A seaside town in eastern Scotland has been named the best place to live in the UK.
North Berwick in East Lothian topped a list of 72 locations to become the first Scottish winner of the title in its 12-year history.
Judges praised its high street with independent shops and family-friendly houses. They were also impressed by its convenient connections to Edinburgh – just a 30-minute train journey away – and the way life revolves around the town’s beaches as well as the wealth of activities available.
The 2024 Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide also named 10 regional winners, including Clerkenwell in London, Abergavenny in Wales and Portstewart in Northern Ireland.
The 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.
North Berwick in East Lothian topped a list of 72 locations to become the first Scottish winner of the title in its 12-year history
Judges praised its high street with independent shops and family-friendly houses
Previous winners of the title include Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017); York(2018); and Wadhurst, East Sussex (2023). Praising the regional winners, the judges said Clerkenwell ’embodies all that is best about life in London’ and has ‘cosy pubs, cool cafes and some of the city’s best restaurants’ as well as major cultural venues.
Meanwhile, Leeds – which won the North and North East title – was praised for its ‘shopping destinations, youthful energy and great choice of places to live’.
Stockport in Greater Manchester claimed the honours in the North West and was said to be ‘one of the most exciting towns around’, ‘functional and family-friendly’ and with ‘good-value houses’.
Fortified defensive walls facing North Sea, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Previous winners of the title include Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017); York(2018)
Other regional winners included the seaside town of Folkestone in Kent which was described as having ‘impressive schools’ and Sherborne in Dorset with its ‘friendly, energetic population’.
The guide is sponsored by Halifax, whose homes and protection director Kim Kinnaird said: ‘Where you want to live is a very personal decision.
‘We know it can be daunting, whether it’s deciding where to buy your first home or making a move as your circumstances change.
‘There can be lots to think about around what is right for you and your family.’
North Berwick, which has views of the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock, is home to the Scottish Seabird Centre and is renowned for its sporting facilities, including North Berwick Golf Club which is the 13th oldest in the world.