The gorgeous street is lined with independent shops, cafes and eateries – but there’s a lot more to the city than its retail offerings.
A gorgeous city in the UK is home to one of Britain’s prettiest streets that’s packed full of amazing independent shops, and it’s clear to see why it’s so popular.
Lincoln’s aptly named Steep Hill might end up leaving you out of breath after walking along it, but the shops en route are more than enough to keep you entertained and having fun.
The street, which has been named as the UK’s most beautiful, has everything from clothing and jewellery to food and drinks. However, the small East Midlands city’s charm extends well beyond its shops.
History runs through its veins, with Lincoln’s Norman cathedral commanding the horizon, and a Roman-period harbour nestled at the city’s base.
Connecting these landmarks is the Bailgate, the flourishing independent district that divides the historic quarter from the corporate retailers of the contemporary high street, reports the Express.
It’s precisely here on Steep Hill that Claire Taylor has operated her establishment Top to Bottom Accessories for the previous 14 years, and owing to the bustling retail environment, she recently diversified to launch a canine boutique opposite.
“You’ve got all of those lovely tourist places to visit, but on the approach up you’ve got a really good selection of independent shops,” she said. “I think after Covid a lot of people really like that.
“A lot of our shops are very small and quirky because they’re in listed buildings, so the big retailers are not interested in them because they can’t do what they want to make them a uniform shop.”
Steep Hill was previously hailed as “Britain’s Great Street” and crowned “Britain’s Best Place” by the Academy of Urbanism in 2012.
According to blog Third Eye Traveller, “you’d need a whole day” to explore all of its independent businesses.
“I think the only thing in the Bailgate that is a chain restaurant is Greggs, and that’s one of the smallest shops there as well,” Paul Risebrow, owner of the Cathedral View Guesthouse, said.
He said the high street flourishes throughout the year thanks to its robust local community.
“I think one of the charms of the area is that we do get tourists and we get a few, we get a lot… but we’re not like a York where we’re inundated with tourists, where the shops and the area becomes literally a tourist centre,” he explained.
“You know, there’s still a community in this cathedral quarter. There are still a couple of butchers,” he said.
“Those shops, nine out of ten of them don’t really rely on tourists in the daytime. They rely on the locals. So, it sort of maintains that local feel.”
For Mr Risebrow, the city manages to combine contemporary life with centuries of heritage, adding: “If didn’t live here, I’d definitely come and visit.”
Local architects, Matthew Thomas and Brant Clayton, who met at university two decades ago, have set up the Lincoln Free Walking Tour to share their passion for the area with visitors.
“I think if you’re a history fan, Lincoln is almost unrivalled in terms of what UK cities have to offer,” said Mr Thomas.
“The cathedral, for example, is absolutely stunning. It really crowns the city. You’ve only got to walk around any corner and there’s a really historic building. We’re talking Roman remains, Norman remains, the site of major battles.”
They highlighted some of Lincoln’s many historical offerings, including a cathedral that was once the world’s tallest building, the country’s oldest driveable arch, the UK’s oldest bridge with buildings still standing, and, more recently, being the birthplace of the tank.
The rich history is clearly attracting visitors, and on their three weekly tours, they regularly draw groups of 10 to 20 tourists, although the number can surge to 30 during the summer months.
Mr Thomas said: “We’re definitely seeing it becoming an increasingly tourist destination.” Mr Clayton added: “I always describe Lincoln as a little bit of a hidden gem, but it’s becoming increasingly less so as more people find out about it.”
They noted that, like many other towns, Lincoln had seen its “fair share” of national chains vanish, but they had observed new shops often move in swiftly when one closes down.
“I think it is thriving,” they expressed. “Especially on a Saturday morning when we often do our tours, all the shoppers are out, all the shops are open and people comment on that. They say they’re quite surprised how busy and how many of the shops are open.”
However, they believe that Lincoln’s success owes much to the university, which attracts a significant number of young adults and parents to the area.
“Lots of towns are going through some pretty tough times. And Lincoln’s kind of the one shining light in this little part of the world. So it’s a stark contrast.
“It’s primarily the tourism and the university that create that. I think without either one of those, Lincoln would be in a much more sorry state. But we’re very fortunate.”