Cotswolds town often overlooked despite pretty streets & teddy bear shop – and you may even spot an ex-prime minister
THE Cotswolds is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK outside of London, attracting millions every year.
Popular spots include Burford and the city of Oxford – with a pretty town often overlooked.
The town of Witney is just as pretty, with Cotswold stone houses and shops lining the streets, along with flowerboxes and vintage signs.
It is often recognised by name for being the constituency of former prime minister David Cameron, who you spot in town every now and then.
In the centre of town is the 17th century Buttercross.
The town is known for it’s blanket making, which can be seen in the town’s Wetherspoons called The Company of Weavers as well as a the Cotswolds Woollen Weavers museum.
One of the other unusual attractions is the Teddy Bears of Witney shop, which people say it one of the “best shops in the Cotswolds.”
Along with selling bears, there’s even a small museum of them too, with another saying it was a “little gem in nowhere”.
Other popular attractions in town include Cogges Manor Farm where kids can meet the farm animals.
While it has a number of chain cafes and restaurants – with the latest being a Bella Italia – there are popular local-loved bakeries too.
It has two shopping areas – Marriotts Close and Woolgate Shopping Centre.
This includes Hunters Cake Cafe, serving huge slabs of cakes and brownies, as well as Coffeesmith and Eden Cafe.
There is also Huffkins, which started in the Cotswolds but has since expanded to London following it’s success.
Last year, the town even celebrated it’s 40th anniversary of the World Poohsticks Championships, which takes place over the River Windrush.
And the town is undergoing exciting new changes too.
A new £158,000 skatepark opened earlier this year at The Leys park, with new tennis courts also set to open.
The town has both a Premier Inn and Travelodge which opened in recent years if you fancy a budget stay.
What is it like to live in Witney?
The Sun's Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey explains what it's like to grow up in Witney:
“Being born and raised in Witney (quite literally, being born at home) I had all the perks of the Cotswolds life while still being so well connected.
“Everything was in walking distance, from schools to shops, while Oxford was a short car ride away, with direct buses taking around 40 minutes.
“The town isn’t short of pubs – having often visited The Hollybush in my teenage years, along with a drink in the pub garden at The Beekeepers, although was called The Eagle Vaults in my day.
“Seeing amazing live bands and comics isn’t something you’d expect from a small town, although my friends still boast about their picture with Greg Davies after he played at Fat Lils.
“Of course it has changed massively – the two nightclubs in town are long-gone – but it is still a very pretty town, with some amazing locally run establishments.”
And we reviewed the pretty Blue Boar Inn’s rooms and restaurant – here’s what you can expect.
The Cotswolds has lots of pretty villages and towns to visit.
Bourton-on-the-Water is often called the Venice of the Cotswolds due to the number of bridges over the River Windrush running through the village.
Despite being home to just 4,000 locals, it is popular with tourists who visit on coach trips in the summer.
it was even named one of the best stargazing hidden gem spots in the UK.
And Castle Combe in Wiltshire is often said to be the “prettiest village in England” – and even has it’s own racing track.
Here’s a Cotswolds village that has it’s own sandy beach too.
Other B&Bs include The Fleece and The Old Swan.