England’s highest town known for its thermal spas is getting a £100million renovation
A TOWN on the edge of the Peak District is set to benefit from a huge £100million renovation plan.
Standing 300metres above sea level, Buxton is the highest market town in the country.
The Derbyshire spa town is famous for its geothermal springs, which have been attracting visitors for centuries.
Buxton could be set to increase its tourist offering thanks to a huge multi-million-pound regeneration plan.
The plan would see a shopping centre replaced with shops, bars and restaurants.
High Peak Borough Council purchased The Springs shopping centre for £6.6million back in 2022.
The council has now appointed Capital and Centric (a property company) to lead the project.
Tim Heatley, Capital and Centric co-founder, told the BBC: “The opportunity is massive of where it [Buxton] could be,” he said.
“It feels unnecessarily sleepy right now, but it is a bit of a sleeping giant in terms of how thriving it could be as a place to live, work, shop and hang out.”
Residents are currently being consulted about the huge renovation project, with some describing the plans as ‘fantastic’ to the BBC.
It is hoped the new project will boost tourism in the town.
Although, it is not yet known when planning approval will be granted or when construction work will start.
Until the new bars, shops and restaurants open in Buxton, there are plenty of attractions and activities for holidaymakers.
One of the town’s top attractions is its Pavilion Gardens.
The 23-acre park features landscaped gardens, ornamental lakes, and a variety of walking paths.
Other attractions include Buxton Opera House (an Edwardian theatre) and Poole’s Cavern (an underground cave).
There’s also St Ann’s Well, which has been famous for its natural mineral water for centuries.
Elsewhere in the UK, a former industrial site in Stoke-on-Trent is set to get a £60million revamp.
Work is already underway on the Goods Yard, a new urban neighbourhood in the city.
Its new public square will feature a tennis court, a walkway, hangout spaces, seating areas and over 70 trees and plants.
There will also be a space for pop-up markets and live music events, which both locals and holidaymakers will be able to visit.
Sun Travel's favourite UK seaside towns
AS part of our Best Of British travel series, The Sun’s travel team have picked our favourite UK seaside towns, featuring everything from dolphin-spotting beaches to celeb-favourite fish and chip shops.
Tynemouth, North Tyneside – Ryan Gray, Travel Reporter
The North East is a much-overlooked part of the country for seaside towns, with Tynemouth standing out among the best of the ones on offer.
Longsands Beach is, in my opinion, the finest family beach in the UK with its mile-long expanse of shoreline blessed with perfect golden sands, a deep inky-blue sea home to both seals and dolphins, and fantastic child-friendly food and entertainment a stone’s throw away.
While some locals will be scattered across the sand, or out surfing in the fresh North Sea water, plenty will also be found in Crusoe’s, a wonderful little cafe right on the beach, serving everything from breakfast to booze, making it the perfect stop for seaside refreshments.
The beach is overlooked by the spectacular Tynemouth Priory and Castle, a 2,000-year-old Anglo-Saxon monastery, looked after by English Heritage.
Every summer, the atmospheric ruins of the priory host the Mouth of the Tyne music festival, with previous headliners including Sam Fender, Elbow, Billy Ocean and Martha Reeves & The Vandellas.
Just a stone’s throw from the priory is the town centre, where quaint bars and restaurants are found alongside classic fish and chip shops, like Marshalls, rumoured to have been named after Jimi Hendrix, when the musician is said to have visited the chippy for a fish supper after performing in Newcastle back in the 1967. An unofficial blue plaque in the window of the fast food spot commemorates his visit.
Any visit to Tynemouth should be made at the weekend, in order to take in Tynemouth Market, hosted in the town’s Victorian Metro station every Saturday and Sunday.
Trinkets, street food and collectibles can be found laid out across a number of stalls within the ornate surroundings either side of the platforms.
Mousehole, Cornwall – Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
Cornwall is saturated with unspoilt coastlines, but, unlike many of the overcrowded spots, the village of Mousehole, on the far southern tip (just below Penzance), has somehow retained its chocolate box charm.
The small sandy bay is crammed with weathered fishing boats and backed by pokey cafes and airy art galleries where seaside-inspired works hang from the walls.
For impeccable views of a wild sea and homemade grub, head to Rock Pool Cafe which sits atop a craggy cliff.
Order a hot chocolate, which is somewhat of a DIY experience, delivered to you on a board with a mug of piping hot milk and a tub of shaved chocolate shards in white, milk, or dark chocolate to melt into the milk.
There are some impressive coastal walks – but be warned it can be hilly.
You can read more of our favourite seaside towns, here.
Meanwhile, this is the smallest town in the UK – and it has a Michelin starred restaurant.
And this UK village has been compared to a 1940s film set.
