The Cathedral City, with the only three spire Cathedral in the country. But Lichfield has a lot more to offer than just that, choose from its wealth of independant traders, or bars and eateries. We Pay a visit and meet some of the other likeminded people as we take the Love Your Neighbourhood Tour to Lichfield.
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00:00Daniel with the Express and Stars. So we're down here in what you can see behind me, the fantastic and picturesque Litchfield.
00:07So yeah, we're down here for the Love Your Neighbourhood for this week.
00:10So we're down here talking to residents, shopkeepers, finding out just what makes Litchfield so great of a place to live in.
00:18See what they like the best. Obviously it's a very historical centre.
00:23The amazing cathedral behind us, they've got lots of walkthroughs, lots of historic buildings.
00:28So we're in building that we're standing in the gully up at the moment.
00:31So yeah, let's go around, let's ask the shopkeepers, let's ask the residents just what they think is so fantastic.
00:37Yeah, so we're in what is quite a popular shop in Litchfield.
00:40If you just want to introduce yourself and just talk a little bit about the shop that we're standing in currently.
00:44Obviously there's not a lot of nice clothing around.
00:46Hi, I'm Louise and I own a shop called Dame Oliver's.
00:51We've been here over 40 years in Dam Street.
00:55We sell all manner of things. Wedding hats and crystals and clothing, jewellery, socks, all sorts of things.
01:04Quite a lot isn't it? You're one of the more popular, well you're definitely popular in the year.
01:09Quite well known. We've been here a long time.
01:11Absolutely, yeah.
01:12So I've seen a lot of other shops come and go.
01:14But yeah, Litchfield's good. We've got lots of independent shops. We're very proud of it.
01:19Absolutely. So just talk a little bit about the customer base, obviously the people of Litchfield. What are they like?
01:24Well, they're great. We have a lot of good customers from Litchfield and also from the surrounding areas and further afield.
01:31People who've moved away and come back to visit their family, they like to pop in here and remember it from years back.
01:38But I think a lot of people like to come and visit Litchfield because it has got independent shops and it's a bit different. Lots of nice restaurants to have a bit of lunch.
01:48Absolutely. And I mean, can you get a better view right outside the shop as well? You take a left, you've got the cathedral right there.
01:53Yeah, absolutely. It's a fantastic view.
01:55And we've got Johnson's birthplace, Erasmus Darwin's museum, all sorts of historic interests.
02:01Absolutely. So what would you say, between all those things that you just mentioned, is probably the best thing about Litchfield?
02:07Oh my gosh. Well, I suppose the most widely known is the cathedral, of course. It's a very beautiful place. It's lovely to visit.
02:15But what else could I say? Probably the birthplace would come second, Samuel Johnson's birthplace.
02:23Absolutely. But also the shops and restaurants and just the local look of the place.
02:30Fantastic. That's brilliant. Thank you very much.
02:32Let's have you here with Tara and Robin. So obviously where have you come down from today to come to Litchfield?
02:37Yeah, yeah. We've driven up from Bournemouth this morning. From Bournemouth, that's it.
02:40Indeed. So far you've only just got out your cars and we've already accosted you.
02:43So what do you think of the cathedral of what you've seen of Litchfield so far?
02:46Well, how beautiful is it? Very, very busy frontage.
02:49As we can. Can't wait to go inside.
02:51I know. Won't keep you too long. Is there anywhere else in Litchfield that you're out of our visiting?
02:55Because you used to live in Coventry, didn't you? We did. Not too far away, yeah.
02:58So that's why I'm interested in this. I came here probably 40 years ago last.
03:01So it hasn't changed a bit, I don't think, so far. But as for elsewhere, I don't know what else is in Litchfield yet.
03:07We've only just arrived. So excited to find out.
03:09Antique Centre, I said earlier, wasn't it? Antique Centre.
03:12Plenty of independent shops and cafes, so all good stuff to go into.
03:15But yeah, no, fantastic. Where are you off to after this?
03:17We're heading north towards Salterbury to Glasgow.
