UK’s friendliest cities: Does yours make the list?

What makes a UK city friendly?

Transcript

00:00A new nationwide survey is painting a more positive picture of life in the UK, revealing

00:05that many Britons feel connected to their neighbours and local communities than commonly

00:10assumed.

00:11The findings come from a new study by Aviva, based on responses from more than 6,000 UK

00:18adults.

00:19It shows that nearly three-quarters of people believe their communities are friendly.

00:24A similar number, 73%, say they trust their neighbours.

00:29York tops the list as the UK city with the friendliest community.

00:33Meanwhile, people in Exeter report the highest levels of trust in their neighbours.

00:39And despite its reputation for being fast-paced and impersonal, London shows a different side,

00:45with 85% of Londoners saying that being part of the local community is important, compared

00:51to a national average of 74%.

00:54The research also highlights how communities are linked to overall happiness.

01:00Among those who say they feel part of their local community, 83% report being satisfied

01:05with their quality of life.

01:08That figure drops sharply to just 45% among those who don't feel connected.

01:13Nationwide, while most people value community life, there's a small gap in satisfaction.

01:1974% believe it's important to belong, but only 69% are actually happy with their current community

01:26life.

01:27The gap is smallest in the South East and Wales.

01:30When asked what defines a community, respondents overwhelmingly chose the people who live near

01:37me.

01:38And while digital connections may be growing, proximity and human relationships still define

01:43community for most.

01:45Nature also plays a key role.

01:4790% of respondents say access to green spaces is important, and 79% are happy with the quality

01:53of parks and green areas near them.

01:56Plymouth, Brighton and Hove, Edinburgh and Bath were among the cities with the highest satisfaction

02:02in this area.

02:03But not everything is quite as rosy.

02:06Many respondents say their communities lack basic amenities.

02:09One in three say they don't have a local pub.

02:12Nearly half lack access to gyms or sports centres, and 56% say there's no community centre in their

02:18area.

02:19Claudine Blamey, Chief Sustainability Officer at Aviva, said that like all countries, the UK

02:25life faces challenges, but we also have great opportunities and strengths.