The pretty UK town that's the 'best place to retire' - but pensioners there aren't happy

A pretty little town in Buckinghamshire has been named the best place to retire in the UK, but not all locals agree. Chesham topped pensions company Legal & General's list of the top towns to move to after retirement.

The list, which also included Mid Sussex and the Vale of Glamorgan near the top, was based on housing, health, community, financial security, natural environment, and access to amenities. The town is 26 miles north-west of central London, and part of the London commuter belt. It is in the Chess Valley, surrounded by farmland next to the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Chesham's Old Town and pedestrianised high street are very picturesque, having been featured in films and TV shows, including The Imitation Game, Black Mirror and Midsomer Murders. But despite all of this, many retirees see the fuss over their home as overblown.

Carol Perry, 71 and a corporate pensions manager, was surprised that Chesham had been named the best place to retire. She told the Express: "There are very few amenities and shops - everything's a coffee shop, charity shop, or a nail bar. I don't know how many cafes people need?

"There's probably better, I can't see what there is here. My parents moved into retirement flats. Do people seem to like those?

"But Sainsbury's is the only accessible big shop, and there's a market twice a week selling fruit, and we have a butcher's. Chesham is more reasonably priced compared to somewhere like [near neighbour] Amersham, but it's a bit snobby there, so maybe that's why people prefer it here."

Others echoed Carol's sentiments, complaining about the number of cafes and charity shops. Many said the town centre "used to be better but isn't as good anymore", as is the case with many struggling British high streets.

One man in his 80s said he had moved to Chesham 60 years ago from Scotland with his wife. He said it's "to each their own" but to him "it's home". He lamented that "everything's online now", and shops close due to rents going up.

Mr Ali, 73, has lived in the town for 55 years but says there's "no shops anymore". He said there used to be lots, but "everything's closing down".

The local added that Chesham being in the spotlight means there are more people, especially Londoners, looking to move to the town, driving house prices up.

But not all locals had negative opinions of the town. There were many who saw countless positives. Frances Kneller, a Chesham Town Council and Buckinghamshire County Council councillor, said she "absolutely" thinks the town is a good place to retire.

She said: "Other prices in Buckinghamshire are very high, so lots of people come here to downsize. There's real camaraderie and a fantastic community here that's incredibly welcoming.

"And we've got so much going on in town, between 30 and 40 events over the year. Creative industries are really nurtured, which makes a huge difference; it's really important. We have the Chesham Fringe in May, which people travel from London for."

She said of others' comments on the state of the high street: "How many people are buying online now? We're developing the town to bring people in, but people really do go into what's here."