Wadhurst in East Sussex has beaten 71 other locations to be crowned the UK’s best place to live 2023 by The Sunday Times.
Judges said the small market town offers “pretty much everything needed for modern life in miniature”.
A winner was also selected for each English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The comprehensive guide is released online on Friday and an edited version will be available in the paper on Sunday.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges assessed a wide range of factors from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.
These winners were
Scotland – Dunkeld, PerthshireThe small town was praised by judges for combining “stunning” Highland scenery with “Scandi sophistication”.
Wales – Ruthin, DenbighshireJudges said it offered the “very best of small town living” with food and craft markets, pop-up restaurants, cafes and independent shops.
Northern Ireland – Donaghadee, Co DownThe town, which is where BBC daytime TV drama Hope Street is filmed, was praised for its clean seas, beautiful views and “lively community.”
East of England – Saffron Walden, EssexJudges said “youthful vigour” was being injected into the market town as young families move in and new bars, shops and restaurants open.
London- Crouch End, HaringeyThe area’s grand Victorian houses are home to celebrities and the “lively North London suburb” has a market town feel, judges said.
Midlands – Leamington Spa, WarwickshireThe tech hub has well-tended parks, good schools, excellent transport links and will get even more of a revamp when a Creative Quarter is launched.
North and North East England – Whitley Bay, Tyne and WearThe town was said to be “catching up fast” with its affluent neighbour Tynemouth after “years in the doldrums” – with cheaper houses and connections to Newcastle which are just as good.
North West England – LiverpoolJudges said there are “lots of reasons to be optimistic” about the city from Eurovision to its reputation for science and technology and grand projects such as the new Everton stadium and film studios. Waterloo was singled out for seaside while Toxteth was praised for its “cultural and community vibe.”
South East England – Chichester, West SussexWhile Wadhurst was crowned best place to live in the UK, Chichester – which has more Ukrainian refugees per head than any other UK city – was praised for its good schools and transport links and was still deemed worthy of inclusion separately.
South West England – Cirencester, GloucestershireThe heated outdoor swimming pool was marked out as a particular highlight of the capital of the Cotswolds.
– The full list can be found online at thetimes.co.uk/bestplacestolive.
