York and Easingwold among best places to live in the North
The Sunday Times has compiled its top ten list
York and Easingwold are both among**** the best places to live in the North and North East of England.
A list of top 10 locations in the region chosen by The Sunday Times to represent the best of Britain in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges behind the guide assess a wide range of factors, from schools, air quality, transport and broadband speeds to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.
They look for improving towns, villages or city centres, for attractive, well designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit - which the pandemic has shown to be the most vital quality of all.
The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2021: North and Northeast
- Winner: Ilkley, West Yorkshire
- Alnmouth, Northumberland
- Barnard Castle, Co Durham
- Easingwold, North Yorkshire
- Leeds
- Masham, North Yorkshire
- Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
- Todmorden, West Yorkshire
- Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear
- York
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor said:
“This guide has never been so important. The pandemic has taught us just how much we rely on our homes, our communities and our surroundings. With working from home now common, it’s no surprise that many of us are reassessing our priorities and thinking hard about where we really want to live.
“Our focus for this year has been community, countryside and convenience. It hasn’t been a year for big cities or small villages. Instead it is small towns that have shone: big enough to have everything you need within walking distance and small enough for everyone to feel connected.
Judges shared these comments about York:
“York is one of the very best locations in the country for schools, and its unbeatable rail connections and interesting shops and restaurants give this historic city a thoroughly modern edge,”
Judges scored it particularly highly for education: at least 90 per cent of state school pupils attend a school that’s rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, and Co-ed Fulford School was judged to be the comprehensive of the decade by The Sunday Times Parent Power guide.
They picked out South Bank as a good area for people priced out of the city centre, praising the independent shops on ““Bishy” (Bishopthorpe) Road, and beautiful Rowntree Park.
When describing Easingwold, judges said:
"Civilised shops and a cobbled market square are one reason we think this unpretentious Georgian market town is one of North Yorkshire’s best.
"The other is the perfect location, close to both the Dales and the lovely Howardian Hills but conveniently located on the A19."
The judges picked out the choice of secondary schools - including Outwood Academy, one The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide’s top state secondary schools in the North - as a big attraction for families.
Other features highlighted included brunch at the friendly Olive Branch bistro. as “a picturesque market town in its own right that offers the best of both worlds.
"The extraordinary landscape of the Yorkshire Dales is on the doorstep and Ripon, with its top selective school and Curzon cinema, is just a short drive away.”
The judges favourite things in Easingwold include the market, Black Sheep Brewery and Johnny Baghdad’s is a funky bright-yellow café on the square.