London has been overtaken by the Bristol suburb of Montpelier to be crowned the coolest place in the UK. The West Country town has taken the top spot in a shortlist of the UK's hippest hangouts from TravelSupermarket, which took into consideration the creativity and trend-setting indicators such as the number of independent outlets in different towns.
Another area of Bristol, Stokes Croft, also made the list in number five, while the London hotspots of Peckham, Stroud Green and Dalston rounded off the top five. "After scoring the UK and Europe to find the most up and coming, independent areas, we hope the guide gives people ideas for new destinations to visit, at home or abroad," Emma Grimster, TravelSupermarket spokesperson, commented. "Taking a city break towards the start of the year can, in most cases, be the cheapest time to travel while demand is low. Wrap up warm and enjoy exploring somewhere new."
© Photo: iStockStokes Croft in Bristol has been named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK
Montpelier has been known as an independent and bohemian town since the 18th century, and was home to a young Cary Grant, who attended the Fairfield Grammar School until he was expelled at the age of 14. Meanwhile, nearby Stokes Croft has gained a reputation as the cultural and artistic hub of Bristol, with a number of independent traders and nightlife to explore.
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They scored high in the Hip Hangout indexes, which compared the ratio of creative industry indicators such as independent coffee shops, vintage fashion stores, vinyl record shops, vegan cafes, independent bike shops, co-working spaces and art galleries/studios to the number of residents. Penalty points were subtracted for areas that had high numbers of big chain brands, which would indicate that they had reached "Peak Hipster".
© Photo: iStockPeckham, London was second on the list
Did your neighbourhood make the cut? See the top 20 UK hip hangouts below…
- Montpelier, Bristol
- Peckham, London
- Stroud Green, London
- Dalston, London
- Stokes Croft, Bristol
- Clapton, London
- Ancoats, Manchester
- Old Town, Hull
- Partick, Glasgow
- Chorlton, Manchester
- Baltic Triangle, Liverpool
- Bishy Road, York
- St Mawes, Cornwall
- Romsey, Cambridge
- Finneston, Glasgow
- Walthamstow, London
- Ropewalks, Liverpool
- Cliftonville, Old town, Margate
- Northern Quarter, Manchester
- Jericho, Oxford
