I visited a charming little place packed with independent shops — no chains or vacant lots to be seen

When my mum suggested we meet for lunch at a place called Hwb as I made my way to west Wales for a mini holiday, I confess I had my doubts. I'd never heard of it and naturally assumed it wasn't worth knowing about, especially not in a town with a reputation for lots of excellent places to eat.

Well, it turns out that I owe my mum one for coming up with what became the highlight of my summer. Hwb is just one of many independent treasures nestled in the picturesque town of Narberth in Pembrokeshire. These range from some of Wales' finest restaurants to pubs, local butchers, antique shops, clothing boutiques, bridal stores and hair salons.

In addition to these, there's the "Quirky Garage," which sells an array of knick-knacks, with a particular focus on oversized animal models; there's an arts centre; a community-run library situated in a quaint old school; a social club where pints are a steal at £3.10; another arts centre; and "The Shop at No47", self-described as "quite possibly Pembrokeshire's most perfectly pleasant place to peruse" – I couldn't agree more.

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Just down the road, a lamppost announces an upcoming "hymns and Pimms" night at the local church. The former town hall of Narberth, crowned with a clock tower and a petite steeple, stands solitary on a traffic island at one end of the high street, with stone steps leading up to its entrance.

Today, it houses The Golden Sheaf, a shop selling chic clothes, books, home furnishings and jewellery, but the building itself harks back to the 1830s. It was built on the site of an old tap where townsfolk would gather for their water supply.

Its original clock, until very recently, was wound weekly by a town council member, following the same meticulous instructions from over a century ago.

The area, however, is not all quaint and quirky boutiques. Just beyond the town centre lies the opulent Grove, a breathtakingly exclusive hotel and restaurant offering food, rooms and surroundings that rival anything Wales has to offer.

It's a bit pricey, with rooms starting at around £250 a night, suites exceeding £500, and a seven-course tasting menu in its flagship restaurant setting you back £145 per person. Even amongst all of Wales' most picturesque and intriguing towns, Narberth holds its own.

Locals describe it as "an effervescent little place with a robust sense of community" and say those who reside here "live for the lifestyle". This becomes immediately apparent upon reaching the bustling high street at its core, which teems with people perusing shop windows and popping in and out of stores even during a Tuesday lunchtime.

The sheer amount of activity in the town centre contradicts its modest 3,000 population. Calling it a hidden gem might be stretching things within Wales, where it frequently earns recognition as the finest place to reside, yet it remains relatively unknown throughout the UK.

I cannot state precisely how many independent retailers and enterprises it boasts, but approximately 50 appears a reasonable estimate from wandering about. However, the high street isn't all that Narberth offers.

The moment you venture beyond the town's boundaries, you discover yourself within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, amongst the UK's most spectacular locations and home to breathtaking coastlines, the Preseli hills and other magnificent towns such as Tenby and Saundersfoot, both within easy reach of Narberth (and both considerably more renowned, possibly due to their seaside attractions).

'It's not like this by accident'

"When I was growing up here in the 90s, there were a few basic shops on the high street and around 20 grizzled old pubs," says Beth Alexander, who grew up in the town. Writing on the Visit Wales website, she adds: "But the town had an arts scene bursting forth that brought all sorts of live music and performance to this small Welsh town.

"They say that the arts are a great regenerator, and you can see this played out in Narberth. Today it is an effervescent little place with a robust sense of community, a thriving high street packed with independent shops and cafes, and a full calendar of events."

Chris Lees-Price, who founded Hwb, has previously told WalesOnline: "The community here likes to protect local businesses by using them, and there's a real pride in the town because you see how hard people have had to work to make things happen and to make Narberth this way. It's not by accident."

It's a sentiment echoed time and again by residents and business owners throughout the area. Tragically, there aren't many towns like Narberth remaining, with countless others across Britain having fallen victim to mounting pressures, including the collapse of high street retail and the dominance of chain stores (the sole chain visible in Narberth was a Spar).

The national vacancy rate for high street premises throughout Britain stands at approximately 13.8%. I didn't spot a single vacant shop in Narberth. The closure of the nearby Oakwood theme park this year, after decades of thrilling schoolchildren with its rides, might have cast a shadow over the town, but it doesn't seem to have had much of an impact.

It would be a different story if the nearby Bluestone Wales holiday park were to close, but thankfully, there's no sign of that. Many visitors to Bluestone visit Narberth for a day of shopping and eating.

Where to eat in Narberth

Let's start with Hwb, which was a delightful surprise. I loved it so much that within days of my first visit, I took two one-hour-long detours to eat there on subsequent family days out.

The independent food and drinks hall is housed in an old Victorian school at one end of the high street. There are four food vendors - selling burgers, Thai food, tacos and Indian street food respectively - and three of the four I've tried so far are fantastic.

I sampled an onion bhaji naan wrap that was bigger than my head but still managed to feel light and vibrant instead of heavy and greasy, and a halloumi and pineapple taco that was packed full of flavour. The fries from Top Beef burgers are among the best I've had, and my kids raved about them.

There's also a bar featuring 18 draft beers and cider taps, in scenes more akin to Shoreditch than rural west Wales. Equally impressive is Plum Vanilla Cafe, another cafe-deli hybrid dishing up flavour-packed vegetarian grub like falafel flatbreads, Korean rice bowls featuring battered cauliflower, plus heaps of cakes.

There's also Top Joe's delivering "absolutely incredible" pizzas, calzones and antipasti alongside cocktails, plus Stopio, a cycling cafe.

For fine dining, there's Annwn, which secured a spot among the Good Food Guide's 20 finest restaurants in the UK in 2022 after just 12 months of trading.

It's also earned recognition from the Michelin guide, with a 10-course tasting menu priced at £150. Then there's Fernery at The Grove hotel, offering a seven-course tasting menu for £145.

As you can see, it's a remarkably impressive array of dining spots for a small town housing just a few thousand residents. You'll discover far fewer choices in much larger towns.

Activities around Narberth

It's not just within Narberth itself that you'll discover plenty to occupy your time. The town sits amid the stunning Pembrokeshire countryside and coastline.

World-class beaches lie nearby at Pendine, Tenby and Saundersfoot. The brilliant family destination Folly Farm offers enough entertainment for an entire day, combining multiple play zones with wildlife including lions, giraffes and rhinos.

The dramatic and striking castles of Carew and Manorbier are also just a brief drive away.