Revealed: Britain's 14 best high streets
Shrewsbury's high street is regularly named one of the best in the UK.
Britain's high streets have long been the beating heart of towns and cities - not just places to shop, but also social hubs to meet with friends and family. As the retail world continues to evolve, with a greater shift towards online consumerism, many high streets across the UK are falling victim to store closures, leaving once beloved lanes looking almost apocalytipc, plagued by boarded-up windows and "To Let" signs. But not all of them.
Drawing on research from leading estate agents, including Knight Frank and Savills, alongside choices made by other major news outlets such as The Telegraph and Time Out, a clear picture is emerging of what separates the UK's very best from the rest. Studies have assessed everything from the strength of independent retailers and diversity of amenities to vacancy rates, footfall and overall desirability among homebuyers.
Below, the Express takes a closer look at 14 of the UK's best high streets - celebrating the locations that are bucking national trends, attracting visitors and new residents alike, and proving that the high street still has a vital role to play in modern British life.
Location: Dorset, South West England
Often described as "the Notting Hill of the South", Bridport is frequently named among the UK's best high streets. In fact, in 2025, it was officially ranked as the number one market town in the UK by Independent Cottages, finishing ahead of contenders like Stockport and Faversham.
The town's layout forms a "T" shape (East, West and South Streets), which were historically designed to be wide enough to allow rope-makers to dry their products. Today, that space creates one of the most spacious and walkable high streets in the country.
Bridport has a remarkably low vacancy rate compared to the UK average. It is dominated by local butchers, bakers, and unique specialists like Clocktower Records, which was recently named one of the best music shops in the country. It is also transformed every Wednesday and Saturday for its market - a massive event spanning three streets, selling everything from artisan sourdough and fresh Dorset seafood to antiques.
Location: Shropshire, West Midlands
If Bridport is the bohemian king of the South, Wyle Cop in Shrewsbury is its medieval, uphill rival in the West Midlands. Shrewsbury has officially been named as home to Britain's Best High Street for two consecutive years (2025 and 2026) by The Telegraph, and Wyle Cop is the main reason why.
Wyle Cop (derived from "Wild Hill") is a steep, curving street that serves as the grand entrance to Shrewsbury's town centre. It is reputed to have the longest run of uninterrupted independent shops in the UK. The street contains 39 listed buildings, featuring a dramatic mix of medieval timber-framed buildings, Georgian brickwork, and Victorian ornate styles.
One of its most beloved shops is Tanners Wines, a legendary, family-run wine merchant housed in a sprawling, labyrinthine complex of old buildings.
Location: Buckinghamshire, South East England
Buckinghamshire's Marlow was, in late 2025, officially named as having the best high street in Britain outside of London in a major report released by estate agency Knight Frank.
Knight Frank's analysis, led by its data science team, shifted away from just "pretty buildings" to look at retail resilience, measuring a street's ability to thrive through economic shifts, its community health, and its "enduring desirability".
The report identified Marlow as the gold standard, thanks to it having a unique "younger buyer base", drawing families with its high-performing schools, its mix of high-end brands like The Ivy and local boutiques and having one of the lowest vacancy rates in the country.
Location: Hampshire, South East England
Garrington, one of the UK's leading buying agencies, has consistently ranked Winchester as one of the best places to live in the UK.
Evaluating over 1,400 locations based on natural beauty, quality of life and heritage, Garrington highlighted its high street as a "popular shopping destination that balances independent and national retail shops," giving it a cosmopolitan feel that many other historic cities lack.
Meanwhile, the Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) and the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce have launched the 2025 Business Excellence Awards, praising the "resilience and brightness" of the city's high street businesses.
Location: Cheshire, North West England
Chester is another powerhouse in UK high street rankings, officially recognised as a top retail destination thanks to its unique architectural layout and commercial resilience.
In The Telegraph's 2025 rankings, Chester was ranked second in Britain, behind only York. The outlet noted its "half-timbered main streets" make it a hotbed for independent traders.
Chester was ranked eighth among the country's best shopping destinations by Newmark's Consultancy & Analytics' Vitality Rankings. It was also named the top destination in the North of England, outperforming major retail hubs like Manchester and Leeds.
During the 2025 Customer Service Awards, Chester BID noted that the city's high street had maintained a 10-year streak of "outstanding customer service," which they credited with keeping footfall above the national average.
Location: South West London
In late 2025, Wimbledon Village was officially named the best high street and neighbourhood in the UK by Knight Frank. The real estate consultancy's research, led by its data science team, ranked the affluent residential area as number one on a list of the UK's top 10 premium high streets.
Sonia Cheng, an associate at Knight Frank, stated: "Despite being in the capital, it truly offers a village-like feel - people greet each other in passing, and there's a real sense of community".
The ranking praised the balance of premium national brands, including Gail's and The Ivy, with longstanding independent specialists such as Wimbledon Books, Ad Lib Gallery and the 20-year-old jeweller Michael Platt.
The popular lifestyle and property guide Muddy Stilettos also named Wimbledon one of the best places to live in the UK last year, citing the high street's "independent boutiques" and "buzzing cultural scene".
