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Original poster

To consider moving to Epsom: how is it like?

83 replies

IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 15:19

Posting here too for traffic:
DH and I are considering relocating to Epsom in order to be able to buy our first property. We currently live in London and have 1 DD who is 3yo. We don’t have a massive budget but should be enough to get us either a small house or a nice maisonette there.
I have done a bit of research but keen to hear from those who know the area well. How is it living there? Main things for us are:

commute (for school pick ups etc): I saw there are 2 trains from Wloo after 4pm that would take me there on time to collect DD from nursery/school clubs before 6pm closing time. Are these reliable?
safety: I was reading that it is one of the most “dangerous” towns in Surrey but it doesn’t seem that way based on people comments. Is it just because of size? I know Guildford is one of the most “dangerous” towns too but I’d happily live there for example
schools: good primaries and secondaries and a wide array of childcare arrangements as we work ft
community/diversity: we are european and currently live in London, would love to be in a place with a variety of nationalities and backgrounds; is it one of those 90% white middle class British?

Any other info on best areas etc is well accepted; will need to be walkable distance from station. Budget is around half a million max.

OP posts:
Rockbird · 19/03/2023 15:25

It's definitely not a dangerous town. Sure there is the odd fight outside the tiny nightclub and it has its less desirable areas like all towns but we're really happy here. There is a large choice of really good schools, a decent town centre, lots of restaurants, theatre, cinema etc. Good links into London as you know and easy to get to the coast etc.

Housing can be very expensive though.

OneTC · 19/03/2023 15:29

It's not dangerous it's just a bit parochial and shit.

Move to Wallington, carshalton or a nicer bit of Sutton

Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 15:29

@Rockbird thank you! We are in London now so can’t afford to buy here. I can see some 2 bed properties in Epsom for £450K-£500K which would be our budget, at least based on rightmove. Is it not realistic? We are ftb

OP posts:
Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 15:30

@OneTC what do you mean? I have hear that Sutton is quite rough.
We need somewhere with a good commute

OP posts:
OneTC · 19/03/2023 15:33

There's nice places to live in Sutton but the town isn't great. But nor is Epsom. Equal chance of getting your head kicked in on a Saturday (very low) in either

Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 15:35

@OneTC ok thanks, I’ll check. Based on what I have read and heard, Epsom has a nicer feel to Sutton which is more “rough” but will have a look.

OP posts:
Greenshake · 19/03/2023 15:35

“Dangerous” according to who? Redhill is far worse than both, and Epsom is worse that Guildford.

Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 15:37

@Greenshake according to Surrey crime reports

OP posts:
Beebopawhop · 19/03/2023 15:41

Grown up in the area, I'd move to Worcester park but there are some lovely parts of Sutton /Cheam. Never thought anything was dangerous.

Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 15:46

@Beebopawhop are you talking about Sutton?

I am interested in Epsom.

OP posts:
changerlot · 19/03/2023 15:50

Epsom is not scary or dangerous.
It has some nice schools and has a lovely park near the town centre and an excellent leisure centre with an amazing soft play.
I live in a nearby town and would happily live in Epsom.

changerlot · 19/03/2023 15:51

Oh and trains are good from Epsom - as reliable as anywhere else and has trains to both Waterloo and Victoria.

bunnykins123 · 19/03/2023 15:53

@IncyWincySpy Epsom is a nice place to live, good commuter links (when the trains are operating and not striking!) which gives your 3 different lines into central London (Waterloo, Victoria and London Bridge). Primary schools are known for being good - most are outstanding / good dependant on the area you live. Don't know much about secondary schools. The high street has taken a bit of a hit over the years which I guess has happened nationally but lots of shops have shut recently. Primark have announced they are coming in 2024 so I suspect that will attract more businesses to come back to the area as the footfall will increase. It's completely safe, would say much safer than other areas locally. I would say housing is on the up and becoming a lot more expensive in recent months / years.

Playdoughcaterpillar · 19/03/2023 15:54

Epsom is nicer than Sutton, which is rough. I'd happily live in Epsom. Nice high street and restaurants

Toomanyanimalz · 19/03/2023 15:54

It is not dangerous or scary at all! It’s a lovely area, good transport links and great schools. Shopping centre is okay, lots of places to eat and drink

Movinghouseatlast · 19/03/2023 15:59

I lived in Epsom for 22 years and loved it. It is the best of both worlds because you have countryside on your doorstep but you can be in London in 40 minutes.

