When I meet people in Midsomer Norton, they are often quick to point out I’m not originally from the area, which is quite true.  Before moving here, I lived in Bath for ten years and prior to that Edinburgh.  Both those cities are wonderful in their own ways, but I have no regrets about moving, Midsomer Norton is miles better.

At the time of moving, Midsomer Norton’s close proximity to Bath was a strong selling point.  I didn’t realise then how rarely I’d bother travelling back.  Sure, Bath and Edinburgh have many pretty buildings, but they’re also really busy and crowded.  It’s an effort to do anything or get anywhere.

Here in Midsomer Norton, I get to visit the town centre almost every day.  We have an amazing High Street, with many great independent shops and national brands.  There are supermarkets, a butchers, a pet shop, a hardware store, a sports shop, banks, a travel agent, a record shop, a model shop, gift shops, a haberdashery, a toy shop and more. 

 We have a great selection of hair dressers and charity shops and even places to get your nails painted.  We have wonderful independent cafes, restaurants and pubs along side household names.  We also have a monthly famers market and craft fair with lots more planned in the coming years.

But it’s not just Midsomer Norton’s retail offering that makes our town special.  We have churches, gyms, a fantastic leisure centre, a library, a heritage railway and museum, a Scout troop and a town park with a massive amphitheatre.  We have a local radio station, Somer Valley FM, broadcasting right from Somervale School. Our Greenway, circling much of the town and connecting us, mainly traffic free to, Radstock, Bath and Frome is world class.  I’d prefer our independent cinema, which will be opening again soon in the transformed Town Hall, over a multiplex any day.

Did I mention our sports clubs?  We have incredible cricket, rugby and football clubs with great, family-friendly facilities and thriving youth teams with the famous Outfield Festival, featuring internationally acclaimed acts, now a regular feature at the Withies Lane cricket ground.

Add in local news services and excellent schools and you’d think that would be plenty for a little town in the Somer Valley, but what no one can really understand, until they’ve lived here for a while is Midsomer Norton’s truly unique selling point; our incredible community, something that everyone in this town should be so very proud of.  Our army of volunteers, coaches, youth workers and Wombles all working tirelessly for the benefit of our town and its people.  It’s our community that really makes Midsomer Norton great; we are community.