The beautiful seaside town with 400 independent shops - 'friendliest town in England'

With its pastel-painted beach huts, working harbour, and famous oysters, Whitstable has long been a jewel of the Kent coast. Just over an hour from London by train, the town has become a favourite weekend escape for city dwellers. Its winding lanes spill down towards the sea, where pubs like the famous Neptune overlook the shingle beach and fishermen still bring in their daily catch.

Whitstable may be best known for its oysters, but this coastal town has another claim to fame: one of the most independent high streets in Britain. According to Visit Canterbury, Whitstable and its suburb Tankerton boast more than 400 independent businesses, from vintage shops and galleries to cafés, bakers, hardware stores, and family-run restaurants. Only a handful of national chains remain.

Stroll down Harbour Street and the High Street, and you’ll find shopfronts bursting with character. Here, you can discover a range of distinctive treasures like the stunning Pearl Shop selling contemporary pearl jewellery and marine object d’arts, to George’s Whitstable, a cornerstone of the high street for 50 years and a true Aladdin’s Cave of treasures.

You’ll also find award-winning British artisan cheeses at The Cheese Box, unique gifts at Buttercup Independent Toy Shop, a beautiful selection of books at Harbour Books, Whitstable’s beloved independent bookstore, and sweet treats at HoneyKanes Bright & Beautiful Shop, all without setting foot inside a single chain store.

That reputation has only grown in recent years. At the start of this summer, Costa Coffee closed its High Street branch, following the closure of the Beefeater at The Long Reach last year, a sign, some say, that the tide is turning against national brands in the seaside town. But, far from leaving a gap, many tend to see it as a reminder that Whitstable thrives on independence, creativity, and community spirit.

This is a view shared by Stewart McArthur, 19, from Brisbane, Australia, who is on a gap year and working at The Wit! of Whitstable, a colourful Harbour Street gift shop that recently upsized from a small harbour stall to a prime High Street spot.

He said: "You can wander up and down the street and see anything you need – there are so many different style stores that you don’t really need Amazon here.

"This is quite a busy little town. It just seems to get a lot of people coming through, which helps the independent businesses."

Tourists, he added, are vital. "They really support a lot of the local businesses when they come through. It gets busy, but I wouldn’t say overwhelmed," he said.

For Stewart, what makes Whitstable special is its community. "It’s the friendliest town in England, it’s just a nice, chill, relaxed place. It’s nice to have a conversation with anyone who comes by."

That community spirit was perhaps best demonstrated by the story of Revival Food & Mood, a social enterprise café and wellbeing hub that found itself without a home during lockdown in 2021.

Rather than fading away, it was saved by a grassroots campaign backed by locals with support stretching from community groups to well-known names like Suggs from Madness and renowned potter Keith Brymer Jones.

Thanks to the town’s determination, Revival eventually secured funding through the government’s Community Ownership Fund and reopened in a renovated heritage building on the High Street. It now stands not only as a café but also as a space for music, social events, and mental health support.

Vanessa Brolly, 38, the new front-of-house manager at Revival Food & Mood told the Express: "There was a lot of support from the community about making sure that they found a new home."

The wellbeing hub café is supported by East Kent and Bexley Mind, and has been in Whitstable for about eight years, though only two at its current location, and offers a range of dishes, drinks, and social events such as “Chatty Tuesday” and a regular “Sound Social” in collaboration with a neighbouring record shop.

Ms Brolly said: "There's definitely a very close-knit community feel here. For example, we've got the social sounds event on tonight and that's being run by the record shop, which is about two doors down and they'll come in and play the records. Everyone's always looking to collaborate, which is nice."

Step inside and you’re greeted by eclectic décor designed to lift the mood with an indoor garden with a water fountain, cosy booth seating, and a 1970s-inspired chill-out space complete with sofas, vinyl decks, lamps, and a mirror ball.

Ms Brolly observed that national chains like Costa and Prezzo have closed, but believes this reflects the strength of independents rather than hostility to big brands.

"If I were visiting, I wouldn’t go to Costa," she said, stressing that people come to Whitstable looking for unique, independent places.

She added that funding schemes such as Canterbury Council’s levelling-up programme may also help sustain Whitstable’s thriving independent scene but, ultimately, what makes the town special for her is simple. "Everyone supports each other." For her, the best part about working at Revival is "being involved in the community and listening to good music."

Sarah Miller, 60, owner of Anchors Aweigh Vintage, has run her seaside vintage shop for 12 years. Living in neighbouring Tankerton for more than 16 years, she’s seen first-hand how the high street has evolved. When you step inside, it’s hard not to get swept up in its universe of curiosities, a shop brimming with history, character, and unique treasures that seem to tell their own stories.

Ms Miller told the Express: "You get more versatility now than you did. A lot of the locals moan about the idea that it’s all down to people from London. Actually, we probably have more people from Sheffield than from London, but that doesn’t occur to them. The world is a transient place now, isn’t it?

