It has lots of shops and is good for clothes,style, food and gaming

Taunton: The Beige Heart of Somerset Taunton is the sort of town you pass through on the way to somewhere more interesting, then immediately forget — like an unwanted layover in the middle of a conversation. It’s the kind of place that feels like it’s permanently sighing. If towns had personalities, Taunton would be a middle-aged man in a fleece jacket saying, “Well, it’s not much, but it’s home,” while stirring instant coffee in a chipped “World’s Best Dad” mug. To be fair, Taunton tries very hard. It has a castle (sort of), a cricket ground (which people are weirdly passionate about), and a shopping centre that bravely insists on existing despite all available evidence suggesting it shouldn’t. The town is best described as “adequate”. It’s not bad. It’s not good. It’s just there — like a filler episode in a TV series no one asked for. Let’s begin in the town centre, where the architecture swings wildly between medieval remnants, post-war concrete slabs, and a few panicked attempts at modernisation that look like someone let an AI redesign a Wickes catalogue. There’s a pedestrianised high street that looks like it gave up halfway through its own regeneration project. You’ll find all the usual suspects: Greggs, Boots, a suspicious number of vape shops, and at least three charity shops per square foot. It’s the Bermuda Triangle of middling retail. Cricket, of course, is Taunton’s big claim to fame. The County Ground is the town’s pride and joy, and on match days the place hums with the sound of gentle applause and overpriced cider. It’s the kind of sporting event where someone in chinos will discuss spin bowling with the intensity of a hostage negotiator. Whether or not you care about cricket is irrelevant — in Taunton, it’s a lifestyle choice, like owning a Labradoodle or developing an opinion on compost. There’s also the castle, now a museum, where you can marvel at ancient relics, medieval weaponry, and wax figures that look like they’re plotting to murder you in your sleep. It’s oddly charming in a low-budget historical drama sort of way. Outside, you’ll find a quaint little garden and a gift shop that sells jam and anxiety in equal measure. Taunton markets itself as the gateway to Exmoor, which is a bit like being the porch of a very nice house. Yes, it leads to beautiful countryside and windswept moors, but that doesn’t mean you want to hang out on the doormat. You use Taunton as a launchpad, not a destination. It’s Somerset’s departure lounge. Culturally, it’s… well, it exists. There’s an arts centre somewhere, occasionally showing plays written entirely in metaphor and performed to audiences of seven. The library is solid, if you enjoy the smell of beige carpet and the low murmur of pensioners Googling ailments. There are some lovely parks, too — Vivary Park, for example, where you can watch toddlers chase pigeons while teenagers vape ominously in the bushes. And the nightlife? Picture three Wetherspoons, a suspiciously sticky nightclub, and a kebab van called something like “Wrap Me Tender”. It’s not so much a scene as it is a situation. Friday night in Taunton feels like everyone in town simultaneously decided to drink through the pain of their postcode. Still, there’s something endearingly inoffensive about Taunton. It’s the hometown equivalent of a supermarket lasagne: serviceable, familiar, and occasionally a bit soggy around the edges. People are friendly, the countryside’s close, and you can usually get a seat on the train. It’s a fine place to raise children, or slowly become one of those people who owns an allotment and says “ooh, that’s come up nice” about courgettes. So, if you find yourself in Taunton — lost, possibly, or being punished by fate — don’t despair. Buy a sausage roll, nod politely at some cricket, and try not to make eye contact with the seagulls. You won’t remember much about your visit, but you won’t be traumatised either. And in Taunton, that’s about as good as it gets.

Pleasant clean shopping arcade. Has a few good independent shops here too which is nice to see. Many shopping in smaller towns suffer from long term vacant units. Thankfully Taunton's Orchard isn't one of those. In the only empty one I did see they had implemented a clever idea by covering the front with a full size print of a florist shop.

Very easy to find lots of available spaces very cheap,lifts was easy to use as I had a child with a wheelchair

Lovely and beautiful place. Lots of shops to buy things

Lovely place to visit while we were on our holiday shops were fab and Taunton town centre was lovely 😍

Never bought anything from there, so I guess it’s just a money laundering scheme…

Lovely park to walk, sit, picnic, beautiful plants trees, the river Tone runs through,there's a lake coffee stop, great children's play area, well worth a look,and very close to the town centre.

Great park that is a hidden gem! I've been trying to find a park with all a good park has to offer for years in Somerset since moving here, and this has it all! Such an unknown hero! Ice cream stand and cafe in the park too, with 2 playgrounds, crazy golf, a pond/ small stretch of water, fountain and bandstand. Brilliant place that is a new favourite space to go and enjoy 😁 (Just stick to the actual cafe, my son's pretend cafe charged £1,950 for a sandwich, would not recommend)

Lovely park - if you’re looking for the nice part of Taunton this is it. A lovely stroll, especially on your lunch break. The seagulls are something to look out for though!!

Beautiful park and well-maintained with glorious flowerbeds and the obligatory ducks!

Vivary Park was chosen to be the venue for the largest group of Branching Corrugahorn players ever assembled in one place. The idea was formulated in 1964, it was hoped that the event would take place in 1970. The Branching Corrugahorn is constructed from flexible corrugated pipe normally found in the pulmonary 🫁 care ward of a hospital. It turned out to be a logistical nightmare and it took eleven years for the event to come to fruition. On the seventeenth of July, 1975 there was huge excitement in Taunton as all the world's Branching Corrugahorn players came to town. All three of them had a great time playing together. That record still stands today.

Excellent experience, visited for short periods,in searching for refreshments, flowers are beautifully decorated,and the waterfall is very soothing.i really enjoyed it..

Lovely park, well maintained public benches, lovely spots for feeding the local wildlife, and a chance to see a local muscovy duck. The war memorial is also well maintained and held to a very pristine condition.

It's hard to find anything that's free these days, and it's really hard to find something free that is this good! It was suggested to us by a local when we found ourselves in the area on a wet day. It's a genuinely well thought-out, structured and filled museum with a great balance of information, story, activity and exhibits. Excellent place to spend a few hours, and please be sure to donate a few quid each as you leave.

