To think I can find somewhere like London outside London?

[Cheezywotsitforbrekkie]

We are considering a move outside London for the bigger house. Would have to be commutable, and not TOO far. As a result, a city like Birmingham is out of the question.

But I love London. I know I won’t get the big city feel if we aren’t in a city, but I’d at least like to feel like I’m living in a vibrant suburb that’s just a bit further from London.

currently thinking somewhere with a Brixton/ Herne Hill vibe.

its also the people, so want to move somewhere that attracts a fair number of quite arty types. ( we also aren’t loaded so don’t think we’d be able to go anywhere that attracts the banker crowd)

we aren’t particularly edgy ourselves ( like to think we are 😁) but friends who moved to Tonbridge wells came back with their tail between their legs…it was too dull for them and they aren’t wild!

so looking for places that are cheaper than London, a bit arty, community feel and with the obligatory nice coffee shop. Any ideas?

People who live in the shopping centre honestly have no idea what a shithole Derby is.

Oh yeah you are right there. We go to Brixton Rec for swimming lessons every week and pass through there a fair bit with the kids and they have seen some shit...

For some of us London is home and we're allowed to love it.

My cousin lives in Runcorn. Beautiful Cheshire.

Walthamstow is London and also shockingly expensive these days (like anywhere in London tbh)

My final straw was seeing a poorly decorated shoebox studio flat there for £1200 a month exc bills where half the bathroom ceiling had caved in and the pieces were literally in the bath.

Cambridge? St Albans? Hitchin?

You won't get a family home for £500,000 in the London-type areas of Bristol. You're talking around twice that.

Thing is, outer London boroughs can be more affordable than Brighton, hove, Bristol, St Albans etc

if you want to save money just move further out to a higher zone

Folkestone is better value but certainly not cheap in the nicest roads.

Another vote for Oxford

I think it was a joke…

It could take longer to get to Hastings from London than Birmingham

Hitchin, Hertfordshire 😊

Chesham
Amersham
Hitchin
Wendover
Berkhamstead
Leigh On Sea
Oxford
Faringdon

Or just have a look through this list:

https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/

Yes, this! We love living in London, our kids were born here and are proud Londoners. Seems socially acceptable to just go around calling it shit and we're not allowed to respond. I would never be rude about someone's town or city that they live in and presumably like. Making sweeping statements about any big city is ridiculous anyway as each area is so different.

Yes because many parts of London, the London that most people live in are drug free. This thread is hilarious, I'm a born and bred West Londoner and DH and I have family that we visit regularly in North and West still, these are way more expensive areas than Brixton but they still aren't any great shakes and still possess all the underwhelming high street regulars like chicken shops, Costa and Superdrug! If you live in central London you may have a point but in all honesty the only advantage is the travel to central London life as far as I can see.

I would look at Royston, which doesn’t tick any of the boxes, but you can take the train up to Cambridge in no time and good London connections. Some beautiful Victorian houses and easy access to the heath outside.

If you didnt have to commute I'd suggest Southsea - Brighton but much nicer

If Brighton is too expensive consider Worthing, Lewes, Hassocks, St Leonards..,

It isn't Brighton though is it, Brighton has never really been 'nice', that's not why people like it. It has always had that dark side and that relationship with London, read Graham Greene's Brighton Rock as it is still relevant to today's Brighton vibe. At the end of the day if you want nice you wouldn't move to Brighton.

Sorry not out there. London is London and there is no place like it.
A bigger house for what? And Why?

That's in response to butterfly0404 post

Move to the suburbs: Surbiton, Kingston, Boreham Wood, Elstree, Watford…

Cheltenham?

You say you're not arty but you like hanging about with arty types.

What's your job, OP? Do you have to earn your living in London or can you earn a decent living elsewhere? If the latter, then lots of exciting cities open up to you, where you could get the bigger house without the commute (which will wear thin, very quickly).

But, having lived in (south) London now for over thirty years, my tastes evolving from clubbing for days to dog-walking and language classes, I can confirm that it's very hard to leave. DH's career keeps growing, DCs would hate us if we moved the family house to Lewes/Shrewsbury/wherever, DPs have upped sticks and moved to be near us for support in their last years.

If you really want to buy more space, I'd try and get out and put down roots earlier rather than later - it won't get easier! Then you can hire an Air B&B/hotel room in whatever district of London you fancy exploring on the odd weekends!

Wankerish pretension I think 😂 most of the arty types will be ex public school trustafarians…..