is there a town equivalent to Cilfton Village in Bristol but without the rest of Bristol attached?!

[pinkredandpurple]

I love Clifton village: lots of green spaces around, a view over the river, warm atmosphere, period architecture, lots of delis, cafes and small shops. BUT the connection to main Bristol station not great, having to take connecting train or PITA buses, so travelling to London or anywhere is a bother and adds a lot to the trip what with connections etc.
I wish there was a similar place, well ok, minus the views maybe, without the rough part of Bristol attached and much more compact with easy access to a rail station, or with a quick bus to a station with many connections.
It has to be ideally SW or SE and not too far from London (i.e. not as far as the coastal towns). But if it's somewhere towards Derbyshire it's still doable. I don't like Norfolk, sorry, too flat a landscape.
Property prices not too crazy, sort of like Bristol prices would be ok.That is, you can get a good large 2/3 bed flat (or house!) for under 300K. But if lower, than even better!
It doesn't have to have lots of theatres/shops /chains/big megastores on the doorstep. But must have a good few cafes, I've been a Londoner so far!
I would like a simpler, more compact life, but not ready for rural/village, I don't like driving and not having people around.
Is this a silly utopia?
Any ideas, please?

[bigTillyMint]

Am interested in this! Clifton village is one of the very few places I would consider moving to (from London!) when we retire.

[Rubirosa]

So you're after a small, posh town with no poor people, train station within walking distance, beautiful but inexpensive?

[Llareggub]

I'd suggest Leamington Spa. Dead easy to get to London/Brum and lots of lovely shops. Very close to the Cotswolds, Stratford etc and a few parks within walking distance of the town centre. Lots of lovely houses - think setting of Upstairs Downstairs, for example.

And being slap bang in the middle of the country, pretty damn easy to get anywhere really.

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

I was in Clifton at the weekend and thought it was absolutely lovely. I had only been to Bristol city centre before with its brutalist architecture. It would be hard to recreate Clifton without it being attached to a large city, because the city and trade was where the money came from.

What about somewhere like Harrogate?

[pinkredandpurple]

why without poor people? some small town have poor people living in small cottages but I don't like big estates. By rough I don't mean people so much, I mean dirty streets and thundering traffic, fast food rundown places.

[WilfSell]

Yeah. It's called Bath.

[pinkredandpurple]

Knowsabitabouted, well it may be near a larger (dull) town/city where the businesses/offices are, say like Reading or Swindon, but not right on its doorstep! I don't know SE that well, apart from Western Kent, and i donh't know Sussex?

[Rubirosa]

I'm suprised you find it hard to get from Clifton to Temple Meads - isn't it one bus journey (15-20 mins?) or a few stops on the train?

[pinkredandpurple]

WilfSelf - I knew someone may mention Bath - it's not small though, it can feel smal iykwim if you are nearer the station but then it's very very expensive. Unless somewhere like Keynsham, which I don't know?

[pinkredandpurple]

Llareggub - interesting, thank you, which county is it in? and how long to London? what are the property prices?

[pinkredandpurple]

Knowsabout, I do like Harrogate but it's just too farf and it's colder there in winters! There aer very few direct trains to london, and the connection to York by old rickety trains is a pain tbh. I did look there as lovely properties for lower prices. It's probably too small in terms of places to eat, and can be a bit pretentious whereas Clifton is not really, well you do get snobbish element but it's not bad.

[pinkredandpurple]

Rubirosa, in theory easy but morning or om rushhour buses are PITA, been late for a train once as it took 50min from where i stayed (clifton down station), plus yes the little train is fine (though it does get delayed at times) but it's the connections after that (gaps, hanging around at Temple meads) that really add to journeys.

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

Did you notice that the suggestions were all spa towns. Are there any others?

[pinkredandpurple]

haha, yes. Tunbridge Wells will prob come up. I've been to all but not to Leamington Spa - intrigued.
What about West Sussex or Wilts/Glos, anything there? it's nice to be not too far from the South coast.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Cheltenham (Spa)?

[LittleMilla]

I live in Bristol and so I will issue my first about OP's disparaging comments.

[Ormiriathomimus]

Bath? But I think there are still other people. Sorry.

[MrsTrellisOfSouthWales]

Letchworth Garden City is a nicer garden city (than Welwyn or what's left of Hatfield GC) and has that planned, open spaced, segregated people/business thing.

[gatheringlilac]

I googled "gorgeous posh little British towns" and found these, OP:

a list

another list

Sadly, I've never been to Clifton, so have no idea what the benchmark is.

I have been to Bath, though. Bath is nice. It's not that large for a town, is it? Are you looking for a mini, mini town? That's going to be a bit tricky ...

[pinkredandpurple]

Ormiria I don't know why are you being sarcastic! did i say I didn't want any people - you've misread, I said i didn't want to go rural as I wouldn't like NOT having people around!
Bath has been suggested and I would live there but it's VERY expensive unless you are miles away from station.
gatheringlilac (sweet name!) Bath is not large if you are in the centre but being on outskirts you need to drive to station and shops, and I don't like driving. Buses are not frequent in the eves. Even further out in Bath property prices crazy. will look at your links.
MrsTrellis, where is that town, please mention the county.
Cheltenham imo is very dull sorry, even though it has beautiful architecture, no independent shops/cafes apart from maybe two and all chains. Practical yes, but for me lacks character (and still a hike to the station).

[Mum72]

Salisbury??

[marriedinwhite]

Salisbury
It may not be big enough but one of the prettiest places I have passed through in that neck of the woods is Bradford-upon-Avon
Wells

[Mum72]

Marlborough?

[herhonesty]

Winchester?

[Runoutofideas]

I was thinking about somewhere I'd been recently that reminded me of Clifton....hmmm....where was it....ah Chiswick! Not what you are looking for I don't think!

Have a look at Oundle (Northants) - although commute probably tricky.