Anyone know anything about Hitchin?

[sparklechops]

Hi everyone and happy Mother's Day! I am looking for some advice on Hitchin in Hertfordshire.

We currently live in SE London but can't afford to buy here and have been looking for the right place to move to for ages. We're keen to leave London for a more relaxed pace of life.

We have finally found somewhere we really like - Hitchin. It ticks so many boxes - affordable, easy commute for DH into London and good schools. When we went to look around the other week, we liked what we saw.

I'd love to hear from anyone who lives in Hitchin with a family to find out more - what's it really like? It seemed like a buzzy, friendly place when we were there and there were loads of young families around. There also seemed to be lots of groups for kids, from looking at notices in shops, Starbucks etc.

Does anyone know the Poets Estate? It's in our budget (250k max) so it's one of the places we're looking at. I would prefer one of the lovely Victorian terraces but they all seem to have downstairs bathrooms, which we're not keen on. Anyone live in one and find the downstairs bathroom thing ok?

We've also seen properties further out from the station - over a mile away - but aren't sure about being so far out. Does anyone commute into London and live a bit further away from Hitchin station? How do you find it?

Also keen to hear about nurseries/childminders you'd recommend. DD is one and we'd like to put her in childcare two days a week so I can work from home.

So....lots of questions. Any guidance and opinions gratefully received!

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

I went to secondary school in Hitchin, the Girls' School, which I think is still a good school.

My parents still live up the road in Letchworth in one of the fairly leafy bits (there's no way we could buy a house on their road for example, prob 500k). I lived round there from age 9 - 19.

Coming from Letchworth (which at the time had v few pubs), Hitchin was the place we socialised as teenagers. Lots of pubs, restaurants. Was back visiting friends recently and was a bit surprised at how 'nice' things were.

[Quenelle]

I have lived in a few Victorian terraces in Hitchin. Wouldn't buy another one. You pay a premium for character and I hate downstairs bathrooms. Went to school there too but my school was bull dozed some time ago. I know nothing about the primary schools, which are the sink ones? I know some kids who have got on very well at the priory school but I think many people prefer the single sex secondaries. I wouldn't want to live on the poets because it seems so far from the town centre. It is walkable but a bit of a trek.

I would live again if I could afford a house on the Willows estate or in Ickleford. There's a great primary there, although hugely over subscribed.

[MysteriousHamster]

Well I live in Letchworth and everyone says Hitchin is better. Letchworth is nice but a tad dull - Hitchin has a lot more in terms of stuff to do/shops/restaurants/bars.

You would get more for your money in Letchworth or Baldock, but less to do. Schools also a bit rubbish in Letchworth, though.

I'm also surprised by the negative views!

[KatOD]

I lived in and around Hitchin for a few years and loved it. Lovely place, very friendly and lots to do. I'm afraid this was before I had kids so don't know much about that side of things but a few of my friends stayed in the area and brought up kids and they like it. Good luck!

[germyrabbit]

hitchin is pretty dull, and a bit too near luton for my liking ;)

still it has some great individual shops (like the weird joly brown shop that I love!) and the very strange shop that sells every kitchen item you would ever need including chef's outfits, along with being a bizarre hardware store.

it also has elusive black squirrels

[sparklechops]

We can live with dull if it means safe area, nice house, good schools etc. And squirrels are always a bonus!

[MrsJohnDeere]

Dull is good.

Ds1 calls the Hitchin squirrels 'Ultimate Squirrels'. I don't know why...

[pamplem0usse]

Highbury lodge is massively oversubscribed. we signed dd up when i was five months preg. to start when she was one. she didnt get a place.
Id second lookong around ickleford village school

[Quenelle]

Pample which are the sink schools you referred to?

[SalagadooLamagicaboo]

We lived in Hitchin for about a year,

It is a lovely lovely town but some parts can be rough, avoid the westmill estate, not a place you would want to live.

There are lots of baby groups and 3 children centre that I know of.

We have now moved to letchworth only a short drive from Hitchin but we are much happier there.

[sparklechops]

What is it you prefer about Letchworth, Salagadoo? That is on our list too but we've not been for a visit yet. We know you can get more house for your money there but, from everything we've read, there's more going on in Hitchin. Interested to hear what is has going for it for families.

Think we'd put DD with a childminder at first, if we find one we like. Nursery schools where we live now are ridiculously oversubscribed so we're prepared for that too.

