Town Profiles » Frome
"Frome is the largest and most easterly town in the Mendip District, with a population of around 26,000."
The town itself is rich in history and has more listed buildings than any other Somerset town. Its heritage is associated with a medieval cloth and wool industry. The wool trade has long since declined but has been replaced by a range of other industries.
Frome enjoys a blend of traditional and modern industries. A number of larger companies are based in the area with printing, computer typesetting, dairy products, metal pressings, foundry work and advanced engineering all strongly represented.
Frome no longer hosts the lively weekly livestock market in the town centre, but this has been very successfully relocated to a purpose built site just off the Frome by-pass at Standerwick. The public can attend the livestock markets. The exciting new Artisan Market will begin in April 2009. St Catherine's Artisan Market will be held monthly on Catherine Hill in Frome (pictured below) and will feature local food, flowers and produce as well as designer/makers and vintage and collectable art.
Marston Trading Estate provides traditional commercial premises and on the northern outskirts of Frome is a new business site at Commerce Park with easy access to the A361 leading to Bath and Trowbridge and the A36 down to Salisbury and the A303.
The town has a good selection of over 200 shops with arts and crafts specialists and a wide range on offer for the gift shopper with an emphasis on small independent retailers. W.H. Smiths, Boots, Woolworths, Martins, Argos and Marks and Spencers are located in the town centre with Halfords, Homebase, Asda and Sainsbury’s on the edge of town. Catherine Hill (pictured) is home to a number of niche independent retailers and visitors to the hill can spend a happy few hours browsing among the clothing, jewellery, antiques and accessories.
Frome is currently marketing itself as the most creative town in England and is gaining an excellent reputation for artistic events, galleries and site specific works of art and is becoming known across the South West as a haven for artists. Frome Festival is an annual event which has been running successfully for 7 years. .The festival features more than 110 events over ten days, with music, literary events, film, art, walks, talks, workshops and events for children.
The programme for July 4th - 13th 2008 was a great success and included a wide variety of acts: - 10cc, Ken Dodd, Paul Merton, Seth Lakeman and Courtney Pine.
The recent Intervention/Decoration art installation has been acclaimed as a true market town rival to the famous and large budget Folkestone Triennale.
The entertainment sector is strong all year round with an 800 person flat-floor venue at the Cheese and Grain , together with traditional venues at the Memorial and Merlin theatres and an independent cinema which is famous for being a licensed premises so you can have a beer while watching a film.
There are good leisure facilities locally with tennis, golf and swimming all available within the town and surrounding area. Just outside the town is the celebrity hideout Babington House where Sadie Frost, Madonna and Zoe Ball have been spotted.
