Kington steps into the spotlight with UK’s first barefoot shoe shop
Kington is well known as a friendly market town and a base for walkers on the Offa’s Dyke trail.
Now it has something new to shout about – it is the home of the UK’s first independent barefoot shoe shop – and the town is fast becoming a hub for a growing movement.
Barefoot shoes first appeared in The Walking Hub, Ali Allen’s outdoor shop in Kington, as a niche product for curious walkers.
Interest grew so quickly that Ali has now opened The Barefoot Shoe Box, a dedicated showroom housed beneath her B and B for walkers and just around the corner from The Walking Hub.
Visitors can browse the full range in the showroom, before heading to The Walking Hub for fittings, advice and purchases – making Kington one of the only places in the UK where people can try on multiple brands of barefoot shoes in person.
Barefoot shoes are designed to be wide, flat, and flexible, allowing the feet to move as nature intended.
Once considered unconventional, they are now moving steadily into the mainstream, with walkers, runners, and everyday wearers embracing them for better posture, balance, and long-term foot health.
“Until now, barefoot shoes have mostly been available online,” says Ali Allen, a former nurse and owner of The Walking Hub and The Barefoot Shoe Box.
“But being able to try them in a bricks-and-mortar shop is a big deal. I can educate people, help them find the right fit, and guide them towards shoes that will genuinely change the way they move.”
Ali’s idea has already brought fresh energy to Kington’s high street at a time when many towns are struggling.
The timing couldn’t be better: this year the UK will host its first Barefoot Shoe and Foot Health Expo, underlining how fast the movement is growing.
As part of the launch celebrations, Kington will also welcome the internationally known Foot Collective team – visiting from Australia – including Jim Dooner, physiotherapist and movement specialist, Andy Bryant, functional podiatrist and certified TFC Guide and Mac, CEO of The Foot Collective, alongside trained movement educators.
They will be in town on Monday, September 22 for a Foot Health Talk and question and answer session in the afternoon, and on Tuesday, September 23 they will lead a community walk into the hills around Kington.
Both events are free and open to everyone.
Ali added; “I’ve become obsessed with foot health and body mechanics because of my own struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. It’s amazing the difference footwear makes. I can’t believe that my little business has found itself on the cutting edge of this movement. Kington – of all places – has become the unlikely home of the UK’s barefoot community.”
Established in 2017, The Walking Hub is an independent outdoor shop and B and B in Kington, Herefordshire.
The Barefoot Shoe Box is its new showroom dedicated exclusively to barefoot footwear.
Ali is a former nurse, walker, and advocate for natural movement. She opened The Walking Hub to support walkers visiting the region and now champions the benefits of barefoot shoes.
