Stamford, a market town in Lincolnshire, has been named the UK's best high street for independent shops, bucking the national trend of retail decline. With around 170 independent businesses, the town's St Mary's Street topped a study by American Express and GlobalData in 2024.
Thriving independent scene
Home to just over 20,000 people, Stamford features over 600 Grade II listed buildings made from warm limestone. Its medieval and Georgian streets are filled with bespoke boutiques, artisan bakeries, family-run cafes, fine wine merchants and local craft shops.
Ben Stevenson, owner of jewellery shop Rubirox, said: "The message is pretty clear - use us or lose us. If you want us to stay here then you need to keep shopping in the town. And people do! It's a great town to be based in."
He added: "This town is thriving with lovely independent shops. You never see any empty units which means a lot of people have reasons to always come back into the town. A lot of the locals want to support their businesses."
Community and tourism
Weekly street markets pull thousands into the town centre, including a Friday farmers' market. Sarah Sewell, chair of Shop Stamford, said shops rely on a "good regular customer base" built on a "sense of trust we've built over time". Initiatives like the annual Little Book of Stamford map out local independents for visitors.
Stamford is also a popular tourist destination, with Burghley House featured as Windsor Castle in Netflix's The Crown. St George's Square was used in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
Location and resilience
Located halfway between London and York, Stamford benefits from passing trade. Michael Thurlby, owner of The Crown Hotel, said: "People will stop on their way from both places. Then they say, 'I didn't know it was as nice as this'."
Despite more than 17,000 store closures estimated in 2025 across the UK, Stamford remains a success story. It sits 11 miles east of Oakham, 14 miles northwest of Peterborough, and is under two hours by car from London or one hour 15 minutes by train via Peterborough.
