The high street is on the up after a spell in the doldrums and the restaurant scene has a new spring in its step
07:32, 20 Mar 2026Updated 18:27, 20 Mar 2026
Richmond has yet again been voted the best place to live in London(Image: Getty)
Richmond has been crowned the best place to live in London. It won the gold medal in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
Those lucky enough to call TW9 and TW10 home will know they’re spoilt for choice when it comes to escaping the capital’s usual crush of concrete and cars. This serene pocket of London is regularly dubbed one of the happiest boroughs in the city, thanks to its village-like feel and easy access to nature. Locals can stroll along the Thames or roam the vast 2,500-acre Richmond Park – one of the capital’s most spectacular green spaces.
Six other London locations also made the cut in this year’s guide, which showcases 72 places across the UK. Aside from Richmond taking the top spot, the locations are listed alphabetically rather than ranked. The full list of London locations is:
- Richmond
- Bow
- Crouch End
- Fulham
- Plumstead
- Southwark (Bermondsey-Waterloo)
- Walthamstow
The guide, published online on Friday March 20 with a print edition following on Sunday March 22, assesses everything from schools and transport links to broadband speeds, mobile signal, access to green space and the health of the high street. Judges also prioritise places with a strong sense of community over big-name postcodes with sky-high house prices. Across the UK, Norwich was named the overall best place to live.
Councillor Roberts said, “We’ve been the happiest place to live, we’ve been the safest place to live, we’ve been the healthiest place to live, we’ve been the most recommended place to live, and now The Times has confirmed what we’ve all known for years, Richmond is the best place to live in London.
“And it’s no accident that the judges came to that conclusion. When you have gorgeous views of the River Thames that inspired Turner on your doorstep, when you have the wild majesty of Richmond Park just up the road, the gorgeous splendours of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, along with some of London’s best open spaces, shops and restaurants, what’s not to like?'”
Elsewhere, Lindfield has been named the best place to live in the South East – a picture-perfect village that balances postcard charm with practical appeal. Judges praised its strong schools, independent shops and tight-knit community, alongside standout spots like the ever-popular Lindfield Coffee Works.
The South East list spans 11 locations in total, from coastal favourites like Deal to countryside hotspots including the Surrey Hills and Test Valley. Commuter-friendly towns such as Amersham and Caversham also feature, reflecting the guide’s focus on well-connected communities with character.
Pen portraits of the London locations from the Sunday Times judges
Bow, E3
From Romans and Plantagenets to creatives in houseshares, there’s a palpable sense of history on Bow’s streets. At the area’s heart is tranquil Tredegar Square, where resplendent Regency houses surround a classic communal garden. This is a laid-back, easygoing neighbourhood where gentrification has been a gradual and harmonious process.
Runners, cyclists and rollerbladers take advantage of verdant Victoria Park, and there’s cultural stardust on the doorstep, from soon-to-open V&A East, Sadler’s Wells East and the Abba Voyage venue to summer music festivals in Victoria Park and the street art and galleries of Hackney Wick. The Central Line makes getting to central London a doddle.
Crouch End, N8
Crouch End has all the charm of a quintessential English market town – it just happens to be in the capital’s Zone 3. It has vibrant shops and restaurants, a frankly indecent quantity of green space, solid schooling and family-size period homes. Yes, it lacks a Tube station, but independence is part of the package. Why would anyone want to leave somewhere so friendly and welcoming?
Fulham, SW6
Look elsewhere for edgy cool, this upmarket suburb – quietly ornate stuccoed Victorian streets, chilled-out cafés and cracking pubs – is content simply to be a jolly nice place to live: unassuming but reassuringly well-heeled. Fulham has high-flying state and independent schools and plentiful transport options, from the Tube, train and bus to riverboat.
Plumstead, SE18
This leafy, long-overlooked corner of southeast London is, at least for the time being, by far the best place to buy a period house in the capital for £500,000. On the streets around the charming common, the proliferation of freshly scrubbed façades with smart shutters shows just how far the ripple effect from the Elizabeth Line has spread. The excellent transport links, laid-back cafés and glorious parkland are catnip for first-time buyers priced out of more fashionable areas.
Southwark (Bermondsey – Waterloo), SE1
Southwark, bordered (roughly) by the river, Borough High Street and Waterloo Road, has been a hotspot for culture, and theatre in particular, since Shakespeare’s time. You can walk to the West End or the City, the area is formidably well connected by train, bus and Tube and there’s Thames-side people-watching, with St Paul’s and the Shard as a dramatic backdrop. The food scene is vibrant and the Georgian workers’ cottages in the Roupell Street conservation area are among the most charming period homes in central London.
Walthamstow, E17
E17 offers as much fun per square foot as anywhere in the capital. Soho Theatre Walthamstow has been bringing West End-worthy theatre, comedy and music out east since it opened last May, while Trades Hall caters for all tastes: its programme spans tea dances, cabaret, poetry nights and hardcore punk gigs. Music in the Village is a series of concerts at St Michael and All Angels from April to October. You may see swifts, kingfishers or even a peregrine falcon in the tranquil Walthamstow Wetlands, while the much-loved Lloyd Park is perfect for a leisurely stroll around a moated island, fuelled by pulled pork tacos or a mushroom croissant from the Saturday farmers’ market.
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain. It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community.
“Our expert team of judges visit every location on the list and talk to the locals to find out what they love about the place they live. These judges have travelled the length and breadth of the UK, from the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coast, selecting the top towns and villages, suburbs and cities for the 2026 guide. One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”
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