The Official Student Newspaper of UEA. Established 1992.

Famously nicknamed “A Fine City,” perhaps the phrase is now due a refresh as The Sunday Times has named Norwich as the best place to live in the UK.

The decision, announced on Monday, was based off criteria including schools, transport, and community spirit, and even mobile signal coverage and broadband speeds.

Judges described it as a “creative, cosmopolitan city with a small-town feel” 

They crowned it this year’s “number one location to enjoy a really good life – whatever your age or stage on the property ladder.”

The University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) were celebrated for helping to keep a historical place young at heart, with the city’s average age being 34.

James Hains, a journalism masters student, spoke to Times Radio about why he decided to continue his studies at the University of East Anglia.

“Growing up in Surrey people are lovely, but in Norwich there is more of a friendliness day-to-day. You can go up to someone and have a conversation on a bench.”

He went on to describe the university campus’ iconic concrete architecture, which the student newspaper is named after.

“I think it pairs beautifully with the UEA’s lake. It’s got beautiful scenery, beautiful green scenes. Compare that with the brutalist structures, it’s got a great contrast.”

The campus is home to the brutalist Ziggurat student accommodation, which currently remains closed following the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Sir Denys Lasdun designed the buildings in the 1960s, and they have since grown to become recognisable parts of Norwich’s architecture.

UEA Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Ben Garrod, described how the success of Norwich was not solely down to the university, but instead compared the institution’s role as “part of a bigger organism.”

“Traditionally it’s been very easy for universities and towns to be quite separate from one another. To be a successful university you have to engage with the community.”

Almost 18,000 students study at the UEA, with approximately half of them staying local after graduating. He said this embeds the university as part of the community. 

“It’s not just churning out students, doing paper, doing research – it’s how we integrate and help the local community.

“It’s a very old city… right through to modern tech. That integration of very old and very new is reflected within our student community.

“It does have an impact, with the natural flow and vibrancy of the city.”

He described the university as being largely diverse in their contributions, from a creative hub right through to scientific contributions, like the Norwich Research Park.

But it’s more than a place for buying houses or studying, as nightlife in Norwich has scored top marks too. 

Gonzo’s Two Room, a club in the city centre, previously won the UK and Europe’s Best Venue at the 2025 BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards. 

Underneath its outer shell, a rich history lies.

There are very few cities where you can get a pint for less than £3 underneath a 950-year-old building. And yet, just adjacent to Norwich Castle is The Bell Hotel. 

The building, once a coaching inn, is said to date back to 1485. It has since become a franchise and is just one of many pubs, with a popular expression once claiming that Norwich had one for every day of the year.

Norwich is also home to a number of firsts in creative writing; named as England’s first UNESCO city of literature and the UK’s only national centre for writing. 

It is even thought to be home to the first woman to write a book in English. Julian of Norwich spent her whole life completing Revelations of Divine Love in what is now nicknamed the City of Stories.

If you want an insight into what might have inspired her writing, you might just be able to experience some of it yourself.

Visit Norfolk claims Norwich is the most completed medieval city in the country. In Medieval Britain, it was considered the “second city” of England, behind only London.  

A key hub for agriculture and textiles, trade with the Netherlands flourished in the 16th century. 

Fleeing anti-Protestant policies in 1565, Dutch settlers were known as The Strangers. They brought with them weaving and introduced canary breeding. Norwich City Football Club later adopted their nickname The Canaries after the yellow birds.

If you can’t visit in person, you can always experience some of the city’s sights through Alan Partridge, the fictional Norfolk broadcaster. In the comedy character’s films and TV series, locations such as The Forum, Norwich Market and City Hall can all be spotted.

Most UK households will have a piece of slightly more recent Norwich history in their kitchen cupboards, too. 

One of the nation’s favourite condiments, Colman’s of Norwich, is considered the original brand of English Mustard. Although the Norfolk factory produced its final Colman’s Mustard in 2019, the iconic yellow jars still reference its beginnings. 

You can read the Sunday Times full guide on the UK Best Places to Live over on their website.