A good museum in the castle. Plenty of exhibits. Well designed galleries and a friendly face on arrival. Nice cafe with tables in & out. One of the best attractions in Taunton, and: it's free! ( Donations welcomed )

We went in with low expectations of this museum after we'd be told by someone it was just a hotel. The layout of the museum is very well thought about and we'll put together. With an almost minimalist style throughout style wise it gives you a chance to fully embrace the stocked displays. The staff were really friendly, there was no push for sales or donations (obviously we did a donation anyway). There was a kids walkthrough which kept them full emersed throughout which cost £1. It took about an hour and 20 minutes I think to get around, looking at everything but stopping to read about the things that we found particularly interesting. I'm sure you could spend more time if you truly wanted to but this was good for us. I would say if you are visiting Taunton for the day, it's definitely worth a walk around. Particular highlights for me were the revolution section as I was completely unaware of this and the heart box and the very large shoes.

A wonderful museum with its own history. Nice staff. Entrance is free, but you can donate from £5. You can also drink coffee and have a snack on the museum grounds.

We went into the museum simply to get out of the rain and ended up staying about three hours. The displays were extremely interesting and very professional and informative in presentation. Entrance price was by donation. I would highly recommend this hidden gem if you are in the Taunton area.

Very interesting and informative of the Somerset area with lots of interesting fossils and artifacts. Well worth a visit and they do not charge for entry although do suggest donation which we were more than happy to pay.

Found myself in Taunton with a few hours to spare, so thought I would visit. Really glad I did. A fantastic museum rich in content, and full of surprises. Staff were friendly and helpful and the cafe offered good food at reasonable prices. Even if you have lived in Somerset all your life you will discover something new.

I have had various item from this store at different times. They have an excellent selection of Outdoor items. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and always willing to help. The price is always competitive and the items are top quality. Excellent service. Thanks.

Fantastic store with good quality equipment and advice from knowledgeable and helpful staff. I was served by Dom who was very careful to ensure I purchased the right camping quilt for me. And he was absolutely right, it works for me perfectly. Thank you Taunton Leisure, I will be back.

Taunton Leisure gave me such good care when I went shopping for my latest pair of hiking shoes. I tried on a few pairs with the staff giving sound advice to help me choose. The 90 day ain house fit test certainly made me feel same and secure knowing I could ensure Mt shoes fitted correctly.

Taunton Leisure are outdoor equipment specialist. They stock a wide range of equipment to suit your every need when venturing outdoors and into the wild. With everything on show and plenty of friendly, helpful staff on hand to give you the guidance and advice you need. On our visit we were assisted by a young lad called Sebastian, (5 star treatment from him too) and he ensured that we had the right item for the job. Very knowledgeable. Thank you Sebastian. Definitely worth a visit here instead of somewhere like Go outdoors and they clearly know their stuff. Brilliant service, excellent choice. Another visit to Taunton leisure today. We actually went to buy some hiking shoes and get some advice on kit for a long distance walk. The service here was brilliant. Not only did we have comprehensive and detailed comparisons with multiple brands for the items we were looking at, we were also given pros and cons for each item. Our store rep was exceptional and knew his stuff. With loads of personal experience to draw from, we felt like we were getting the best honest unbiased advice we could get. Now that us what you want from a store.

Online shopping is fine but you can't beat the staff knowledge in a real bricks and mortar shop, the 3 team members we met helped us kit ourselves out with the specifics we needed for our upcoming walking tour of Lefkada, great information and advice means we spent our money wisely for the right products, thankyou Pete, the new young chap who was learning but excellent and the chap with the long hair who helped me with my boots. 5* service, highly recommended.

Great service, as always. Bought new walking boots; Taunton Leisure measured my feet and advised on boots for a perfect fit and made sure I got the right boots for my needs- they always have a good range. Excellent

Excellent comms and especially accuracy, which I needed as part of getting gear for 140 mile thru hike across N Wales. One piece of gear failed, but was very good about arranging refund. Thanks

This wonderful theatre was the final stop on our 7 month tour of The Smartest Giant in Town. The space was perfect for our show. The staff were kind and friendly. We really enjoyed performing our show here.

A lovely cosy venue in which to experience an opera. The seating was wonderful, very comfy and well arranged, so that you felt part of the performance. The bar was well stocked with local beers and cider and the volunteers were welcoming and helpful. We had a brilliant evening and would definitely visit again.

Saw Suzi Ruffell a few weeks back. Nice venue and friendly staff. Nice room (not to big) for the show.

Live music at its best. Having to use crutches makes it difficult to watch live music in crowded venues but having a seated audience makes it accessible.

Great music, staff really good Not good when people start standing and dancing blocking view of the stage. Need to tell people to stay seated. If want to dance get seats at the back or have a designated dance area

Really good venue, staff very polite and friendly. Went to watch Dom Joly 'Work in progress' show, and had a fantastic evening. Comfortable seating and sound was spot on. Would definitely go again

A real old fashioned theatre. Spent some time here across this year seeing different shows. From Science Live and Dinosaur Live amgost the highlights to Children's workshops, making Monsters with book authors. Lots of audience participation from all the shows. Great, friendly, accommodating staff. Cute little snack bar with alcoholic and soft drinks available. It's the red velvet flip down seats that takes you back to your childhood and the stage is right there!!! There is no car park, so park on the edge of town and walk in. A piece of history still bringing joy.

We went to watch the double header women's & mens T20 we picked seats in rear of Trescothick lower stand to keep out of the sun as long as possible. Good view of game nice clear informative scoreboard and good entertainment throughout game and by a band between matches. Only disappointment price of drinks and food with queues needed a longer break between innings.

What a great atmosphere, Been for both men’s and women’s T20 and an England words ODI and everyone were have seen some great cricket. Food and drink very expensive though!

Something was wrong but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I took a picture, walked a few yards..... and stopped to think, trying to determine the problem. Still...... nothing. Next picture, walk on, pondering my apparent dilemma. What on earth was it? Then it occurred to me. I'd travelled all the way to Taunton to watch ⌚️ a game of cricket but there was no game to see. I stood and watched the groundsmen for a few hours instead.

A beautiful day in the West Country, a well attended and great day's cricket, yet most of the catering outlets were closed. Possibly this was because the ground authorities thought it would all be over by lunchtime (this was day three) but no, the game lasted untill stumps on the fourth day. Sedgemoor Services did a roaring trade as Worcester supporters north up the M5. Loved the cricket and the view from high behind the wicket, but this famous old ground could do better.

