Reading suburb and Hampshire town make best places list

A Reading suburb, a Berkshire village and a Hampshire market town have been recognised among the best places to live in the south-east of England in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

Caversham and Cookham, along with Petersfield and the Test Valley, all feature in the annual list of 72 locations across the UK.

Lindfield, in West Sussex, was rated the best place to live in the South East in the guide, which was announced on Friday.

Areas are assessed on several factors, including schools, transport, amenities, broadband, green space and community spirit.

Judges said Caversham offered "the best of both worlds", with its quiet riverside streets and Victorian and Edwardian homes a short walk from Reading's cultural venues, major employers and fast rail links to London.

"Caversham is just one of those perfect places where you just have a mix of everything," said Rosie Wright, who has lived in the area for three years.

Praising the community and independent shops, she said it was a "unique" place with many stores run by women, which she found "empowering".

Residents can access the Thames for walks or boat trips, and the Chilterns are close by for countryside escapes.

Katie Cross, has lived there for two years and said: "Everyone says 'hello' when you walk past them and they're super friendly."

Cookham, further along the River Thames, was rated in the list for its natural beauty, thriving arts scene and strong schools.

Liz Churchill said her family was drawn to the area during lockdown when looking for a place to live with good walks.

"Just walking into the village every day is like something off a postcard, it's really beautiful," she said.

The Sunday Times panel noted that people hoping to move to the village "should be prepared to dig deep", with property prices among the highest in the South East, but said the village rewards residents with sailing, golf, cricket and a wide range of community clubs.

Kate Winrow-Davies has lived in Cookham for 19 years and said it was a "beautiful" and welcoming place to call home.

"It's the people who live here that make it so amazing," she added.

The Hampshire market town of Petersfield was highlighted for its close-knit community, with volunteers helping run everything from the Physic Garden to the popular open-air pool.

Covering 250 sq miles of grassland, wetlands and ancient woodland, the Test Valley was praised for its "glorious countryside" and strong sense of place.

Judges noted its chocolate-box villages, thriving arts scene and growing reputation for local food and drink.

Lindfield, in West Sussex, topped the regional list, with the Sunday Times highlighting its independent shops, period homes, duck pond and popular Lindfield Coffee Works cafe.

Its sense of community and easy access to the countryside were also key factors.

Helen Davies, Best Places to Live editor, said: "One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home."

The full list for the South East:

• Lindfield, West Sussex
• Amersham, Buckinghamshire
• Caversham, Reading
• Cookham, Berkshire
• Deal, Kent
• Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
• Petworth, West Sussex
• Petersfield, Hampshire
• St Leonards, East Sussex
• Surrey Hills
• Test Valley, Hampshire