The high life – the delights of Tarporley high street
When you look at Google maps at the landscape that is the middle of Cheshire – where Cheshire East and West meet in the country plain – the village of Tarporley stands out as a red mass of site markers. This throng of pinpoint markers indicates the concentration of shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs and hotels on its high street that has made it such a popular place to live, but also to visit and socialise in.
Quality street
Tarporley is a village in Cheshire West and Chester that has earned a considerable reputation for high quality – both of living and in terms of available amenities. The main street looks very much like it did a hundred years ago. Over the years it has lost none of its traditional charm, which is part of what makes it so popular with visitors and locals alike. The street is dominated by some memorable listed buildings. These include Tarporley Market Hall and the former coaching inn, The Swan Hotel, both of which date from the eighteenth century. And just off the main street you can also see St Helen’s Church, the earliest parts of which date from the fifteenth century. In this quintessentially English high street setting are many superb independent shops demanding to be explored.
Food for thought
When it comes to eating and drinking out, you’re also spoilt for choice. The village has its fair share of public houses – including The Rising Sun public house and The Swan Hotel. Both of these have undergone extensive refurbishments in the last few years – and food options providing everything from take-away fast food to high-end cuisine. Restaurant and café-wise, you can choose from Ginger and Pickles Bakehouse, boutique beer and food at the Little Tap, or Latte Da opposite the Old Fire Station and Chocolate Shop (which has its own café too). You can also enjoy contemporary restaurants like No. 32 Tarporley and The Coast, all of which have a great rep for quality and service. The wide range of options make the choice of where to eat even trickier.
Fashionably popular
The village is very well served with an array of excellent shops and boutiques, from fashion to food. There are the usual suspects you’d expect to see – a Spar with filling station, a well-stocked Co-op on the main street. There’s also a plethora of high-end independent clothes, homewares and gift shops too. The range of high-quality clothing shops include everything from popular fashion to traditional country wear. Thanks to its enviable mixture of choice and quality, Tarporley as a place continues to attract new residents and visitors, and its unique, welcoming high street continues to thrive.
