We live in one of the UK’s poshest villages – but we’re not snobs – here’s the best part of living there
RESIDENTS in one of the UK’s poshest villages say they are proud of their home – but insist they’re not snobs.
Saltaire, near Bradford, West Yorkshire, is considered the second poshest postcode in Britain.
And with the average terraced house in the UNESCO world heritage village fetching £212,000, it’s perhaps not surprising.
Gemma Baxter, 44, a nursery nurse, was unaware the Victorian “model” village she calls home had achieved such a status.
Responding to the posh rating from The Times, she told The Sun Online: “I certainly don’t consider myself to be posh.
“It is a very pretty village so I’m not surprised it has been placed high in the chart.”
Saltaire was built by wool baron Sir Titus Salt in 1851 off the back of a booming industry that poured cash into the area.
Its cobbled streets and neat stone houses offered workers from the Shipley area, north of Bradford, a place to bring up their families, with wash houses and a school on offer.
Nowadays the Yorkshire village boasts a string of delicatessens and posh clothes shops, including smart pubs and bars.
But Eleanor Brown, a mum-of-two who has lived in Saltaire for seven years said “posh” was not the way she’d describe her home.
The 38-year-old explained: “There is a high proportion of middle class residents – but not entirely.
“It has changed over time: these houses used to be worth not much at all not so long ago.
“It is quite and arty village, quite Bohemian, a bit alternative; but I wouldn’t say posh.”
But widow Janet Hall, 68, said she was “proud” of the ranking.
‘BEEN TO POSHER PLACES’
Janet, who’s lived in the area her whole life, said: “I think it is lovely how Saltaire has been judged to be Britain’s second poshest village.”
But she stopped short of calling it posh herself, explaining: “It’s nice and lovely – but I wouldn’t call it posh, though some who live here might think they are.”
Salts Village Bakery Manager Judith Taylor, 37, and co-worker Louise Atkins, 42, both agreed Saltaire is delightful, but like Janet, insisted it is not posh.
Louise said: “It is a nice little village. It’s clean, but I wouldn’t go as far as posh. It’s got everything you could need.”
Judith said: “I’ve been to posher places, like Harrogate. But Saltaire will do for me.”
Saltaire previously was ranked top village in the North of England by Which? who dubbed it “quintessentially British”.
And The Telegraph said the Victorian town is one of the 30 most beautiful villages in Britain.
Tourist Richard Law, 65, from Shropshire, was visiting “fantastic” Saltaire for the first time and was enjoying the history of it.
“But I’m not sure posh is the right word”, he stressed.