Watch: Birmingham Stirchley reacts to being named the ‘best place to live in the Midlands’ by The Sunday Times

The annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide this year has named Stirchley as the best place to live in the Midlands. Taking everything into account from amenities, green spaces and community spirit, Stirchley comes out on top, but do the people here agree with their conclusion?

Helen, a resident says: “I have been a resident of Stirchley since 2004 and when I came I always said to people they kind of joked at me and laughed at me. It's an up and coming place, it's the place to be. I could see its potential and absolutely it's fulfilled that in the last 10 years. The rise of independence, the restaurants, the cafes, the bars.”

The accolade bestowed on Stirchley by the Sunday Times as the best place to live in the Midlands is largely uncontroversial around here. The attitude of the town is unpretentious yet proud. It's home to an eclectic mix of businesses that have become icons across the city, and the continued development is embraced by those here.

Liv from Music Tuition says: “It's an up and coming place as everyone has gathered and it seems to be getting a lot of traction through media, just through people moving here as it used to be pretty run down Apparently about 10 years ago I wasn't here at that point. I've lived here about one and a half years-ish and I've really seen it grow within that time as well.”

Dominic from Caneat says: “Well I don't think it's as good as Dudley but apart from that it's pretty special. It's a really friendly place to live. We're surrounded by lots and lots of friendly people and there's lots to do, lots to eat, lots to drink. It's a cracking place and all the schools are good so I really love living here.”

Rosie from Hedge says: “There's a lot of young families that have moved to the area who perhaps couldn't afford to live in other places around Birmingham, perhaps like Harbour or Mosley, but there's this willingness for Stirchley to thrive and do well so for me it's community and everybody wanting to support each other.”

Community spirit and camaraderie is at the heart of what makes Stirchley so attractive, and when asked what their favourite aspect of life here is, a common theme emerges.

Roxy says: “Everybody knows each other, all the business owners support each other and I try as much as I can to try and support people as well so wherever I can I'll help anybody who lives and works here. It's a really good example of a community, definitely.”

Life in Stirchley isn't taken for granted by those here, but there are of course downsides to living in an area with such a heavy spotlight cast upon it.

Helen says: “Because Stirchley is the place to be there's a lot of building work going on at the moment so a lot of that, buildings are half finished, there's a bit of road work, a bit of traffic and all of that kind of stuff, that's not so great but hopefully that'll be finished soon and then it'll be back to being the best place it can be.”