How shops, history and the river made this pretty town the perfect place to visit

Evesham has always had plenty of potential as a tourist attraction, but with regeneration projects proceeding apace, it's now really coming into its own, discovers Andrea Calvesbert

For a trip out that combines great shopping with beautiful buildings, a good dose of history and the gentle splash of water from the River Avon that flows through it, Evesham is a very hard place to beat.

However, it is only recently that the town has seen an upturn in its fortunes. Despite having a tradition of growing and market gardening in its suburbs, like many other market towns, Evesham was affected by imports of produce and the growth of

out-of-town superstores -- until a couple of years ago, when the town reinvented itself with a regeneration package that was worth millions of pounds.

Now those ambitious projects are bearing fruit. The centre and riverside area have been transformed and the pretty town has regained its upbeat atmosphere.

Evesham Market Town Partnership consists of a group of organisations including Wychavon District Council and Evesham Town Council, among others, which are helping to allocate the money from Advantage West Midlands and the Market Town Initiative and kick-start the projects, which so far have included improvements to the riverside,

incentives for businesses and help to support local shops.

The list for the future of the town is even more exciting. As well as revamping the High Street, the tourist information centre will be improved in an attempt to make it gateway to the Vale and the Cotswolds.

Meanwhile, strong links with the popular Evesham Country Park, which lies just outside the town, will continue to make the whole area accessible for both residents and tourists (see panel, right).

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the now thriving town centre, Workman Gardens is ideal.

Visitors to the park, which lies just a few strides from the main thoroughfare and stretches down through Abbey Park to the river, can also admire the old bell tower.

Evesham has always been a pretty place and well worth a visit, but now it is really getting ready to show off.

The river has become a thriving waterway once again and a trip up the Avon is essential. Couple this with pretty cafes and tea rooms, shops and pubs housed in picturesque buildings dating back hundreds of years and you have the perfect day out.

If that's not enough, there's always the country park, too...

Evesham Country Park is quickly becoming one of the central attractions in the Vale.

It has factory outlet shops selling everything from clothes to kitchenwares and herbs and spices, and a garden centre is stocked with beautiful items for both indoors and out.

For those without a picnic to enjoy in the several picnic areas, there is a caf serving a range of snacks and meals.

Vale Wildlife Rescue has its visitor centre here, where people of all ages can enjoy meeting an array of animals and birds. If you still have time after all this, there is the narrow gage railway to take you on a trip through the orchards.

This train and the walks to the river are all part of the bigger aim to improve Evesham. With help from the market town partnership, the country park has installed footpaths, making a wheelchair-accessible riverside walk all the way into Evesham. Future plans include a jetty from where a river taxi will run between the town and country park.

Evesham Market Town Partnership Manager Lew Hammond said: "It is essential that we make better use of the river and with help from Evesham Country Park we are achieving that. We need to make these communication links with Evesham Country Park to complete the whole project."

How to get there

By car: 16 miles from Worcester on the A44

By train: Hourly trains from Worcester take 20-30 minutes.