St Albans fifth happiest place to live in Britain

ST Albans is the fifth happiest place to live in Britain a new survey has revealed, with many residents putting it down to brilliant shops and a positive ambience.

Online estate agent Right Move quizzed nearly 40,000 people and measured how much they enjoyed where they live, with our Roman city also scoring the top living destination spot for the South East.

Individuals were asked about their sense of home, community matters such as safety, amenities and neighbourliness, and their property.

Various residents were quick to praise St Albans and identified a whole host of different aspects of the city contributed to their happiness.

Annie Robb, who has lived here since 1997, said: “I really like our city centre, it’s easy to get into, and we’ve still got the market twice a week.

“Even though it’s the same stores it’s still an absolute pleasure to stroll around.”

She said the city’s best quality is its “feel”, adding it is “friendly and vibrant”.

Taking to Twitter to express what they like about their city, Carousel handbag boutique, in the Village Arcade, said: “We love working and living here because of the beautiful cathedral and number of incredible shops, restaurants, etc., in the city centre.”

People living elsewhere also appear to think highly of the city, as Jenni Ingram Bradding commented on Facebook: “I live in Hemel Hempstead but St Albans is more calming.”

Another user of the social networking site, Lucy Clark, said: “There is a great community and local support network between businesses.

“It’s not too far from London but far enough away to not be amongst the hustle and bustle. There’s a good balance between town and country!”