It is well established that having an upmarket supermarket like Waitrose or Morrisons on your doorstep can increase the price of your house - but new research by residential property services provider FirstPort has found more Brits would rather live near the North East institution that is Greggs.
More than one in six (15 per cent) of those surveyed stated they would prefer to live near the beloved bakery chain over a Morrisons branch (13 per cent) or a Waitrose (eight per cent).
The research surveyed around 2,000 adults from across the UK, and explored the brands and amenities residents would most like to live next to, as well as the local heroes that help strengthen communities.
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Asked more generally about the kinds of places people like to live next to, a post office topped the list for a third of respondents (33 per cent) followed by a park or green space (27 per cent.)
Perhaps surprisingly, proximity to a good school scored just 15 per cent; the same as Greggs, showing the nation's love for sausage rolls and steak bakes.
Schools were below newsagents and pubs, which both polled 24 per cent.
With more and more people now choosing to shop locally, the most popular brands to have close to home include Tesco (25 per cent), Boots (20 per cent) and Sainsbury’s (19 per cent), with high street favourites such as Wilko (14 per cent) and Superdrug (12 per cent) 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 per cent) 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 per cent) stating a preference to live near independents than high street chains.
Proving the importance of the morning brew for Brits, more than one in five (21 per cent) admitted local independent coffee shops would be a draw for them to move to an area. Chain coffee shops were less popular though, but of the most well-known brands, Costa was the preferred choice (12 per cent).
The study also explored Brits’ travel habits and priorities, with a bus stop proving the most popular option to live near (25 per cent), followed by a train or tube station and a petrol station (both 19 per cent). Having local access to a public bike or electric scooter hire station both scored low (both 3 per cent).
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. 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.
"It is also interesting that the research highlighted the value of independent brands and shopping local.
"This suggests a real appreciation for living somewhere with a sense of community, something we always strive for in our FirstPort managed developments. Integrating our developments within the local community is a really important part of what we do as a property manager, making local connections that enhance the experience for our customers and benefits the wider community too."
Top 10 places Brits want to live nearby:
- Post office (33%)
- Park/green space (27%)
- Bus stop (25%)
- Newsagent (24%)
- Pub (24%)
- Baker (24%)
- Food market (23%)
- Greengrocer (23%)
- Butcher (22%)
- Hairdresser/barber (21%)
Top 10 brands Brits want to live nearby:
- Tesco (25%)
- Boots (20%)
- Sainsbury's (19%)
- Aldi (19%)
- Marks & Spencer (17%)
- Asda (17%)
- Lidl (15%)
- Greggs (15%)
- McDonalds (14%)
- Morrison's (13%)
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