HAVE YOUR SAY: Your happy places
The most sparsely populated county in Wales is where you
will find Britain's happiest place, according to new
-
research.
Powys tops a list of 273 districts, with Edinburgh
apparently the most miserable place in Britain.
Eight of the top 10 districts with the highest levels of
wellbeing are in Scotland or the north of England.
Cheltenham and the Cotswolds came in at a lowly 164, below
the likes of Milton Keynes, Chelmsford and Luton.
Gloucester and Tewkesbury come in at 242 out of 273.
But the team from the Universities of Sheffield and
Manchester stress that happiness is more a product of personal
circumstances than physical location.
Using data from the British Household Panel Survey, where
people were asked about their sense of wellbeing, the
researchers were able to draw up a map of happiness down to
district level across England, Scotland and Wales.
After adding in factors such as employment, health and
educational qualifications, the team found that Brecknock,
Montgomery and Radnor in Powys was the happiest place.
Manchester came second, followed by West Lothian.
Macclesfield, Nottingham and Falkirk were all in the top
10.
But should Gloucestershire rank in the happiest places in
the UK - or are we as miserable as Edinburgh residents?
And where are you most happy? Is it in the UK, in
Gloucestershire, or as far from work as possible?
Use the form below to let us know...
32 Comments
View all
by Iona, Glos
Tuesday, September 09 2008, 7:54PM
“I moved to England in 2004 and yes i have noticed people dont tend to look very happy or friendly. I'd like to see more people smile round here. Im not use to all this doom and gloom. The flood made it worse. I been to a few places here but the place that makes me feel happiest and more at home is Wales. I love that place”
by Mitch, Glos
Saturday, September 06 2008, 10:31PM
“Kingsholm on match day, win or lose!!”
by anon, Gloucester
Thursday, September 04 2008, 6:24AM
“I think Gloucester is one of the most miserable places! Constant rain doesn't help, every other person has depression! Happy places are where there is sun and laughter, Gloucester is grey in appearance and worse on a gloomy day!”
by Mo Morgan, Bognor Regis
Monday, September 01 2008, 2:38PM
“I love where i am living now, 3 minutes walk from the sea.Used to live in Hucclecote but love it here although i do miss my friends and of course i miss my late husband, John”
by justin credible, teters
Sunday, August 31 2008, 7:33PM
“Back in the 70's it used to be a good day in cheltenham or gloucester, but now every town/city has a "faceless" image.
Now i'm off to cyprus to live.”
by John, Norway
Friday, August 29 2008, 10:10AM
“Define - Happy place.? I left Longlevens in 74 to get awway from gloucester with it's high unemployment(at that time) and it's bad image, I joined the Army and served for 10 yrs, and lived all over Germany, NI, & Norway. I ended up in Norway. Why? Great people, great standard of living, and where you can leave the house unlocked & keys in the car without some loon steeling it or robbing the place. Though it sadens me to say the openness of the norwigians is now suffering due to their open arms and willingness to help 3rd world countries, Crime is on the rise looting ect is on the increase. But on the whole I'm in the worlds Largest Happy Place and have been here for 25 yrs and wouldn't move to Glos if you payed me. I come home to my parents sometimes but to talk to the locals is like having a conversation with a brick. No i'm happy to be here.”
by CG, Gloucester
Friday, August 29 2008, 7:03AM
“As a family we absolutely love Normandy in France. The people are friendly, the scenery is calm, the beaches are clean and empty - enough room for the kids to run and run and run. The cute and the impressive buildings that we drive past. The roads which are so peaceful and traffic-free. The food and way of life is pleasant. We just love France and everything about it. But at home here in Gloucester is another place that makes me happy - simply because of all my childhood memories - summer holidays were fun - we would all get on our bikes and call for each other, each raid our cupboards and come up with an impressive picnic in which to feed ourselves once we hit our destination! These destinations were usually the allotments that once were in Podsmead - there was a brook where we would swing across from tree to tree, catch little fish, eels and newts. We would pick lots of rhubarb and apples off the trees! Another place was good old Robinswood Hill! We would sit at the bottom and tell stories of The Blue Lady, then head on up the Teddy Bear Steps until we got to the top, where we would sit and have our much earned picnic! Ahh those were the days! But shamefully to say I haven't been to Robinswood Hill since those Junior School days, which is why I'm doing exactly what I did then, this weekend with my own kids!! Borrowing some binocculars and getting them to the top so they can see the place where they live!! Breathtaking! (Should tire them out for the rest of the day too!!!)”
by Steve, Glos
Friday, August 29 2008, 6:48AM
“Symonds Yat is great on a warm summer evening....
Happy places can be anywhere if the right people are around !”
by anon, glos
Thursday, August 28 2008, 10:18PM
“Any where in Devon especially around Dawlish and Exmouth gorgeous scenery and I love just sitting by the sea taking the salty air beautiful!!”
by PAUL, alvington
Thursday, August 28 2008, 7:16PM
“happy place would be lydney docks on a sunny day or walk around lydney boating lake again on a sunny warm day you cant beat it ;)”