Two Lincolnshire towns named in best places guide

Sutton on Sea has a Blue Flag award for its sandy beaches

Stamford and Sutton on Sea in Lincolnshire have both been named in the Sunday Times best places to live guide.

The Scottish seaside town of North Berwick was named the best place to live in the UK, and the overall winner for the Midlands was Stirchley, Birmingham.

It is the first time Sutton on Sea has made the annual list, but Stamford won the overall title of best place to live in Britain in 2013.

Judges visited all the locations and assessed them on their schools, transport, broadband speeds, the health of the high street and access to green spaces.

Caroline from Waldo's fish and chip shop at Sutton on Sea said she was surprised the town made the list: “At the moment it doesn’t look nice because of all the works going on on the promenade, but it’s a great place.

“We’ve still got our high street, with no empty shops and it’s a good community. We have lots of different groups and clubs and there is always something going on.”

The main Miami beach in the town might be a bit chillier than it’s name sake in Florida but the judges said: “If you’re looking for an unspoilt stretch of sea and sand dunes with just enough happening all year round, you can end your house hunt in this unpretentious, liveable town full of beach huts and bygone charms.

“It has one of the only blue flag beaches in the region, and a planned culture hub in a 1950s building will liven up the arts scene.“

Trendy Stamford "looks a million dollars" according to the judges

Residents of Stamford are more familiar with such accolades.

According to the English poet and writer John Betjeman it was “the finest stone town in England,” and in 1967 it became the first Conservation Area in England.

Stamford previously won the Best Places to Live in Britain title in 2013.

Phil Norton from Stamford Arts Centre said: “The arts scene is enormous – from jazz to poetry, amateurs and professionals. The town has a great atmosphere and it’s absolutely thriving coming out of Covid-19.

"It is a brilliant place to live and is a good place to commute to London.”

This appeal has attracted people moving up from London looking for more space, pushing up the average cost of a home to £415,800.

That is 42% above the Lincolnshire average, according to Hamptons, using Land Registry figures.

The judges said: ”Stamford looks a million dollars and it’s also the picturesque backdrop to a strong, proud community. It’s even getting ever so slightly trendy, with a sprinkling of Scandi-chic café and a hip new private members’ club."

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].