London gets accused of many terrible crimes by visitors from the rest of the country. And a lot of them, we really can’t argue with. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, the tube is moist and overcrowded. Yes, there’s a troubling tendency towards small plates, frivolous pop-ups, and long queues with underwhelming outcomes. But when people harp on about this city being unfriendly, it’s a little harder to nod politely.
Sure, you probably don’t want to try and stop a passer-by for an intimate tête-à-tête on Hungerford Bridge at 8.30am, or attempt in-depth discourse on the weather at the front of the bar queue at the Devonshire during a busy Friday eve sesh. Even so, there are loads of friendly people who are broadly happy to talk if approached. And none more so than in one corner of south London, which recently won the rare accolade of the UK’s friendliest borough.
According to estate agent John D Wood & Co, Sutton is the UK’s friendliest neighbourhood, winning out against legendarily pally spots in Greater Manchester and Northumberland. And if that sounds unlikely to you, you may not be impressed by this estate agent’s methodology, which looked at anti-social behaviour levels, homeownership rates, access to green space, and the number of cafes, pubs and community spaces.
For maximum accuracy, they probably should have dispatched paid actors to ask for directions with their rucksack hanging wide open, banknotes stuffed inside. But we’re in a cost-of-living crisis so we’ll have to make do with this crude measure. It is undeniably impressive that Sutton has just 15.6 incidents of anti-social behaviour for every 1,000 residents, and 1036 amenities per 10,000 residents, with plenty of cafes, pubs and green spaces for everyone to make cheery chitchat in.
The second friendliest place in the UK overall was Chester, followed by Liverpool, with its influx of community events. Meanwhile, fellow south-of-the-river boroughs Bromley and Merton came in at second and third place in London, while Kensington & Chelsea came in fourth, thanks to its superabundance of chi-chi little eateries for sociable lunches.
If you’re raising your eyebrows to high heaven (which isn’t very friendly of you) at this unlikely table of results, then please remember that one of the key metrics being used here is homeownership. Does owning your own pad really make you more friendly? Or does it make you more likely to yell ‘Get off my lawn!’ in the manner of Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino? Please pop into your nearest branch of John D Wood & Co to enquire.
Fancy a friendly meal out with friends? London is the fourth greatest city in the world for food.
Plus: this epic 150-mile walk reveals a hidden city – here’s why every Londoner should do it once.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.
