It’s no secret that Bristol is a great place to live nowadays, and now, the Sunday Times has cemented that fact by naming it as one of the official ‘best places to live’ in the South West.
Somerset performed well overall in the regional category with two areas of the county making the 2022 list of best places to live in the UK. It was the village of Wellow and of course, Bristol, was selected too. The Sunday newspaper wrote: “From the Georgian splendour of Clifton to the regenerated harbour and graffiti of Stokes Croft, this cultural melting pot is the hub of the mild west.”
The Sunday Times went on to say: “In 2017, after we named Bristol the overall winner of Best Places to Live, mysterious “Make Bristol Shit Again” stickers started popping up around the city. Five years on and “Brizzle” is still in the list because it really is that attractive, albeit rather less affordable.
“The graffiti on show today is proof that the city retains its independent, creative spirit and an urban edge that’s yet to be completely gentrified. Kid Crayon is back with a show sponsored by Arts Council England, St Pauls carnival is back on the streets this summer and Grayson’s Art Club is midway through a nine-month residency at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.”
The list also revealed the average house price in Bristol was £363,000, however cheaper in contrast to the South West’s winner, Chalke Valley, at a whopping £655,000.
Here’s the full list for The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2022 in The South West:
- Winner: Chalke Valley, Wiltshire
- Bristol, Somerset
- Bridport, Dorset
- Budleigh Salterton, Devon
- Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire
- Dartmoor, Devon
- Sherborne, Dorset
- Stroud, Gloucestershire
- Wellow, Somerset
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling. Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?
“Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.
“This year we have discovered new best places to live, from resurgent city centres in the North, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the Southwest, and a commutable Scottish island. We hope there is something to suit everyone.”