Vale of Belvoir named one of the UK's best places to live

It was one of seven areas listed for the region in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026, which was published yesterday, with an honourable mention too for Melton Mowbray.

Judges visited all locations and assessed a range of factors, from schools to transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal to amenities, as well as access to high-quality green spaces and the health of the high street.

In the profile on the Vale of Belvoir, the guides describes it as: “Rural not remote, this underrated area of the midlands offers a modern country life at its muddy-booted, entrepreneurial best.”

It adds ‘life continues much as it has for centuries, except that now the handsome, pubs, pretty cottages and handsome red-roofed houses are more often occupied by commuters with jobs in Nottingham, Leicester or London’.

There is also a supportive comment from BBC radio cricket commentator and Vale resident, Jonathan Agnew, who often praises Belvoir’s beauty while on air with Test Match Special.

Aggers is quoted in the guide as saying: “When I have visitors, especially from Australia, I love to take them to the top of Stathern Hill and look down over the Vale. It’s a stunning view – England in a nutshell.”

Bottesford is highlighted by the judges for the quality of its sports facilities and restaurants, plus its ‘quirky community events’.

Melton Mowbray’s proximity to the Vale of Belvoir is highlighted in the guide with name checks for the Anne of Cleves pub and community radio station, 103 The Eye, Round Corner Brewery and the town’s rich history.

Melton is also praised for maintaining its markets and being a place ‘with reliable schools, an art deco cinema, sports clubs and a large country park’. Average house price for the Vale of Belvoir was given as £334,500.

Best place to live in the midlands, according to the judges, is The Malverns in Worcestershire, with Market Harborough also listed as one of the best places alongside the Vale.

Other areas on the list for the region are Bournville (Birmingham), Hathersage (Derbyshire), Shrewsbury (Shropshire) and Stratford-upon-Avon (Warwickshire).

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, says: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain.

"It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community.

"One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”

In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the best of Britain, with Norwich, in Norfolk, named the overall national winner.

Go online at www.thetimes.com/best-places-to-live to read more about all the places listed in the 2026 guide.