03:19Fantastic, brilliant. Nice little stop off in Litchfield.
03:21Yeah, it is.
03:25Paul, if you just want to say a little bit of where we are, what's the shop?
03:27Obviously introduce yourself.
03:28Hi, we're at Litchfield Antique Centre, based in Litchfield. We've been here nearly 15 years now.
03:34Doing quite a good trade.
03:36Absolutely. So we've got some fantastic stuff around here.
03:38A lot of it is like, you know, a lot of it is Westmillan's famous.
03:40People come down here from all over the place, as far as I know, to come into the Antique Centre.
03:44Yes.
03:45So what we're doing is, we're asking what the shopkeepers obviously think of Litchfield.
03:50What's the best part about the area, do you reckon?
03:52Ah, it's a beautiful city. Lots of independent shops, beautiful cathedral, and really nice friendly people.
03:58Absolutely fantastic. And the customer base?
04:00Really good. Come from all over the place, and when they come they normally say they love the place, if they've never been before.
04:06And we have lots of regular customers as well.
04:08Absolutely brilliant. So you've got loads of things, that's what I'm saying at the moment. What would you say is the most solid?
04:14Oh, that's really hard to say. We've got lots of collectors in, who specialise in various areas.
04:19We've got lots of card collectors, silver collectors, and people that just want to buy nice, reasonable price presents over occasions.
04:28That's absolutely fantastic. So what have we got in here?
04:31We've got obviously jewellery, we've got some silver, some gold, some military as well, which you cover as well.
04:38Nice vinyls as well, I'm a bit of a collector myself.
04:40We have, we suffered that recently. They're selling very well.
04:43Absolutely, I think vinyls always sell well out there.
04:45It does.
04:46So yeah, no, people come down obviously.
04:48People come down, come out of the shop around, buy some platiques.
04:50Yeah, so we're here with Michael. Michael, if you want to introduce yourself to the readers.
04:54Michael Malarky, Litchfield, born and bred in Litchfield.
04:57Fantastic, born and bred in Litchfield. And also, so we're here, Litchfield's oldest trader?
05:01I believe so, yes.
05:02Believe so, believe so.
05:04So what we're doing is we're asking traders, business people, residents, obviously you pretty much tick all the boxes.
05:09What brings people to Litchfield? What's so amazing about it? What do you think is so amazing about it?
05:14It's a historic town. It's a friendly town.
05:17Oh, there's a lot of things from Litchfield's flavour. We've got beautiful parks.
05:21It's got the longest, the oldest community events in Litchfield, Litchfield Greenhall Bower.
05:26Which I'm pleased to talk because I predict that incorrectly.
05:30Also, cars in the park. One of the most established car events in the park, in the country.
05:35It takes place in Beacon Park. Even the Bower, Spring Mankind Monday.
05:40Lovely carnival this year. And we've got Litchfield Greenhall Bower Queen back this year after a few years gap.
05:45Absolutely.
05:46And it's going to be a beautiful day.
05:48So talking to people, it seems like there's two really major things that stand out about Litchfield so far.
05:53Which is one, the heritage, which Litchfield's got tons of.
05:57And you mustn't forget Litchfield Cathedral.
05:59Absolutely. We've been to the cathedrals.
06:00One of the oldest cathedrals in the country over 800 years.
06:04And Three Spire as well.
06:05Yes.
06:06Yes.
06:07And Three Spire.
06:08And of course, behind the back of me, you've got the lovely Tudor building, the Tudor Caff, as we all call it.
06:12Well established.
06:13And the other one as well, the other one people point out, is obviously the centre community as well.
06:17It seems like one of those places where, like you said, people feel safe.
06:20People come down, you know, no matter where you are, you come down, you feel welcome.
06:23Yes.
06:24I mean, it's a perfect place to visit really, isn't it?
06:26It is, yes.
06:27And today, unfortunately, the weather's changed a bit windy.
06:30I'll tell you what, as it kept the shoppers away, the place is packed really.
06:33It is, yes.
06:34Well listen, thank you very much for talking to us.
06:36Thank you very much for your time.