Hi,
We are thinking of putting an offer on a house in Watford. It would be really useful to hear your thoughts, especially from anyone who is living or has lived there, or has raised their children there, as to what it is like.
My husband and I adopted two boys in 2022, now 6 and 8, and we have been living in Kingston Upon Thames. My family is in St Albans and Hitchin, so we have decided to move closer to them before our children cement long term friendships in Kingston. Watford is great for my husband's commute (he will be walking to Watford Junction Station) into central London, access to the M1 for his family up north, access to my family etc.
I spoke with a close friend who went to Watford Grammar School for Girls 20 years ago and her mother who also taught at a number of schools around Watford and has lived there. They have a really strong opinion that we should avoid Watford at all costs! They mentioned gang culture, crime rates, general undercurrent of seediness, secondary schools producing good results and ticking Ofsted boxes but having poor discipline and turning out pupils with little respect for anything, having its nice areas but kids still accessing the negative aspects, rough in the evening in town etc.
I've looked at loads of information online. I came across one survey in 2024 saying it's the best place to live and work, and another survey saying it's the 9th worst place to live (they look at slightly different measurements). A lot of the information is quite polarising.
We've been out in Watford on a couple of day trips with the kids, I've driven round loads of areas, we like it and it seems like there is loads to do on your doorstep (important for us). We're looking at Nascot Wood (the end near Watford Junction Station) as the location, possibly Cassiobury Estate if the right property comes on the market.
Has a lot changed in Watford in the last 20 years and it's really improved, or was my friend just burned from her personal experience, or combination of both? Will
raising our children in Watford expose them to thuggish behaviour and be unavoidable in them getting pulled into it, or is it a great and safe place to raise our kids and of course they can develop into fully rounded and respectful people? (parenting dependent! Haha!) We know that we could also look at surrounding towns e.g. St Albans, but have reasons why we'd like to focus on Watford if possible.
Thanks in advance for anyone who finds a moment to comment on my lengthy post! 😁