Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury voted one of the UK's top winter break destinations

A Shropshire town has been named as one of the UK’s cosiest and prettiest destinations for a winter break.

Published
Shrewsbury has been voted one of the top UK winter staycation destinations

According to research based on social media data, Shrewsbury came out as the second most popular spot for a winter staycation - news which has been welcomed by the town’s business community.

Mike Matthews, chairman of Shrewsbury BID and owner of the Prince Rupert Hotel in Butcher Row, said Shrewsbury was a magical place in the winter.

“I may be biased but I’m not surprised that Shrewsbury was ranked so highly in this research, because it really does come into its own at this time of year,” he said.

“We have a lot of guests at the hotel who love coming to Shrewsbury during the winter to explore the town centre’s narrow streets, shuts and passages, and of course the plethora of cosy bars, cafes, restaurants and shops.

"The overall shopping experience in Shrewsbury has become a huge reason for both visiting the town and staying overnight. Especially our abundance of independent shops which offer something unique to any other town centre.

“When you add the Christmas lights and festive atmosphere, it’s easy to see why Shrewsbury came out as one of the most picturesque towns in the UK for a winter visit.”

The research by heating company, Stelrad, used Instagram statistics to find the highest-rated destinations in the UK for the winter season.

The company referred to Fine and Country, Sykes Cottages, Snap Trip, Country and Townhouse, The Guardian and the Scotsman to put together a list of 50 well-known “picturesque and wintry” towns and villages across the UK.

Researchers then ranked them based on the amount of hashtags each location had on Instagram.

To determine how scenic each location is during the cold, winter months, the towns were then analysed on Instagram to find the most photographed locations.

The top 10 were Harrogate, Shrewsbury, Dover, Keswick, Stratford-upon-Avon, Llandudno, Buxton, Newburgh, Conwy and Ambleside.