Horsforth has been named as one of the top eight places to live in the North of England by the Sunday Times.
The guide, published by The Sunday Times, includes 72 locations across the UK and was released on Friday.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said: “It is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, but there really is so much to celebrate as we look closer to home.
“From small gestures that lift the everyday like – verges blooming with daffodils and volunteer-run dementia cafés, to larger initiatives from repair cafés to new railway stations.”
The chosen locations come in all shapes and sizes, from the Scottish Island of Tiree and the remote Welsh village of Maenclochog to vibrant market towns, and suburbs of big, lively cities such as Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and London.
There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide and no place for many previous winners including York, Winchester, in Hampshire, and Altrincham, in Cheshire. Judges looked for thriving 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,” Ms Davies added. “That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That could be anything from exceptional schools and fast trains to beautiful houses and countryside.
“The health of the high street is important, but more than anything else, what we are looking for are towns, villages and cities with strong communities who work hard to make the best of where they live, and play hard too.
“We also consider affordability. High house prices are no barrier to inclusion – as long as they provide value for money. Different people will be looking for different qualities when they are choosing a place to live. One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”
- Ilkley was the regional winner, and other northern towns on the list alongside Horsforth included Easingwold, North Yorkshire; Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire; Morpeth, Northumberland; Ripon, North Yorkshire; Sheffield, South Yorkshire; and Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear.
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