Your feature on the happiest places to live in Britain (17 May) was an impressive list of well-known and lesser-known towns and cities – as a resident for more than 30 years in the Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire, I was delighted that Evesham came second for many of the reasons you highlight – community engagement, culture, local food and clean air. While your article featured many nearby places, it failed to mention the Fleece Inn in Bretforton.
Owned by the National Trust, it was built in the early 15th century as a longhouse by a prosperous yeoman farmer called Byrd. It later became a pub, which was rebuilt in the 17th century and remained in the Byrd family until 1977. It is also the venue that kicks off the annual asparagus festival and auction, and serves a much loved beer called Pig’s Ear, another product along with the local “gras” that makes local people very happy.
Dr Stephen Martin
Matlock, Derbyshire
• It was disturbing to read your description of Caernarfon as the third happiest place to live in Britain without mentioning how the town’s main spoken language is Welsh. Much of the happiness felt in living here comes from having our own language, which we share with people from across the globe. It fosters a sense of community and is the medium of a thriving culture. In encouraging your readers to move there in complete disregard of its linguistic ecosystem, you destroy the very basis of your own “feature”.
Angharad Price
Caernarfon
• The writer of the Lewes section somehow managed to miss the town’s major feature, Harvey’s Brewery at Cliffe Bridge alongside the River Ouse. It’s been brewing since the 1820s and the grade II listed redbrick buildings, including an imposing chimney, were designed by leading Victorian architect William Bradford. The award-winning beers include one of the finest cask ales known to drinking kind: Sussex Best Bitter. The beers are available in Harvey’s many pubs in Lewes. The pubs and the brewery should be high on any visit to the town.
Roger Protz
St Albans
• Thanks for trumpeting that Berwick-upon-Tweed is the happiest place to live in Great Britain. Now we can expect even more visitors than we already receive. Grrr.
June Neilson
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland
• At the beginning of May, electors in four of Exeter’s wards voted in a Reform UK councillor – proving that behind citizens’ happy exteriors, angry people are lurking. Right now they are probably instructing lawyers to get us taken off this list.
Les Bright
Exeter, Devon
