Living in Letchworth

[SJMK]

Hi there.
Can someone tell me what it’s like to live in Letchworth and starting a family. I’ve read posts from 7 years ago that are pretty damning and talk a lot about people from the council estates filling the town centre - has it improved? We drove through it the other day and the town seemed nice enough - it doesn’t have the charm of Hitchin but we can’t afford the house we want there so are looking at Letchworth as an alternative?

Hi @SJMK I live in Letchworth and like it a lot. I possibly posted on some of those older threads :). Baldock may be worth a look too as I think similar prices to Letchworth.

It's been lovely bringing up my family here. Lots of green spaces, the town puts on a lot of events when it's not Covid. You can walk to the town centre from pretty much anywhere you live. I think there's a good community feel.

There are a few estates and most would say to avoid Jackmans - I don't think many houses come for sale there anyway. However I know lots of people living on the grange who love it - great access to the grange rec and to Norton Common as well.

What is your price bracket and how important are schools? There are several good primaries, but the secondaries aren't super amazing. A lot can change in a few years, though!

Thanks @InescapableDeath that’s really helpful.
We’ve seen a house we like to the west of Norton Common - it’s an easy walk to town and the station (I’ll be commuting to london) but we still get the four bedrooms and big garden we love.... no chance of that in Hitchin.

Are there coffee shops/restaurants etc that you visit much in town? Or would you tend to drive somewhere for that?
Have you felt much evidence of the ‘class divide’ people seem to talk about in Letchworth? It all sounds a bit over dramatic but maybe because I’m from Manchester and live in Lewisham currently so the whole Home Counties vibe is pretty new to me!

@SJMK I’ve been here ten years. When we came there was one Italian restaurant, Pizza Hut (long gone), and the Chinese buffet. Now there are lots of nice places - the Grapevine is a fab Turkish, Khoi Khoi and Alloro’s have been great during lockdown. it’s one of the most vegan friendly places I know of - Miss Green Fingers coffee shop and Vutie Beets in the Wynd handle that. Lots of people like Esquires or Number 21 (May have got the number wrong) for coffee. We have one of the best indie bookshops (also a coffee shop!) I’ve ever been in.

I’m actually in the process of moving house (within Letchworth) myself so am familiar with the houses on Rightmove. If it’s the one on Bedford rd, it looks lovely and will be snapped up quick I imagine! I love those houses. The Icknield one looks nice too though nearer the council houses if that matters (And it’s more of an average house with big extension)... they are both out of my budget!

As for the class divide - hmm it’s a tricky one. I don’t think it’s a big deal but I’m from a working/middle class family in the northwest (Formby).

I will say I met most of my friends here at mum groups and they are largely professional middle class women who live in fancier houses than me.

When your kids got to school is when you notice it more in all honesty. I live in the wilbury area currently and my son first went to Icknield infants/wilbury which have a lot of children from the council areas. But most people are trying their best for their kids so the differences are not always very large. The big difference for me was being one of the only working mothers. My children are at Stonehill now and I am still in the minority there. The same will be true if your kids end up at Hillshott. Lordship (catchment with nice big houses), or Norton or the catholic school (both have specific requirements), are a little different. Yes you get the odd rough parent yelling at their kids by the gates but am sure that’s common most places.

In town - no, not really! And lots of people moving here post-Covid to get land as well as a house so I think it’s on the up.

Sorry that is all far too much info and you can tell I probably like it a bit too much!

There is quite a big difference depending on the area. The town centre has some really big houses and there is a posh private school right in the middle of town. But then some of the areas (I'm thinking Jackmans for example) are really quite Erm.... Not as nice!

There are two posh private schools! (I always forget the girls one)

Jackmans is mostly council still and I would avoid. But that’s the only bit really. The Grange/Wilbury/westbury all have perfectly nice homes. Then as you say all the posh houses in the other bits. I imagine more houses in the Lordship area will come up after Christmas. Lots of four beds over that way.