Great place to watch cricket small ground lots of seating options. Well versed staff and happy to help, good cricket shop as well. Can be a bit patchy on food options when not a big event. Easy to access by train or road. Lots of interaction on vitality blast days and Metro cup events. Juniors are well catered for and made to feel welcome. Players are all approachable and happy to interact with the crowd. Great atmosphere at all times.

Good viewing. But buy a ticket via web site as you can’t get in except by the main gates where you can pay , other entrances are tickets only ( bar code scanner) and cheaper then turning up on the day. Refreshments are good and easy to find no cash card only. You can bring own snacks etc.

Attended Somerset Vs Lancashire match. Family day was also on. Only let down was that by 5pm, all the eateries had closed, and the bars lacked soft drinks and water.

Popped in for a browse. Nicely laid out, clean and tidy. Helpful, polite and friendly staff. Short dark haired man in cafe today was so friendly and helpful. Maybe the Clough Road, Hull store, which is my local one, could get some training from you!! 🤞

It’s always worth a visit! They really do have everything you might need for the home. The Range in Taunton is one of the UK-wide branches of the retailer, laid out in a big warehouse-style space where you can find furniture, homeware, DIY supplies, arts and crafts, toys, and seasonal decorations all under one roof. The store feels spacious, with clearly divided sections so you can wander between kitchenware, storage, wallpaper, and even garden supplies. Around Christmas, Halloween, and summer, a big part of the shop is transformed with seasonal décor, which makes browsing fun.

We bought some lovely new patio furniture from the Range. Staff member George was very helpful and informative and spent ages with us helping us choose exactly what we wanted. We ordered it and within a few days we had a delivery date. Everything was delivered and the guys were great, however when opened the glass top for the table it was damaged. We popped back into store and found George (just back from his holiday), who helped us out above and beyond our expectations. Thank you George, you are a credit to the store and a fine human being! Now we can enjoy our new furniture 😊

The Range in Taunton is a great place to shop because it almost always has what you are looking for, no matter what you need. I like that you can find a mix of everyday essentials and hidden gems if you take the time to look around. Some of the items are surprisingly high quality for the price. For example, I once found a really nice single duvet set for only £5, and it felt better than the one I bought from Primark for £9. Deals like that make it worth exploring every corner of the store. If you enjoy finding good value and do not mind browsing a little, The Range is definitely worth a visit.

Bought two items, didn’t think just tapped my card then thought that’s more expensive than it should be. Turned out one item had the wrong label in front of it on the shelf so was actually £4.40 more expensive than the label at its location. No offer to refund the difference which I can sort of accept, but what was really disappointing is the fact nobody apologised for the mix up. Very poor customer service at this branch compared to others I have visited.

Had the most wonderful visit today and thanks to one kind staff member , Iona , made our shopping experience alot easier and nicer. Please give this lovely lady recognition for her brilliant customer service

Cafe and lady serving very nice and welcoming. Good choice of items for anything you coukd need for home and garden AND started to put out Christmas stuff as well. 😀😀🌲🎄

I am sadly writing this review. I have been a customer of masters for such a long while and we have always felt the food quality from masters has been brilliant and value for money. Tonight was an utter disappointment. We ordered a mixed grill for a dinner party and the food for 50.00 was not good. The portion of meat have shrunk considerably. When I called to say how disappointed I was and that there clearly had been a mistake as what arrived was not as described or what we had experienced previously, the restaurant offered nothing and didn’t care about my review or experience. We have encouraged a number of people to use masters grill and we will be letting them know that the experience tonight was utterly poor, not value for money and worst of all the restaurant didn’t care about our feedback.

Review update 5th September 2025 Sultans Mixed Grill for £34.50. Lamb shish skewer kebab, chicken shish skewer kebab, lamb kofte skewer kebab, chicken wings, Lamb Ribs, 4x dips, 4x pittas, salad and chips. For four of you this works out at less than £8.70 per person. Since my last visit in March, the Food Hygiene Rating has risen from 4 to a full 5 stars. The staff were just as friendly as before. The extra food in the bigger package was both larger and heavier – fortunately, I had parked my car just outside! There is more than enough for four, and everything is attractively presented. I watched the staff preparing several different orders. They make the presentation look effortless. The mixed meats come in a foil tray which was lined with pita bread to absorb any extra oil. There was a layer of sliced lamb. The kebab meats and chicken wings were layered on top with the cooked vegetables stacked together. As you would expect, there were larger quantities of everything compared to the Mixed Grill. There was also the addition of large portions of Lamb Ribs. All the hot food remained hot until ready to serve, including the pita bread which came separately wrapped in paper to keep it fresh and warm. The salad came separately in a second foil tray and was a splash of green, yellow, and red. It was covered in a light salad dressing and complimented the spicy flavour of the kebab meats. The chips were thick but tasty with a thin crispy coating. Everything tasted great and was at the temperature I expected when I got home and served it up. Overall, still a great experience and good value for money!

I’ve had a lot of kebabs. But this was something else 🤌 Perfect portion Size, Warm, Tasty, Great balance of meats and salad. Pitta also on point. Well done and Keep it up💯

Best kebab place I have ever been to, cooked to perfection and tasty. We work all over the UK and this is the best I have ever had I highly recommend this place. Around £8.99 for each tray it's a bargain 🤤 don't miss out get youself down to try some

Always good food, tasty and fresh. Perfectly cooked food in charcoal grill makes the Masters Grill Kebab House special.

Stopped off after rugby to feed three hungry kids They had the kebab trays Greta value for money Food was got and fresh

Best kebab place in town, large portion sizes, great tasting food, and a lovely team of staff. Can’t wait to go back.

Just went here about 15 minutes ago through the drive through. Was served on the speaker by a lovely girl who was extremely polite and joyful. And then to top it off, we were served by a man who had such an uplifting spirit (I heard the name Darren but I’m not sure if this is correct!) his positivity was infectious and I have left with my fab breakfast in a great mood. These guys are a credit to the Taunton store! Sorry I didn’t catch your guys’ names but thanks for making mine and my partners morning! ☺️🙏🏼 Hope you guys get all of the credit you deserve!

