Clerkenwell has been named as the Best Place to Live in London in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
Clerkenwell has been named as the Best Place to Live in London in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
The Sunday Times judges said: “Clerkenwell embodies all that’s best about life in London, from a rich past of riot and ribaldry to its current status at the heart of the capital’s culinary and creative scenes. Culture is covered by the Barbican and Sadler’s Wells, there are cosy pubs, cool cafes, lively bars and some of the city’s best restaurants in a warren of streets and alleys full of fascinating history.”
Six other locations in London are featured in the comprehensive guide. Published by The Sunday Times, the guide includes 72 locations across the UK and is released online today, Friday, March 15th. An abridged version will be published as a magazine supplement on Sunday.
The full list of London locations is as follows (apart from the winner, they are not ranked but published in alphabetical order):
· Winner: Clerkenwell, EC1
· Crouch End, N8
· Forest Hill, SE23
· Highams Park, E4
· Little Venice, W2
· London Fields, E8
· Wimbledon Village, SW19
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, says: “This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2024, from Dunkeld to Knutsford, Falmouth to Leeds. Wherever you are on the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.
“These are all places where you can feel grounded as well as upwardly mobile: they have a mature sense of community, lively, supportive high streets and an eye to the future, whether that is eco-friendly measures, transport and regeneration, or imaginative inclusion of new housing.”
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have 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.
The chosen locations come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Scottish island of Kerrera and the remote Welsh village of Presteigne to big, lively cities such as Belfast, Leeds and Liverpool.
There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide and no place for previous winners such as York and Bristol – the judges looked for improving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices.
“What makes our guide unique is that we actually visit all the places we choose and talk to locals to find out what life is really like there,” Helen Davies, the guide’s editor, says. “That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That might be fast commutes and high-achieving schools but also clean water to swim in, lively town centres with useful shops, the possibility of earning a living and being part of a friendly community.
“We do consider affordability, though high house prices are no barrier to inclusion – as long as they provide value for money. Different people may be looking for different things, but what all our best places have in common is that people love living in them and are proud to call them home.”
Tune in to BBC Radio London on Monday 18th March at 2pm to hear CEO of The Peel, Paddy Radcliffe and Peel staff member and Clerkenwell resident Nermin Shefik discuss their reaction to The Sunday Times accolade. Is Clerkenwell really the best place to live in London in 2024?
