WOKING has been ranked one of the UK’s best places to live and work in the annual UK Vitality Index 2023 – the third consecutive year the town has featured in the top three.

Compiled by Lambert Smith Hampton, the "definitive health check on the UK’s towns and cities" assesses locations outside London to identify the best places to live, work and do business, in addition to those with the highest growth potential.

Outperforming the likes of Edinburgh, Cambridge and Guildford, Woking narrowly missed out on top spot to Bath, coming second in rankings for the country’s best prospects across a range of indicators including economy, business, health and the environment.

Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, leader of Woking Borough Council, said: “I am delighted that, for the third consecutive year, Woking has been recognised as one of the best places to live and work in the UK.

“This success underlines the strengths of our borough. It reinforces Woking’s growing reputation as Surrey’s economic hub by creating new opportunities for economic growth and job creation, and attracting inward investment. All in a desirable location which puts health, quality of life and our environment at its heart.

“I am particularly proud that Woking topped the Health and Environment indicator for the second successive year, with low levels of cardiovascular mortality and high scores for life satisfaction and recycling.

“Central to everything that we do is our commitment to making Woking a place where businesses choose to locate and people aspire to live.”

Woking also performed well in the Economy and Business indicator, as well as the newly introduced Green Spaces indicator.

Now in its 10th edition, the UK Vitality Index 2023 takes a broad, holistic approach to assessing the vitality of UK towns and cities.

Forming the main Vitality Index, each location was ranked across three pillars: Economy and Business, Living, and Health and Environment. The results across these 18 data sets revealed Woking as the second-ranked location for overall vitality.

Popular for its wealth of green spaces, vibrant and diverse communities, Woking has a growing population of more than 100,000.

The recently opened Victoria Place development is a key feature in Woking’s growth plans, aiming to offer a mix of residential apartments with retail, leisure and hospitality venues.

Victoria Place is now the permanent home of respected performing arts institution Italia Conti. Woking is also home to McLaren, the international motor racing and automotive group, as well as the Gordon Ramsay Academy, the renowned chef’s first global cookery academy, and his new restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Street Burger.