St Ives ranked one of people's top places to live post-lockdown
01-26-2021
The lockdown has led to people wanting to move when it's all over
By Gillian Molesworth
Porthmeor beach in St Ives on Thursday November 5th, the first day of the second lockdown. (Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)
The experience of lockdown hasn’t just changed the way people live and work – it’s caused many reflect on where they want to live, and in what type of home.
Estate agents and property finders nation wide have reported lots of house-hunting activity, as people look for more space, a garden, and better broadband. This is spiking right now, as buyers try to beat the March 31 deadline for the holiday on stamp duty.
Property finders Garrington analysed nearly 1,400 cities, towns and villages across England and Wales, ranking each to create a league table of post-Covid property hotspots. St Ives in Cornwall came seventh on their list.
Their first qualification for the ranking was brilliant broadband: Garrington analysts only ranked places where the overwhelming majority of homes (95%) have access to superfast broadband.
The other criteria were:
Natural beauty: each location was scored for its proximity to open water, national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Architectural beauty: marks were awarded for the number of listed and period homes, as well as modern ultra-energy-efficient homes
Quality of life: each area was ranked for its air quality, crime figures and how many farm shops there are within a three-mile radius
Here’s the ranked list:
(Image: Garrington)
It's worth noting that the average price of a family home in St Ives is the third highest on the list, topped only by Aldeburgh in Suffolk and Bath in Somerset.
Jessica Whiteley-Wright from Bradleys Estate Agents in St Ives says: "We’ve noticed a surge of people wanting to move to this beautiful part of the world, especially post-Covid. Being able to work from home and balance that with a lifestyle that can include surfing, swimming, and coastal walks, who wouldn’t want to live here?
"During this pandemic we’ve adapted to keep everyone safe by professional walk-though tours which we launch on YouTube, plus virtual viewings by Facetime to get a feeling of our properties."
St Ives holds a special place in the hearts of many people, locals and visitors alike. Originally a thriving fishing village, it later became home to an artistic community; painters loved the quality of the light over the sea in the beautiful bay. Famous sons and daughters of the town include sculptor Barbara Hepworth and the artists of the nearby Lamorna school, including “Lamorna” Birch and Alfred Munnings.
So powerful was the artistic draw of the village that the Tate Gallery chose St Ives as the location for one of its galleries. A thriving tourism industry has injected St Ives with a cosmopolitan feel, and its art galleries, independent shops, and array of restaurants reflect this.
The balance between primary and second home owners can be a contentious issue here, and many locals feel they have been priced out of the market.
G7 Summit - Carbis Bay Estate - near St Ives June 11-13 2021.