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Revealed: The best value-for-money town in Britain for homebuyers
Last updated at 10:22am on 03.09.07It is a medieval market town with a stunning minster and a thriving racecourse.
Today Beverley, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, has another accolade. It has been named the best value-for-money town in Britain.
Analysts have placed it first in a survey of towns which allow residents to enjoy an 'affluent lifestyle' at affordable prices.
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Beverley, Yorkshire: It has been named the best value-for-money town in Britain
Beverley beat Maidstone in Kent to top spot in the poll. Chester came third while Perth in Scotland was fourth.
According to the survey by the Royal Bank of Scotland, house prices in Beverley stand just slightly above the £182,000 national average, while average household earnings are £37,000.
The town also boasts impressive state schools and a low number of junk food outlets.
The bank's Affordable Affluence Index weighed up positive 'lifestyle indicators' such as upmarket shops and restaurants with 'negative' influences such as betting shops and 'low end' supermarkets.
"Beverley's educational credentials are well documented as the town is home to the oldest state school in the country, the outstanding Beverley Grammar School and its sister school, Beverley High School," said an RBS spokesman.
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"A range of great high street names and boutiques that would appeal to the affluent, as well as entertainment and cultural attractions, are also on offer."
Despite its success, Beverley Civic Society member Barbara English said that careful attention was needed to ensure the town retained its character.
"Beverley usually comes in the top twenty of nicest small towns or market towns but this is the first time it has come first in a survey," she said.
"I think the town is very beautiful and it is helped by the older buildings, such as the Minster and the Market Cross. The racecourse is very good and getting more and more successful and Beverley has a wonderful common - the Westwood - which acts as a breathing place.
"I think it is still a really nice town to live in but it suffers from a great many pressures to make it less nice. The coming of Tesco was a disaster for all the little shops.
"One of the latest buildings is a disastrous design failure and many of the newer estates make no concessions to tradition and add nothing to the character of the town."
In the survey, the positive and negative factors of each town were weighed up to give them an 'affluence score'. Property affordability was then worked out to determine the overall index position of each location.
RBS head of private banking, Harry Keogh, said: "What the example of Beverley and the other towns making it into the index show is that a moderately wealthy lifestyle is well within the reach of many more people than probably realise it."
