Easy village shopping

Each month, to help promote Audlem, the AudlemOnline webteam sends an article to the Whitchurch and Market Drayton Gossip magazines.

This is the Christmas shopping article submitted this month:

Easy village shopping

With the big day only ten days away, Christmas shopping looms large in many minds. However, there are ways to avoid the big supermarket queues and parking nightmares of large town centres using quieter places where you will find great gift and food ideas.

Audlem now has a range of shops that are simply ideal for Christmas shoppers. Parking is easy and free and you will receive a warm and personal welcome too from friendly shopkeepers as they are family run businesses.

One such shop is the recently expanded LLLovely – and yes, there are all those Ls in the name. It has been so successful since it opened that it has now expanded into next door's premises – see photo, and that is just one of four stupendous chocolate displays.

The shop, as well as selling Snugbury's famous ice cream, has the most amazing display of speciality chocolates, including many hand-made by LLLovely's own team, as well as confectionery from the finest makers across Europe, including a selection of marzipans from Lubeck, Italian biscuits and so much more.

Just gazing at the display will make your mouth water and you will find a perfect gift for everyone on your Christmas list.

Down at Audlem Wharf by the Shropshire Union canal is Audlem Mill Shop with an eclectic range of gifts, books and craft ideas on two floors. The building itself is always worth a visit but in the build-up to Christmas it just bursts with gift ideas, many so unusual that they really will surprise.

They include a wide range of Gifts in a Tin, all at £9.99, and so easy to wrap, including a Castle in a Tin, Car Journey Games, Chess Set in a Tin – altogether a wide range to choose from and all in beautifully presented rectangular tins, of course.

Or browse the range of canal and transport orientated books, possibly the finest in the country, the paintings, many again featuring canal and local scenes, or wander upstairs to the staggering range of craft ideas.

Not many villages have a cycle shop to rival Audlem CycleSport, again a business that has taken over next door's premises this year as it has expanded. There's an amazing selection of cycles and accessories on offer and very professional advice to suit riders of every level of experience, plus repairs and servicing.

Add in one of the best family butchers you will find anywhere, Oxtail & Trotter, with speciality Christmas meats including a range of Three Bird Roasts, a village newsagents and post office packed with gifts and cards, many with a local theme, three pubs and three cafes, plus many other shops, all in all making Audlem a 'must go to' Christmas destination.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.