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?

Winchester and Marlborough are both full of rich old people and hardly 'vibrant'.

Another vote for Bristol; there are some really buzzy areas near the centre and Temple Meads to Paddington is about 1.5 hrs.

Ealing? Charlton, in fact quite a bit of South London is cheaper than the parts of Brighton that are trendy.

Brighton is cheaper if you look a bit out of centre, Preston Park station or consider Portslade and has the vibe you’re looking for, it also arguably has better quality of life, better air, more green spaces more community, better schools, less crime etc
i don’t think there is anywhere else that will tick as many boxes for you. I’m not familiar with Hastings but the commute is very long

Which part of London do you currently live in? Maybe it's a question of moving further out but staying within the M25.

Bristol or brighton have the culture and good places to go out but I live in brighton and its actually not like london at all really.

Sorry, OP, I did realise after that it wasn't clear what I was laughing at! I was laughing at the first suggestions being Dublin, etc! I've not read all of the suggestions, but I do hope this thread gives you some good ideas of where you could move to.

Caversham was my first thought when I read your OP, because I remembered it featuring on Location, and, as I remember, those people were looking for an interesting high street with some kind of cafe culture vibe.

Editing to add that it's not like London, though. I've been to Caversham, and I'd be really disappointed if I moved there from London, especially if I were expecting any similarities.

Maidenhead? Windsor?

I assume that was sarcasm?

No. Because anywhere close to London will not be like London because it’s close to London.

Also places slightly different to London but close to London will still be expensive.

Places like Newbury, for example have their own little vibe but are essentially market towns in the countryside. It’s not like London.

Brighton and Hove is expensive. You may not get the space you want, unless you move out a bit then you’ll not get the stuff on your doorstep you want.

So, you either have to accept compromise for space or accept London equals lack of space.

Preston park is a very expensive corner of brighton! Not a cheap one. Some of the brighton suburbs are very pricy.

Someone needs to elaborate on this amazing place called London that some people are talking of! I used to work there. Honestly thought it was a total dump and couldn't for the life of me work out why anyone rave about it. Hated virtually every minute. Cold, dirty, lots of rubbish, rude people (not a smile or nod in sight) and overpriced everything. But then I live in beautiful Cheshire.

I suggest you move just to open your eyes to how 'not great' London actually is!

Brighton also really isn’t like London. I can accept that the only time I’ve ever been it was February, it was over 15 years ago and it was pissing it down but it truly was one of the most underwhelming places I’ve ever been.

It’s a seaside town, it may be a fashionable seaside town with a great vibe that lots of Londoners have moved to. But it isn’t like London.

Brighton obviously.

@Ghosttofu99, I like it.

You're describing the mighty Bristol. I'm a Londoner and my husband is Bristolian, I'd love to move there but my teenager is not keen as they are a Londoner through and through. My husband is from a part called Fishponds that is having a real gentrification. Lovely independent cafes, breweries etc popping up each time we go back and it's still (just) priced well. And the community feel in Bristol is just brilliant...

This. Isn't this a natural progression that's been going on for years?

I've been in roughly this part of London for almost twenty years (not a Londoner originally) and people seem to have always started out in Tooting/Clapham (for example) then gradually moved further out to buy, as families grow etc.

Unless OP is already in one of the outer boroughs, I'd have thought just moving further out would be the best option.

Personally I loathed every minute of the years I spent in the south east. I don't know why it took me so long to move to Somerset. I'm deliriously happy here.

Missing the facetious humour there.

No offence but if you visited once 15 years ago, I'm not sure how useful your top tip is although I would agree that it isn't really like London well not the London I knew, born and grew up in, which was a typical West London suburb with some very rough elements not arty at all!

I don't see why you can't just move to a part of South London OP that means you remain on London. What is your budget?

Leigh on sea. The travel costs don't make it all that much cheaper though - that money might be better spent on a mortgage.

Also, there are too many people in Brighton now and it doesn't really have the capacity.

Canterbury?

Farnham ? It does have the University for Creative Arts

St Albans?

Hemel Hemstead?