other small town can you gaze at etchings by Kandinsky and
original prints by Picasso. With 20 exhibitions a year, as well
as concerts and recitals, the espresso machine works
almost as hard as the 40 staff.
“In my opinion, it’s the best art gallery outside London,”
says Christine Yates, who moved to the area nearly 30 years
ago. “It’s a beautiful, vibrant market town that packs a big
punch. It’s a magical place to live.”
Max Waterhouse grew up near Uppingham and has come
back to work at the Goldmark gallery. “It’s an extraordinary
place to work, and the definition of Rutland’s motto multum
in parvo — a lot in a little. Uppingham has provided my kids
with a fantastic start to life. There are two wonderful
primaries, and the proximity of local allotments, woodlands
and rural industry means they are constantly in touch with
the outside world. We couldn’t be happier here,” he says.
The surrounding countryside is stunning, and Rutland
Water is the star attraction, with magnificent views and
sailing, cycling and birdwatching on offer. Football, bowls
and skateboarding (yes, teenagers are allowed here too)
take place at Tod’s Piece. It’s named after a mighty 17th-
century scythe-wielder, who won a wager to mow the whole
field in a day. He completed the task, but dropped dead that
evening, before he could spend his winnings. There’s a
happier ending for the park, which has been awarded
£50,000 to upgrade the play equipment.
The high street is nicely traditional with a dash of
sophistication. It has two excellent butchers and the
delightful Baines Bakery. An antiquarian bookseller, a luthier,
a clockmaker, and a gem of a hardware store in D Norton &
Son complete the olde-worlde atmosphere. On the other
hand, the Scandimania bakery serves cinnamon buns that
are bang on trend. Friday is the big shopping day, when the
market transforms the square into a hive of activity.
Best place to live if.. .You want art in the heart of England.
Best address The town centre has the most attractive
ironstone period homes.
£377,000
independently owned
amenities right on our
doorstep,” she says. The Hare
& Hounds is another of
Brum’s best music venues and
there’s a trio of top-class curry
joints: Kings Indian Dining,
Sylhet Spice and Poplar Balti,
for a weekend treat after
the kids are in bed.
Best place to live if...
The peaky cap fits.
Best address St Paul’s
Square in the Jewellery
Quarter, or Cambridge
Road in Kings Heath.
£234,000*ELLESMERE, SHROPSHIRE B
Don’t expect porn star
martinis or street art here
(though the yarnbombers
have been busy), but if a wild
swim or a feathered glimpse
of a kingfisher are your idea of
heaven, this is the place for
you. Happy to get wet? In this
landlocked region, you can
swim, sail or kayak pretty
much from your own
doorstep on one of the nine
meres that give Ellesmere its
name, and its status as top of
the Shrops(hire).
Life here is quiet and a little
old-fashioned in the best
possible way with a social life
based around dinner parties,
country pubs and sports clubs— the cricket and rugby clubs
are notably well-attended.
There’s no train station —
the nearest is in Whitchurch,
25 minutes’ drive away — but
the town centre is an
appealing and affordable mix
of Tudor, Georgian and
Victorian homes. The
pandemic hasn’t just attracted
WFH-ers in search of an
affordable view of the hills,
but has also encouraged the
locals to appreciate the riches
on their doorstep. “The
Llangollen Canal has been
really busy, both with walkers
and boaters,” says Harriet
Harvey, who has lived here
with her husband, Rupert,
and two sons since 2003 and
runs a holiday let, a wedding
business and a clay pigeon
shoot from Halston, their
country house home.
“There’s a really good
balance of quality of life. It’s
rural but not remote. The
local produce is amazing,
whether it’s the meat from
the butchers, or pies,
eggs and cheeses at the
Tuesday market.”
It’s a bold move to build
your high street around
a car park and a builders’
merchant, and while it won’t
help otherwise charming
Ellesmere win any beauty
contests, it does mean you’ll
never go short of grout or
4x2s. There’s everything you
need and everything’s
impressively local. Two good
but contrasting delis lead the
way: Vermeulens and
Moolah. There’s a chemist, a
Co-op and a big Tesco near the
canal (with moorings for
narrowboats). Spicy
takeaways from Thai Gate are
the treat of choice, though
Meze Greek restaurant has
plenty of admirers too.
Best place to live if ... Canal
walks and wild swims are
what float your boat.its independent spirit, but far
enough to escape the
muesli-belt house prices. For
now a 30-minute bus ride
from the city centre, it has just
the right sort of aspirational
and high-achieving schooling
to accompany the parks,
playgrounds and roomy
period properties: King
Edward VI Camp Hill schools
for boys and girls are rated
outstanding, as are Selly Park
Girls’ School, Wheelers Lane
Technology College,
Queensbridge, Swanshurst
and Kings Norton Girls’
School. Outstanding
primaries include
Woodthorpe and Moor Green.
There’s a more down-to-
earth main drag where Lidl,
Asda and Peacocks scream
convenience, but the high
street is on an upward curve
and independents are
flourishing. You don’t have to
look far to find an interesting
bar or quirky shop on the side
streets, such as the craft and
knitting shop Armadillo, or
Grace + James, an organic
wine and cheese outlet,
whose owner Sophie Poultney
couldn’t be happier here.
“We love Kings Heath — a
perfect balance of city living
and lovely green open spaces.
Plus we have a friendly local
community, and plenty ofThis is an edited version. For the complete guide visit thetimes.co.uk/best-places-to-liveSet to sparkle
From top:
Ellesmere;
the Goldmark
gallery in
Uppingham,
the Jewellery
Quarter,
BirminghamApril 10, 2022 27