A town described as “Bristol’s seaside neighbour” has been named one of the best places to live in the South West. While Bristol itself was snubbed in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, judges were impressed enough by Clevedon to include it among the eight locations they recommend in the region to move to.
The seaside town is becoming something of a property hotspot – it was also named last year as England’s second-best place to live by the sea, having “come into its own in the past five years”. At the time, one estate agent said Clevedon was once a “last resort for buyers priced out of Bristol”, but that it is now a destination in its own right.
In the prestigious guide released today (Friday, March 15), the Sunday Times made a dig at Bristol as it heaped praise on its neighbour just 40 minutes away, Somerset Live reports. The guide states: “Bristol’s seaside neighbour is attracting growing numbers of refugees from the city’s gruelling transport network and pitiless property market.
Read more: Full list of the 72 best places to live in the UK – as homes, travel and social life judged
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“It may not have the same grit or urban edge but it does have tree-lined avenues of smart Victorian villas, an elegant pier and, in Clevedon Marine Lake, a seawater infinity pool with a claim to being the largest in the world – an unbeatable asset for outdoor swimmers.”
Clevedon has previously been hailed by property expert and presenter Kirstie Allsopp as ‘beautiful’ alternative to Bristol to live in. During an episode of Location, Location, Location, she admitted to “taking a gamble” in showing Bristol house-hunters a property in Clevedon despite their search being centred in the city, but they loved it.
Though it might have previously been considered a more affordable place than Bristol, the latest data from Rightmove suggests the gap is closing. The average price of properties sold in Clevedon in the last 12 months is listed at £382,511, while the figure for Bristol is £386,094. However, the price of terraced properties was significantly different – £311,803 in Clevedon compared to £381,136 in Bristol.
Sherborne in Dorset was named the top place to live in the South West by judges. The guide, now in its 12th year, features more new entries than ever before. The eight places to feature regionally were:
- Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- Clevedon, Somerset
- Dartmouth, Devon
- Exmouth, Devon
- Falmouth, Cornwall
- Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
- Sherborne, Dorset
- Tisbury, Wiltshire
A summary of the full list of locations can be viewed here. North Berwick in East Lothian was named the overall winner of Best Places to Live. Judges visited all the locations and assessed factors such as schools, transport, broadband speeds, culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.
Helen Davies, who edits Best Places to Live, said: “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.
“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. 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.”
Would you chose Clevedon over Bristol? Let us know in the comments section below