Uttoxeter

The ancient market town of Uttoxter received a charter from Henry III in 1252 and the Old Talbot pub in the Market Place dates from this time.

A kiosk stands in the market, as a memorial to Doctor Samuel Johnson. As a young boy he refused to work on his father’s bookstall in Uttoxeter market. This obviously weighed heavily upon him for at the age of seventy he went out to the spot where the stall had once been and stood for several hours in the rain as an act of penance.

To the north of Uttoxeter is Britain’s most popular visitor attraction, Alton Towers. Each year more and more white-knuckle rides are added and the theme park shows a steely determination to maintain its position as the country’s number 1 attraction. Obviously, the queues for some of the more popular rides can be nightmarish but they are now operating 'virtual queue’ system on ‘Air’ and ‘Nemesis’ at peak times. You are allotted an estimated ride time at one of the virtual queue points and return to the virtual queue line at the appointed time and should only have to wait a short while before you ride.