Saltaire named second poshest village in the UK in study

Saltaire only missed out on winning the prestigious title of poshest village in the UK to Hodnet in Shropshire, with the district site given a three-star ‘posh’ rating in the study by The Times national newspaper.

A total of 22 UK villages made the list, with Forest Row, near Crawley in East Sussex making up the top three.

Roberts Park in Saltaire is a popular venue for visitors (Image: Newsquest)

The Times review of Saltaire said: "If village life induces panic about mud, cultural vacuums and parochialism, consider the Victorian 'model' village of Saltaire, built by the wool baron Sir Titus Salt on the outskirts of Bradford (2025’s City of Culture). Surrounded by the verdant Aire Valley, it’s as beautiful — in a bricky, cobbled way — as any bucolic dream.

"And with UNESCO world heritage status, it’s impossible to stay in an ugly property (some of its converted mill apartments and quaint terraced cottages are available on Airbnb).

“Saltaire also has a David Hockney collection at the grade II listed Salts Mill, now a cultural and retail hub, and nearby are the Salt microbrewery and the Giles Coren-approved Waterside Bistro."

Saltaire has become a popular tourist destination, boasting its Salts Mill attractions which are home to retail space, arts exhibitions and a collection of work by David Hockney.

The village also holds a number of popular annual events including the Saltaire Festival, traditionally held every September, the dragonboat festival, arts trial and the Living Advent Calendar, which takes place through each December.

Saltaire has attracted a host of production companies for filming TV shows and films over recent years (Image: Newsquest)

Saltaire is also regularly featured on a host of TV shows and films with recent examples including the Netflix drama ‘An English Game’ which was filmed on location in the village in 2019.

Scenes for the latest series of BBC One drama Gentleman Jack were filmed at the village’s Salts Mill in 2021. Another Netflix drama, Bodies, starring Stephen Graham, was filmed at the same location in the village in August 2022.

On December 13, 2001, the celebrated West Yorkshire Victorian model village along with Derwent Valley Mills in Derbyshire and New Lanark Scotland was named a world heritage site by UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Saltaire, named after its founder Sir Titus Salt, is recognised for its international influence on town planning and is considered to be an outstanding example of a mid-19th century model town demonstrating the social and economic impact of the textile industry.

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