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?

Hastings and the like are 90% shit holes/ 10% arty types. The schools are the worst in the country and they have a huge issue with drug addiction.

Honestly, if you love London stay in it. A big house isn’t exciting if you've no life outside it. There’s not really anywhere else like it as it’s one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. I love it and could never leave!

I don't find that at all.

@MinnieCauldwell it's a very pertinent point though you made - one persons edgy is another's 'bit of a dump' - years ago I would have said I liked a bit of an 'edge' and I realise what I really meant was 'a bit of life' cafes/coffee bars/ mini festivals ( food/film/comedy) /farmers markets and a biggish mix of people age wise and nice 'poncey' shops mixed in with practical stuff like Superdrug, M&S, Boots - I'm not keen on places where it's impossible to find any practical stuff but can get 73 types of candles etc. What I don't actually need if I'm honest as I've got older though is 'an edge' - and let's face it most bigger towns and small and large city's have areas that are a bit sketchy/edgy -

Perhaps our expectations differ.

I swear Bristol is just London on a miniature scale.. literally all you've described as the positives exists there. You can't have seen much as the areas are all so mixed and diverse just like London.

Maybe. But all the bars and restaurants are open, there's the Oktoberfest and Christmas markets at the Harbour Arm and some of that's open year round anyway. There's the living Advent calendar which is good and the beaches are just as nice to walk along as they are in the summer. Cafes along the beachfront are mostly open year round too. Apart from a few of the food places in the Harbour it's the same in winter as in summer really.

Plenty of hate for Hastings on here! I've lived in St Leonards for about 15 years and we really love the area. St leonards has changed alot in the last 3 years and lots of people have moved here from London. The area has an arty vibe has 2 independent cinemas and lots of local music and there seems to be some type of festival most weekends. You can walk from the town into the country park and onto the cliffs which is lovely. Yes it's got grotty areas but London has plenty of those too. It's a place you seem to either love or hate.

I can assure you that Bristol is definitely not London on a miniature scale.

Haven't rtft so probably suggested already, but Cambridge? Or a bit smaller - Harpenden, Amersham or Letchworth Garden City.

Have to disagree about Newbury. It's a small market town. There are coffee shops, it's true, but in terms of vibe, vitality, attitude etc. etc. it doesn't compare to London. However, you can get there easily on the train.

I second Oxford and Bristol.

@Mymblesdaughter I think Hastings works better than other places being mentioned and I know lots of these areas-. Yes it has some grim bits and issues, but so does Bristol as an example ( we lived there) and on a much bigger scale -

I know it well as it happens. I do find it very dull I’m afraid.

Sounds perfect. Or what about Cambridge, loads of independent restaurants, arty if you can cope with copious amounts of students from both university of and ARU

ispecialiseinthis · Yesterday 12:18
I stayed in Bristol for a fortnight and thought it was a bit of a dump except for a small high street area, found St Albans to be exceptionally dull.
However, I accept it may be because I do love London from the villagey areas, Royal Parks, urbanised areas - the rough and the smooth - the communities (African, subcontinent, Far East etc and the wealth of food), the hustle and bustle, no-one seems to care what you look like, what you wear, very happy not speaking to anyone on the train or at the bus stop and, speaking of which, transport is great and relatively cheap.
Friends do seem to enjoy living in Bristol and St. Albans, so I accept that I am biased.
.......
That is what I like about London, even on the outskirts where I am there is a certain vibe.

Brighton

St. Leonard's/Hastings

I find posts like this so galling and elitist. They project a 'romanticed' version of a Hugh Grant London Rom Com. It's total BS, Landon town is mostly a s*ithole and to sneer at vibrant cities like Birmingham is a bit rich. Plz stay in London, that soulless, vacuous and empty void that can only be enjoyed by the rich. Anyone earning less than £100k might as well live in a shed. If you want Landon, stay there.

Bristol. We went for a weekend and loved it

Bristol! We went for a weekend and loved it

Definitely Bristol

Reading and surrounding areas (wokingham, newbury) theres some gems and a lot with good links into london (reading station to paddington direct is less than 30minutes and they go nearly every 15 minutes) and reading itself has good busses and smaller train stations dotted about that go direct to London. Reading is also last stop on the Elizabeth line so towns on that line can also be a shout. Reading has a fairly decent arts and music scene with still a few independent venues running but nothing like Londons obviously, but even going into london for like a gig or day out getting back to reading from paddington the last train is at like 1-2am and is easy.

I think you are taking it too personally.
Some people on this thread hate London and are glad to see the back of it whereas others love it, me included. OP asked for a place similar to London, hence why people are comparing other cities and towns to it and obviously even within that there is bound to be a difference in opinion.
I find Birmingham to be entirely soulless and was complete dead by early evening.
Some of the places suggested are also very expensive.

Lewes

Brighton
Oxford

They seemed to be complaining about Laindon. It is a bit of a shit hole, and it certainly makes Birmingham look vibrant