"Some of the locals are like, ‘all these people!’ But you live in a nice place — people aren’t going to avoid it. When you talk about DFLs [Down From Londoners], it doesn’t really matter. It’s a transient place, a tourist destination. And because we do live in a nice place, people come. The more the merrier!"

But for her, the lifeblood of Whitstable’s businesses is still its locals: "We get a lot of repeat customers, a lot of local shoppers as well. They like popping in for buttons and little bits."

What keeps independent shops strong and makes Whitstable stand out, she believes, is the combination of attentive service and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that encourages conversation and connection with every customer.

"People like to talk, they like to stop. We give them the time of day — I’m sure we probably keep people in here longer than they should be,” she laughed. "It’s the service. People still appreciate the service."

That spirit of cooperation runs deep, if she doesn’t stock something Ms Miller will happily point customers to a fellow trader as they all get on and know each other. She also recalled when a Tesco-owned coffee shop opened about five years ago, saying some local residents weren't too thrilled about it.

She added: "We have a strong shop local culture. We’re really lucky. People here talk to you."

Owner of the Pearl Shop, jeweller and pearl specialist, Bibi Southwell also shared how the town’s history and spirit inspired her business: "We first opened as a pop-up in August 2024, and the response was incredible - both locals and visitors really embraced us. That encouraged us to open permanently just a couple of months later in October. Whitstable’s longstanding history with oysters made The Pearl Shop feel like a natural addition to the town. With its coastal charm, creativity, and independent spirit, it was the perfect fit.

"My favourite thing is being able to be creative every day and sharing that with the community. There’s such warmth here, and we’re surrounded by other independent shopkeepers who all support each other.

"Whitstable draws people from all over thanks to its seaside character, oysters, and thriving independent scene. We see loyal locals who come back regularly as well as visitors who discover us while exploring the high street and both are equally important to us."

She added: "Whitstable has an authenticity that you don’t find everywhere. The town celebrates creativity, uniqueness, and quality over mass-produced sameness. Visitors come here expecting to find something they won’t see on every other high street, and that gives independents like us the space to really thrive."

Regarding the recent closures of chains like Costa, Ms Southwell said it highlights how people in Whitstable actively choose independent businesses. Echoing sentiments shared by others like Ms Brolly, she explains that visitors come to experience the unique character of the town not the same chains found everywhere else.

"It shows that people in Whitstable actively choose independents. When you visit, you want to experience the character of the town, not the same coffee chain you’d find anywhere else. I think Whitstable is proving that high streets can survive, and even flourish, when they’re built around small, passionate businesses instead of big brands."

While many traders celebrate Whitstable’s thriving independent scene, not everyone is convinced it’s sustainable. One shop owner , speaking anonymously, offered a stark reminder of the pressures facing the town’s small businesses.

"They’ve let the harbour be rented out to everything you can imagine that we don’t need in a small seaside town, instead of seafood, for people to make money instead of seafood, which is what we actually need there," they said.

"I don’t want another glossy piece by someone from London saying this is the 'new Camden'. That’s five years behind the times and it doesn’t help us. Until councils stop raiding towns that were built by small family businesses, we’re all going to die. The local councils couldn’t organise a p***-up in a brewery."

The shopkeeper’s frustration is clear: "Tourists come here expecting seafood, and instead they find crochet cushions and Thai curry. That’s not what this harbour was built for."

They added that the town’s weekend atmosphere has been compromised: "Our weekends are dominated by traffic jams and alcohol. Families leave early, children can’t run around, and the council won’t close the smallest, most dangerous roads for safety. This place risks turning into a tourist attraction, rather than a real working town with shops and families."

Even so, the shopkeeper acknowledged Whitstable’s enduring charm. "The town will always be amazing — but there’s something not quite right about what goes on behind the scenes when small coastal towns are made popular."

A spokesperson from Canterbury City Council told the Express: "We're very pleased to hear such positivity about Whitstable, which only goes to reinforce our view that it's one of the UK's best seaside towns - a fantastic place to live and work in, and also wonderful for a visit or extended stay.

"Clearly it's never possible to please everybody, but given the fact the negative comments have been made anonymously, it makes you wonder if the individual has been turned down for trading opportunities at the harbour and their views have been affected as a result.

"The criticism is also incorrect, because there is seafood readily available at the harbour. The harbour is visited by thousands and thousands of people each year and our commercial units along the south quay are very popular with local residents and visitors alike.

"The hugely popular Whitstable Rocks Oyster Festival takes place each September - this year from 12 to 14 September, see whitstablerocksoysterfestival.com - which brings lots of people in and is also run by a private business.

"At its heart, Whitstable remains a fishing town with an active harbour and plenty of businesses selling seafood. Shops selling a whole mix of other goods complement this offer, which leads to a great balance of traders overall.

"But don't take our word for it - Daily Express readers should come and experience Whitstable for themselves!"