KENT versus london

[justforthisonce]

We are contemplating the big move from London to rural Kent Ashford area .

I am country born but London bred for the last 12 years .

A terrifying concept ,but a welcome change .

I have been advised by people rural villages would be too much of a change .

My dp is a women and we are concerned that rural villages might not accept our unconventional family and have been advised we should stay in London.

Aibu to think we should not be afraid of this predudice? Does anyone have personal experience of this move / area/?

We are quite homely people but very involved in our local community in London ,

Thank you in advance for any opinions

[TitaniasCloset]

I live in London but would love to move to that part of Kent. I think you will be fine, I can't imagine any more prejudice than you night get from some people in London anyway. Good luck to you and I hope it goes well.

[ferretygubbins]

I was brought up in one of the villages around Ashford and it wasn't that rural (that being said my family on both sides had links to the village going back several generations - names on war memorials etc) Except for me my family all still live around there - I don't know how unconventional you are but you'll fit in OK probably and you're only 40 minutes from central London with HS1. If you say which villages I may be able to be a bit more precise...

[Lazyafternoon]

I was also brought up in a village, outside a small town, outside Ashford, Kent. But I moved away to London Suburbs. My little home town where I went to school and little village where we lived is lovely, really it's is. Very pretty. Very quaint. Great for a weekend. But no way would I move back there. It's not particularly rural as such as its only 20 mins drive to international station to France /London, but whenever I go to visit I get bored! I'm so used to having a choice of stuff to do, places to go. Also once out of Ashford town public transport is terrible. Have to drive everywhere, even to get a pint of milk. There isn't even anywhere that can deliver a takeaway to my mums, and shes in a village not middle of nowhere.
There are plenty of unconventional families in the country too, so that's not really an issue. I guess slightly more likely it'll be the first time your new neighbours will have met anyone in a same sex relationship. There are a lot of close minded people in the country, but then there are in cities. Just the usual thing of the country that as there aren't as many people, if you don't get on with a couple of people that's half the village and a bit more tricky to avoid and just find new friends. Some of my school friends are still there and they love it, but thinking about it they tend to stick together and known each other for twenty odd years (or more) - not sure if they have accepted any 'newbies' to the gang!

[badhotfanny]

Don't think your family set up would be a problem. But Ashford is a shit hole (grew up there). Choose your village move wisely!

[Kas17]

Hi there. We considering big move and relocate to Ashford. Can somebody tell me please why there is so many bad opinion about Ashford. Is the area really so bad? . We having 2 boys 7 & 3 years old. Is there no decent schools at all? Thank you for your views .

[Unhomme]

I live rural Ashford (to the south east of the town) and commute to London. Moved from London ten years ago.

Schools are a mix as per everywhere. Some excellent primaries (rural seem better than the town ones) and the secondaries are very good (grammar) and reasonable for academies.

Town itself is going through huge change and growth with lots more housing being built. Infrastructure currently struggling to cope but also being improved/increased.

Town centre is a bit grim but has most things you'd want and is building some new leisure and shopping (including expanding the outlet).

You'll notice it's quieter, less traffic and you will need to travel to do things but on the plus side the air is cleaner, the beach is close by and you can always high speed back to London if you want to!

And we have lots of 'unconventional' families so don't worry about that!

[AdamNichol]

I used to live in Chartham on the outskirts of Canterbury towards Ashford. Didn't visit Ashford much as Canterbury closer (despite the parking fees!!!!), but on the occasion I was there it seemed to me a typical down-on-its-luck town. Nothing horrific, just concrete, uninspiring, and with a dying high street. Very similar to Middlesbrough (near my parents) Basildon (where I used to work) or Stoke on Trent (near my Uni).

I recently moved to a village (Surrey). Nobody I've met would bat an eyelid at same sex relationships, etc [they have TV down there and everything these days] - but the local Facebook is crammed with whinging by the 'natives' over the loss of community fostered by the 'newcomers'. Meh.

[DappledThings]

Moved from SE London to a village between Ashford and Folkestone last year. It's been great for us.

I haven't been in the village long enough to say for certain but I don't think you being in a same sex relationship would make anyone bat an eyelid really.

Going to start commuting back to central London 3 days a week when mat leave ends in a few weeks which might be a killer.

Ashford itself is pretty grim.

[wink1970]

Kent-based MN-etter here, I echo the 'anywhere but Ashford' sentiment. There are many more nicer places; Canterbury, Rochester, T.Wells, Maidstone (though there are some parts there to avoid), Whitstable, Faversham... I could go on. Lots of lovely smaller villages too such as Lenham, Meopham, Tankerton, Tenterden etc.

Many people commute from Kent and it's quite a cosmopolitan county so 'alternative lifestyles' are common and nobody will bat an eyelid at same sex partnerships.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

[Kas17]

Thank you guys. I was just reading stuff about Ashford & started to feel a bit worry. So many bad opinion about place, schools etc. We are typical family but we would like get our own place. We renting at the moment in surrey area . Very happy with kids school but we won't be able to afford get place in here. Prices are so high in here. Considering options really.
Would you say that Ashford is realetivly safe area to live? Thank you

[Satsumaeater]

I lived in Ashford for a bit, it wasn't that bad then but I guess the high street has suffered but it has everywhere. When I was there it didn't have a cinema, there's a lot more there now. It was always being talked up because of the Eurostar but somehow it never happened. I went briefly last year but didn't see that much of it, only enough to see there were even more houses but again that's everywhere these days.

Can you afford Canterbury? It's a lovely city and lots of students so I would have thought that people there would have a tolerant outlook. Lots of tourists though.

[Satsumaeater]

And yes Ashford is safe to live.

[wink1970]

@Kas17 Ashford isn't awful it's just not great (iyswim). It's a rundown town centre with a large outlet centre as it's sole plus point, and is surrounded by acres of new-builds and roads, not much else.

Some people say Ashford is 'on the up' but they have been saying that since it was built! I haven't seen any improvements in the 20 years I have lived in Kent; if anything it seems to have gone downhill. People will always live there though, as it's an easy commute & lots of new build (therefore cheap) housing.

[CripsSandwiches]

I think the villages around Ashford are lovely. Ashford is fine for a shopping trip but not some where lovely to live. My cousin lives in wye and commutes to London. It's a beautiful part of the world. His kids are primary age and the schools are great (his village has a decent non selective secondary but it's asinlt grammar area). I get the impression that the demographic is shifting due to do many commuters but is still less varied than London. Canterbury is also on your doorstep which is lovely.

[Unhomme]

wink1970

I don't see very much 'anywhere but Ashford' in this thread, just an honest appraisal of the town. It's fine especially as OP is interested in the rural area around it.

[wink1970]

Hi Unhomme

I wasn't clear enough probably. What I meant was there are many nicer towns in Kent than Ashford. I too have given an 'honest appraisal of the town' in a later post: I think the villages round it are lovely but the town is poor and down at heel, so not one I would recommend over Canterbury or Faversham, for example, the latter also being a shorter commute to London if that's relevant.