Will look at Ickleford, thanks.

[sparklechops]

Ooh...Ickleford looks lovely. But we need to stay within walking distance of the station to cut down on DH's commute so I think it's out, sadly.....

[TattyCatty]

Lots of excellent childminders in Hitchin - there are a couple of childminder run playgroups each week, so the children get the opportunity to socialise in wider groups as well as getting the benefits of home based settings.

Letchworth is more "sprawly" than Hitchin, and the train services aren't as regular to London - think it's 2 trains per hour rather than 4. Hitchin has more at peak times.

[Billingsgatedoxy]

I lived on the Poets for years. A to G addresses, eg. Arnold to Gibson are considered good and are popular and easy to sell, the ones after that are more a mixture and not so well regarded. I have never known anyone from the estate who didn't get into either William Ransom or Mary Exton primary schools, both of which are outstanding primaries.

I know less about the Victorian parts of town other than parking is often a nightmare. A friend who lived near Samuel Lucas regularly had to park several streets away which is a pain if you have shopping, or very young children.

The town has loads going on for young families and as newcomer myself I have always found it really friendly. Both dh and I commute and the trains are regular but busy. If you move further down the track, eg. Letchworth, you drastically reduce the number of trains available. You really need to be able to walk to the station as parking is expensive and most of the local roads have permit parking to prevent commuters parking there.

I think it's a great town.

[sparklechops]

Thanks, Billingsgate - ones we've seen on Poets are at the beginning of the alphabet and looked really nice.

Re the commute - do you tend to get a seat in the morning or are you standing all the way?

[TattyCatty]

My DH tends to get a train around 8am and usually gets a seat - you soon learn which parts of the platform to stand on to get to the emptier carriages!

[TattyCatty]

You're more likely to get into Mary Exton than William Ransom on the Poets. WR is a possibility if you live the end that is nearer to town - depends on how many sibling places are taken each year.

[sparklechops]

Thanks for all the comments, everyone. Lots of food for thought!

[Quenelle]

Fyi Ickleford is 30 minute walk from the station. I used to walk to the college, about 5 mins past there.

[sparklechops]

Thank you, Quenelle. I think it is too far but my DH reckons he wouldn't mind the walk. So we are keeping an open mind.

[BumpyMum3]

Hello Sparklechops. I am really surprised by the negative comments, clearly someone not in the same situation as you so perhaps had a different experience. You are a young family and Hitchin is wonderfully tailored for you! We moved here in 2006 with a 1yr old (we now have 3 children!) and have never looked back, we absolutely LOVE it. We have made friends for life, I just started going to all the toddler groups, swimming and then pre-school. We got the school we wanted, our first choice and nearest. We often don't use the car at all and can manage to walk perfectly down to the market, around town and amble back home again on a Saturday morning. I can walk to many toddler groups and back for lunch with no problems. We live near to Wymondley Road. The St Michaels Road area is quiet as there aren't any shops etc but the community centre is great and we go to various classes there, they also have Teddy Bears pre-school there which is a pack away setting, but I suggest looking at Goslings pre-school on Whitehill Road and getting your child's name down as soon as possible (free) as it is usually over subscribed, they would start around 2.5yrs old. My husband cycles from home to the station saving bags of time! He is on an early train though so always gets a seat (approx 6.10am I believe). What else can I think of? No experience of the private nurseries I'm afraid. I am a registered childminder and although I don't have any vacancies now I am more than happy to help you out if you need any further help on the area or getting to know any other childminders around this way. I know families at all the local schools and I've never heard any awful horror stories about them so I am pretty sure you will be happy here. We often go to town for dinner/drinks in the evening if we can get a babysitter and we have never seen any trouble, it is a lovely buzzing town and we feel very safe and comfortable here. It is not comparable to Luton, which is a good 10 minutes away. I hope this helps!

[BumpyMum3]

Also, no I've only seen about 3 weddings here in all the time I've been here but The Priory is definitely used as a reception venue, it is lovely. Did you know about the Rhythms of the World festival too? It is held in Hitchin every year. This year it will be smaller and in the town centre rotw.org.uk/news/family-fun-day

[Quenelle]

I was surprised too, Bumpy. I'm still waiting to hear where these sink schools are.

[TattyCatty]

Well said BumpyMum3. Think we should both be paid by the local council for selling the positives of our fab little town!

[BumpyMum3]

#'hang about....TattyCatty do I know you??! Oooh exciting.