The Times have recently unveiled their annual list of the ‘coolest postcodes to move to‘. Having scoured the length and breadth of the country, they’ve uncovered the UK’s trendiest areas, and compiled them into a handy little list. Eleven UK postcodes nabbed a seat at the table, in total. But whilst it comes as no surprise to me that a Cheshire locale has made an appearance on the list (the county is, after all, as cool as a cucumber); eyebrows may be raised by the exact Cheshire postcode, just an hour from Manchester, that The Times has named the coolest.
From hanging out with the art set in Cornwall to Scotland’s new party island, the search led The Times to the unassuming area of CH2, Hoole, Cheshire – which isn’t exactly a place everyone is talking about, but has been branded ‘for yummy mummies‘…
According to the list, Hoole is Chester‘s oldest suburb, but ‘Notting Hoole‘, as the locals’ tongue-in-cheek nickname goes, is the spot for indie spirit and cool café culture within a half-hour saunter of Chester’s historical Roman city centre. Beyond bagging a reservation at the neighbourhood favourite Sticky Walnut, the chef Gary Usher’s flagship bistro (the rotation of hearty dishes includes chicken schnitzel and ox heart kebabs), foodies can head to Okells for breads, spreads and silky flat whites, or there are brilliant brunches on offer at Little Yellow Pig, a thoroughly cute café.
The Faulkner is Hoole’s go-to gastropub, while the veg boxes from the wholefood store Hoole Food Market are a must. And the crowd? The east London creative Oliver Hooson is a now a regular — he’s currently renovating one of the smart Victorian red-bricks in his hometown — as well as cool young parents who have fled London for more space and Parent Power-approved state schools.
If that’s your scene, there’s pregnancy yoga at Hoole Community Centre and baby-friendly classes at Barre Esthetique – slings at the ready… Afterwards, find the doughnuts of dreams at Usher’s Bakehouse. Hoolites really rate the torched lemon meringue ones, and by the sounds of it, we would too.
Chester is an hour’s train ride from Manchester city centre, and you can then hop on a bus or take a leisurely walk into Hoole, just two miles north east.
Other postcodes included in the coolest list include Farsley in Leeds (LS28), Hull in East Yorkshire (HU1) and Newport in Pembrokeshire, Wales (SA42) – with off-centre spots like Portrush and Port Ellen representing Northern Ireland and Scotland respectively, alongside classics in the East End of London and the Cotswolds.
The UK’s coolest postcodes to move to, according to The Times:
- Digbeth, Birmingham
- Portrush, Co. Antrim
- Hoole, Cheshire
- Fittleworth, West Sussex
- Farsley, Leeds
- Newnham, Gloucestershire
- Newlyn, Cornwall
- Newport, Pembrokeshire
- Penge, London
- Hull, East Yorkshire
- Port Ellen, Islay
Find the full list of the coolest postcodes in the UK here.