GBS Fine Art

Art galleries in market towns can go either way - sometimes they're genuinely worth your time, sometimes they're a polite place to kill twenty minutes. GBS Fine Art in Wells falls somewhere in between, depending on what you're after. It's a proper contemporary gallery showing work by established and emerging artists, the sort of place where you might actually find something that speaks to you rather than just nodding politely at abstract shapes.

Wells itself is the draw here - the cathedral city is one of those rare English towns where you can spend a full day without running out of things to do. The gallery sits within walking distance of the cathedral green, the bishop's palace, and enough independent shops to keep anyone occupied. If you're staying at Cathedral View Glamping (literally 0.2 miles away) or Wells Touring Park, it's a five-minute stroll.

Who gets the most from it? Serious art types, absolutely. Anyone with an interest in contemporary work will find it worth an hour or so. Families with young kids might find the visit brief - there's nothing interactive here, just walls of paintings and sculptures. That's not a criticism, just honest.

I'd suggest calling ahead for current opening times and any admission charge - details aren't readily available online, which is a bit frustrating. The location makes it easy to combine with Wells Cathedral and the town's other attractions. On a grey Somerset afternoon, it beats sitting in a café.