A best kept village is a village that has won one of the annual county competitions in the United Kingdom for its tidiness, appropriateness, and typicality. The competitions have been nationally organized by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) since the early 1970s.
Competing villages fall into one of four groups:[1][2][3]
A panel of anonymous judges, touring between May and June and conducting final judging in July and August, evaluates each village on the following criteria:[1][2][3]
The CPRE makes it clear that the competition is not about finding "the most beautiful village, nor the most ancient, nor the most picturesque, just the one that is best cared for"[4] and "its aim is to involve everyone in the village, encouraging them to take greater pride in their surroundings."[5] Villages are judged on how clean and well cared for they are, as well as their impact on the environment.[5]
Winners of group A (those which have already won in the previous five years) receive the Pertwee Bowl for Past Winners, while winners in the other groups receive a CPRE shield.[1][2][3] Group winners also receive a "Best Kept Village" road sign and certificates.
Noted benefits include decreased littering, greater community communication, communal pride in homes and public spaces, a more attractive and welcoming appearance, name recognition for the village, and increased tourism and income for local businesses.[2]
Criticisms of the competition include "townies" moving into villages and changing the local culture[6] and villagers who do not fit in with the ethos of a "best kept village" may be excluded.