Rain in the forecast?
Don’t write off your day out just yet.
The weather is looking changeable as we head into September, but Market Drayton is an easy place to enjoy without needing blue skies. The town centre is compact, there are plenty of places to duck inside, and a rainy day gives you the perfect excuse to spend a little longer discovering the places you might normally walk straight past.
Here’s how we’d spend a rainy day in Market Drayton.
9.30am – Arrive Hungry
Start your visit somewhere warm.
Find one of Market Drayton’s cafés and settle in for breakfast, coffee or something freshly baked before you begin exploring.
There’s something rather nice about watching the rain outside when you’ve got a hot drink in front of you – and there’s no need to rush.
10.30am – Have a Proper Browse
Forget ticking shops off a list. A rainy day is an opportunity to actually have a look around.
Wander through the town centre and pop into the independent shops that catch your eye.
You’ll find everything from gifts and homeware to clothes, food and local products, with plenty of businesses tucked around Cheshire Street, High Street and the surrounding streets.
If one of those sudden showers arrives, that’s simply your cue to head into the next shop.
Visiting on Wednesday? Even Better
Wednesday is market day in Market Drayton.
The outdoor market brings stalls into Cheshire Street each week, but there’s also the indoor market to explore when you want to get out of the rain.
It’s one of the best days to experience the town when it’s busy with shoppers, traders and visitors.
Umbrella up, browse the outdoor stalls, then head indoors when the next shower arrives.
Go in Search of Gingerbread
Here’s a rainy-day challenge that’s very Market Drayton:
Don’t go home without finding some gingerbread.
Market Drayton is famous for it, with a gingerbread-making tradition stretching back more than two centuries.
You can pick some up at Drayton Deli, Fields Kitchen or Boyes in town, with Fordhall Organic Farm also stocking it just outside Market Drayton.
And there’s a little bit of history hidden behind one of those stops. Fields Kitchen occupies a building that was once the bakehouse where Billington’s gingerbread was produced in the early 1800s.
Find Something You Didn’t Know About Market Drayton
Rain gives you permission to slow down.
Instead of rushing between places, look up at the buildings, read the plaques and discover some of the stories behind the town.
If you visit on a Wednesday or Saturday morning then a trip to the Market Drayton Museum & Heritage Centre is needed so head inside and delve further into the area’s history.
You might be surprised by how much there is to discover.
Make Lunch Part of the Day
By now, you’ve earned lunch.
Rather than treating food as a quick stop between activities, make it part of your visit.
Find a café, pub or restaurant, get comfortable and enjoy some time indoors while the weather does whatever it wants outside.
And if you’re visiting with friends, a long lunch while rain taps against the windows isn’t a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Check What’s On at Festival Drayton Centre
This is where a wet-weather visit can become something completely different.
Have a look at what’s showing at Festival Drayton Centre and you could finish your afternoon with a film, theatre performance or live event.
Shopping, lunch and a film makes a pretty good rainy-day itinerary.
Then Wait for That Gap in the Clouds…
Because British weather rarely sticks to the plan.
If the rain stops, take advantage of it.
Have a wander around the town, head towards the canal for a short walk or simply enjoy another look around before heading home.
And if it starts raining again?
You already know where the cafés are.
Come Anyway
A day out doesn’t have to depend on sunshine.
Sometimes the best days are the unplanned ones: finding a shop you didn’t know existed, discovering a piece of local history, lingering over lunch or buying something completely unexpected from the market.
So if Market Drayton is on your list and the forecast shows a few rain clouds, keep your plans.
Just bring an umbrella.
Make it Market Drayton – even in the rain.