A medium-sized Costa next to The Range and a few other shops. There’s also a drive-thru for those who enjoy coffee but don’t have time to sit down and drink it. Friendly staff and a pleasant atmosphere.

I enjoyed their hot chocolate with marshmallow. And the view is great.

Food and drink service great! But tables needed clearing and wiping hence 4*. Had a lovey oat milk dairy free hot chocolate! With cream and option of marshmallows too!

There is a good seating area inside with large windows that provide good lighting. There is also outside seating with large umbrellas to protect from the sun. I had a Biscoff cheesecake which was solid enough to eat with a fork - I enjoyed it so much I forgot to take a photo!

It was a warm day so sat outside, there was shade if needed it. Tonnes of parking. Staff friendly and helpful. Didn't eat there, but was all the usual costa food on offer.

Went there for a bite to eat. Had a panini with a large hot chocolate. Not too busy. Left dog in car. Reasonable prices. Can have a drink in cafe or use the drive through. We had ours in the cafe.

We had a fantastic evening at The Little Wine Shop! Four of us visited last night and were absolutely blown away by the food and overall experience. The tapas boards were beautifully presented and packed with flavour—everything from the croquettes to the scallops and padron peppers was cooked to perfection. The wine list is fabulous, with plenty of choice and some really interesting finds. The ambience was spot on—relaxed, welcoming, and stylish without being pretentious. Chef Olivier and his team deserve a big shout-out for creating such a memorable experience. Service was warm and attentive throughout. Highly recommend this hidden gem—will definitely be back soon!

This is a very charming elegant tapas bar offering a wide range of superb wines and food nibbles. We just had cheese and it was some of the best selection of choices we have tried. Service was perfectly on point too. A must go to venue.

What a little local gem. Great quality food, wonderful friendly service and wonderful atmosphere. Genuinely worth the money and will definitely be back. Had the tapas sharing board, where everything was handcooked to perfection and clearly well executed

What a great little Tapas bar and restaurant. Enjoyed the food so much, I forgot to take loads of photos. The steak and chimchurri sauce was good, as was the pork belly and honey roasted Chorizo. Big shout to Laney who served and looked after us so well.

We had a wine tasting afternoon with tapas buffet style, for 22, after we had a civil partnership ceremony in Taunton Registry Office. Phillipe is a very experienced and knowledgeable sommelier, and he and his team provided a number of excellent wines to taste, in amongst the tapas, then cheese course, followed by coffee/tea at the end. We had booked the first floor for the afternoon- the room itself was set out perfectly for our party. Set at the front of the venue, two sets of bi-fold windows were opened, creating a welcome through draft. We preferred this than to being seated on the outdoor terrace, as it was cool and ‘outside’ without actually being outside and at the mercy of the unpredictable summer weather. We were there for the entire afternoon, midday til just after 4, but we could have stayed a little longer. The team were present in the background and very attentive. Phillipe introduced 5 wines for us to taste, just adding to our day rather than interrupting the proceedings. We had a few of our party that didn’t drink alcohol, or indeed drink wine, but they had non-alcohol your soft drinks without any fuss, and were very much part of the tasting experience. Thank you for a perfect afternoon.

Overall a very disappointing and incredibly overpriced experience. Tiny portions of underseasoned food served on plates two sizes too big for such small tables. 10%-ish service fee is automatically added to your bill at the end of your stay - what an absurd and arrogant thing to do! Definitely not worth returning to 👎

I would highly recommend this place, and look forward to returning again when in the area. We had a superb lunch here, a selection of great tapas (both Spanish and Far Eastern style) and a lovely bottle of wine. The owner was very friendly, and service was very efficient, with a calm atmosphere.

Terrible food. The "goat's cheese" was a blend of cream cheese with a tiny bit of goat's cheese in it (allegedly). It just tasted like cream cheese. NO goat detectable. The monkfish was on a bed of BLAND boiled potatoes that weren't even salted. The sticky toffee pudding was like a (bad) microwave pudding from a supermarket. I left it after one bite. Waiters didn't notice or care. So BAD service too. RIPPED OFF!!!

We only had drinks here but this was a cool cocktail bar with wide array of drinks on offer. Very pleasant staff too.

It has the atmosphere of a bar from the 90s without the terrible fashions and hairdos. The drinks are reasonably priced. At least Spoons has atmosphere. The staff are friendly but more interested in catching up to chat. If I was meeting a date here it would not go well

Very nice restaurant. We had a margarita pizza and a fish and chips. The place is really cozy and the staff efficient and helpful. Fish very crispy in the outside and chips well done. The pizza was really tasty.

Just had a superb lunch with a friend. I had the guinea fowl which was excellent followed by a chocolate, orange and hazelnut mousse. Wish I could eat here more often. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

Fantastic place, amazing food, and our friendly waiter Yiorgos (George) was helpful, professional and attentive in spite of being incredibly busy. The steak was excellent, and the panna cotta absolutely divine (thanks for the tip, George!). Cutlery came in sealed plastic bags and staff all wore masks which was very reassuring considering the current situation.

Ate there for dinner and breakfast. Staff really friendly and attentive. Menu was good and the food excellent. Thanks for a great stay.

Beautiful spot, a really lovely garden to walk around. Would definitely go back. 5 stars for the garden, 3.5 for the food. We went to the cafe, only a few vegan options, I have a very nice pea soup, the bread though was very dry. Husband had beetroot falafel salad and he was sure they were cauldron (brand) ones, not freshly made. Overall though, nice spot for lunch, good service and fairly priced

Our visit to the Hestercombe House and Gardens was a good morning visit just off M5. Currently being renovated it still offers an insight into the past of the house and previous uses, ground floor and couple rooms upstairs available, outside a good garden and walk through woods. Grounds a little parched after heatwave ( End of August) and need of TLC. Good restaurant on site with nice meals.

A stunning garden with accessible routes for most abilities. Enjoyed a beautiful sunny autumn walk, rounded off with lunch in the cafe. I look forward to seeing how the Hestercombe team redevelop the house if the quality of the gardens are the gauge!

Hestercombe House and Gardens is a beautiful place to visit. The gardens are stunning, with small houses, lakes, and hidden paths through the woods. It was lovely to wander with friends before heading to the café for delicious food. The staff were very friendly, and I would highly recommend visiting.

