moving to St Albans from London (with 1 year old)

[bumpbabyme]

Hi,

my partner & I currently live in London but are coming to terms with the fact we can't afford a garden or the lifestyle we want with a family & stay in London (very sad face).

We're looking at St Albans as an alternative as my partner works is in Welwyn Garden City - I'm currently looking for a job after being made redundant on Mat Leave (I know!) but likely I'll be working in London given my line of work.

I'm assuming the 'mum community' in St Albans is thriving, but just wondered how easily people found it - perhaps you moved their after having a child? Our daughter is fourteen months & likely she'll go to nursery or a childminders once I've found a job.

I guess I'm just looking for reassurance we'll find likeminded people outside of London (I know, very London of me to say, I apologise!!). Which is daft really, because from what I've heard half of St Albans are people who once lived in London but moved out once they had a family!

Sorry... this is very rambly...!

Amie

Can't really comment as I live in Watford and only visited St Albans, but seems like a lovely place and I think the meet up group is a bit more active than the Watford one on here, so hopefully someone will be able to give you some more local advice/knowledge. However, I am also a Londoner that has moved out to Hertfordshire as can't afford to stay in London, so completely understand where you are coming from. I have a toddler, my only child at the moment and work full time and commute. Anyway good luck with the move and hope you get the local info that you need

I'm down the road in Rickmansworth/Chorleywood, but I think you will be absolutely fine.

Best of both worlds really - we pop into London a lot (DH work and I socialise ) and are close enough to pop in for a gallery or museum, but have the space for a decent house and garden, countryside on our doorstep and good schools!

St Albans is crawling with young families. I'm local but my DC's are older. There are lots of baby groups and child friendly places to go. The parks are great. Which part were you thinking of moving to? Money goes further on the outskirts, and parking is a nightmare if you live anywhere central. Choose carefully as there are some properly established communites like Marshalswick with good local shops and all the services you need, but some are just clusters of new builds with no real identity yet, like Highfield.

St Albans population is very much ex Londoners but with plenty of local colour too. You'll have plenty to do with DC. The issues you might have are with childcare - start looking at nurseries asap as they are often oversubscribed - and house prices. If neither of you need the station your location options are much more open to some of the more affordable areas.

Or try the villages for more affordable housing - some like Wheathampstead are closer to Welwyn too.