Threaded through by the River Severn, Stourport-upon-Severn is a place many residents have praised for its “warm fuzzy feeling” and community spirit.

Inside the town is an award-winning historic Georgian canal basin, but it has also become home to a theme park and an emerging music scene.

Victoria Green opened The Bakehouse on High Street last week.(Image: Newsquest)

“It is a town that has a lot more to offer than people think,” said Victoria Green, who opened up her new business, The Bakehouse, on High Street last week.

The shop front had been left empty for the past year before the entrepreneur decided to turn it into a café and play den for the local community.

“I think there is a good community spirit here, and when we have the annual carnival, the streets are rammed.

The River Severn that flows through the town.(Image: Newsquest)

“Everyone in Stourport tends to carry that warm, fuzzy feeling.”

One person looking to put Stourport on the map is Lindsey Watson with her plans to transform how visitors use the High Street.

The owner of Elle Jay Aesthetics purchased the derelict M&Co building and has been working towards transforming it into a wellness complex featuring a café, gym, doctors’ surgery, hairdressers, beauty salon, counselling service, and a lecture theatre.

Lindsey Watson is excited about her new businesses in the former M&Co(Image: Newsquest)

“There is nothing like it in the whole of the country and it will be on Stourport’s High Street,” she said.

“I want to create accessible health care on the High Street at an affordable price that is for the community.

“One of the reasons I have set up my project here is because there was a massive empty building and everyone says how retail is dead.

Valeria Gaal from Elysian Hair and Beauty.(Image: Newsquest)

“I wanted to think outside the box and split it into different units and found the line of health and well-being.”

The work is expected to be completed by spring 2026.

Despite its newest additions, the saying ‘out with the old and in with the new’ appears not to apply in this historic town.

The town’s butchers, which has been in the same spot since the 1950s, still sees a steady flow of customers, and employees are excited about the changes in the town.

A mosaic on Stourport’s High Street reflects the town’s rich history.(Image: Newsquest)

Chris Caroll, from Christopher’s The Master Butchers, said: “Stourport is an incredibly friendly place and it’s about the community.

“Yes, we have plenty of hairdressers and cafés, but it is the friendly community that complements our natural side with its river and parks.

“What makes Stourport special is what we have in the town.”