Called in on our way home from Cornwall as it breaks the journey up. Only 10 minutes from junction 25 of the M5 and fairly straightforward to get here. We arrived around 11am and it was quite busy but still able to get a space.. Headed to cafe and had a nice pot of tea and cheese scone..(scone nice and warm but butter was too hard to spread,needed to soften first).scummy though. We then visited the house and we're greeted by some friendly ladies who gave us some information sheets to read on the brief history of the house. Most of the rooms are empty from furniture but their are display cabinets with items to view and loads of pictures and history facts to read. We walked the gardens at the front of house and then headed round past the orangery and walked all the way to the top of vast rear gardens and back down the other side which is higher up and you can look down from above the water cascade ,which unfortunately this time had no water running down for full impact..quite rough and steep in places but not too bad .

Perfect place to go with a little one and dog when you aren't sure what to do and are in the area. Great for a little picnic and perfect views. Even on the cloudiest day its still beautiful.

We enjoyed our day out at Hestercombe and our dog felt welcome too. The cafe served a good variety of food that well priced. My partner had the falafel salad and I had the first finger open sandwich that were well presented and tasty. We went back after seeing the beautiful gardens for hot drinks and tasty cake. You can go to the cafe without going into the gardens if you wish

Lovely little theatre with great views of the stage. Nice little cafe in the entrance. Stairs are quite steep! Really enjoyed our visit.

Lovely venue with good view of the stage wherever you sit. Not hard to find. The staff are friendly however VERY slow at serving drinks in the interval, more staff needed maybe.

Big Band sounds with the A J orchestra taking us back in time lovely music humour and acoustics. Reasonable prices too lovely little theatre

Went to T-M to see The Detective Dog, a fabulous venue and a great show.

Excellent venue. Good view of stage from almost anywhere in the hall

Lovely little entertainment venue. Went for a comedy gig and loved it. Could’ve benefited with some air conditioning though as it was very hot! Pretty decent bar, although everything was in bottles with no draught available on our visit. Overall an enjoyable visit!

The building itself is, well..... an acquired taste.... the seats in the auditorium are -I think- actual torture devices. However, the staff are friendly and very helpful which helps a lot. Parking's ok too.

The drinks are amazing and fairly priced, the atmosphere, the activities, all of it is superb and so is the staff. They're helpful and friendly and they give amazing service!! Would 100% recommend!!

We booked the exclusive hire party package for our 4-year-old's birthday party. The staff were very friendly and attentive. There was plenty of food for the kids and the party bags were great. It worked really well for that age group, I think the parents had fun, and our daughter loved it. We will certainly use it again for future parties.

Amazing place, haven't stopped going since they opened. Extra shout out to Chester my son none stop talks about you for the last year! It can get quite busy as you would expect at peek times for my additional needs son and unfortunately the SEN session are too late for use but amazing otherwise.

A bit overpriced taking into account that the place looks a bit worn out, especially baby/sensory room with soft corners having grime, ripped and broken...

One review described this as one of the best soft plays in Somerset, I think it's one of the best full stop! Nice big play area in the main bit, with a game to touch the coloured pads (exhausting), with a smaller one for smaller kids. There is a calm room for babies which is great for a time out, and the laser quest arena is strewn with roleplay costumes to keep the imaginations going. Staff were really lovely also! Didn't try the food or drink...I will next time! The only negative is that the game is not obvious to 4/5 yos so mine had a strop 🤷

My 6 year old loves the place! We have a pass (this is the second year now). The staff are great and they take the time to speak with her, she’s adhd and loves to talk to everyone around her and tell them everything and even helps them to tidy up (more than she does at home lol). Food is good and softplay clean and kept in good condition

Went to special needs group was lovely for my grandson to be able to play while not as busy as normal times. We were talking to some other Parents near end of session who made us feel very welcome Thanks everyone for making us feel normal x

Quaint little place with sheltered seating to bring your dogs. The staff were exceptionally friendly and swift to serve. We had the eggs royale, which were excellent. Would recommend. We stopped off on our way northbound on the M5.

The food was amazing, one of the best breakfasts i’ve had, the breakfast hash was so good and the pancakes were homemade and just perfect. The service was great, Mo took really good care of us. Highly recommend!

My boyfriend and I visited silvers pantry on a busy morning and found the staff were accommodating and friendly! We both ordered the silvers breakfast at a reasonable price and it was delightful. Thick cut bacon, beautifully seasoned sausage and fresh creamy scrambled egg being the highlights. The coffee was delicious along with refreshing Sicilian orange juice.

I'd only ever heard good things about silvers pantry so I built up high expectations, which it definitely exceeded! I booked a table for lunch with Mum. We ordered the most delicious homemade frittatas with a super fresh & creative salad. Portions were epic as well. We also took a slice of the carrot cake and chocolate brownie home. Mum described the carrot cake as the BEST she had ever eaten. For Mum to make this claim, it is a huge deal 😂😍 The cafe is set on a working farm with the cutest little clothing boutique for you to browse before lunch. Definitely book a table as it's a popular spot.

Founds this lovely place on our way to a trip on the Flying Scotsman and so glad we did! Staff were lovely and had time for a chat 😁. Food was delicious and we even got involved in their Instagram page! Definitely recommend and we will be back!

Lovely quiet spot (save for us nattering). The staff and chef couldn't do enough for us to cater to our friends dietary needs. Thank you so much. You might just become our regular (were based in Devon and Bristol). Lovely sunny day and brunch with friends 😊

We booked a table for 14 people 4 days in advance. We were looked after very well with no pre-ordering despite it being a busy Saturday morning for them. Staff were lovely & considerate. Wait for the delicious food was minimal given the size of our order- thank you!

The chips and curry sauce were great, as usual. The customer service was great and the online ordering system works well. Unfortunately my pasty had 2 hairs in the crust. This is NOT the fault of the chip shop, just a shame it spoiled my dinner. I will still come back again for chips!!

I’m so lucky to live quite near this wonderful fish and chip shop. Ordering online is easy and waiting time is minimal. The portions are very generous indeed and the food is always piping hot and delicious. The owners are lovely, always a friendly word …and the shop is really clean and a pleasure to visit. 5 stars on every level!

Great fish and chips! Really tasty - fish had great crisp golden batter, generous portions, friendly service. Will definitely visit again when in the area.

