Flourish & Prosper is an award winning specialist wine merchant and delicatessen located in the historic and attractive East Yorkshire Market town of Howden.

Based in a charming Grade II listed building on Bridgegate, close to the town’s bustling Market Place, Flourish & Prosper was launched in February 2010 by husband-and-wife team Sean and Julie Welsh, who live in a nearby village. The building is long and narrow with a tiny courtyard to the rear, which is named Poets Corner in honour of local poet and cultural entrepreneur Mike Smith.

Howden’s heritage
Howden is an attractive East Yorkshire market town with an impressive Grade I listed Minster at its heart. The town is of great historic importance and, as well as being a great place to live, has plenty to offer visitors to the area.

One of the earliest historical references to Howden records how King Edgar of England gave Howden Manor to his first wife, Ethelfleda, in 959 AD.  The town’s royal connections continued; in 1080 William the Conqueror gave the town to the Bishop of Durham and in 1191 Prince John spent Christmas in Howden.

The construction of Howden Minster began in 1228 and was completed in the 15th century. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the town became a place of pilgrimage when word of John of Howden's alleged miracles spread.
By the early 19th century Howden has become famous throughout Europe for its horse fair, which took place every September. The British Army was said to have used horses bought at Howden in the Napoleonic Wars.

Howden's architecture is largely from the Georgian and Victorian era, including its pubs. It was once said that there were more pubs in Howden per square half mile than anywhere else in the country.

During the early 20th century, the author Nevil Shute worked in Howden as part of the team that built the R100 airship. He worked alongside Barnes Wallis, the scientist and inventor of the bouncing bomb.

Today, Howden’s lively Market Place and the surrounding streets are lined with a good choice of independent shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants. A number of major employers are based in the town, including The Press Association, Ebuyer, Howden’s Joinery Co and Wren Kitchens.

Sites of interest to visitors include the town’s Minster, which is currently being restored by English Heritage; Howden Marsh nature reserve; the Market Place and the network of cobbled streets surrounding it; and The Ashes, a peaceful, leafy playing field close to the town centre.