Beckenham has been named in London in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide and has received plenty of praise for its rock and roll history and green spaces.

Six other neighbourhoods in London are featured in the comprehensive guide, including Woolwich, while Wadhurst in East Sussex was named the overall winner of Best Places to Live.

This year’s annual guide, which is the 11th made, features more new entries than ever before.

The Sunday Times’ judges visit all the all the locations put forward and assess a number of factors before making their decision - from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.

The guide explains that Beckenham was named in the guide for its: “outstanding schools, a choice of stations, a lively high street and a green-space odyssey are the strong points of the slice of South London suburbia where David Bowie wrote Life on Mars and got his iconic Ziggy haircut at a salon on the high street.

“It’s the parks rather than rock ‘n’ roll history that make Beckenham special.

“Beckenham Place Park has ancient woodland, playgrounds, a wild swimming lake, a Sunday farmers’ market and two tempting cafes, while Kelsey Park is a glorious setting for tranquil lakeside walks.”

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Helen Davies, the editor of Best Places to Live 2023, said: “When times are tough, where we live matters more than ever. Attractive surroundings, good neighbours and a comfortable home are the best defences when the stresses of modern life seem overwhelming.

“This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2023 from Orkney to Felixstowe, the Chew Valley to Manchester city centre.

“Whether you’re downsizing, trading up or getting onto the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.”