Although I am giving 5 stars because I have been coming here for several years, I am reviewing my ' order by app experience '. I used this for the first time to save waiting time. I am not sure why but the shop was the busiest I have ever seen it. I ordered for pick up at 19.10. On arrival at 19.10 I made myself known to the cashier who apologised for " not realising I was there". He said " it will be a few minutes". I sat down for 10 minutes to wait. Not a big deal but this is normal waiting time. Question is, why bother with the app? I will continue using Blue Ocean as its close and best fish and chips and service in town.

First visit today. Very nice fish and chips. Not greasy, portion size was perfect. Highly recommend 👌

No wonder they won best fish and chip shop. Seriously good all round. And you can pre-order.

The fish and chips at Blue Ocean Chippie are absolutely gorgeous. We go nearly every Friday lunch time and they are always great and very tasty indeed! As well as great food, you will always get great service too. They recognised me from early on and always ask after the people I buy the OAP meals for. Genuinely really lovely staff work there. Thank you for all your hard work & lovely smiles!

A lovely place to spend time to chill and have a wander close to the river. Especially good in the summertime….. Space for games, space for sitting and zoning out….

Visit the beautiful Central Park for a relaxing escape in the heart of the city. Enjoy its lush greenery, scenic pathways, and serene lakes, perfect for a peaceful day out.

Nice park with kids play area and wildlife

It is a fantastic spot in Taunton. Beautiful riverside views, well-kept green spaces, and a great playground for kids. Perfect for a peaceful walk, picnic, or just enjoying nature. Highly recommend!!

Beautiful piece of green space in the town of Taunton. Weir and water sports centre with cafe available. Large children’s play area and plenty of space to picnic or play games. Noticed people fishing along the River Tone possibly permit required but I’m unsure of this. Tarmac path around the edge of the park making this accessible for all. No parking by park so public parking necessary permit parking zones on side streets near park so be aware you could get parking ticket if you use those! Full disability access throughout.

Such a beautiful place and so many different areas for you to walk. There is a large area left for nature, a couple of children's play parks, a cafe and an outdoor covered picnic area with tables and chairs and being by the water it's a stunning place. There are so many different areas I haven't listed all of them as I did not have time to visit all of them. It's also a really good place to let your dogs off the lead as it's totally safe for them. I stumbled on this place quite by accident as I had an appointment not far from there and was early and I had brought my daughter and our two dogs with us, we parked up then walked around the corner and were gobsmacked at what we saw. I definitely reccomend this place whether it's with your kids, dogs or you just want some nice to go, you can either take a picnic or eat in the cafe where there is outdoor seating too and there are plenty of places to sit and eat a picnic. Whoever designed this recreation ground thought of everything, my only negative thing that I have to say is that I do not live closer for me to go there regularly that's such a shame

Great space for the family. Play park for all ages, table tennis, bring your own bats, great cafe with outside seating. The weir is beautiful and there's opportunity for wild swimming in the river, paddle boarding and kayaking. there's huge expense if grass for ball games, or just go to feed the ducks and swans! Longrun meadow is at the side of the park, brilliant for jogging and dog walking! I foraged all the greenery for my Xmas wreath, plenty about just be mindful not to take too much or don't take it if its in a garden🤣

Best vape shop in Taunton, always helpful when it comes to helping me with my vape and if you have any problems they are always there to help! Always got a huge range of products available

Fantastic vape store ide say best in taunton. Friendly helpful people I've not seen a proper shop where your treated so well in a long time. There store is fresh clean and very well stocked there's nothing in vape community that's not in that store fair play to a very good shop

Excellence service fro the young lady in flavour vape had problems with my vape took it back and she exchanged it for a new one, thank you very much,,, very good customer service, much appreciated, 👏👏👏

Very helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgable even helped set up new reusable

The Staff are the BEST all of them happy friendly and helpful for all vaping needs NO EDIT. Still the same amazing people there to help and a friendly chat always grateful of them

Staff are always helpful, very knowledgeable and very friendly. Definitely recommend popping into the store 😁

I visited today to get some help with my new vape as I had recently quit smoking. I’ve been using disposables but wanted to get my reusable vape up and running. The lady was so helpful and the reason I hadn’t got on with my vape was because my liquid nicotine strength was way too high! She gave me a couple new pods to try for my vape and some 10mg liquids, as well as one of their own liquids that they make- for free! They also do a loyalty card scheme where if you get a certain amount of stamps you get free liquids. Would 100% recommend going in here if you need any help- the most helpful people!

After seeing the Museum feature on 'The Smallest Cog' and as I was in the area, decided to pay a visit. Wow, what a collection. All cars and motorbikes are restored to a very high standard. The variety of models is impressive, brought back some great memories. The shop front, doesn't really give the museum the true scale of the inside....it's massive, it has 3 levels. Each vehicle has a back story. All the staff are very passionate for the displays and are all friendly, approachable, keen to share info and were very knowledgeable. I only wish I planned more time and incorporated a snack and a drink in the cafe. I was so impressed, I'd definitely visit again.

It's much much larger than it appears from the street!!! Excellent collection of cars spread over two levels. The staff was amazing! My favourites - Jaguar XJS, E-Type, Porsche 911, 718, Cobra. There is a motorcycle collection and even a small plane! There is a kids playing area which allows the adults to get lost in the cars. Wheelchair friendly (I use one).

