Wander through Rye‘s stunning cobbled streets and you’ll soon find that there are hardly any retail chains in sight. Instead, this East Sussex town has become a haven for independent retailers, with its high street filled to the brim with just that and giving it that local, authentic spirit that makes it so charming.

Spend just a few minutes in Rye, and you’ll start to spot a pattern. Everything seems to have “Rye” in its name. From Rye Butchers and Rye Sushi to Rye Chocolates and Reloved of Rye, the names reflect both a sense of place and a celebration of independence. These aren’t franchises, they’re family-run, homegrown, and proud of it.

One of these independent shops is Simply Rye. Once you step into this small independent shop, you’re instantly greeted by the scent of homemade candles, carefully chosen homeware, and the easygoing chatter of a family that’s built a business together, one item, and one trade show at a time, with every item on display handpicked by the trio, Fran and Ian Huxley, and their daughter, Vicky Huxley.

Rye Pottery is one of the many independent businesses and it has been there since 1793 (Image: Humphrey Nemar)

Vicky and Ian Huxley (Image: Humphrey Nemar)

Vicky Huxley, 30, explains: “It’s me, my mum, and my dad.” After Ian and his wife had been coming to Rye for years, they loved it so much that they decided to move there permanently. Half of the shop used to be an office for their holiday business but just before the COVIDpaandemic hit, the family decided to turn the entire space into a shop.

Ian Huxley, 67, told the Daily Express: “Rye’s always had a little bit of a policy. I don’t know if it’s written down anywhere. I think it’s an unwritten rule but they’re not keen on major stores.”

Even the local Waterstones is subtly branded as the Rye Bookshop, blending into the independent aesthetic of the town, Vicky highlighted.

According to the UK High Street website, Rye is home to 392 businesses, with only a handful of national chains. There’s a Boots, a Waterstones, and a Jempson’s supermarket, but even Jempson’s is a family-owned enterprise with stores that are unique to East Sussex.

In contrast to many UK towns facing the dominance of big name chains and rising high street rents, Rye bucks the trend.

Vicky explained: “I think we’re so lucky in Rye because there are so many independent shops and it means we can all survive because rents don’t go crazy like you see in so many towns nowadays.

“You never really have any empty shops in Rye because it is thriving. Even at Christmas, we get people that come to Rye for the weekend to do their Christmas shopping because they know that they’re going to get independent shops, and chains don’t seem to have crept in yet.

“Landlords really like having small businesses, and locals here are really great at supporting small businesses.”

Zarina Low-Beer and Jonathan -Simpson-Boyal of the Rye Emporium (Image: Humphrey Nemar)

Although tourism has picked up in recent years, the Huxleys say the town still feels like a real community. “It’s a ‘nice busy,'” says Vicky.

“There are still lots of locals, and the atmosphere is really friendly, not overwhelming like some tourist towns.”

Ian agrees: “Rye never gets uncomfortably busy. It feels safe, like how the world used to be maybe 20 years ago. It’s a bit slower. You don’t feel any tension in the air.” He said Rye’s calendar is full of events that bring in visitors, from its jazz and arts festivals to fireworks weekend all helping support local trade.

With its vintage railway station and postcard-worthy winding alleyways, Rye feels like a charming time capsule, being both nostalgic yet effortlessly trendy. The town maintains a laid-back atmosphere, while still buzzing with the lively hum of local voices and laughter.

Jonathan Simpson-Boyal, owner of The Rye Emporium, a large antiques shop, describes Rye as a “small town, big village.” He added: “Running errands here can take an hour because you’re always stopping to chat with someone you know.”

Zarina Low-Beer, who also works at the Rye Emporium said that while it’s busy, people are also always welcoming but being near the sea also gives it a laid-back holiday feel.

Kyla Moaineau, cafe staff Mermaid Street cafe (Image: Humphrey Nemar)

She added: “Because a lot of the shops are independent, it’s exciting. There’s a lot of things going on, due to its proximity to London. It’s got a lot of very cosmopolitan influences as well.”

Kyla Moaineau, 19, works at the family-run Mermaid Street Café, owned by Sarah and Ian Warry-McKie. She’s been helping out since she was 14 and says the local council plays a big role in keeping the town’s character intact. Kyla grew up with the family that run the business and she is friends of their children.

She told the Daily Express: “The council’s very against chain stores. We only really have Jempson’s and even that’s quite local.”

Kyla said it is a ‘tourist town’ but in a good way. “I know the government is just really anti-chain and really supportive of local bussinesses. You’re not going to find a McDonald’s here anytime soon. It creates a nice community as well. These owners live on my street. It will always be someone’s dad who owns something.”

The café itself is attached to the Old Borough Arms, built in 1720 atop the old town walls, next to the site of the historic Strand Gate.

Despite its growing popularity, Rye has managed to stay true to its roots – laid back, full of character, and fiercely independent.

With over 300 independent shops, a stunning seaside location, and a warm community spirit, Rye stands as a rare example of a British high street that’s not just surviving but actually thriving, according to its local residents.