Just Outside Blackpool Is A Charming Market Town With A Lively Local Scene And Nearby Antique Shops

Blackpool is a popular seaside city, attracting over 20 million visitors most years. While there's plenty to keep you occupied by the coast, it's also worthwhile visiting some of the city's surrounding towns. You may stumble upon an unexpected darling, such as the historic market town of Poulton-le-Fylde (known locally as just Poulton). Dating as far back as Roman times, the town has remnants of medieval architecture and various historic buildings that maintain its market town aesthetic and lively shopping scene only 3.5 miles from Blackpool.

Poulton-le-Fylde's history is a big part of its charm. Remnants of 18th-century life appear throughout the town, including the iconic Market Cross and the somewhat confronting whipping post and stocks —once used to punish criminals. St. Chads Church stands tall within downtown. This 11th-century place of worship not only provides the town with one of its most historic buildings but also a peaceful environment for private prayer, communal mass, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. You can enter the church most days, admire its medieval architecture from the outside, or sit beside it on a bench surrounded by grass and trees.

The town has never received an official market charter (a monarch-issued document granting legal right to hold markets), but Poulton-le-Fylde hasn't let that stop it from hosting various markets for centuries. Horse, cloth, and cattle markets often took place here, but it's the 19th-century general market which has remained a staple of town life. Poulton Market takes place almost every Monday in the historic Market Square and its surrounding streets. Local stallholders set up shop, selling fresh produce, meats and cheeses, homewares, clothing, jewelry, and various other handicrafts. This is when Poulton is at its liveliest and most traditional, demonstrating why it's such a charming market town on England's western coast.

Market day may be Poulton's biggest, but the town also provides great shopping and dining every other day of the week. You can browse numerous local boutiques gathered around St. Chad's Church downtown. Squires Gentlemen's Outfitters is a Lancashire-based men's formal wear shop that specializes in wedding attire. However, it also sells suits for all occasions, more casual shirts and knitwear, and accessories like ties, pocket watches, and beanies. Gabriel's House is both a gift shop and tea room, selling a range of cute items and homemade food behind its pink-and-glass shopfront. Other shops in town can feel a little drab, albeit functional, such as bargain chains and greeting card stores.

Downtown Poulton also offers a wide range of places to eat and drink. Bistro Italia is considered the town's top restaurant in town on Tripadvisor. The menu offers authentic Italian dishes, including ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta, char-grilled chicken breast, and baked goat cheese. Grab a pint before or after at Thatched House, a popular pub opposite the church with numerous cask ales. One recent visitor praised the "selection of real ales" and "welcoming and relaxed" atmosphere in a Google Maps. Another patron called it a "fantastic vibrant pub with friendly staff."

Live music and regular events throughout the year also bolster the town's local scene. Poulton Gala, held on the first Saturday in June, celebrates an old local tradition with a street parade, bands, carnival rides, and food and drink vendors. The town's annual Christmas festival also brings on wintery cheer with market stalls, kids' rides, music, and of course, Santa. Poulton-le-Fylde Community Hall is also a great spot for live entertainment. The small but intimate space hosts fun nights, from disco parties and quizzes to stand-up comedy and family shows.

Although Poulton itself doesn't have any antique stores, you can find some decent spots in and around Blackpool, England's own "Coney Island" according to Rick Steves. Many of these stores are within a 10 to 15-minute drive from Poulton. The Regent is one of the most impressive, covering three floors of a 1920s cinema with 50 stalls selling antiques, vintage items, and handicrafts. "You have to look and rummage for things. But wow, some bargains to be had," one shopper said in a Google Maps review. Antique and Vintage Emporium is right across the street. You can find unexpected items here, including old-school picnic sets and antique furniture. According to one shopper's Google Maps review, it offers an "easy-to-navigate space to explore antiques and vintage items" sold by Blackpool locals.

You can drive to Poulton-le-Fylde from Blackpool or catch the train from Blackpool North station, which takes half the time. The town is also well-connected to other English cities via its railway line. You can catch the train to Poulton in about 1.5 hours from Manchester or Liverpool, a beautiful, vibrant English rival to London. Even from England's capital, you're only three hours away on the train.

Accommodation here is less accessible. Poulton has some luxury vacation apartments next to its train station. You can also stay just outside of town at Poulton Plaiz Leisure Park, which offers cabins with surrounding countryside and two fishing lakes. But if you want a standard hotel accommodation option, you'll need to stay in Blackpool or just over the River Wyre near Hambleton. If you want to see another charming market town in the area, drive less than one hour from Poulton-le-Fylde to Clitheroe and experience its local eateries, shops, and scenic castle.