Only a 40 minute train journey away from Liverpool lies Frodsham, a quaint yet stylish market town with a hint of 007.
Frodsham, which is just over 10 miles away from Chester, is the home of former James Bond actor Daniel Craig. Craig’s parents were the old landlords of 200-year-old pub Ring o’Bells, which combines the finest wines and beers with top notch pub grub.
Other well known figures from the community include Take That singer Gary Barlow and the first Welshman to stand on the summit of Mount Everest, Caradog ‘Crag’ Jones. With a population of just 9,000, it’s impressive to see three famous figures all hailing from the same small town.
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Frodsham, however, has far more to offer than a handful of well known names. A recent study found it to be the most desirable place to live in the UK.
Added to this, Frodsham's centre boasts a selection of upmarket pubs, florists, butchers, cafes and shops. It’s also a stone's throw away from the idyllic Delamere Forest and renowned activities trail Manley Mere. House prices are on the dearer side, though, with the typical property costing around £300,000 - far more than the national average.
The ECHO went into the centre and spoke to a number of businesses to get a feel for the rural area. First up was the old butchers H. E. Coward.
Established in 1929, the family business offers a wide selection of the finest meats. Employee Sonya Dyer, 56, from Runcorn said: “The customers are really nice here and you get a lot of regulars. We also get a half day off on Wednesday and a half day on Saturday which is nice. t’s a great area where customers can come in and have a chat.”
Young staffer Sarah Leslie, 27, who was also from Runcorn echoed her colleague’s comments. She said: “Working here has been a really good and educational experience. In my time here I’ve also won a [regional] trophy too. It was held in the North West near Manchester in 2022 and I beat all the lads.”
The next stop was upmarket restaurant Next Door, who themselves have close ties to H. E. Coward. Next Door is co-run by husband and wife team Richard Nuttall, 39, from Warrington and Vicki Nuttall, 32, from Frodsham.
The place was part of the Michelin guide in 2021 and 2022 and is #2 of 51 restaurants in Frodsham on TripAdvisor. Vicki is the front of house and greets each guest while her partner Richard is the acclaimed chef behind the scenes.
Vicki's father and sister co-own H. E. Coward which is only two doors down and supplies the restaurants meat. It's been in her family for generations and used to operate from the same space that Next Door does now.
Since H. E. Coward moved out of the old premises decades ago it has been occupied by a number of tenants. However, in 2017 the building became available and Vicki thought she should go for it.
Vicki told the ECHO: “We have always dreamt of opening up a place but the time felt right when the space became available. Richard in the kitchen uses old English cooking techniques, which we call 'conscientious cooking'.
“Everything in the kitchen and on the menu is made and crafted thoughtfully. We have a tasting menu where we match a wine with each dish so people don’t have to think when they come here, they can just relax.
“The lunch menu changes every day and we change the main menu every month.”
Across the road is the Bears Paw, a friendly rustic pub which is very popular with locals. The pub has been there since Charles I was on the throne nearly 400 years ago.
In modern times the pub sells a selection of beers and wines, hosts comedy nights and gigs and also has a new barn for functions.
The Bears Paw is managed by Mark Gaskell, 47, from Worsley while his partner Vicci McDonald, 36, from Liverpool runs the events.
Mark told the ECHO: “We always have events here. We had a biker night where more than 600 bikes turned up including Harley Davidsons. Each week our comedy night sells out, we raise money for mental health charities and we have comedy bingo nights on too.
“We’re raising more money for Macmillan and one of our staff members has signed up to do a skydive. She’s 75 and has been here for 25 years."
Finally the ECHO stopped off at Flowers by Jenny Penny which is just off the high street. It is a relatively new addition to the town but it's been a success since it set up in 2017.
Employee Rebecca Atkins, 31, from Frodsham said: “We get a mix of customers. With a village you usually associate it with older people but Frodsham is retaining more young people.
“For a small place there are a lot of pubs. They opened a new train line which helps us link to Chester, Liverpool and Manchester more easily. As a town we are getting there."
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