A beautiful seaside town in Scotland has been recently named as the best place to live in the UK. North Berwick, a small coastal town in East Lothian, has been praised for its high street with independent shops, the great outdoors, and family-friendly houses.
The town topped a list of 72 locations chosen by The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide and is the first Scottish winner in the 12-year history of the guide.
“It was picked for its combination of a great high street, a great school, the great outdoors and family-friendly houses,” those behind the guide said.
And residents and business owners in the town couldn’t be happier.
Sheena Ritchie, 59, a retired professional has been in North Berwick since forever. Her family moved to North Berwick in 1906 and there has been no looking back.
She told Express.co.uk: “I have been living here for almost 60 years. I lived in Edinburgh for 14 years after school and then met my husband who was happy to come back.
“It’s lovely here, the scenery, the beaches, golf courses, and most people here are friendly. There are lovely independent shops as well and the area is extremely busy in the summer. But we have people coming in winter as well to have a feel of the fresh air.
“Because of its popularity, house prices have gone up. So, our family, and our children can’t afford to live here because the house prices have gone up.”
This is the first time a Scottish location has taken the top spot, with judges praising the seaside town for its thriving high street, beautiful beaches, culture, and transport links.
Sitting on a bench facing the beach, friends-turned-neighbours David and John smile excitedly as they speak about the seaside town.
David Mccol, 76, has been living in North Berwick for 11 years. He and his wife moved to the town as a part of their retirement plan and now can’t enough of it.
He told Express.co.uk: “This is a great place to live. People are friendly here. My wife and I are staying in the retirement complex.
“The transport system is nice, you have a train that will take you to nearby places. The bus connectivity is amazing. I have been living here for 11 years and moved here from Edinburgh. In comparison to other cities in the UK, our town is relatively safer.”
The only thing he wishes to get better is the parking space. Mr Mccol claims that the town gets a little too busy during summer.
He continued: “Sometimes it gets too busy with the tourists as the parking facility is not very good here. The high street’s pavements are very narrow and there is not enough parking space.”
Eric McKenzie, 64, has been running a local shop, Tea at Tiffanys for 16 years. When asked what makes the town “best”, he said: “We used to live in Bathgate and moved down here for work reasons. The place has been very good.
“What makes it best– It’s welcoming, it is clean, it’s microclimate. You have countryside views at your doorsteps, lovely parks, views and amazing beaches. House prices are very expensive.
“Over the years, the business witnessed a slump during Covid but hopefully it’s getting back on its feet. My favourite part of the town is the beach, you can just go for a nice, long walk and look at the water flowing. That’s so calming.”
The town is also famous for its golf courses, including the North Berwick Golf Club, which is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, dating back to the 17th century.
Golf enthusiasts from around the globe flock to North Berwick to experience its challenging links courses and scenic coastal views.
With a population of 15,000, North Berwick is a picturesque and vibrant town less than 30 miles from Scotland’s capital.
