Life in the pretty town that's five miles from Greater Manchester but feels a world away

While Glossop is just a few miles from Greater Manchester, the sleepy town feels worlds away. Located at the edge of the Peak District, the market town is known for its picture-postcard views and classic nearby walking routes including Kinder Scout.

And, while the historic town is lined with pretty stone cottages, features a medieval market cross and dates back to the 12th century, it’s evolved into a hotspot for visitors with an abundance of shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants to choose from.

But residents recently believed plans to build a glamping complex would ruin the peaceful town – fearing rowdy holidaymakers could turn Glossop into ‘Glastonbury 2.0’.

The plans had intended to build a complex of 13 luxury, two and three bed tourist lodges on The Heath, just outside Glossop town centre. As well as the tourist lodges, the site, at The Stables, would have housed a reception/shop building, kitchen building and a spa lodge with eight treatment rooms, employing 16 full-time workers on a 24-hour shift basis.

However, 107 people living nearby the area submitted formal objections to the plans, with residents raising issues about the proposal including traffic fears, the noise of holidaymakers and the effect on the character of the town.

Though the plans were expected to be approved, the application was refused by High Peak Borough Council during a meeting on December 13, 2022, with the committee saying the builds would be “unduly prominent” and would have an “adverse impact on the immediate and wider landscape” that wouldn't be outweighed by the benefits.

When the Manchester Evening News spoke to opposing residents following the meeting, they revealed they were overjoyed with the decision – even coming together and celebrating with a bottle of champagne.

But what is life really like in Glossop? The M.E.N. took a trip to the town to find out...

Rose Denrick has lived in Glossop for more than two decades, moving to the area from London 43 years ago. “I think the size of the place is very compact,” the 70-year-old said.

“There is a mixture of people – people from Wales, London and people who have been here for a long time. There are also lots of professionals here from Manchester.”

While Rose loves living in the town, there’s one thing she would change if she could – the public transport. “It would be good to get more buses,” she said. “We would like to be a part of Greater Manchester so we can travel into Manchester on their travel pass.”

Frances Dibble, also 70, moved to Glossop from Wales four years ago. Her favourite part about living in the town is the “wonderful” local groups available to join.

“I like the grocery shops and Mettricks the butchers, which is one of the best in the world,” she said. We have a theatre and the main thing you’ve got here is the railway station which gets you into Manchester in half an hour. It’s also wonderful that so many different societies and groups operate here in Glossop.”

Down in Glossop’s main town centre, there's plenty of evidence of its industrial heyday. Built around the cotton industry in the 19th and 20th century, the mills have now been renovated into shops, pubs and a hotel, with Norfolk Square being a example of Victorian civic pride.

Shoppers can browse everything from specialist books, original artwork and designer clothes to local produce ranging from quality meat to craft beers and a regular indoor and outdoor markets.

The vast, rugged expanses of Bleaklow lie to the northeast and Kinder Scout to the south, the highest point in the Peak District at 2,087 feet high. Only a few miles out of the town is the famous Snake Pass, a high, twisting road that leads through the most spectacular hills and moorland over to Sheffield.

Glossop is a gateway town to the Peak District, so it’s no surprise the countryside around the town is a hit with nature lovers. The town's wider community of 33,000 is made up of people from different walks of life, with many of them taking huge amounts of pride in their countryside town and its variety of independent businesses.

Natalie Beresford was born and raised in Glossop, having lived in the town her whole life. “I love the scenery,” the 34-year-old told the M.E.N. “It’s really nice.

Natalie Beresford (Image: Paige Oldfield)

“I think we could do with more women’s clothes shops, but I love how close we are to Manchester. I find that really good because me and my mum go down often and have days out. There’s nothing I don’t like, really.”

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