Location: Lincolnshire, East Midlands
In late 2024, American Express (Amex) crowned St Mary's Street the best high street in Britain for independent shopping.
Based on a national data-driven study that evaluated high streets by their ratio of independent shops to chains, footfall resilience, and community value, St Mary's Street scored the highest in the UK for providing a "unique, authentic shopping experience".
Meanwhile, in March, local MP Alicia Kearns officially announced the winners of the Rutland and Stamford Independent Business Awards, where businesses along St Mary's Street, such as Walkers Bookshop, swept the top categories.
Location: West End of London
It would be remiss not to mention the UK's most iconic and busiest high street, Oxford Street. According to official data, it attracts roughly 500,000 visitors per day and contributes over £13 billion to the UK economy annually.
Major real estate firms have recently published reports highlighting Oxford Street as a prime global retail location. In its research, Frank Knight noted that thanks to the Elizabeth Line, retail vacancy rates have hit an eight-year low, driven by the ease of access provided by the new Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road interchanges.
Oxford Street is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades, backed by major Government and mayoral initiatives. In February 2026, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, officially confirmed the next steps for the full pedestrianisation of Oxford Street West.
Location: East Sussex, South Coast
According to Time Out's latest rankings, Hastings and its neighbour St Leonards-on-Sea have been officially named the second best place to visit in Britain, trailing only the city of Stirling. It said its "trendy high streets" and "arty, foodie" culture made it a top-tier destination for 2026.
Hastings Old Town, in particular, was cited by the highly respected lifestyle and travel publication for its "vintage treasure troves," such as the Courthouse Cooperative.
Several local shops, including AG Hendy & Co (Old Town) and Little Mashers (St Leonards), have also been officially listed by The Times among the 50 best independent shops in the UK.
Location: Bristol, South West England
Clifton Village has solidified its reputation as one of the country's premier shopping destinations, recently achieving a major milestone in high street rankings. In late 2025, Clifton Village was officially named the fifth-best high street in the UK by Knight Frank, out of 150 nationwide.
It was ranked the highest outside the South East of England, beating many established London neighbourhoods and affluent commuter towns.
Frank Knight said the award was given based on factors including its low vacancy rates, high ratio of independent boutiques and successful mix of essential services, including florists and butchers and luxury retail, including jewellers and high-end fashion.
Xara Grigg of Knight Frank's Bristol office highlighted that the pedestrianisation of Princess Victoria Street was a "big part of its appeal".
Location: Cornwall, South West England
Fore Street in St Ives has recently been named one of the most culturally significant high streets in the UK. As of early 2025, Fore Street was officially ranked 10th on The Telegraph's list of Britain's 20 best high streets, lauded for its "frozen in time" aesthetic and artistic heritage.
In its January 2025 report, The Telegraph praised the town's "winding cobbled lanes" and "pretty slate-hung shops". It was specifically cited as a "proper mixed-purpose main street" that serves both locals and tourists without succumbing to "clone town" syndrome.
Meanwhile, in their updated location guide, Knight Frank experts highlight Fore Street as the "heart of the town's cultural tapestry".
Unlike Oxford Street, which thrives on global flagships, Fore Street is praised for its independently owned businesses including the St Ives Bakery, St Ives Booksellers and the Blue Bramble Gallery.
Location: Hertfordshire, East of England
In January 2026, Harpenden was officially crowned the UK's most desirable town in a major study commissioned by The Telegraph and conducted by Savills.
Savills' expert Douglas Sleaper praised the high street for its "thriving" nature. The report highlighted the twice-weekly street market and the "superb range of restaurants, wine bars, and leisure facilities" that give the town its distinctive "village-like" atmosphere.
Unlike many commuter towns that have become "clone towns," Harpenden was officially commended for its high proportion of independent retailers, ranging from boutique fashion to artisan chocolate and gift stores. The high street is uniquely integrated with the 238-acre Harpenden Common, giving it a rural feel that most urban high streets cannot match.
Location: Suffolk, East of England
In recent years, Bury St Edmunds has firmly established itself as one of Britain's most successful and praised high streets.
In December, it was officially named one of the 20 best high streets in Britain by The Telegraph, with travel experts describing it as a "fantasy Suffolk market town" with "pretty lit shop fronts that entice you like well-wrapped gifts". Cornhill and Buttermarket host their award-winning markets every Wednesday and Saturday.
Bury St Edmunds is performing significantly better than the national average. Official comments from Our Bury St Edmunds BID said the town's empty shop units stand at just 5.2% - remarkably low compared to the UK national average of over 13%.
Location: Hackney, North London
In December 2024, Stoke Newington Church Street achieved a significant national honour, being named one of the top five best high streets in the UK for independent shopping.
In this ranking, based on a comprehensive study by American Express Shop Small and GlobalData, Church Street was the only high street in London to make the top five, and the only London location to reach the top 10.
The study identified what makes a high street truly resilient and culturally relevant today. It said a key factor was the presence of young business owners.
Across the top 10 locations, more than a third of business owners were Millennials or Gen Z. It is also home to legendary independents like Stoke Newington Bookshop and the Spence Bakery, a local staple for over 24 years.