Why Bourn and Saffron Walden have been named in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live list for East of England

Saffron Walden has been named as the best place to live in the East of England in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

The Sunday Times judges praised the town for its excellent schools, country feel, busy high street and café scene, as well as its convenient location for commuters to both Cambridge and London.

The guide says: “Always beautiful, this historic market town is now adding a touch of youthful vigour to its highbrow credentials. Young families are moving in, attracted in part by the excellent schools and it’s as dog-friendly as it is family-friendly. Cool new bars, shops and restaurants are opening, with local produce to the fore, and the market is a highlight of the week.”

Six other locations in the East are also featured in the comprehensive guide. Bourn in South Cambridgeshire made the list. The guide said: “A combination of community spirit and traditional picturesque backdrop of neat cottages, and ancient windmill and babbling brook make this village stand out from the crowd, along with a thriving high street that meets daily needs.”

Rounding off the list of places in the region are Aylsham, Norfolk, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, Dedham Vale, Suffolk, Felixstowe, Suffolk, and Norwich.

Wadhurst in East Sussex was named the overall winner. The previous winners are: Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013), Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014), Newnham, Cambridge (2015), Winchester, Hampshire (2016), Bristol (2017), York (2018), Salisbury, Wiltshire (2019), Altrincham, Cheshire (2020), Stroud, Gloucestershire (2021) and Ilkley, West Yorkshire (2022).

[Read more: Bourn and Chesterton in Cambridgeshire are among the UK’s ‘best places to live’ according to The Sunday Times]

Helen Davies, the editor of Best Places to Live 2023, sponsored by Halifax, said: “When times are tough, where we live matters more than ever. Attractive surroundings, good neighbours and a comfortable home are the best defences when the stresses of modern life seem overwhelming.

“This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2023 from Orkney to Felixstowe, the Chew Valley to Manchester city centre. Whether you’re downsizing, trading up or getting onto the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.”

View the list in full at thetimes.co.uk/best-places-to-live.