It’s the question that we never ask, simply because we try to love all of Glasgow, and would never divide you by declaring one area top of the pile. The Sunday Times has no such qualms, however, as they’ve just compiled their annual list of the best places to live in Scotland, featuring one Glasgow area.
And representing the south of the River Clyde is the district of Shawlands. The Sunday Times described Shawlands as “the Southside’s new coffee and cake quarter is full of beans — and perfectly placed for fresh air and art” due to its prime location near the newly reopened Burrell Collection and Pollok Park, claiming the parks are better than the West End on this side of Glasgow.
The Sunday newspaper went on to say: “Just how many coffee shops does one area need? It turns out that in this small pocket of Glasgow’s sprawling and ever-evolving Southside you can never have enough beans. Two miles south of the River Clyde, G41 has long been bougie yet still relatively affordable compared with many Glasgow postcodes.
“It’s a place where people don’t just pass through, but put down roots in one of the plentiful period semis, red and blond sandstone tenements, or villas — engendering a strong community spirit which has been captured in artist Stephen O’Neil’s series of celebratory posters hung from streetlights proposing to “keep Shawlands braw”.
The list also revealed the average house price in Shawlands was £245,000, however pricier in contrast to Scotland’s winner, Isle of Bute at £155,000.
Here’s the full list for The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2022 in Scotland:
- Winner: Isle of Bute, Argyll
- Braemar, Aberdeenshire
- Culross, Fife
- Dunblane, Stirling
- Melrose, Borders
- North Berwick, East Lothian
- Shawlands, Glasgow
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling. Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?
“Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.
“This year we have discovered new best places to live, from resurgent city centres in the North, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the Southwest, and a commutable Scottish island. We hope there is something to suit everyone.”