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!

[sparklechops]

Hello Ydnam and thank you for all the fab info.

We moved to Hitchin last month!! So far, we LOVE it. We are really enjoying exploring the town and going to toddler group. Everyone is so friendly and the town has a real buzz about it.

Thanks to everyone who offered their advice and wisdom on this thread. We feel we have definitely picked the right place for our family.

[YippeeKiYayMakkaPakka]

Interesting thread. We're considering a move to Hitchin from N. London next year. Need more space since DD2 was born and just can't afford it here. Glad to hear you're settling in sparkle :)

[sparklechops]

Him Yippee - it is great here and only 25 mins into Finsbury Park on a fast train if you need your north London fix!

[sparklechops]

That should read Hi Yippee, obviously...

[Ydnam]

sparklechops,

Wow, well done for the move. Hadn't realised it was so imminent. Glad to hear you are enjoying it, long may that last.

Are you a Starbucks or Neros meet mum? Whatever, enjoy!

[sparklechops]

Hi Ydnam

What do you mean about Starbucks and Neros? I have been to Starbucks quite a bit. Are there meet ups in there?

I am definitely going to try MAMA and I went to a fab toddler group yesterday which Dd loved. Loads of friendly mums too.

[Cosmosis1]

I'm massively surprised to see a few negative comments. Hitchin was voted the 9th best place to live in the UK earlier this year by The Times and house prices have rocketed over the last few years.

The town is pretty, one of the few in the country with a cobbled Georgian and Tudor market square. There are loads and loads on lovely independent shops and great restaurants. Pitcher and Piano hand Vinegar Hill have both opened both of which are only in much larger 'grander' towns else where such as Bath, York etc. Says a lot for Hitchin.

Hitchin is only 23 mins on a quick train to Kings Cross and there are far more trains each hour than from Letchworth.

It's not even worth comparing with Letchworth. Nice houses but so many deprived council estates bands terrible schools. Town centre a dump full of pound shops.

As for Hitchin being rough that's nonsense. Maybe on some estate but certainly not in the town. My husband and I walk into town most Saturday and Friday nights for dinner and it is nevere rough, quite the opposite. We always remark and friends visiting us also, how quiet and peaceful it is. It's almost like walking through a pretty square in France.

I cannot recommend Hitchin enough.

[YippeeKiYayMakkaPakka]

So if I was looking to move to Hitchin, had a budget of £400-450k (hoping for at least 3 bedrooms) and wanted to be within walking distance of the station and decent nursery and infant school(s), where would you advise me to look (apologies for complete thread hijack )?

[MrsRLondontown]

Hi we've just moved to a village near hitchin 6 weeks ago and just found your thread. I have a 5 month old baby and have also moved from SE London for more space. Let me know if you come across any good mummy hangouts, really keen to meet new people!

[olivemegmog]

Hitchin is lovely. Has a lovely charm to it.. But like anywhere there are good and bad parts... The town on a Saturday night has a great buzz but can also be very rough.. I have witnessed lots of fighting and generally gross behaviour. The problem is that it is a small town which is great in many respects but there is bound to be trouble when there are so many pubs overflowing with young piss heads at midnight...
Letchworth is also a nice town to live in but for different reasons. It is a lovely leafy town with great open spaces. The housing stock is a bit different from the norm. It does have some rougher areas too...like hitchin. I can think of more rough areas in hitchin than in letchworth actually..
I think both towns are nice, for different reasons. There is plenty going on for family's in both towns and both hitchin and letchworth have good schools

[Rainbow44]

Well I went there..( many moons ago ). I have no idea what is like now, I only know what I hear from other mums whose girls go there and it is generally regarded as a very good school.

I am proud that I went there and I have fond memories.

I am certainly not ' scum'.

[ginzillas]

The girls I've seen near the school have always seemed very polite. Same goes for the boys' school!

[MissHighandMighty]

BOBBI
I don't know what your issue is with HGS but what you have posted is completely untrue.

We have lived in Hitchin for 30 years. My DD went to HGS as did many of the girls in our village.We are a normal, caring middle class family with high aspirations and I'm a former teacher.
DD did very well and went to study science at a top RG uni, thanks to HGS.

It is a GOOD school and the price of houses in the catchment area reflect the ends people go to in order to get their DDs into the school.

For some reason you seem to have a grudge against the school and what you say is far from accurate.

[PiratePanda]

We live on the train line from Kings X that passes through Hitchin, and if you get the stopping train at night there are frequently drug pushers, pimps and prostitutes shuttling back and forth between Hitchin and Stevenage. I'm pretty tough and un shockable, and I don't like it at all; I try to avoid the stopper if at all possible.

Sorry.

[MakewayforNoddy]

Blimey. Is that the peterborough train by any chance?