Lichfield!

At a loose end at the weekend and decided to visit Lichfield.
I've always really liked the city but haven't been for a year or two. I used to be very familiar with Lichfield and visited on a weekly basis around 5 years or so ago but felt it had gone downhill with lots of empty shops around and not the vibrant buzz it had, had in previous years.
Well that has all changed now and I was really impressed. This was on Sunday and it was absolutely packed! There was a brilliant vibe about the place. Lots of new shops and eateries opened. A steam fair in the park which took me back to my child hood and it was so great to see families enjoying old fashioned entertainment when these days it's all computer games and theme parks. It was so brilliant to see traditional rides - dodgems, galloping horses, steam boats etc.
Took a look around the Cathedral, which had done before but was nice to see it packed with visitors.
Barely any empty shops. Lots of niche shops, from chic boutiques to quirky homeware, antiques, charity shops, cute little independent retailers. It was fab - Lichfield has always had lots of good eateries but loads of new ones opened.
It made me sad to think, we could have all of this in Stafford. I mean we have the architecture, lovely buildings as discussed on other threads. The park, St. Marys, the High House, all the new eateries. I just find it so sad that Stafford doesn't get the recognition it deserves as the market town.
Lichfield proves really what can be done and that people do still have money to spend on a good day out, they are just picky where they spend it.

 

I'm a fan of Lichfield. Not too far away, but far enough and different enough to feel that you've been somewhere.

 

I had some hospital trips to Lichfield last year - both times we had a wander round the town & on both times it was really bustling with either a arts & craft market or a fine food market. It was really busy, the markets (all around the paths of the cathedral) were packed with stalls, the people were really friendly & we had a lovely time, definatly felt like we had had a day out....

 

I do love a one off visit comparison to another.

Lichfield is no more or less buzzing than Stafford is on a weekend. Stafford has a had a whole host of great events this summer, but folk on this forum do not want to talk or recognise that instead just criticise or say nothing at all. You see nothing mentioned on the farmers and makers markets, last weeks food festival which was amazing (same one lichfield has), the experience festival at the college, cheese and ale festival, swan live, a and all the other great events in the market square at the castle or the town park, plenty goes at st marys chuch and Stafford has many fine eateries and independents that few use as well as a whole host of super ale establishments.

We cannot mention that lichfield, even though is smaller than Stafford has 2 town centre costas and 2 macdonalds, something this forum criticises Stafford for (example of radom.stafford bad mouthing, but ok for others towns).

You go around Lichfield in the week and you will see a different place, just like stafford and wonder where everyone is. You go on their local forum/ newsrooms and you will see plenty of moaning.

Glad people find something nice, but what be nicer is people shouting up what goes on in their own area/ town (that is generally not about individuals).

 

I missed the "folk on this forum" event, when was that?

 

Ok compare this.

I went to the food festival in Stafford last week, and like someone else on this forum, noticed the hot Greek food stall (as you may know, I like Greek food). I wasn't tempted and was not tempted by any of the other streetfood delights that were on offer. Call me old fashioned but I'm not comfortable eating on the hoof. (You won't catch me coming out of Greggs with a sausage roll in hand.)

Now compare that to the food festival in Lichfield last August. There we each had a souvlaki from the Greek food stall and a (plastic) glass of beer from another. We walked 5 yards away from the stalls and had a little picnic on the grass. It was great, even though Mrs Mikinton still managed to drip tzatziki down her dress. We also sat on the grass and watched the entertainment going on at the front of the Cathedral. It was a very pleasant afternoon.

Compare that to trying to pick your way around Crabbery Street and you'll see why events in Stafford town leave me a little cold. As they say "location, location, location".

 

At Mary's churchyard with plenty of benches and lots of grass to sit on is but a 30 second walk from Market Square.

 

It is, and we did think of that when we were musing about where better to hold it in Stafford. (I think we decided that St Mary's / Mill Street and surrounding areas would be better.) St Mary's would be fine, though I'd prefer to sit somewhere a bit closer to the action.

ETA Maybe keep what I've suggested for streetfood and use Market Square for bread, cheese, gin etc i.e. stuff you're likely to consume at home.

 

You're wrong.... as usual. Lichfield was absolutely packed. Yes Stafford is packed too when we have a good market or food festival but not chokka packed like Lichfield was.
I think you will find that I go out of my way to big Stafford up on here. It's no secret that I love it and I've definitely had more than one argument with people who criticize Stafford. My post wasn't about saying how rubbish stafford is. I was commenting how good Lichfield is and saying Stafford could be the same.
That's not to say Stafford isn't good in its own right just that something has happened to improve Lichfield and I see no reason that can't happen here.
You waffle on like you're some Stafford expert but your 'facts' are about as impressive as your grammar!

 

Wrong again @Gareth .
It wasnt a one off, & it wasnt at the weekend, all Staffords markets offer are the same 3 Olive & Nougat stalls, a keyring stall a cushion/pillow/quilt stall, a cheap imported from China toy stall & maybe one hot food stall...the makers market isnt too much better.

My regular day off is on Wednesday & I would like nothing better than a wander round a market & some good shops but you just have to look at how many empty units & shops there are in Stafford compared to Lichfield to see why Stafford fails as a destination day out.

 

What we need is a "folk on this forum" festival.

Lichfield hasn't got one and I'm sure we can rattle up a few good folk tunes between us. No Morris dancers though, we're not into damaging cars

 

Clog dancers? Step dancers? Country dancing?

 

The more the merrier

 

I went to Lichfield before my hols and bought some clothes from 3 nationwide shops we don’t have in Stafford - Debenhams, White Stuff and Fat Face. I then drove on to Tamworth Ventura Park and bought some things from M & S which I couldn’t find in Stafford.