There are two distinct 'sides' to Epsom. The College Area is lovely and feels quite villagey in parts, but housing is more expensive. You can still get a 2 bed house for £475k though. It is in the catchment for 2 lovely primary schools.

My friends children all went to Glyn or Roseberry for secondary and all have been very happy.

The town centre has never been the best, mainly due to poor planning decisions I think. The one way system really buggered it up and it never really recovered. It has changed a lot in recent years- it used to feel like a sleepy market town it now feels a bit more urban.

I absolutely never regretted moving to Epsom- I loved the green spaces, the Victorian housing and the pubs on the outskirts, eg Grumpy Mole, Rising Sun that feel.like proper country pubs. Loved Headley Heath which is just a 5 minute drive and The Downs which is an easy walk. Everything is easy to get to- Gatwick is only a 30 minute drive, M25 is about 10 minutes away.

EffortlessDesmond · 19/03/2023 16:01

Friends have lived there for years and found it a convenient place to live. When we've visited, I've never found it frightening to walk around late at night. Their DC, now adult, have been through the secondary schools and turned into lovely young people. While the town isn't thrilling, it's easy to go into London for the theatre or a museum, and there's decent walking. It's a bit... suburban, but it seems to work for a lot of people judging from the property prices.

SundayChilling · 19/03/2023 16:02

I grew up in Epsom and my parents still live there so I go back regularly. It's a nice place, not the most exciting but I've never felt unsafe there. Good choice of secondary schools - I went to a decent grammar school near Sutton and I remember having lots of good options to choose from for schools. Epsom as a whole is nicer than Sutton.

Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 16:02

@Movinghouseatlast thank you, very useful post. What is it like in terms of diversity? Are there many families/people from outside the UK? As an expat, it is important for me as I am currently in London and never feel like a foreigner

OP posts:
Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 16:05

@EffortlessDesmond thank you! Thinking of DD teenage years I definitely want to be somewhere safe for her to go out with her friends

OP posts:
EffortlessDesmond · 19/03/2023 16:07

@IncyWincySpy taking a slightly different approach to your question, our friends in Epsom were expatriate workers and so are most of their friends. They are white, but used to diverse settings: they spent over 20 years in the ME and India, without becoming the Raj.

OneTC · 19/03/2023 16:08

IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 16:02

@Movinghouseatlast thank you, very useful post. What is it like in terms of diversity? Are there many families/people from outside the UK? As an expat, it is important for me as I am currently in London and never feel like a foreigner

It's not really diverse at all.

Panicmode1 · 19/03/2023 16:17

Just to add a different view, we moved from London to Epsom/Ewell Borders and hated it so moved on within 2 years to Tunbridge Wells. Which isn't perfect, and I'm sure I will get slated for this, but we just found more 'kindred spirits', more green space, better schools, more culture and less of the "Surrey superficiality" that used to bore me witless.

Original poster
IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 16:21

@Panicmode1 interesting; what is it exactly you hated so much? What do you mean with Surrey superficiality?
TW is too far away for us and commute would be way too expensive. I also read it is a very conservative and non diverse town. Might be the same in Epsom I guess?
I don’t want to be somewhere that feels too rural tbh, I would happily live in a flat in the outskirts of London if I could (grew up in a big city in Europe, rural living not for me)

OP posts:
Panicmode1 · 19/03/2023 16:35

IncyWincySpy · 19/03/2023 16:21

@Panicmode1 interesting; what is it exactly you hated so much? What do you mean with Surrey superficiality?
TW is too far away for us and commute would be way too expensive. I also read it is a very conservative and non diverse town. Might be the same in Epsom I guess?
I don’t want to be somewhere that feels too rural tbh, I would happily live in a flat in the outskirts of London if I could (grew up in a big city in Europe, rural living not for me)

All anyone talked about was money, new stuff, things they were buying etc. I found the relentless urban sprawl (unless you live up on the Downs) to be utterly depressing. There was often drug paraphenalia/broken glass in the children's play park after the weekends, and despite trying to join groups and going to baby/toddler groups etc, we never found our 'tribe'. We were always going back into London for museums/concerts/theatre etc.

To be fair, this was over 10 yrs ago..perhaps it is different now.