Islington's Clerkenwell named best place to live in London by Sunday Times

Clerkenwell has been named as the best place to live in London by this year's annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

The extended neighbourhood in the south of Islington tops the list in the capital, with Crouch End, Forest Hill, Highams Park, Little Venice, London Fields and Wimbledon Village also making the guide.

North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland, has been named the overall best place to live in the UK.

Clerkenwell takes in an area from Farringdon up towards Angel and King's Cross. It includes Exmouth Market, Sadlers Wells and City, University of London.

The Sunday Times judges said: “Clerkenwell embodies all that’s best about life in London, from a rich past of riot and ribaldry to its current status at the heart of the capital’s culinary and creative scenes. Culture is covered by the Barbican and Sadler’s Wells, there are cosy pubs, cool cafes, lively bars and some of the city’s best restaurants in a warren of streets and alleys full of fascinating history.”

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide is published today and includes 72 locations across the UK.

Editor Helen Davies said: “This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2024, from Dunkeld to Knutsford, Falmouth to Leeds. Wherever you are on the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.

“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.”

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The judges assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.

The guide is sponsored by the mortgage lender Halifax, whose homes and protection director, Kim Kinnaird, said: “Where you want to live is a very personal decision. We know it can be daunting whether it’s deciding where to buy your first home or making a move as your circumstances change. There can be lots to think about around what is right for you and your family. With a great range of locations suited for different budgets and family situations, alongside a great mix of both rural and urban locations, this is a great place to start."

Clerkenwell

The Sunday Times writes: "Clerkenwell embodies all that’s best about life in London, from a rich past of riot and ribaldry to its current status at the heart of the capital’s culinary and creative scenes. Culture is covered by nearby Barbican and Sadler’s Wells, there are cosy pubs, cool cafes, lively bars and some of the city’s best restaurants in a warren of streets and alleys full of fascinating history."

Crouch End

The Sunday Times writes: "Last year’s London winner crams an astonishing number of shops, cafes and restaurants into its compact centre, all surrounded by parks, sports grounds and handsome Victorian and Edwardian houses. It’s a mini cultural powerhouse, too. The arts centre at the heart of the redevelopment of Hornsey Town Hall is scheduled to open this summer, adding to a literary festival, two independent cinemas and one of the capital’s longest-running comedy clubs."

Forest Hill

The Sunday Times writes: "This charming, creative neighbourhood has ancient oakwoods on the doorstep and a jaw-dropping city panorama from the gorgeous gardens at the Horniman Museum. The high street leans firmly towards independents and the artistic community comes together for open days at artists’ studios on Havelock Walk. The joy of SE23 is that it appeals to first-timers as well as families and house prices are relatively affordable, by London standards at least."

Highams Park

The Sunday Times writes: "This lively, leafy neighbourhood is fringed by glorious woodland and, there’s a plentiful supply of houses with good-sized gardens, making Highams Park a bucolic and more affordable alternative to overdone Walthamstow, Wanstead or Leytonstone. This is a friendly neighbourhood where people greet each other in the street and residents are keen to support their independent shops and community events."

Little Venice

The Sunday Times writes: "The towpaths and tree-lined streets of this calm canalside neighbourhood offer a blissful combination of wedding-cake white stucco piles and brightly painted narrowboats that rarely fails to lift the soul. Many of the mansions here have been converted into flats, making this a happy hunting ground for a new kind of post-pandemic buyer who wants to live in the capital for a few days a week, then repair to the country for long weekends."

London Fields

The Sunday Times writes: "It is easy to dismiss this bijou corner of the capital as a bouji bubble, but London Fields, ten minutes from Liverpool Street on the Overground, offers all the energy of east London with a calmer, (slightly) less breathlessly hip ambience. You can stroll along the Regent’s Canal, swim in the restored 1930s lido — the only Olympic-size heated outdoor pool in the capital — or hang out at the on-trend restaurants, bars, cafes and shops on Broadway Market."

Wimbledon Village

The Sunday Times writes: "This leafy but well-connected corner of the capital, with 15 trains an hour to London Waterloo, offers an extremely good quality of life and has serious kerb appeal. Tennis takes centre stage in the summer, but Wimbledon Village is sporty all year round. On the high street, the vibe is tailored to lazy Sunday strolling whether stocking up on organic produce at the farmer’s market or enjoying a cortado at the chic Demitasse cafe."