What I picked up from the web and my visit.. Firstly, what a great crowd of people, so friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. Great atmosphere with just the right music in the background to enhance the ambiance in this unique setting. My friend and I had a wonderful lunch at the cafe. Pressed for time we could not do a proper tour but I was given the opportunity to take a few pics… County Classics Motor Museum, was founded by Patrick “Pat” Hawkins. He had long held the ambition to establish a motor museum in Somerset, and he converted the former County Stores in North Street, Taunton. Do not be fooled by the museum’s frontage modest looks, once inside it is far more extensive“a bit like Dr Who’s TARDIS” with much more inside than expected. A must visit for ‘petrol heads’ and motor enthusiasts. Overview & Purpose • County Classics is a relatively new motor museum, opening its doors to the public in November 2023. • It is located in Taunton’s town centre, at 52-53 North Street, Taunton, Somerset (postcode TA1 1ND) • The museum is run as a non-profit charitable organisation, relying on donations, sponsorship, volunteers and loans of vehicles and memorabilia. • Its stated mission includes helping to reverse the decline of the town centre by creating a destination in the heart of Taunton. Collection & Exhibits • The museum focuses largely on classic cars and motorcycles from the mid-20th century (1950s to 1990s), though some exhibits extend from 1915 onwards. • Its vehicle collection is about 100 cars plus 80+ motorcycles (and even an aeroplane in the mix) per press reporting. • Among the highlights are: • A Ford Escort rally car once owned by Marcus Grönholm • A Porsche 924 racing car driven by Tony Dron, Andy Rouse and Win Percy • A Ford Mustang Mach 1 Cobra Jet • Vintage motorcycles (e.g. a Villiers 1964 off-road bike, a BSA Shooting Star) • According to the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC), the exhibits “predominantly range from late 1950s to the 1980s for motor vehicles and motorbikes from 1915 to the 1980s.” • The museum also includes displays of automobilia, models, and other motoring memorabilia. Facilities & Services • There is an on-site café serving drinks, light lunches and snacks. • A gift shop / memorabilia shop is located in the lobby area. • The museum offers guided tours (especially for groups) and can accommodate group bookings or visits outside normal opening hours by arrangement. • There is also an interactive 360° view of a Jaguar E-Type available (on their website) to explore the vehicle in more detail.

A real gem for the town.The collection was very interesting and laid out well. The café was also a great place to relax.

A great local museum situated in Taunton Town centre. Looks small from the outside but contains lots of cars and motorcycles as it uses the old storerooms and basement, very Tardis like. Most of the exhibits are British, with a few foreign cars, the bikes are a,wider mixture. There is a cafe which looked to have some nice food, also I believe it can be accessed without paying for the museum.

We had a fantastic 2-hour visit to the museum. Initially a little dubious if I’d need to be a “proper car geek” to enjoy it, but I needn’t have worried. The staff were so kind and enthusiastic, without getting too techy. Love the era of cars they’ve got there. We were very lucky to have Martin give us a ton of extra information, and lovely to see his own bike on display there. Café serves delicious food and drinks too. Thanks to the lovely lady with brown curled hair on reception for all her local advice too.

Such a wonderful museum with some of the best restored/preserved cars I’ve ever seen! A deceiving set up, with so many more exhibits than I had expected! Wonderful staff! Cafe looks great - will be going there next time. Met Patrick (the owner) too - lovely chap with a genuine passion which has led to all of this!

Shopping centre is not a good description. Bath Place is much nicer. All the shops are small and independent, with helpful, attentive staff. The bookshop is especially worth a visit, but you will also find artisan bread, fresh fish, clothes, jewellery and much more.

Lovely independent shop with some great interiors ideas,with personal service, oh and lovely smelly candles and oils

I had a lovely visit to Vintiques earlier today and bought some wonderful accessories from my house. It's such a treat to have so many gorgeous independent shops in Taunton and Vintiques is definitely one of the best.

Pretty little lane with more interesting and quirky shops than you would find on the high street. Great place to get more personal gifts. Still not very 'buzzy', could do with just something to make it a great off-beat shipping area

Visited the Tea Room. I enjoyed 2 Mocha's and a Bacon, Brie and Cranberry Panini. Our server (the owner?) was super friendly engaging. The weather was nice and so we were able to enjoy sitting outside and watch the bustle of Bath Place happen around us..I will visit here again as the Mocha is perhaps one of the nicest I've had.

This is a lovely quaint little street, very pretty and picturesque. It has some different shops .. there's homemade cakes, crystals, a film and comic shop .. it's always worth a look if you're in the area.

Love Bath place. It's like taking a step back in time. Akin if you like to diagon alley! I hope future generations invest in Bath place and keep its features that make it so unique and special.

I play this course on average 3 times a week. Occasionally the greens aren't at there best however I mostly they are very good. I always enjoy my time around here and the office staff including Hannah are always friendly and professional. 😊

Fantastic, loads to do for all the family, golf, bowling there is a band stand, Somerset live in august, for the kids play park climbing frame, and there is a brilliant cafe if you just want to sit and relax with tea, coffee and a cake, one of the jewels in Tauntons crown.

Wow, did this today with our Instructor Tom , what can I say but a total class act. The setup is spot on but Tom was really amazing, so supportive, friendly, encouraging, patient and top notch dad joke funny for our two kids and super helpful to boot. Really made a great experience AWESOME!!!!

We did the high ropes and spent about 2hrs going around the course. The staff were very friendly and professional. We had a very relaxed and fun experience, having multiple goes on the climbing wall, high ropes and the power fan drop tower.

Come here for several years on school trips. Always had an enjoyable experience. The team are always enthusiastic and great with the kids. Encouraging to the ones who are a little scared. An excellent day out.

I've played here about 10 times now since Covid-19. It's a short course - par 64, with fairways that cross each other. It's a tricky course because it's so narrow and the trees over hang on the fairway. The course is at best average, however the pay and play price reflects this. The greens and tees are very patchy on almost every hole and the pro shop is sparse. A good course for a beginner with all that said. Very very slow play each time I've played.

My two nieces had a great time here whist visiting their grandparents. Amber, their instructor, was great, very helpful and kind.

We had a lovely time. Atmosphere was great and the staff were very attentive. We had the sample fixed 3 course menu which was a great portion of food. All courses were AMAZING and were great value for money. We’d definitely go back.

We celebrated our wedding anniversary here, following a recommendation from friends. We were delighted that it lived up to its fine reputation! Service, food/drinks offerings and ambience were all top notch, but with a laid-back bistro style of operation. We both chose the same dishes (been married too long!) - scallops followed by monkfish. I indulged in a beautiful custard tart with rhubarb, but purely for research purposes of course! I only have one very tiny observation, and that is I felt it was a shame they use paper napkins - the same ones as offered in the WC to dry one's hands! Linen would have completed a perfect picture. That said, we both loved it and it will be our place of choice for future celebrations 🍾.

