The Frome Independent (first Sunday, March-Dec) is a massive street market featuring over 200 stalls selling artisan food/drink, contemporary crafts, ethical fashion, vintage clothing, and plants. It includes specialized areas for local produce, designer-makers, and a flea market for antiques.
Local retailers have reclaimed the streets of Frome providing a unique shopping experience. The cornerstone of this vibrant scene is St Catherine's artisan quarter where you'll find everything from gifts and vintage clothing to bespoke jewellery and modern arts and crafts studios.
We host over 250 traders each month across 6 sections: designer-maker; flea market; homes and gardens; street food; food producer and suitcase traders.
There are general markets every Wednesday and Saturday, 9am – 3pm, with stalls in the Cattle Market Car Park by the Cheese and Grain and at the bottom of Cheap Street. You can find out more on the Frome Weekly Market Facebook page.
Frome also has lots of wonderful markets to enjoy and explore. In particular The Frome Independent has become nationally renowned and is the place to see artists and makers showcase their designs. Lovers of vintage shopping will also find it a wonderful place to indulge in a bit of modern antique hunting.
Frome Independent Market | A Destination Artisan Market in a charming Somerset town
Does Frome market have local produce?
Frome Farmers' Market at the historic Boyle Cross
Situated close to Cheap Street and Catherine Hill, it's a great destination to meet and buy from local farmers, cheesemakers, market gardeners, and bakers.
And Hugh's not the only celebrity to have been spotted in the eastern Somerset town - Friends star Courteney Cox has also paid a visit, Paul McCartney sometimes pops in and Kevin McCloud, the star of Grand Designs, lives in the area.
The name Frome comes from the Proto-Brythonic word *frāmā (Modern Welsh ffraw), itself from Proto-Celtic *srōm- meaning fair, fine or brisk and describing the flow of the river. In 2019, the BBC ranked Frome as, among places in the UK, having the most difficult name to pronounce.
Why is Catherine Hill in Frome among Britain's prettiest streets? Outside of its beautiful setting, Catherine Hill was praised for its variety of shops that adorned it. The Telegraph wrote: "Gird your loins: cobbled Catherine Hill is breathtakingly handsome but breath-stealingly steep.
Vibrant Flea Market & Craft Fair-over 150 indoor and outdoor stalls with an array of antique, vintage and retro items and many talented artisans, artists and makers. Classic Vehicles and live music. Pitches from £20. Open: 9am - 3pm.
There's no single "most beautiful," as it depends on preference, but top contenders for beauty often include Gdańsk, Poland (voted best in Europe for its unique charm), Cologne, Germany (iconic cathedral backdrop), Prague (historic Old Town Square), Vienna (Rathausplatz magic), and Bruges, Belgium (fairy-tale canals and light trails). Other favorites feature stunning settings like Winchester, UK (Cathedral close) and Strasbourg, France (oldest market).
The Westway Shopping Centre is conveniently located in the centre of Frome and offers a great selection of shops, restaurants, and a cinema. Here, you'll find all the information you need to plan your visit, from parking to opening hours.
The best things to buy in the UK include quintessential items like fine teas (Fortnum & Mason, Yorkshire Tea), quality biscuits, gin, and Cadbury chocolate, alongside iconic souvenirs such as Burberry scarves, Liberty prints, Union Jack items, and royal-themed gifts (Harrods bear, Big Ben trinkets). For fashion and home, consider Barbour jackets, GHD hair tools, Wedgwood china, or Dyson tech, while beauty lovers enjoy Charlotte Tilbury and Neal's Yard Remedies. Don't forget regional specialties like Scottish whisky, Welsh dragon items, or Harris Tweed.
What was Princess Diana's favorite department store?
The late Princess of Wales was reportedly a big fan of JCPenney. The American department store offers clothes and shoes, beauty products, jewelry, and home décor. Royal author Edward White shared this interesting tidbit in Dianaworld: An Obsession, as reported by Marie Claire.
Yes, Frome offers a vibrant mix of things to do, from exploring its famous independent shops on Catherine Hill and visiting markets like The Frome Independent to enjoying arts at venues like The Cheese and Grain and Merlin Theatre, discovering history at Frome Museum, and finding family fun at nearby castles like Nunney Castle, making it a diverse town for arts, history, shopping, and outdoor activities.
Frome Co. creates unique cinematic canvases where every stripe tells a scene's color story—the perfect personalized gift. If you love movies or have a favorite movie—this colorful movie painting is a perfect gift for yourself or any friend or relative of yours! It will be sure to turn heads”
Cheap Street is Frome's pride and joy and one of our prettiest streets. The street has retained its historic medieval character, with a leat running down the middle, carrying water from the stream beneath St John's Church. Walk up between the old shops with their hanging upper storeys.
In most cases, the code is a four-digit number, beginning with a “3” or a “4“, which identifies the type of bulk produce, including the variety. In this case, the produce is conventionally grown, i.e. produced with chemical fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides.
