We visit a North Shropshire market town with a close-knit community that feels more like a village

Visiting the town on a bleaker Monday than our stunning county had had lately, I couldn’t help but think it felt far more like a village than a market town - and locals would agree.

When asked what they like most about the town they call home, most people shrugged their shoulders.

“It’s just Wem,” they said nonchalantly.

Compared to its neighbouring towns, you may initially think that there's not much that would pull tourists into the area. 

But fans of Shakespeare can enjoy Soulton Hall, a stunning Tudor country house that has been forever “immortalised” by the playwright in As You Like.  

Meanwhile, countryside lovers and picturesque view hunters can head down to the Hawkstone Park Follies, a 100-acre parkland with rugged sandstone hills, gullies and caves. 

Despite most locals not having much to say about their hometown, Wem is still a desirable place to live.

One employee at a sweet shop in the high street, who did not want to be named, said she moved to Wem five years ago to retire.

“It's friendly and everybody knows one another,” she told the Shropshire Star. 

“It’s a nice place to live. It’s quiet.

“There’s a nice mixture of young families and different age groups too - and there's plenty to do. There's lots of societies in the town that you can get involved with.”

The employee said it is also a fantastic place to live thanks to its convenient train station and good links to neighbouring towns and cities. 

“It’s easy to get to different places: Shrewsbury, Crewe, Manchester.”

And it’s a good thing too because you may have to pop into these neighbourhoods for greater choice in shopping, though.

But the face of Wem is changing, the employee said. New businesses are perking up and livening the neighbourhood further.

The newest business to move in is Betsy’s Little Woodland, a sensory play cafe for children, which welcomed its first customers this week. 

“That's something new,” the employee said.

“The guy that used to be next door had a phone shop and he's moved premises to a bigger premises. There’s been a few new businesses: hairdresser, flower shop. Things are changing.”

Ian Bailey, a Wem resident, said he - and many others - love the local businesses in the town.

“I think the community facing businesses are really popular around here,” Ian said.

“Obviously, you have the pubs, which are great.

“But then there’s always good food to get in Wem - the cafes, breakfast spots which are a personal favourite of mine, but everything you want to eat, you have here.

“You can get good haircuts, too.

“It’s better than some of the other towns I've seen around here.”

The main street of Wem features a few florists, bakeries and delis as well as Indian restaurants and takeaway shops. 

This is the first time in Shropshire I have also seen two pubs owned by local brewery Joule's on the same street, which I am told is a hit with locals, too. 

Most surprisingly to me, there is a fantastic modern town hall that boasts a cafe as well as a gallery.

Ian also said the people of Wen love the “community aspect” of the town - that continues to evolve with newcomers.

He explained: “A lot of people in Wem have grown up here together and gone through bits of life together, but you still have quite a large influx of people coming to the area as well.

“So you get a bit of a new life, but still have your roots here.”