A UK seaside town has been named the best for commuters looking for a home with beautiful harbour views.
Leigh in Essex topped the table of Britain’s top commuter towns put together by the Daily Mail beating out the likes of Tunbridge Wells and Banbury.
The town is about an hour from London on a regular train service operating between Leigh and West Ham, meaning those living there can happily commute into the city for work and enjoy all the benefits of life by the sea.
Leigh has an average house price of £451,290, making it much cheaper than London where the average home costs £569,405 according to Rightmove.
And the town has none of the crowded streets and rammed shops of London with a population of just over 22,000.
The town was also named one of the coolest in the UK in a survey last year, which saw its “very close community” praised.
There is also plenty to keep folk living in the town entertained without the need to travel to London.
From art galleries and independent shops to a variety of pubs, superb seafood eateries and renowned cockle sheds, the charming town offers the ideal setting to relax, rejuvenate and savour the sea breeze.
One local, Jean de Tourtoulon, who put the town forward in the 2023 survey said she loved living in the town.
She said: “Covid really showed us how much we all care for each other, we started dog walking clubs when we were all in lockdown just so we all knew we had someone we could talk to when we needed.
“I took it upon myself to let visitors and locals know what’s going on in the town, I wanted to make sure we didn’t become a ghost town so I would just get in touch and let people know what’s going on.”
Leigh is also just a short journey to two international airports in Stansted and Southend, with the latter being just a 15-minute drive away.
The town is also very safe ranking among the top 10 safest small towns in Essex, with a crime rate of 64 crimes per 1,000 people.
