Ballycastle rated best place to live in Northern Ireland

By Q Radio News

Ballycastle, in Co Antrim, has been named the Best Place to Live in Northern Ireland. It is top of a list of three locations in the region chosen by The Sunday Times in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.  

The Sunday Times’s expert judges behind the guide consider factors such as schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.  

They look to celebrate improving towns, villages or city centres, attractive, well-designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit – which the pandemic has shown to be the most vital quality of all.  

An average house price for each location has been supplied by Halifax, the sponsor of the guide, and up-to-date information on broadband speeds has been provided by Thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband. 

While Ballycastle was the overall winner, Derry/Londonderry and Helen's Bay in Co Down were also namechecked in the list.

Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling. Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people? 

“Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.  

“This year we have discovered new best places to live, from resurgent city centres in the North, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the Southwest, and a commutable Scottish island. 

“We hope there is something to suit everyone.” 

(The Auld Lammas Fair in Ballycastle)