The Sunday Times Best Places to Live results

Salisbury has been named as the Best Place to Live in Britain by The Sunday Times. In addition, the guide has named a series of regional winners, including Isle of Dogs, which takes the crown as the Best Place to Live in London, and Petworth, which is named the Best Place to Live in the Southeast.

The accolade comes ahead of the full reveal of The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, including the overall winner, which is published today. The supplement assesses a wide range of factors, from employment, schools and broadband speed to culture, community spirit and local shops, in order to compile the definitive top locations to live.

Falmouth comes in at number five in the south west list, with Bristol, Chagford (Devon) and Corsham making up the top four with Topsham.

Described as "a buzzing beach babe that’s close as Britain gets to the California/Barcelona city-by-the-sea lifestyle" the piece praises the town’s creative and arty scene, as well as continually complimenting the coastal location and lifestyle saying: “Naturally, the biggest attraction is the coast.

"We think Gyllyngvase is the best town beach in the country (holler if you think you know better), with yoga classes, safe swimming, paddleboarding and occasional surfable waves, as well as a panoramic cafe/bar restaurant and well-kept changing rooms and showers.”

They continue to highlight the much-loved ‘Falifornia’ feel saying: “If you tire of Gylly, head to one of Falmouth’s three other beaches; there’s serious sailing on the surrounding creeks, and estuaries and sparkling views in every direction. Joggers and cyclists have a huge choice of scenic routes, the best of which take in Pendennis Point, where you’ll certainly see seals and seabirds, and may catch a glimpse of a passing dolphin or basking shark.”

Richard Wilcox, Falmouth Business Improvement District (BID) Manager said: “Falmouth truly is a terrific place to live and work.  To be continually recognised on the prestigious Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is a great accolade for the town, and, as everyone who lives here knows, one of the continually talked-about aspects of Falmouth is the strength of the community spirit, that sense of togetherness. 

"We also have an amazing set of volunteers within our Falmouth community who work together to welcome our cruise ships and who have all undergone training and time intensive input to continually support our year-round, packed calendar of festivals and special events.”

He added: “Like every town and every high street, there are challenges that we all have to continually meet head on and we must be cognicent of that fact for our hard-working Falmouth businesses.  However, it’s undeniable that when Falmouth comes together, that that community spirit of the sea is evident not just across our local population, but across our generations and across all of the inspirational, determined and ambitious who are the backbone of this special place.”

Making up the top ten in the south west are Frome (Somerset), Lyme Regis (Dorset), Stroud (Gloucestershire), Tisbury (Wiltshire) and Windrush Valley (Gloucestershire).

The supplement assesses a wide range of factors, from employment, schools and broadband speed to culture, community spirit and local shops, in order to compile the definitive top locations to live.

The judges combine the hard data with their own on-the-ground experience and insight to ensure the chosen locations truly are places where everyone can thrive.

The medieval city of Salisbury takes the Best Place to Live in Britain crown for the first time thanks to its divine beauty, fronted by its 13th century cathedral.

The city has a thriving marketplace – with Nando’s in a medieval home and the Odeon cinema in a 15th-century building – and some of the best schools in the south west of England. Shortly after the novichok poisonings in March 2018, the shops were empty, the tourists were staying away, and the locals were feeling uneasy.

Now there is a real optimism in the air – with plans announced last month to connect the whole city to full-fibre broadband, and the cafes are brimming. Genuine tourists are returning, not just to see one of the most glorious cathedrals in Britain, its grounds a scenic meeting point for dog walkers, picnickers and joggers, but to enjoy historic landscapes, crystal-clear streams and meadows dotted with sheep.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in Britain also reveals the Best Places to Live in each of the following regions: North and Northeast, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast, Wales, Southwest, East, London, Scotland and the Northwest. It also reveals the overall best place to live in the UK.

The Isle of Dogs is named the winner of the London region for The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2019. This unheralded corner of Docklands took the prize because of its transport links - a short walk from Canary Wharf and 15 minutes to the City - riverside location and affordable prices for Zone 2.  An average property here costs £526,160, compared with £636,215 for the capital as a whole.

Elsewhere, Petworth is proof that pretty and traditional doesn’t have to mean stuck in the past. The pretty, historic West Sussex town has been named Best Place to Live in the Southeast by The Sunday Times, thanks to its immaculate selection of historic houses, South Downs countryside and improving town centre, dominated by independent shops, galleries, delis and restaurants. 

In the Midlands, the tiny Peak District village of Edale is named the Best Place to Live in the region and is a new entry to this year’s list. The village – which is the starting point of the Pennine Way, was chosen not only for its magical scenery and good connections to Manchester and Sheffield, but also for the sense of fun and friendship in its 350-strong population.

Helen Davies, The Sunday Times Home editor said: "Finding our very own best place to live now feels more important than ever, for our wellbeing and wealth, happiness and health. Wherever you are on the property ladder The Sunday Times has championed 101 locations across the UK, and crowned one lucky winner, that we think is a great place to make a home.

"This year we were looking for community spirit along with convenience and culture. There is so much going on around the country, and so many great places that the choice was a hard one."

Previous winners of the Best Places to Live in Britain title are: Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013); Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Newnham, Cambridge (2015); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017) and York (2018).

Visit thesundaytimes.co.uk/bestplacestolive for the full list of each region.