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Original poster

do you live in kingston in surrey?

205 replies

zebramummy · 26/10/2009 21:13

have recently starting to consider moving there and would be v grateful for some advice.

how cut-off it feels from london and which zone it is in (if any at all?)

i originally considered barnes though I was put off by the aircraft noise - does kingston have a similar issue?

what are the state primaries and secondaries like (ds is 4) and are catchment areas v tight?

is it all chain stores or are there some nice independant shops too such as cafes, ethnic food shops?

which areas or roads are a safe bet in terms of schools and moving away if i absolutely hate it?

i considered parts of surrey and herts (you may remember some previous posts) though i was put off by the whole 'white middle-class' thing. i want ds to grow up feeling that he is in a multicultural society and for him to be able to hold his own amongst the london kids!

many thanks

OP posts:
girlsyearapart · 01/11/2009 21:31

Look at general North Kingston area. Roads that go between Park rd and Richmond Rd (I think)

CybilCybilCybil · 01/11/2009 21:34

Yes those are good roads, altho there are more bargainous detatched houses Cobham Road way nearer Norbiton train station.

CarGirl · 01/11/2009 21:35

I knew there was another reason why I don't go shopping in Kingston!!!! It's easier to get the bus in for me, near Christmas you queue for miles to get in - hideous so yes lovely to live in the centre.

CybilCybilCybil · 01/11/2009 21:35

girlsyear, that's my manor!!

Original poster
zebramummy · 01/11/2009 21:40

thank you again - you are all so helpful - would never know where to start otherwise! it is so wonderful to have a forum like this which allows us to zero in to a tiny part of the world in such great detail

OP posts:
LyraSilvertongue · 02/11/2009 01:30

Mine too Cybil. I'm now wondering if I know you...

Lizzzombie · 02/11/2009 07:16

My favourite road for houses in the town centre is Mill Street off Fairfield.

Its near the kingfisher leisure centre, walking distance to the library, Tiffin Boys/Girls and the grammer. St Lukes Primary is right by it.
The Art College part of the uni is at the end of the road so you get a bit of a young feel to it and can buy cheap works of art in their sale!
The cocoanut pub used to be really nice too.

But the roads round there are all quite nice. With a huge variety of house types. The one I wanted to live in for years (after looking at it for renting) had a pottery kiln workshop thing in the garden and had a victorian conservatory off the side which the owner used as a painting studio. I used to dream about that house.

CybilCybilCybil · 02/11/2009 07:34

Lyra I think we have chatted before, you are a Latchmere lady, non?

Original poster
zebramummy · 02/11/2009 09:05

without actually having seen any properties yet , how about canbury park rd, caversham road, willoughby road - am i in 'the zone'?

OP posts:
CybilCybilCybil · 02/11/2009 09:07

yes

LyraSilvertongue · 02/11/2009 11:51

Canbury Park Road - if you live on the south side your garden will back on to the railway line but a nice road nonetheless.
Willoughby Road is fine. Houses reasonably priced. Quite a walk to town and possibly not the best for school catchments.
Caversham Road is on the wrong side of the one way system for the facilities of north Kingston but very close to town and the Kingfisher leisure centre and the Fairfield. We have friends there and they are trying to move to north Kingston for convenience. Also, the gardens are generally quite small.

LyraSilvertongue · 02/11/2009 11:52

Cubil, yes I am. Are you an Alexandra mum or was that someone else?

CybilCybilCybil · 02/11/2009 11:56

Yes twas me, unless theres another one around
(I tend to keep my Mnetting to myself, SHHH)

LyraSilvertongue · 02/11/2009 12:18

I think there is another one who's also Alexandra, or maybe St Luke's.

CybilCybilCybil · 02/11/2009 13:07

ooh really , I wonder who that is? Actually I don't want to know and don;t want anyone to know me eitehr but the amount of crap I give away on here they could probably guess

girlsyearapart · 02/11/2009 14:22

Very nice too Cybil- we couldn't afford to live on those roads and get same space we have here in Ham.

Did look at a few on Kings Rd though and got pipped to the post on two on Canbury Pk Road.

The ones by Mill rd/fairfield are nice but make sure you don't stray too far toward Cambridge Estate imho.

Also haven't heard great things about King Athelstan primary but that was only hearsay so I'm probably wrong!

LyraSilvertongue · 02/11/2009 14:37

King Athelstan's not a highly regarded school, although I hear it is improving. No problem getting a place there though as it's always been under-subscribed.

Original poster
zebramummy · 02/11/2009 19:44

grrr...estate agents have described all the above roads as being in north kingston and school catchments - the victorian villas look nice but would be stretching the budget a bit. i am also worried about getting a school place at all given that ds is already 4 and we would be moving during reception or even year 1 and begging to be let in at an odd time - i don't know how long people stay on waiting lists or whether they are allowed to accept a non-favoured school and subsequently upgrade??

OP posts:
AtleastbeCYBILtoeachother · 02/11/2009 20:05

well estate agents will tell you ANYTHINg. the boundary of North Kingston is ever stretched thanks to their descriptions.

All I know is the furthest away person who got into my school last time lived 1/4 mile away . That's how tight it is some years.

BUT the schools are expanding to cope with higher birthrates here.

AtleastbeCYBILtoeachother · 02/11/2009 20:06

And yes you can 'upgrade' we get new children joining regularly who have been on the waiting list

SecretNinjaChipmunk · 02/11/2009 20:19

come and live in kingston! I'm from the area you are looking in (grew up living between the river and thr park) and now live in surbiton. Really lovely area. Don't know much about schools though as ds is only little.

Original poster
zebramummy · 02/11/2009 21:40

thanks - it is so exciting - it is a shame i cannot do a mary poppins every time an interesting property comes on - i have only ever movesd within the same area (4 times infact) and that was stressful enough! and i need some serious magic (and money) to get my current house up to standard - i envy friends who live in immaculate houses and were able to uproot ts as soon as they decided they wanted to go - the only concern they had was how potential buyers would feel about seeing a few dishes in the sink

OP posts:
Original poster
zebramummy · 02/11/2009 21:43

thanks secret ninja - did you go for surbiton yourself because it is a bit quieter?

OP posts:
SecretNinjaChipmunk · 02/11/2009 22:10

not so much because its a bit quieter, more because its on a fast line up to waterloo. kingston has 4 trains an hour and they are all slow trains, surbiton has 6, 2 fast (about 13 mins to w'loo) 2 semi fast and 2 slow. I like it, there's lots of little parks and playgrounds, you can walk up the river to kingston, its easy to get out into surrey for some countryside and has good road links.
i haven't read all 7 pages of this thread yet, will have a scan through now.

girlsyearapart · 03/11/2009 06:54

The idea of 'North Kingston' is a little bit of an estate agents fabrication anyway Zebra so they try to expand it as people favour it!

Mind out for Foxtons they tend to price properties a bit too high so there should be some room for manoeuvre.