Revealed: The best places to live in Britain
Food, festivals and feel-good factor help 'practically perfect' Winchester take the top spot
If you're in search of high quality of life, you should pack your bags and move to Winchester, according to a new guide to the best places to live in Britain.
The ancient Hampshire city came top of The Sunday Times's annual compendium, with editors dubbing it "practically perfect".
The guide is based on factors such as the standard of local schools, crime rates and property prices.
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With historical landmarks including a historic cathedral and the medieval Great Hall, Winchester also scored highly for cultural interest.
Sunday Times home editor Helen Davies told the BBC the city "thoroughly deserves" its top spot, combining "authentic history" with high-achieving schools and handy transport links with the rest of the country.
"It also has an irresistible mix of food, festivals and feel-good factor," she said.
City councillor Ian Tait welcomed the news, telling the Hampshire Chronicle that locals were "very lucky" to enjoy such a high standard of living. However, he cautioned that an increasing shortage of affordable housing risked turning the city into an exclusive enclave.
"We have to be careful not to build a moat around Winchester with a draw bridge to stop people from coming here," Councillor Tait said.
The Sunday Times list also named the best area to live in each region of the UK, with winners including Falmouth, Harrogate and Penarth. See the regional winners below:
East: Orford, Suffolk
London: Fitzrovia
Midlands: Ledbury, Herefordshire
North East: Harrogate in North Yorkshire
Northern Ireland: Ballycastle, County Antrim
North West: Whalley, Lancashire
Scotland: Stockbridge, Edinburgh
South East: Midhurst, West Sussex
South West: Falmouth, Cornwall
Wales: Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
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