The market town near Coventry with cheapest house prices and amazing restaurants

Many people dream of finding a place to live with everything they've ever dreamed of. A 30-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of the city lies Atherstone - and it won't cost a fortune to live there.

The town is full of independent shops. It's surrounded by pretty countryside walks and known for its annual ball game held every Tuesday - on top of which analysts have said it has the cheapest property prices in Warwickshire.

On top of that, Muddy Stilettos named Atherstone one of the best places to live in Warwickshire due to being a 'bustling market town' with lots of 'local independents' and 'beautiful walks'. Speaking about which shops to recommend, they stated: "To keep the man in your life suited and booted there’s Osborne & Co and for homewares check out Chalk and Linen.

"For flowers, you need to visit former Muddy finalist Flowers by Chris and make sure you stop by W C Masters for cakes, pastries, and some of the best samosas around. There’s a huge Dobbie’s Garden Centre, or a 15 minute drive away you’ll find Tamworth with its huge shopping park including big names like TK Maxx, Next, M&S and if you’re a bargain hunter there’s a nice quiet Primark here."

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Family-friendly attractions make the town suitable for families. There's plenty to check out, such as the Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm, Fourways Play Centre, and Plantasia Gardens, which has mazes for kids to get themselves lost in - and Harthill Hayes Country Park is nearby.

There's also an array of great state schools including Racemeadow Primary, St Benedict's Catholic Academy, and The Queen Elizabeth Academy. There's also Highclare school which is split into prep and senior which is a 20-minute drive, and Twycross House and its pre-elementary school known as The Hollies.

What's more, there are some great places nearby for food. The Smoking Bull, known as The Smoke Bloke, was named in The Top 100 restaurants in 2023 on OpenTable. It is known for its fire-cooked barbecue foods, burgers, and steaks.

There's also the stunning Italian restaurant San Giovanni which has proven popular with celebrities such as influencer Molly Mae Hague. It recently won an award for Best Restaurant in Warwickshire and West Midlands from Muddy Stilettos.

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According to Zoopla, the average sold price for a property in Atherstone over the last year is £217,681. Other types of properties in the town have different average sold prices such as detached for £354,688, semi-detached is £209,384, terraced house is £162,041 and flats are £114,828.

According to ilivehere using the Office of National Statistics the average rent also differs in Atherstone. For a one-bedroom, the rent averages around £485, then £580 for a two-bed, £650 for a three-bed and £950 for a four-bed.

We reported in 2020 that Zoopla listed it as having the cheapest property prices in Warwickshire.

Atherstone - what you need to know about it

It is a market town nestled between Nuneaton and Tamworth with a population of 9,212 according to the 2021 census. It is well-known for its 300-year role in the hat industry from the 16th century. By the 20th century, seven companies employed 3,000 people within the hat trade.

When the canal arrived, the Atherstone hat trade intersected with the new waterway. The last hat factory closed in the town in 1999 and now stands derelict next to the canal, but the town is proud of its heritage, reflected in the bronze marker on the towpath opposite the old factory.

The Atherstone Ball Game has been played for over 800 years since 1199. The ball is specially made for the occasion and is thrown into the streets by a celebrity after gold coins and sweets are thrown out to people waiting below. In previous years, the likes of Larry Grayson and Ken Dodd have had the pleasure of starting the game, and the winner is the person in possession of the ball when the klaxon sounds at 5pm.

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