Richmond upon Thames has been named the happiest place to live in Great Britain in Rightmove’s 2026 Happy at Home Index. Here at Vive Fitness Richmond, we’d nominate a small pleasure that’s hard to capture in a survey. You come out of a workout on Bridge Street, catch sight of the Thames and decide you’ve got time to take the long way home.
If the news has you thinking about what makes your week happier, start with something you’d look forward to doing again. That might be a lunchtime workout that finally gets you away from your desk, your first go on a Pilates reformer, or an appointment where someone else takes care of the stretching. Here’s how to make a little more of living in Richmond.
Why did Richmond upon Thames top the happiness survey?
More than 24,000 residents across 221 locations took part in Rightmove’s annual survey. Richmond reclaimed the top spot after winning in 2023 and coming second in 2025. Two findings in particular will ring true for anyone who knows the borough. Richmond came first both for access to nature and green spaces and for the pride residents take in their area. Read the BBC story or explore Rightmove’s survey findings.
Ask a neighbour what they love about Richmond and there’s a good chance you’ll get directions. There’s the stretch of towpath they take when they want a quiet half-hour, the spot on Richmond Hill where they stop for the view, or their favourite way into Richmond Park. You can live here for years and still have someone show you a turn you’ve walked past a hundred times.
Joining a local fitness studio can give you another place you’re glad to have on your doorstep. Somewhere you can turn up on a wet Tuesday, pick up where you left off with a trainer and give one part of the day entirely to yourself.
Make room in your lunch break for EMS personal training
If exercise keeps slipping to the bottom of the list, think about the time you can realistically protect. Perhaps an hour is hard to find, but you could close the laptop at lunchtime on a Wednesday and walk over to Bridge Street.
At Vive Fitness Richmond, the EMS personal training workout lasts 20 minutes. You wear a suit that delivers electrical impulses to your muscles while your personal trainer guides you through the movements and adjusts the intensity. Allow extra time to get changed and, on your first visit, to talk about what you’d like to work on. Discover EMS personal training at Vive Fitness.
One of the pleasures of a booked session is that somebody else has thought about what you’ll do when you get there. You can spend your lunch break moving, then decide whether the best route back to work involves a coffee by the river.
Try Reformer Pilates for the pleasure of learning something new
Sometimes what makes exercise enjoyable is the moment something clicks. On a Pilates reformer, that might be the first time you bring the carriage back slowly and quietly, with exactly the control you were aiming for.
At our Richmond studio, Reformer Pilates gives you a chance to work on strength, balance and control with an instructor. The carriage moves against spring resistance, so even a small movement gives you something to concentrate on. If you’re new to Pilates, getting comfortable with the equipment is a perfectly good goal for your first visit.
It’s a lovely choice if you enjoy learning a skill and noticing the details. And if your idea of a good Saturday already involves meeting someone in Richmond, arranging a Pilates session beforehand gives you something fresh to talk about over breakfast.
Leave a little space for recovery, too
Perhaps your week already includes a run in Richmond Park, a cycle over from Twickenham or long shifts on your feet. The appointment you’d most look forward to might be a quieter one.
Our Richmond studio offers one-to-one assisted stretching and sports massage. Choose assisted stretching if you’d like a trainer to guide your movements and work with you on flexibility. If you’d prefer a hands-on session focused on an area that feels tight, tell the team what you have in mind when you enquire about sports massage.
Join Vive Fitness Richmond by the riverside
You’ll find us at 1 Bridge Street, Richmond, TW9 1TQ, close to Richmond Bridge and around eight minutes’ walk from Richmond station. If you’re coming from the Twickenham side of the river, the bridge brings you almost to our door.
Pick a day you’d like to make a little more enjoyable. Book the session that appeals to you, leave ten minutes afterwards for the river and see how the combination feels. If you’d like a hand choosing your first session or want to ask about joining, we’d love to hear from you. Explore Vive Fitness Richmond and book your first visit.
