middle England has it all.
From a shopping perspective, it is primarily made up of one street, but don’t be fooled into thinking there won’t be much to see because this small town definitely packs a punch when it comes to browsing the shops. Considering how much the High Streets in England are generally on the decline, there is little evidence of this here, with a great variety of independent shops to choose from.
Independent shops line the hill through the centre of Burford. (Image: Getty)
Burford sits on the River Windrush, just inside Oxfordshire. The Cotswolds cover 800 square miles and is the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ( AONB) in England and Wales. Burford sits at the Eastern edge of this area and is quintessentially Cotswold with beautiful honey coloured houses, dating back to the mid-Saxon period, between the 5th and 11th centuries.
Tina, a blogger who writes amidlifeadventure.org admits she fell in love with Burford, whose town council list 60 independent shops and businesses, mostly long the main drag of the town.
She writes: “We began our explorations at the La Bulle. This beautifully laid out fashion accessories shop specialises in Italian leather bags at affordable prices and that wonderful fresh leather smell greets you as soon as you walk through the door.”
Between shopping, she advises: “Keep your eyes peeled as you wander down the High Street, as there are a few small alleyways that meander away from the Main Street that are worth exploring architecturally.”
She goes on: “Our next stop was instead The Madhatter Bookshop. The Madhatter arrived in Burford some twenty-plus years ago. It’s not huge but don’t be afraid to chat to the Assistant because even if they don’t have what you might be looking for or maybe don’t know what you want and need some help or guidance, they have a wealth of experience and are more than happy to help including ordering a book and having it delivered to your home address.
“Additionally they hold Book/Bar evenings and a virtual “Book Club” that you can join wherever you are in the world.” The owner Kim is also the founder of the September Burford Literary Festival which delivers a range of chats and talks.”
The picturesque Cotswolds town looks stunning in Autumn and is quieter too. (Image: Getty)
Tina recommended Huffkins as a great place to stop for some refreshment. “This Cotswold tearoom is well worth a visit if you are looking to have elevenses, lunch or afternoon tea whilst visiting. It’s been here since 1890 and has developed across time, producing such pleasurable cakes and sandwiches, and the business has expanded to encompass another eight tea rooms, including locations in London. :
Craft & Curious is a pottery painting studio offering handmade, hand-painted, and personalised pottery keepsakes and homeware, whilst also selling anything Christmassy all year round! If you like to spend time doing something “crafty” whilst away for a couple of days, it’s worth giving them a call in advance as you can paint your own pottery and they also run “Paint and Prosecco” evenings.
Tucked away in the corner of this alleyway is also “Nutmeg & Thyme,” a 100% gluten-free and vegan cafe, which we will no doubt try on a future visit.
Just past this alleyway is Burford’s Traditional Sweet Shop”, a “sweety wonderland”, with over 200 varieties to choose from alongside local handmade chocolates and gifts.
Other High Street favourites include the famous Burford Garden Company, artisan foods at The Cotswold Cheese Company and fashion boutiques like Slate Clothing, specialist antiques with Manfred Schotten and home goods at Just Fabrics.
A spokesperson for Burford Town Council said: “Burford is blessed with some of the more individual shops in the Cotswolds and most are open seven days a week. Burford has good transport links and parking.”
Burford is served by two railway stations on the Worcester/Hereford to London Paddington Line. Charlbury Station is approximately 7 miles from Burford, and most of the services stop there. Shipton-under-Wychwood Station is approximately 5 miles from Burford and has a limited service.
Parking in Burford is free – both on the street and in the public car park. Parking on the East side of the High Street is limited to 2 hours. There is no time restriction on the West side of the high street. There is a 12-hour limit in the main car park. Additional free parking is now available at the Burford Recreational Ground, located off Tanners Lane.
For a full list of Burford’s independent shops, visit: https://burford-tc.gov.uk/shopping-in-burford/