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Ilkley among Best Places to Live in Britain again

Car-free day on The Grove in Ilkley

A year after picking up the national title, Ilkley has again been named as one of the Best Places to Live in the North of England.

Ilkley is one of just 5 towns and cities in Yorkshire to make the Sunday Times guide, which will be published this weekend.

It has been pipped to the title of Best Place to Live in the North and North East by Whitley Bay in Tyne & Wear, while the overall national winner this year - taking Ilkley's crown - is Wadhurst in East Sussex, with judges praising its “good schools, convenient transport connections, an amazingly well-stocked high street and stunning scenery”.

A total of 72 locations across the UK are selected for the Best Places To Live guide, which is available online this morning ahead of being a magazine supplement with the Sunday Times this weekend.

Helen Davies, the editor of Best Places to Live 2023, 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."

Judges visited all the locations on the list and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street. 

Of Ilkley, judges said: "Last year’s overall Best Places to Live winner continues to dazzle with its enviable shops, schools, scenery and transport links as well as an energetic community with a knack for getting things done and a willingness to work hard to improve their home town."

Listen to Best Places to Live judge Tim Palmer talking to Rombalds Radio on our podcast.

The Best Places to Live guide has been running since 2013, with Skipton picking up the national title in 2014.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2023: North and North East 

Important note: apart from the regional winner, the other locations are not ranked, but listed in alphabetical order. 

·       Winner: Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 

·       Holmfirth, West Yorkshire 

·       Ilkley, West Yorkshire 

·       Leeds, West Yorkshire 

·       Newcastle: Ouseburn 

·       Sheffield (Kelham Island), South Yorkshire 

·       Thirsk, North Yorkshire 

·       Wooler, Northumberland 

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