Tonbridge - a nice place to raise a child?

[Alias78]

Hi, all. DH and I (along with 5mo DS1) are looking, like so many others, to leave overcrowded, overpriced London and move somewhere a bit more reasonably-priced and spacious. We don't have a great deal of money as we're just living on DH's wage for the time being. But we have a deposit saved and a budget that would stretch to £250k.

I know it's not a huge amount but all we really need is a modest 2-bed terraced house with a little bit of garden space. We'd like somewhere with decent schools and in a road that feels safe to walk down after dark. Oh and DH would like to commute to London (Waterloo preferably) in under an hour. I also have family in SE London so decent train links would suit me too.

The commute and budget really suggests Tonbridge, just South of the station or the Slade area. I've heard Tonbridge referred to as "chavvy" an awful lot but we're in SE London now where there is quite a lot of crime, gangs etc.

So with that in mind I'd like to hear feedback on Tonbridge. Is it nice for children? Is crime an issue in the areas I've mentioned? Are the council estate areas generally ok or are there any no-go areas?

[englishbreakfast]

Hi, I can't help but am bumping for you as we are in a similar situation. We are looking to move from SE London to Kent and are seriously considering Tonbridge as it seems to tick a lot of boxes. We'd also be looking for a 2 bed house on a £250k budget. Hopefully someone with local knowledge will respond.