My best day in St Ives was the Boat festival, despite the weather.  I love the markets too especially the visiting European ones, I like it at Christmas when there is late night shopping.  I like the individual shops, I try to use the local butcher, local card shops. I’m especially inclined to use them when they run incentives.

I like family get togethers in the town when we might eat out, particularly somewhere not too expensive, I’ve been put off lately by some places charging for all side dishes such as veg or chips, I don’t go back.

I like to go to the Free Church, Seven Wives or the White Hart; the have fair prices.

My best day was the music festival in Warners Park, it was a good atmosphere and music, lots of people, a really big event, I come down in the afternoon, might have something to eat and drink there, I’m not bothered about the funfair, I would probably stay a few hours, depends how the baby is.

I like the walks – I’ve always lived here all my life which is how I know about them.  I walk to Holywell/Fen Drayton the lakes and bird reserve, Hemingford, Houghton.

Every Sunday is my favourite day, we go to the quay and feed the ducks.  It’s very quaint, with a really interesting history – Sinclair etc, the off licence used to sell fizzy drinks with marble stoppers in the neck.  The shops are quaint and individual – it’s sad we are losing them, I like the convenience of St Ives compared to trekking into Cambridge.  There are too many charity shops.

St Ives is best in the Summer.  We often walk into town and feed the ducks, have lunch by the river, sit with friends, chat and let the kids play.  After we would look around the shops.  Any time we are free we would spend a day like this.  Normally we walk into town, the bus service is good but expensive, especially when compared with a day rider.

Friday is my best day in St Ives when I come in for Baby Time and then go out for lunch and mooch around the shops.  Anytime of year, we go to the Golden Lion or the Tap Room as they are both baby friendly – then later I get my jobs done around town.  I didn’t shop in St Ives much before I had the baby – now I have made friends to shop with, before I would have gone to Cambridge.  I miss the bookshop but we have the library.  It’s very enjoyable to spend a day in St Ives, especially with friends.  I look forward to the Corn Exchange.  I find it difficult to go out in the evening into Cambridge or Huntingdon because you’re not getting back before midnight.

I love the markets – the Farmers Market – although it doesn’t fit in so well with my routine, and it’s difficult to shop without a trolley with little ones.  I usually drive in, I would love to cycle but there is no path between Earith and St Ives and there are a phenomenal number of lorries on the by-pass.  I seem to have a better social life since having kids.  I loved the boat festival, I haven’t ever been to the fair it’s not really my thing.

In the summer I like to take a long walk round the meadow or to the villages and have a nice lunch maybe at the Dolphin or the Oliver Cromwell.  I like to Bike ride and I like that you can cycle into the countryside from your front door, you don’t have to put your bike on the car and drive somewhere.  I got the routes from HDC but we have our favourites, especially to Houghton and have lunch at the 3 Jolly Butchers.

We like walks, we live in St Ives and often do the Thicket/Houghton/Hemingfords and then stop at the Dolphin for coffee or a drink, it’s easy with the buggy, we usually do that at the weekend.  Most days I am in town for a wander, I prefer to walk in but bring the car if I’m doing a big shop.  I try to support local shops.  I feel very safe here, even walking home at night.  I was originally from Leicester and I wouldn’t dream of doing that there.  It’s a nice place to bring up children.

Any day in the sunshine is nice in St Ives, it’s nice to walk around , I work in West London and would never dream of going for a walk around there.  When I was working I would have only been out at weekends but now I might be out any day doing at bit of shopping, eating and drinking, having a coffee and a cake.  It’s never been a problem to breast feed in public places here, noone has ever given us a problem.  There are a few baby friendly places although its getting more difficult with the babies needing highchairs to fit us all in

In an ideal day in St Ives there would be cheap parking and a 3 strikes policy to parking fines!  It would be more cosmopolitan – café life with more eating and drinking outside.  The town needs a bit of updating and more pedestrianisation would bring more people in.  There would be a dedicated pram park where you could securely leave your shopping and carry your baby to the pub or wherever.  We need a soft play area where you can eat and drink.

There would be a theatre in the Corn Exchange, it would be nice not to have to go too far for a night out.  There would be no Warehouse shop and there would be a good supermarket, not Tescos, a Sainsburys and a really good clothes shop.  No Budgens, we need something equally affordable but nicer, a Co-op maybe, it’s a pain to have to go down to Waitrose or drive somewhere.  Definitely need a “Next”.

There would be Mom and Baby Car Parking – there are 4 at Waitrose and its not enough.  We need a baby clothing shop.  The shops are not very baby oriented.  Boots have a small selection but the aisles are narrow and difficult with a buggy.

An ideal St Ives would be Mom and Baby friendly, with wide aisles, parking and more choice and convenience- there’s nowhere to get baby bedding.

In the future it would be nice to see more trees and green spaces in the centre of town.  There would be cycle paths, the river would still be lovely, we would still have markets and lots of little shops.  In the summer there would be places to sit and eat and drink down by the river.  I look forward to the Waterside Park, the footpaths aren’t very good.

Basically an ideal St Ives would be the same as now, not too many more houses, we need more parking.  When there’s a market or a fair parking is really difficult.  It’ll be good when we get the Guided Bus, it’ll encourage more people into the town.