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Retiring is a prize that you earn from dedicating your youth to the man. Admittedly, that may be a cynical way of describing ‘having a career’ but regardless – retiring is something we look forward to and plan for pretty much our entire lives. It makes sense that we should want to do it right.
But where should we choose to spend our retirement? Well, the latest to weigh in on that debate is the Times, which called in Savills Research to uncover the best places to retire in 2024. And six out of the top ten of them are in London.
To come up with a list, the Times and Savills Research considered a number of factors, including crime levels, ease of access to hospitals and GPs and proximity to green spaces and shops. Though Exeter took the overall crown, Merton in southwest London was not far behind in second place. The Times cited well-connected public transport and a close-knit community as reasons for the borough’s success.
Dan Miller, an analyst from Savills explained that retirees ‘will often comment that the village gives them the best of both worlds: a taste of the country while also being well-located for all that the capital has to offer.’
Richmond, Sutton, Bromley, Kingston and Westminster also made the list, and were all praised for their amenities and transport into the city centre.
Miller commented: ‘What we also see among down-sizers is a desire to prioritise an active and social lifestyle, so having great shopping, restaurants and cafés within easy reach is particularly important to them.’
For many who live in London, retirement may appear more like a pipe dream than a life plan, but it’s nice to know that if we do end up being able to stop working before we die, we’ll at least be in the right place to do it.
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