Best and Worst Places to Live in the UK 2006 on Channel Four

Tomorrow at 8pm Channel Four’s The UK’s Best and Worst Places to Live is screened once again, but this year we are treated to a younger version of new mum Kirsty Allsop in the form of sister Sophie along with regular sidekick Phil Spencer. The hour long special is quoted as being based on 5 criteria:

- crime levels
- environment
- people’s lifestyles
- education attainment
- employment prospects

Since Best and Worst Places to Live in the UK aired in 2005, it naturally received criticism from places such as Hull who topped the ‘Worst Top 10’ list as well as both Nottingham and Middlesbrough which both feature again for the second year running. Sophie commented “All the research is rock solid, we look at every single local authority, all 434 of them and the figures speak for themselves.” Phil also stated “We’ve only just come out of hiding after the storm this show created last year. But it’s all based on official data, we’re merely presenting the facts - harsh as they may be.” The East London borough of Hackney is ranked as the worst place to call home despite the prospect of the London 2010 Olympic Games. The Best Top 10 places remain under wraps which we will include for reference tomorrow.

Probably not the research basis for your next property investment move, the show does inadvertently point out what an intrinsic part property plays in our lives and not only highlights the desperate need to live in a ‘desirable’ place but also points out places which are badly in need of further investment and may in fact be a better property investment punt as a result. The divisions in society are no more evident than in this program where the show will confirm something we have already known for sometime, a Home Counties postcode is yet again this season’s postcode to be seen with.

The Top 10 Worst Places to Live results are:
1. Hackney, East London
2. Tower Hamlets, East London
3. Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales
4. Newham, East London
5. Islington, North London
6. Middlesbrough, North East
7. City of Nottingham, East Midlands
8. Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
9. Blaenau Gwent, South Wales
10. Manchester, North West

The Best and Worst Places to Live 2006 in the UK airs tomorrow, Thursday at 8pm on Channel Four.