Bedfordshire for a non-white family

[Eastie77]

Any Black Mumsnetters live/lived in this part of the world and can let me know what the area is like in terms of diversity? I'm looking to avoid Milton Keynes but was considering Leighton Buzzard + surrounding areas which do not look particularly diverse at first glance but I've never really visited so interested in any opinions.

Currently in London with young children so schools are also a factor.

Many thanks!

I have taught in schools in Bedfordshire for many years. Very few pockets of diversity. Demographic changing slightly over the last few years. The areas around Bedford (Bedford itself and some outlying villages) are more ethnically diverse.

If I were you, though, I'd head to MK. Is there a reason you ahve ruled it out? It is more modern, more diverse and, compared to Bedford, Dunstable and Luton, has better schools.

On a point of order, Harlington and Flitwick are NOT moving to two tier.

I'd avoid Flitwick. EDL stomping ground.

Okay I’m going to be honest - we moved from Milton Keynes because the cheap train tickets from London meant we were getting a lot county lines drug dealers targetting black Indian boys; plus a lot of postcode gang violence where the challenges were to stab black or Indian boys. But this problem is widespread across bedfordshire and buckinghamshare and white people don’t tend to ‘see it’ as the violence impacts BAME people

When we moved we targetted really posh areas further north (Leicestershire, Cambridgeshirs, East Midlands) where commuters into London lived, ideally around grammars and privates, and started searching there. Our assumption was if people could afford to pay 10-15k a year for a ticket to London then chose to live in a specific area it must be good.

Work with your Estate Agent to get ideas. If you need to be around Bedfordshire then they can recommend good quality options.

Ahhh I live about 20mins away from Milton Keynes and its fab, it has everything their, all different cultures, has someone who has lived in Bedfordshire my whole life I wouldn't rule mk out, avoid Luton at all costs. Just my personal view.