Surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the Staffordshire Moorlands, Leek is a fantastic place to visit and my week 46’s Reason to Visit the Moorlands.
At its heart is the Market Place, home of markets for over 800 years and the elegant St. Edward’s Church.
The town boasts a vibrant arts community, with the Foxlowe Arts Centre offering a range of artistic activities and a cozy café for coffee enthusiasts and of course the Leek Arts Festival, with events held throughout each May. The Leek Blues and Americana Festival runs at the beginning of October each year.
The Nicholson Institute hosts various artistic and educational pursuits, highlighting the history of the Moorlands whilst the Nicholson War Memorial stands as a tribute to the town’s fallen.
Leek’s independent shopping scene thrives in spots like Getliffe’s Yard and Derby Street, featuring boutiques and specialty shops.
Getliffe’s Yard was featured in the ‘Staffordshire Story’ initiative where organisations joined together to encourage more visitors and businesses to come to Staffordshire. I was delighted that fellow MP, Sir Michael Fabricant was able to visit.
Leek holds regular markets offering local goods, with a Farmers Market on the third Saturday of each month, the Totally Locally Market, on the first Sunday of each month and regular market days on Wednesdays and Saturdays where there is a large range of vendors selling a wide range of items, many of whom build on the town’s reputation as “the” place to buy antiques. And Leek is also home to Staffordshire’s only livestock market with regular sales every Tuesday.
Each year, Leek hosts ScooterFest, which this year is on May 19. The spectacle of hundreds of scooters congregating in the town centre is well worth seeing.
With its unique charm and vibrant community spirit, Leek remains a town worth visiting time and again.
