If you're in search of twinkling lights, ancient pubs and cosy shop fronts lighting the wintry gloom, Garstang is where you'll find them.
“Leases are coming up for renewal and if you're a 58 year old and you've got a five year lease coming up for renewal, why bother? I do think there will be a lot of families struggling with energy bills going up He adds: “We do home bakes, the butchers do their own meat, the cheese is sourced locally - that keeps another local business going, My wife Margaret does all the baking and we sell things that you wouldn't find in a supermarket - that is the only way that you can beat the supermarkets.”
“I don't blame the farmers for selling the land - if I had a piece of land. I would sell it for what it's worth - but they should not be building as many houses as they are without the infrastructure But in winter, as people batten down the hatches, Garstang’s gorgeous, fiercely vibrant community comes to the fore. Garstang Arts Centre, a community centre and hub of artistic and cultural activity,boasts no less than 14 different groups, from painting to folk dancing, to singing, to ukulele, and wine clubs. It also has art exhibitions, hosting talented local artists.
One of the jewels in the crown of Garstang’s community is the much loved Bellflower pub, one of a plethora of similarly gorgeous, traditional pubs and eateries dotted throughout the historic town. It is set to fling open the doors to ‘loads’ of festive, family friendly events and charity projects in the run up to Christmas.
"All of our projects are so successful because of the continual support we receive from the amazing community in Garstang and the surrounding areas. “It's great to get so many independent shops. During the lockdown, local people came to Garstang a lot and people started to really realise what they had on their doorsteps that they’d maybe not really seen before.