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THE SUNDAY TIMES BEST PLACES TO LIVE 2021 – STRATFORD UPON AVON AND ILMINGTON RANK HIGHLY

April, 2021

THE SUNDAY TIMES BEST PLACES TO LIVE 2021 – STRATFORD UPON AVON AND ILMINGTON RANK HIGHLY

Here at Pritchard & Company we are proud of the area we live and work in, and even more so when a town and village local to us both rank in the Sunday Times top eight places to live in The Midlands 2021. Stratford upon Avon and Ilmington are just two of the loveliest spots in our area and both made it into the Sunday Times guide to the Best Places to Live 2021.

STRATFORD UPON AVON

What the judges had to say: "With the tourists absent and the theatres dark, Shakespeare’s birthplace has been showing its strengths as an ideal place to raise a family." Despite being a tourist hotspot, Stratford upon Avon is a pretty riverside town with “impeccable family credentials.”

The guide goes on to describe its “modern executive mansions on Tiddington Road, tree-lined suburbia around Bridgetown Road - with roads named after Shelley, Keats, Byron and Kipling - and period terraces in Old Town offering a range of family homes.” Judges were also impressed with Stratford Sports Club and outside spaces, including the Welcombe Hills.

Schools also earned special praise, in particular King Edward VI School, the boys’ selective grammar school, which last November was named The Sunday Times' state secondary school of the decade and has also won the accolade of top state school in the Midlands.

ILMINGTON

Lying within the northern tip of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Ilmington boasts all the pleasures and charms of a Cotswold village without the crowds. From the honey coloured stone of the fine houses and picturesque cottages to the rolling hills and orchards which grow a remarkable 38 varieties of apple. The Sunday Times describes it a “Cotswold Gem,” and a great place to raise a family.

According to the judges, "Its houses are beautiful and there’s an unmissable view from the top of Ilmington Down. It's a friendly full-time place. There is always something going on in the village hall (when restrictions allow) - check the informative Ilmington Circulation email newsletter for details - and there are two good pubs, including the Howard Arms, deservedly named one of the country’s best. Most of all though, the community-owned village shop on Grump Street is the real star. Opened in 2015 after three years of fundraising, it is now a proper local hub with 120 volunteers on its books. "

The Times and Sunday Times property editor Helen Davies said, “This guide has never been so important. The pandemic has taught us just how much we rely on our homes, our communities and our surroundings. Our focus this year has been community, countryside and convenience. It hasn’t been a year for big cities and small villages. Instead the small towns shone – big enough to have everything you need within walking distance and small enough for everyone to feel connected.”

If you wish to move to our area, view our property list here and if you wish to register your buyer interest or if you are considering putting your property on the market, do get in touch on 01608 801030 or  sales@pritchardandcompany.co.uk