I live in 'London's best town' full of independent shops - 1 reason I love it so much

Last year, my hometown, Walthamstow, was named as London’s best by The Sunday Times, and this year, the East London neighbourhood also got a feature on the prestigious list. In fact, Walthamstow has really become the talk of the town - no pun intended - and it's probably down to the amount of work that's gone into it in recent years.

As someone who has lived in Walthamstow pretty much all my life, it's interesting to look back and see how much the town has changed. From it being recognised as, to put it bluntly, more so a ‘rougher’ area in London, to now one of the trendiest. Sometimes I feel like I can’t keep up with all the newness in my town, but that just makes it all the more exciting for me, and it’s always nice to see it get the recognition I feel it deserves.

There are endless things to do and explore in Walthamstow. Of course, two things the town is especially famed for are Walthamstow Market, the second-longest outdoor market in Europe, and the village area, full of cosy cafes, independent shops, and gastropubs. Not to mention, the stunning historic 15th-century architecture, which makes the area feel like its own special corner of the town.

What I especially love about Walthamstow, which might seem a bit boring, is the number of great transport links we locals have access to. I mean, London Liverpool Street, on the Weaver line and Oxford Circus via the Victoria Line, both in less than 20 minutes, Kings Cross St Pancras in less than 15. How convenient?! Getting around is rarely ever an issue for me.

But even so, there’s so much in Walthamstow that I don’t typically need to branch out too far for anything I need.

The 17&Central shopping centre on Selbourne Walk has a fair amount of good shops. We’ve had a few closures over the years, as many high streets and shopping districts across the UK have, but I’d like to think we are quite fortunate with the selection of stores we still have, such as Boots, Superdrug, River Island, JD Sports, and TK Maxx.

We’re definitely not short on supermarkets either, with two Tesco Expresses, Asda, Sainsbury’s, and two Lidl’s all just in the Walthamstow Central/St James Street area alone.

The central area also has plenty of leisure spots, from the Forest Cinema and the recently opened Soho Theatre, to the many food spots, such as Crate Foodhall, where you can both wine and dine.

And with the weather getting nice and warm, it couldn’t be a better time to explore Walthamstow, as it was highlighted for its green spaces. Walthamstow Wetlands, which is free to visit, is a huge 160-hectare reservoir and nature reserve home to abundant wildlife.

Lloyds Park is a great, huge green space with sports amenities, children’s play areas, and places to enjoy a picnic with loved ones.

Walthamstow is truly changing right in front of my eyes, and at the speed it is developing, it's reminded me that I still have so much to explore around my hometown, and that is why I love it so much.