Yorkshire folk, we are known for being the friendliest of people in the North, and now one of our cities has been named the friendliest city in the UK. From giving a warm ‘ey up’ to passing strangers and neighbours to helping out tourists with directions, York has been crowned as the UK’s friendliest city.
A recent study by Aviva examined a range of factors, including people trusting their neighbours, believing the community to be friendly, feeling part of a community, and happiness with green spaces. These factors contributed to York scoring high and taking the top spot.
A survey of 6,000 people found that the UK is more trusting, friendly and community-minded than you may have thought – especially in the current climate. Three-quarters of people trust their neighbours (73%) and think their communities are friendly (74%).
Whilst York, the only city to feature in the top 10m was named the UK city with the friendliest community, Exeter showed trust towards neighbours with York featuring 7th and Leeds 10th, while Londoners are most likely to say feeling part of a community is important to them in a city of 8.9 million people.
The research done by Aviva suggested that many people don’t have access to certain amenities in their local area, with a third saying they do not have access to pubs in their local community, and 42% say the same about libraries, and 46% about gyms, sports and fitness centres in their area.
Claudine Blamey, Chief Sustainability Officer, says: “Like all countries, the UK faces challenges, but we also have great opportunities and strengths, particularly in local communities, as this research shows. Aviva is here to help overcome the challenges and make the most of the opportunities.
“This research shows just how deeply people value feeling part of a strong, connected local community. We are supporting people to get ready for the future with confidence, including by reinvesting an average of 2% of our group adjusted operating profit annually back into our communities. Over one million people are estimated to have benefited from our community investment programmes in the UK, Ireland and Canada.
“Across the UK, from north to south and east to west, it’s heartwarming to hear people feel they are part of friendly communities and trust their neighbours – and that being part of a community is having a positive impact on their wellbeing.”
Check out the full list of the UK’s top 10 friendliest cities below:
- York 90.4%
- Exeter 85.7%
- Plymouth 84.9%
- Bath 83.7%
- Aberdeen 83.3%
- Edinburgh 81.9%
- Derby 81.3%
- Chelmsford 81.1%
- Cardiff 79.3%
- Brighton & Hove 78.9%
Read More: 8 Incredibly Scenic Riverside Bars In York To Try This Summer
