Some 2,000 UK adults took part in the study, which explored the brands and amenities Brits would most want to live near to
Having an upmarket shop like Waitrose on doorstep might improve house prices – but Brits would rather live near a Greggs, according to new research by residential property services provider, FirstPort.
More than one in six (15%) surveyed stated they would prefer to live near the high street bakery giant over a Waitrose branch (8%).
Some 2,000 UK adults took part in the study, which explored the brands and amenities Brits would most want to live near to – and the local heroes that help strengthen communities.
When asked more generally about the kinds of places people would want to live near to, a post office was the number one choice for a third of Brits (33%), followed by a park or green space (27%). Proximity to a good school came relatively low down the list (15%), meanwhile, below newsagents and pubs (both 24%).
With more and more people now choosing to shop locally, the most popular brands to have close to home include Tesco (25%), Boots (20%) and Sainsbury’s (19%), with high street favourites such as Wilko (14%) and Superdrug (12%) also scoring highly.
Highlighting the success of the discount retailers, Aldi was the third most popular grocery brand with nearly one in five Brits (19%) wanting to live near one. However, access to good independent shops, cafes and restaurants appears to be a bigger priority, with nearly two thirds (64%) stating a preference to live near independents than high street chains.
David Young, Chief Operating Officer at FirstPort, said: We all know location is essential when choosing where to live, but what does that actually mean in practice?
Greggs performing so highly as the place Brits want to live near, shows the importance of having convenient and affordable food and drink options close to home, and how it can enhance residents’ enjoyment of their area, he said.
He said: That’s why our concierge and site teams at the developments we manage make the point of really getting to know their customers and what might appeal locally to them, so we can help them make the most out of their area.