Jumping in here as I am moving to Letchworth area in the next few weeks. Was looking at a property which was close to Jackmans estate but mumsnet has put me off that!!! 😂 Now looking atva property on Pix Road. Anyone know much about that area? TIA

@SJMK @CaitrionaAnne did you both move in the end? We considering moving from North London with our three monkeys (6,3 and 1 ur old). Originally we had our sights on Hitchin but property prices are so expensive (£1.25 mil for a 4 bedroom!) and we would get something much nicer in letchworth. What do you feel about the community? i love the idea of the lido and cinema!

@Littlepuddleducks I'll have to let you know in a few weeks as we're not quite in yet.

Hi! Im still looking at properties but had a few successful viewings today. If we get the house we want, we will move in a few weeks. I like Letchworth. Its nice and quiet and so many green areas!

I live in Letchworth but I know Hitchin really well too. We don’t have a cobbled market or Waitrose but we do have a load of amenities (Standalone Farm, the Greenway, outdoor pool, Lavender fields, paddling pool, deco cinema, restaurants, good bars, great cafes), plus the houses are often really pretty, we have lots of trees and green spaces and we have no traffic problems unlike Hitchin.

There is a rough area of Hitchin I stay well away from, whereas the Jackmans estate is set apart, has never worried me and contains plenty of normal people!

If secondary is a concern Highfield seems to be doing pretty well and has a new headteacher or your child may get into the Hitchin schools or Knights Templar, although
getting there will cost your child in travel time of course. Primaries vary though I mostly hear very good things these days.

Letchworth is a commuter town too so the London trains get pretty busy (Well they used to, but unlike living in Hitchin - you will almost always get a seat). Cambridge is also close by of course for shopping, museums etc.

For a million you can get a stunning house and maybe even a historical one, a great garden and space around you to breathe.

I’m biased but I wouldn’t live anywhere else!

@HTk5pw thank you for replying and everyone else too! Such a helpful response.
I am coming to look at some houses next week. My kids are so excited at the prospect of a big garden and tree house as we have a very small tiny garden in London. Having a big garden will also be lovely for parents to host bbqs in summer haha!
Thanks again

@Littlepuddleducks hope you found somewhere!

We moved to Letchworth in late Feb and absolutely love living here best decision we made! Commute into London is honestly no worse than travelling across London when we lived there. So much green space here and lovely houses etc

Hello we are from London and looking to move to Letchworth. We are first time buyers and super nurvous as we have no family friends links to this area so don't know where to start from. Please if you can tell me nice areas for families and those that I MUST avoid. Also @SJMK @CaitrionaAnne how is your house search as we are pretty much same situation as you.x

@bastet213 we moved to Letchworth in April, and wonder why we didn’t do it sooner. The commute is so easy and the trains are more frequent than I expected. We live to the northwest of town, and it’s great to be able to work to Norton Common and the outdoor pool has been an absolutely dream. The greenway is right on the doorstep and makes you feel right in the middle of the countryside, while also being a 12 mins walk to the station. I haven’t found many groups etc to join yet, but I’m sure it’s more my lack of effort than anything! And with a ten minute taxi getting us to Hitchin, it super easy for a nicer dinner option… but we saved £100k on the house by jot living there. Win win in my book.

@SJMK wow congrats. That's exactly the sort of thing we are after. Correct me if I am wrong from all the posts I've gathered Norton common and south west of Letchworth seems to be popular with families with kids?

Hi, I am thinking of sending my child to St. Christopher’s school in Letchworth. I would really love some parental insight about it and wondered if anyone has children who go there? Particularly interested in hearing parental thoughts on what the school does particularly well and what your children like about it... and also perhaps areas where it isn’t so strong. Thanks so much xx

I prefer Letchworth to Hitchin.
Letchworth has as nice a town, better housing housing (Hitchin a lot of terrace housing with no parking), Hitchin is like a concrete jungle in comparison. Plus Letchworth has more facilities and generally a nicer vibe.