By Which? is one of the most respected consumer organisations, so when it publishes a set of results, people tend to sit up and take notice. Recently, it published a list of the UK’s best cities and towns for a 2024 staycation.
It asked 4,000 members to rate locations using a range of criteria, including accommodation, food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions, ease of getting around, lack of crowds, and value for money. Chichester took 12th spot in the small cities categories, placing alongside peers including Wells, Windsor and Stratford-upon-Avon. To put the result into context, there are 76 cities in the UK and some 1,186 towns.
The results of another study were published in the same week as the Which? results. This time, Smart Energy GB set out to establish what makes the perfect High Street. White & Brooks was curious to know whether Chichester’s reputation as a great place to spend time had any correlation to its choice of shops and facilities.
To discover what the perfect High Street should comprise, 2,000 people were questioned. Upon seeing the answers, our Chichester team quickly identified its city ticked every box. Below are the top nine High Street aspects, in order of what was deemed most important, together with some suggested places to visit:-
1. Decent pharmacy (58%): Chichester shoppers can choose from three pharmacies: Boots, Superdrug and Kamsons. The latter is a family-run dispensing pharmacy offering a number of vaccines and health checks.
2. Decent local pub (45%): although in Which?’s ‘small city’ category, Chichester has several excellent pubs. Among those serving locals and visitors alike are The Hole in the Wall, The Nags Head, The Eastgate and Little Monster Tap.
3. Florist (45%): beautiful blooms are easy to source in the city. Bunch and Hedge Rose are both brimming with bouquets for all occasions, and Chichester even has Petal & Bird - a florist dedicated to making sustainable, paper flowers.
4. Ice cream parlour (41%): serving a range of soft scoop, Italian-style gelato and sorbets is Shake-A-Delic in Cathedral Courtyard, Southgate. Alternatively, head to The Ivy for its selection of house ice cream and sorbet flavours.
5. Deli (38%): the artisan way has definitely arrived in Chichester. Zest For Taste specialises in oils, vinegars, condiments, herbs and spices, while Waitrose has an in-house delicatessen, alongside fish and meat counters.
6. Vintage shops (37%): some of West Sussex’s best vintage shops are clustered in Chichester and there’s even a regular vintage market. Vintro, Cherry Vintage and Almshouse Vintage are great for clothes, or try Squirrel Antiques or Lantiques for collectables.
7. Farm produce shops (37%): Chichester goes one better than a farm shop with an entire farmers' market. It takes place on the first and third Friday every month, with stalls set out along East Street, between 9am and 2pm.
8. Record stores (37%): the sound of a needle touching vinyl is alive and well in Chichester, with three record stores to choose from. Analogue October Records, Helter Skelter Records and Time Machine Records are worthy of your browsing time.
9. Health food shop (35%): Manuka Wholefoods is the perfect place to nurture your body. It stocks fruit, vegetables and drinks, with bodycare, remedy and supplement departments too. Also in Chichester is the Grape Tree and Holland & Barrett.
We often hear the phrase a ‘sense of place’ when talking about local communities and it appears the value of a good High Street has not diminished. The Smart Energy GB survey also found 54% of those questioned thought a thriving High Street was an important part of building a community, while 50% commented that local, independent enterprises help create a sense of unity.
If you would like to live in Chichester, with all the right ingredients for a perfect High Street, give our Chichester branch a call. Got a property to sell in the city? Let White & Brooks provide you with a free, accurate valuation.
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