Shop Local across Harborough District
The beautiful market town of Market Harborough has been a shopper's haven for 800 years. Whatever you're looking for, their range of boutique and independent stores will have it. Enjoy the historic surroundings and packed calendar of events, there's more than enough to keep you busy.
Granted market status in 1204, Market Harborough still attracts shoppers with its mix of traditional markets and independent stores. Set against historic buildings and the River Welland, there's plenty to explore nearby.
The town's most iconic landmark is the Old Grammar School, a timber-framed building on stilts from 1614, once sheltering butter market traders and now hosting outdoor arts and crafts markets. Information leaflets are available in St Dionysius Church next door.
Completing Church Square's trio of historic sites is The Symington Building. Originally a Victorian corset factory, it now houses a museum on its first floor and a café.
Suitably refreshed, head to the nearby indoor market or hunt for a souvenir in niche giftshops and boutiques. To sample the town's newest retail experience, discover the Eco Village, home to small local businesses offering sustainable, free-range produce. More shopping with a difference is found at the Leicestershire Craft Centre, where you can treat yourself to a new skill such as sewing.
If your visit coincides with a special event – farmers' and specialist markets on The Square, classic car shows, comedy festivals and Civil War re-enactments all feature in a packed calendar – staying over is the obvious choice.
Harborough has a great range of accommodation, from yurts to historic coaching inns, and if you're looking for the ultimate break, hiring a narrowboat from Union Wharf Marina gives you the chance to float away in search of splendid isolation.
