Talking-up Scotland

Lochwinnoch (c) What to do with the kids

From The Conversation today, shared with me by friend Bruce Edelsten:

We measured how healthy neighbourhoods are across Britain based on the availability of health services (GP surgeries, dentists, pharmacies), retail outlets (fast food outlets, pubs, gambling shops), parks and recreational spaces, and levels of air pollution. Our data revealed:

The five healthiest with four in Scotland:

1. Great Torrington, Devon. The small market town is an ideal place to live with good access to health services, few unhealthy retail outlets, low levels of air pollution and lots of natural vegetation.
2. Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire. The village is located between two large lochs and surrounded by green spaces. It has good access to GPs and pharmacies, few unhealthy retail outlets and low levels of air pollution.
3. Fauldhouse, West Lothian. The village has good access to health services, few unhealthy retail outlets and low levels of air pollution.
4. Foxbar, Renfrewshire. A southern area of Paisley, the area contains many parks and lakes, with few unhealthy retail outlets and low levels of air pollution.
5. Marnoch, North Lanarkshire. A remote village by the River Deveron, it displays good access to health services, few unhealthy retail outlets and low levels of air pollution.

The five unhealthiest places in Britain all in England:

1. Soho, The area within the West End of London has very high levels of air pollution, lots of health damaging retail outlets and a lack of green spaces.
2. North Killingholme, Lincolnshire. The northern part of the village contains poor accessibility to health services. The area has high levels of air pollution, particularly sulphur dioxide. This is partly linked to the heavy industry in the Humber Estuary and being close to Humberside Airport.
3. Shotley Gate, Suffolk. The village south of Ipswich has poor access to health services combined with high levels of air pollution.
4. Giles, Camden. This London neighbourhood has a high density of retail outlets and very high levels of air pollution.
5. Bank, City of London. The city centre is business oriented with poor access to GPs. It has a high density of retail outlets and very high levels of air pollution.

https://theconversation.com/five-unhealthiest-places-in-britain-revealed-find-out-how-your-neighbourhood-compares-119346

NOTE: If you spot anything you think I may have missed, do send it to me at: thoughtcontrolscotland@gmail.com

Some earlier reports of ‘best places’:

Freedom City best place in Scotland to live…and vote!

Dundee is best in Europe!

Edinburgh best place for technology in UK?

The ‘best rural place to live in Britain’ is the Orkney Islands