New research from TSB looked at what organisations, institutions, or amenities Brits wanted in their ideal community and found that almost three quarters (74%) of people think a Post Office is the most desirable facility in their town, closely followed by a local bank (73%).
It seems that a place to pay bills, send mail and sort out household errands is more important than other retail outlets with just over half of people valuing a local restaurant (57%), butcher (56%) and greengrocer (58%). Interestingly these more traditional, specialist shops (including a baker (60%)) were more desirable than a general corner shop or fast food takeaway (both 45%).
Briton’s checklist for the ideal community – Top 10
- Post Office – 74%
- Bank – 73%
- Baker – 60%
= Cafe – 60%
- Greengrocer – 58%
- Local Restaurant – 57%
- Butcher – 56%
- Doctor’s Surgery – 53%
- Hairdresser – 49%
- Pub – 47%
- Corner Shop – 45%
When deciding where to live, affordable house prices topped the list as the most important priority for almost half (45%) of people, followed by a third of people that value safety and low levels of crime (34%), good transport links (33%) and being close to work (32%).
When asked about friendships in their local community, one-in-six (16%) of people aged 24 and under said they didn’t have any friends in their local community, whilst one-in-12 (8%) people aged over 55 said they had more than 21 friends in their local area. Despite this, over half (52%) of Brits said that having a strong ‘sense of community’ was important to them.
Ian Ramsden, Director of Mortgages at TSB, said: “Each of us has our own ‘checklist’ of things that we want from our ideal community; whether it’s a facility, group, area, business or institution. The right combination of these things can help make us feel truly at home - as though we really belong somewhere.
“Today’s report, the second in our #HOME series, throws light on some interesting findings and uncovers what we see as the people and places that are the ‘beating heart’ of our community.”