Augustus is tucked away in a little side street but well worth tracking down. The menu is of classic French style with little modern twists. My wife and l ate here they had no problem dealing with my wife coeliac disease GF. We were looked after by Cedric, Henry and Erin all very knowledgeable and professional nothing to much trouble. We had Asparagus with a crispy soft egg followed by crown of pigeon my wife had faggots. All were beautifully prepared and cooked to perfection, all in all if you’re in Taunton do hunt it out you won’t regret it.

My partner and I visited Augusta’s on Saturday night for the first time for dinner. Service was exceptional - polite and attentive staff, wine topped up regularly throughout the night. We are both lactose intolerant and Cedric was able to advise on dishes which would be suitable and changes they can make to dishes to cater for us which was amazing and appeared no hassle! Food was delicious, great quality and a good portion size. Lovely atmosphere and clean. We were given the option of where to sit and chose the conservatory which was lovely. Fair price for the quality of food and drink. Great location in Taunton town - tucked away but a hidden gem! We will be back!

Lovely Restaurant, Nugget and the team very professional and attentive 👍 highly recommend sirloin steak and the custard tart, the best in town. My greatest compliments to the chefs especially chef Elliott.

As usual we had an amazingly good meal. Cedric and his team are so warmly welcoming. The atmosphere is relaxed but the attitude to the quality of the food is anything but! The whole meal was wonderful but special mention for the custard tart with blackcurrant compote. Outstanding. Thanks to all.

I can’t recommend this enough. Lovely place and great food and knowledgeable about wines. The staff really provide the best service and pride themselves in doing so to a very high standard. We are regular customers and will keep going back with a very consistent experience. Thanks all for the quality of food and service. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jack, Brad, Hector and Alex were all so helpful with cocktail and food recommendations! Made for such a lovely dining experience on an already great location. Highly recommend ☺️

Came here on a Tuesday and max greeted me and my friend instantly and was absolutely lovely and recommended two cocktails for us. His hospitality was absolutely amazing. I really recommend the staff here are lovely. Ollie was lovely aswell and made lovely cocktails!!!

This is a ultra modern large bar set in a stunning grand building. It was busy with a great atmosphere Very clean, and great staff too

From the moment we met Pete we knew we were in safe hands for our wedding reception - he is very accommodating and incredibly knowledgeable. Upon arrival in the function room our guests were greeted by helpful and attentive staff members, the layout and vintage interior was exactly what we dreamt of and the buffet food (which easily served 100) came out effortlessly and was of exceptional quality. Our guests continue to remark on how well they were looked after and even with a normal Saturday night atmosphere in the main bar it still felt like our own extended private party. The young waiter and two waitresses were constantly (and discreetly) tidying up / clearing glasses and made sure the evening flowed beautifully. We can HIGHLY recommend The Library for any large function! 11/10 🥰

Steak served BLUE. Perfect. Absolutely on point with their service. I came in for a quick lunch and the steak sandwich was ordered blue, and came out truly as expected. Huge compliments to the kitchen. It's not often I get one served right. Service was spot on. Atmosphere is quiet enough to hold a conversation if you wanted to, and has enough background noise to make it feel cosy. Thank you.

We went to 'The Library' for brunch at 6pm. Our host Abby was very attentive and quickly took our food and first drink order. Throughout the booking she was very quick to bring us new drinks and my glass was never empty. The food was lovely and came very quickly. 10/10 I couldn't reccomend the brunch here enough

Been coming here regularly for years. Great food, quality drinks served correctly. Very lively on Friday / Saturday nights with music and a great atmosphere. Staff work hard to keep customers happy :)

11 of us came for a birthday celebration & had such a great night!! Food was amazing, as were the staff. Jake made us feel so welcome & made sure we were happy & had everything we needed all evening. 100% recommend & will definitely be back soon 😊

Lovely food, great service, good price, especially with blue light discount. Highly recommend!

Attended tonight with family to celebrate a birthday and we were looked after by Kyle. If I could give more than 5 stars I absolutely would. Service from arrival to paying the bill was absolutely top notch, Kyle was super friendly, engaged with us and made us feel very welcome! An absolute credit to the team! Thank you Kyle! And thank you to the rest of the staff for a superb service and meal! Couldn’t fault anything :)

This is the second time I’ve been here. In my opinion it’s one of the better Ask restaurants. Good manager and good chefs, both times service was attentive and responsive. Last night we did the Easter egg painting experience which came with a reduction off the food bill afterwards. I’d really recommend it, my friends and I enjoyed the creative aspect and the meal was fab too. Great initiative and a good choice if you want to do something different with your mates. More please!

A Delicious Lunch I had in Taunton earlier today, definitely worth visiting, great Meals at great prices, the Staff were very friendly and helpful too! 😋 🍕 👍

Lovely experience from start to finish! Our waiter was named Kyle and he was so polite and helpful, even though we were a table of 2 adults and 4 excited children! Thank you for a great meal :)

Myself, husband and two children have just had an extremely enjoyable experience at Ask. Our waiter Guss was superb! polite, informative and the service provided was great. Would definitely recommend.

Absolutely the worst place we’ve ever eaten. They had hardly anything on the menu….no chicken, no sausage, no pies, no gammon. The music was so loud in there you couldn’t even have a conversation. The food was served with the smallest amount of chips and they were cremated. (See pics). My partner returned her meal and received a refund. The kids meals were supposed to come with deserts that we had paid for but they never received them. The bar lady was so rude too, has no customer service skills. Awful place!! Avoid at all costs.

Nice pub plenty of screens to watch sport. and they run the mixr loyalty scheme( for now apparently there is a new manager coming who is not going to continue with it) SUCH A SHAME)) the food Is nice plenty of parking good disabled access prices not to bad I don't know if that will change with new management.

The place is very nice, has a great selection of beers and ciders, is a great place to watch football match on tv, has a large outdoor patio and best of all you can play skittle!! I enjoyed it very much.

What a difference. Clean tidy and staff so welcoming. Landlord came to say hi and had a wee chat. Food was great,had the 3 for £15 was hot, not too much and very filling. We will be back for sure.

Amazing pub, very big with beautiful outdoor seating, the food was on point and plenty! You must try the garlic mushroom starter 🤤🤤

Food was absolutely horrendous avoid this place for food, the girl with all the tattoos said there was no nachos then five mins later she serves someone nachos, absolute joke. Will never eat here again

Great to see mark and Lorraine in their new pub . Great food and atmosphere.great pub.love to you both.