Picture perfect Hampshire town named as the best place to live in prestigious Sunday Times guide

The Sunday Times judges chose the town as the best in the south east after being impressed with its family-friendly credentials.

It said: “Petersfield has impressive family-friendly credentials. It offers excellent schools – several of which are working together to support the Smartphone Free Childhood movement – plenty of sporty and artistic pursuits and a caring community that looks out for all ages.

“From am-dram to events at the excellent museum and art gallery and the busy weekly markets, there’s always something happening in Petersfield’s historic streets, set against the backdrop of the glorious South Downs countryside.”

Published by The Sunday Times, the guide includes 72 locations across the UK and is released online on Friday, March 21, with an abridged version published as a magazine supplement on Sunday. It named Saffron Walden in Essex as the best place to live in the UK.

Nine other locations in the southeast are featured in the comprehensive guide, including the Hampshire village of Broughton.

The full list from the region is:

• Petersfield, Hampshire (regional winner)
• Amersham, Buckinghamshire
• Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
• Broughton, Hampshire
• Farnham, Surrey
• Hove, East Sussex
• Marlow, Buckinghamshire
• Reading, Berkshire
• Sevenoaks, Kent
• Thame, Oxfordshire

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, says: “It is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, but there really is so much to celebrate as we look much closer to home. From small gestures that lift the everyday - like verges blooming with daffodils to volunteer-run dementia cafés, to larger initiatives from repair cafés to new railway stations.”

The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.

There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide and no place for many previous winners including York, Winchester, in Hampshire, and Altrincham, in Cheshire. As always, the judges looked for thriving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices.

“What makes our guide unique is that we actually visit all the places we choose and talk to locals to find out what life is really like there,” Ms Davies says. “That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That could be anything from exceptional schools and fast trains to beautiful houses and countryside. The health of the high street is important, but more than anything else, what we are looking for are towns, villages and cities with strong communities who work hard to make the best of where they live, and play hard too.

“We also consider affordability. High house prices are no barrier to inclusion - as long as they provide value for money. Different people will be looking for different qualities when they are choosing a place to live. One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”

The guide is sponsored by the mortgage lender Halifax, which has provided an average house price for each location.

Head of Halifax Mortgages Amanda Bryden said:“We know it can be daunting buying your first home, looking to move to your next home or even getting a new mortgage for your current home. There is so much to think about even once you’ve found the right house in the right area. The best thing to do is speak to a mortgage adviser as early as you can in the process.

“They will be able to help you understand the mortgages available to you and how to get the best deal for your circumstances to help you focus on the exciting things that come with buying a home too.”

For the full list and details visit www.thetimes.com/best-places-to-live

To view homes for sale in Petersfield visit www.purplebricks.co.uk