Reigate, Leatherhead or Epsom to move to?

[ArKla]

Hello!

Based on budget, schools and transport links to London, we are considering Reigate, Leatherhead and Epsom to move to.

Could you please share your thoughts on these areas? What you like and don’t like about them?

We’d like the area to have a few cafes, pubs and maybe a few shops too. Which one has more things to do with kids and friends? Are they all similarly safe? We’d like a place that’s relatively calm, but still has things to offer.

Regarding schools they all seem to have great state and private ones, so perhaps not a decisive factor.

From a quick visit, Reigate seemed lovely although the Main Street on the town centre was quite busy / noisy. Epsom seems bigger and more spread out? Leatherhead we are about to visit.

Thanks in advance!

I would say Reigate is the best town centre of the three in terms of range of shops, higher end ones, brilliant large park with playground etc.

Epsom town centre is improving, Epsom Social is a new food hall but it’s not great for shopping - Next, New Look and M&S only real clothes shops.

Leatherhead is fine, not much to write home about.

Traffic a bit of a nightmare in and around all of them! Something to keep in mind depending on commutes and school journeys. Also some of the best schools have either faith requirements (St Andrew’s Leatherhead, St Bede’s Redhill) or very small catchment areas (Rosebery and Glyn in Epsom, and most primary schools in Epsom). Lots of good private options in all three places.

Epsom and Leatherhead a better train line into London, more frequent and more lines. If not commuting, I’d choose Reigate but live close to town so I didn’t have to drive in all of the time but they are all good options! What is your budget?

Also might be worth getting this moved to a different section, I think family planning is more condoms, the pill etc not where to live 😄

Depends on priorities. Epsom has best transport links, Reigate has "nicer" shopping (more independents, more high end) and restaurants and lovely park. Epsom's parks are fine but nothing special, it's shopping isn't bad for every day things, there's some nice restaurants/pubs particularly if you include Ewell. Leatherhead town centre is the least attractive or useful but has the basics and is fine. Epsom has great primary schools and some good comprehensives and also close to some of the Sutton grammars if they are of interest. Leatherhead state schools not as well thought of (unless you're Catholic as has a great Catholic secondary), though if you go slightly further out (eg Fetcham/Bookham then there's better state schools. Decent private options in all I believe though not something we have any experience of. All pretty safe areas with some slightly dodgier bits (but it's all relative). As long as you drive, all close enough to lovely countryside, various family attractions, etc.

If you want the nicest town centre and parks, go to Reigate. Otherwise I'd say Epsom for convenience re transport/shops/schools/countryside. Leatherhead would be bottom of my list but still fine.

Many thanks for your responses! I have now moved this thread elsewhere.