about time in ... Southwold

If you love quintessentially English seaside towns, you can’t beat Southwold. With its fantastic pier and lighthouse, working harbour, and vibrant High Street, it is home to a growing number of independent retailers, cafes and restaurants. You may think you know it already as it’s had a fair amount of press over recent years, but scratch beneath the surface and you’ll discover another side to its timeless charm.

time to browse!

If you can’t resist high-quality fashion, put plenty of time aside to pop into Collen & Clare, a luxury independent fashion boutique stocking top brands.

Have your bags at the ready in Mills & Sons & Daughters Butchers and greengrocer, Little Gem, neighbours on the town square, and The Black Olive on the High St. Between them they have an incredible range of food and drink and you’ll be hard pushed to leave without buying something for dinner. Down on the harbour, you can pick up freshly caught fish off the boat from Samantha K’s, or from The Sole Bay Fish Company which also serves up the finest fish and chips both harbourside and from its sister company in town, The Little Fish & Chip Shop.

Southwold may be compact but each and every independent store will draw you in to take a closer look at what it has to offer. Perennial favourites include Craftco, a gorgeous gallery for East Anglian contemporary crafts and applied arts, The Pug & Pussycat, Chapmans gift shop and newsagents, and Mumfords, a tardis like hardware store! New to the town this year are Red Eyed Dove, home to No1 East Lane, a fantastic vintage shop with a beautifully curated collection just off the High Street on Barnaby Green. On the High St, East of Eden has recently opened a second store, much to the delight of the many of us who love its Saxmundham shop.

time for food!

Whether you’re after a decent coffee and a pastry, the full fry-up, a scrumptious mid-morning sausage roll or something more substantial, here are our top picks: make time for!

Suzie’s Café down on the frontnothing beats tucking into a delicious bacon bap whilst watching the early morning swimmers out at sea.

On the High St: Two Magpies – be prepared to queue, Tiptree Tearoom for a delicious cream tea, served with their own brand Little Scarlet Strawberry preserve, and Bread & Butter @ Café 51 at any time of day. It’s worth looking to see if they have any themed nights coming up – their curries are great!

When it comes to dinner, we love the The Sail Loft, a cosmopolitan, laidback bar and restaurant, only a gentle stroll down towards the harbour, with daily specials, all-time favourites such as lobster risotto, and irresistible Wagyu beefburgers.

For a fun experience, book into Coasters for a beach hut dining experience – if it’s on the menu, we recommend their slow-cooked pork belly - and for a truly memorable evening, take the leisurely 15-min stroll out to The Randolph, a family-run hotel and restaurant in neighbouring Reydon serving delicious food. On a balmy evening, the patio is the place to be for an early pint of Adnams and a selection of small plates.

Getting lost!

For some good old-fashioned family fun, book into Southwold Maize Maze, an awardwinning attraction with an outdoor play & adventure park and two maize mazes. Whilst the kids get lost, you can sit back and enjoy the marsh views from its fantastic licenced café.

A visit to The Old Hospital Hub

Tucked away behind the parish church in what was formerly the town’s hospital is now a thriving community space known as The Old Hospital Hub. It’s home to The Canteen, a farm to fork café run by acclaimed chef Nicola Hordern. Step out of the fray and into a quiet, calm space, surrounded by beautiful planters filled with herbs and salads ready for the table. Of particular note are the community lunches on the last Sunday in the month where you pay what you can afford. Booking essential.

A visit to the flicks

The Electric Picture Palace is a small but perfectly formed 70 seat cinema which is easy to miss as it’s tucked away on an unassuming side street just off Barnaby Green. Run by the Southwold Film Society and opened in 2002 by Michael Palin, you can join as a member for the summer season for just £3 and experience a recreation of the heyday of cinema-going with usherettes and a rising cinema organ to boot!

Piering out to sea

For some truly eccentric seaside fun, tread the boards out to the Under the Pier Show which has been delighting visitors, young and old, for decades. Would you believe you can train for your future on a Zimmer frame simulator or take out your frustrations with the financial industry on the ‘Whack A Banker’ machine! Trust us, you won’t want to leave….

Don’t miss!

July

Southwold Railway Trust Open Days

Blyth Road, Southwold

Sundays from July 23rd – Sept 3rd

1 – 4pm

The Southwold Railway was once a remarkable 3-foot narrow gauge railway linking Southwold with the Great Eastern main line in Halesworth. Pop along and meet the volunteers who are dedicated to preserving the memory of this special little railway. southwoldrailway.co.uk

Annual Summer Show

Serena Hall Gallery –celebrating 25 years!

From July 29th

Immerse yourself in the bright and the bold at Serena’s annual summer show, with her new collection of signature colourful paintings of the East Coast plus a collection of vibrant ceramics, screen prints and collages.

August

The Old Hospital’s 1st Anniversary Fete

St Edmunds Green

6th August

11am-3pm

The theme is food, fun and affordability and there’ll be a tombola, flea market, various stalls and a hog roast. oldhospitalhub.co.uk

A Fox on the Fairway by Ken Ludwig Southwold Arts Centre

9th to 19th August

Weds - Sat: 7.30pm

Thurs & Sat matinees: 4pm

A Fox on the Fairway takes audiences on a hilarious roller-coaster ride. A charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and, occasionally, our eternal passion for... golf!

TO BOOK: Tel 01728 343344. Tickets from £14 southwoldartscentre.co.uk

Comedy of Errors For Families

St. Edmund’s Green 20th August, 4 – 6pm

September

Relatively Speaking by Alan Ayckbourn

Shakespeare Craft Workshop

Southwold Library,

The Old Hospital Hub

15th August, 11am - 12pm

Come and make your own ruff, quill and Italian mask in this family craft session exploring some of the themes from the…

Cartoonish capers in Shakespeare’s funniest farce! Expect silly slapstick, abundant anachronisms and memorable music nestled amongst Shakespeare’s poignant poetry. cambridgetouring productions.co.uk

Southwold Arts Centre

6th to 9th September

Weds - Sat: 7.30pm Thurs & Sat matinees: 4pm Unmissable!

TO BOOK: Tel 01728 343344. Tickets from £14 southwoldartscentre.co.uk

Southwold’s Makers Market

United Reformed Church Hall

16th September

10am - 4pm

Enjoy browsing the stalls of a niche selection of crafters who have made everything themselves. southwoldmakers market.co.uk