The word ‘cool’ means different things to different people. Depending on your era, it might mean stuff like backward baseball caps, flared trousers or sleeve tattoos. But what makes a place cool? The Sunday Times has weighed in.
Last week the newspaper published its 11 ‘coolest’ neighbourhoods in the UK to move to, shouting out the country’s ‘hottest postcodes’ in 2025. The selection varies hugely, from ‘party islands’ in Scotland to post-industrial city suburbs – so, where made the cut?
With the tagline ‘for Brummie brats’, Birmingham’s Digbeth (postcode B9, specifically) featured in the Sunday Times’ list. Described as ‘ground zero for 365 party girls (and boys)’, the newspaper pointed readers towards ‘hip cocktail spots’ like Passing Fancies (recently crowned one of the UK’s top cocktail bars) and ‘cutting edge galleries’ such as Eastside Projects.
Deemed ‘for yummy mummies’ is Hoole in Cheshire (CH2 postcode), with the Sunday Times saying the Chester suburb’s crowd is ‘cool young parents who have fled London for more space and Parent Power-approved state schools’.
Farsely in Leeds (LS28) is apparently ‘for cool dads’ thanks to its breweries and brunch spots, Hull’s HU1 gets a mention for its ‘hipsterish dining scene’ and cultural scene, and Port Ellen is praised for its distilleries. In London, Penge is deemed ‘for under-the-radar Londoners’ – find out more about that here.
Here's the full list of ‘cool’ UK postcodes to move to in 2025, according to the Sunday Times.
The Sunday Times’ ‘coolest’ neighbourhoods in the UK in 2025
- B9, Digbeth, Birmingham, England
- BT56, Portrush, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
- CH2, Hoole, Cheshire, England
- RH20, Fittleworth, West Sussex, England
- LS28, Farsley, Leeds, England
- GL14, Newnham, Gloucestershire, England
- TR18, Newlyn, Cornwall, England
- SA42, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Wales
- SE20, Penge, London, England
- HU1, Hull, East Yorkshire, England
- PA42, Port Ellen, Islay, Scotland
You can find more info on the list with the original Sunday Times article here.
Of course, we at Time Out have our own ranking of cool places. In our most recent edition of the coolest places in the world, three British areas made the cut – with one coming sixth overall.
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