Richmond is the London borough in which people are most likely to socialise with their neighbours, data from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport has shown.
Figures from the 2023/24 Community Life Survey reveal that 72% of Richmond residents report chatting to their neighbours more than once a month – compared to the London average of 62%.
In second place on the list are the boroughs of Harrow and Sutton, where 70% of residents regularly speak to their neighbours, while Westminster, Tower Hamlets, and the City of London are at the bottom of the rankings, at 51%, 52%, and 54% respectively.
Data from the survey also shows that those living in the outskirts of the city are 8% more likely to report frequently talking to their neighbours than those in Inner London, at 65.5% versus 57.5%.
Notably, despite being on opposite ends of this ranking, Richmond upon Thames and Westminster are among the London boroughs with the highest median incomes, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
Community spaces
Rob McRae-Adams, CEO of Richmond community charity Hampton & Hampton Hill Voluntary Care, argued the borough’s place in this ranking was likely attributable to a strong local sense of community.
He said: “Richmond is like a village, there is this strong sense of civic pride.
“People who live here tend to feel very connected to their local area, its high streets, green spaces and community identity.
“That naturally encourages neighbourliness.”
McRae-Adams also pointed to a general feeling among residents that the area is safe, alongside a prominent voluntary sector, to explain the data.
Richmond is the London both in which the highest number of people report satisfaction with the number of green spaces in their area, and is joint highest, alongside the City of London, for those reporting being proud to live in their local area.
It is also the local authority in which people are most likely to report volunteering regularly.
Research suggests that the ready availability of ‘third spaces’ – spaces outside of work and home in which people can socialise, such as pubs, cafes, pubs, and shops – may generate greater neighbourly interaction.
Yasmin Ibson, Senior Policy Advisor at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation – a poverty charity which has conducted research into neighbourhood cohesion – asserted that what was key to neighbourly interactions was ‘social infrastructure’.
According to Ibson, social infrastructure has three components: physical community spaces (including shops and parks), active community groups, and the presence of local community services (such as peer support and advice alongside specialist help).
She spoke of the effects that an absence of these elements could have on a sense of a person’s connection to their local community.
Ibson said: “When British industry declined, it wasn’t just factories or pits or fisheries that closed down, it was other things that matter to local people – it was the pubs, it was clubs, it was community spaces that people loved.
“The loss of community spaces in the decline in community capacity has really led to people leading more atomised lives, and this is exacerbated further by the ongoing cost of living crisis.”
However, there does not appear to be a direct link between the availability of third spaces in London boroughs and the amount neighbours talk to each other on a wider scale.
Indeed, while Westminster is the local authority in which people are the least likely to speak to their neighbours regularly, it is also the local authority with the second highest proportion of people expressing contentment with the availability of green spaces, and the highest proportion of pubs.
Differences in the amount people in Outer London and Inner London speak to their neighbours may therefore be due to the influence of a number of other factors.
Home Ownership
One of these is the rate of home ownership.
Those in Outer London are significantly more likely to own their own homes, 2023 data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows, revealing an imperfect correlation between home ownership and the likelihood of socialising regularly with one’s neighbours.
Figures indicate that homeowners are more likely to reside in an area for a longer period of time than renters, which may encourage them to make more connections to those around them.
Homeownership is also inversely correlated with factors such as population density, rate of growth, and age, with Inner London boroughs tendentially having a lower average age and a higher population density.
While Richmond is not the borough with the highest levels of home ownership, it is within the top five of this category, according to the ONS data.
Furthermore, two of the three local authorities in which the fewest people regularly chat to their neighbours, and in which the fewest people own their own home, are the same: Westminster and Tower Hamlets.
Some groups have launched projects to try and create a stronger sense of community in these boroughs.
An example of this is Westminster Council’s ‘Community Champion’ programmes, which seeks to improve residents’ ‘health, wellbeing, and connection to their community’.
According to the council, the scheme has already led to an increased sense of belonging to the area among residents, as well as increased trust in local health and care services.
Westminster councillor, and Cabinet Member for Communities, Cara Sanquest said: “This investment means we can support more of the neighbourhoods that need it most, backing local people who know their communities best.”
Featured Image Credit: Richard Mcall via Pixabay
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