Food Shops
The biggest regret expressed by our first-time guests is that they brought too much food from home – they wished that they could have used the shops locally in and around Ellesmere.
Whilst Ellesmere does have a medium-sized Tesco and a small Co-Op, one of the pleasures here is the relaxed pace of life and opportunity to experience our local shops – in the nicest-possible way, this is rather like stepping back into the 1950s, when people have time to stop and talk whilst shopping. In particular, visit Vermuelen’s bakery & delicatessen – we recommend the Bread & Butter Pudding.
There is an indoor market on Tuesday mornings, with fresh fruit and vegetables plus Rodney Stokes’ pork pies & sausages.
Although Ellesmere has its own supermarkets, we recommend a trip to Stan’s Superstore – an amazing independent supermarket stocking anything from washing machines to venison sausages. It includes a florist, pharmacy, coffee shop, Post Office and petrol station. Stan’s is 6 miles away in St Martins.
Fuel
Mere Motors in Ellesmere or Stan’s Superstore in St Martins.
Caravan Spares
Clwyd Caravans – about 8 miles away.
Miscellaneous
JC Dyke DIY – an old-fashioned ‘mooch-around’ country hardware shop to explore in Ellesmere.
Dapol – model railways.
Black Country Metalworks – homes and interiors.
Courtyard Interiors, Ellesmere.
J A Milton Upholstery Supplies and training courses, Ellesmere.
For antique collectors, there are three antique shops in Ellesmere plus a Sunday antiques fair in the new Town Hall each month. You may also find a bargain at the massive Chirk Airfield car boot sale open every Sunday morning and on Bank Holiday Mondays. Nearby Chester and Shrewsbury also have lots of antique shops.
Shrewsbury, Chester & Cheshire Oaks
Shrewsbury is 15 miles South of Birch Hill and claims to have the largest number of independent retailers in the UK. Chester is about 25 miles North – both are pleasant places for a day out. Cheshire Oaks is a large ‘designer outlet village’ near Chester.