One resident said the market town is a “nice place to raise a family”
Locals have praised a quiet market town which has “plenty to do for all ages”, with some describing it as the ‘best’ place to live in Cambridgeshire. While it shares its name with a popular Cornish town, there is also a St Ives in Cambridgeshire.
St Ives dates back to 500 AD and is now home to more than 17,000 people. It was once seen as a significant trading hub, being so close to the River Great Ouse.
As part of our Exploring Cambridgeshire series, we spoke to locals about what they think of St Ives. Eileen Newton said she “loves” living in St Ives, calling it the “best place ever to live”.
She added: “There is plenty going on for all ages. The transport is great, such as the busway which is really good. The GP services are also amazing – I have no complaints. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
Amelia Phillips, who has lived in St Ives since 2021, said it is a “nice place to raise a family”. She added: “It just has a really lovely community feel to it. I have lots of friends here.
“It’s got lots of nature nearby like the river. All the restaurants and cafes in town are really nice. We love going to the River Terrace for brunch.”
Amelia also praised the town’s history and transport. She said: “The Norris Museum is great. We go to Cambridge on the guided busway which is really helpful.”
St Ives market, which runs every Monday and Friday, is also popular with locals. Market trader Sara Jarlett, who has run a pick and mix stall for four years, said the “people are the best”.
She added: “You get a lot of regular customers a lot of the time. You get people who haven’t seen these sweets for years and they will start coming regularly. The people are all very friendly. We tend to get a lot of the older generation come here as they like to reminisce.”
St Ives is also known for its beauty, with its iconic bridge and riverside walks. A long-term resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said St Ives is “one of the most gorgeous places in Cambridgeshire”.
She added: “It has history everywhere like the museum, and it has beauty spots like the river. We have a thriving market that runs several days a week. I have no complaints about it.”
Several of the people we spoke to praised the town for what it offers to people from childhood to old age, including Jackie Smith. She said: “It’s lovely. It caters for all ages. The market is nice, and so is the museum and shops.
“It’s a very safe town, full of polite people. The restaurants and cafes are very good. The staff are very nice and they all offer a lot of fresh food.”
Derek Green also agreed that St Ives is “full of polite people”. He added: “You could easily walk down the street and someone will say hello to you. It’s always been like that and I think it will always be like that.”
Another resident, who wished to not be named, said he had “nothing bad to say about” St Ives. He said: “We have some lovely buildings and history right in front of us. There is a lot to do for all ages. If you are older we have stuff to do, but if you are a family with young children, there is stuff for them to do as well.”


