LEAMINGTON has been named as the Best Place to Live in the Midlands.
It topped the regional poll in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, with judges praising the town for its graceful Regency whitewash and ironwork, tree-lined avenues and historic façades, its golf and rugby clubs, outstanding schools and the cafe and co-working spaces.
The judges noted: “The Silicon Spa combines period charm with very modern innovation. It’s a major hub for digital industries and its high-tech credentials are about to get a power-up from the launch of a new Creative Quarter. It also has beautiful, well tended parks, excellent transport links, good schools and a town centre with a combination of useful chains and interesting independent shops and cafes”
Wadhurst in East Sussex was named the overall winner of Best Places to Live. It was praised by judges for its “good schools, convenient transport connections, an amazingly well-stocked high street and stunning scenery”. They said it offered “pretty much everything needed for modern life in miniature”.
Other locations across the Midlands featured in the comprehensive guide, but which were not ranked, included Digbeth and Stirchley in Birmingham, Bishop’s Castle in Shropshire, Great Malvern in Worcestershire, Market Harborough in Leicestershire, Melbourne in Derbyshire and Rutland.
Helen Davies, the editor of Best Places to Live 2023, said: “When times are tough, where we live matters more than ever. Attractive surroundings, good neighbours and a comfortable home are the best defences when the stresses of modern life seem overwhelming.
“This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2023 from Orkney to Felixstowe, the Chew Valley to Manchester city centre. Whether you’re downsizing, trading up or getting onto the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.”
Previous winners of the Best Places to Live in Britain title were Stamford in Lincolnshire (2013), Skipton in North Yorkshire (2014), Newnham in Cambridge (2015), Winchester in Hampshire (2016), Bristol (2017), York (2018), Salisbury in Wiltshire (2019), Altrincham in Cheshire (2020) Stroud in Gloucestershire (2021) and Ilkley in West Yorkshire (2022).
This year’s guide – the 11th – features more new entries than ever before. The Sunday Times’ judges visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.
Visit thetimes.co.uk/bestplacestolive to read the full guide.
