what's Kettering like?

[allaflutter]

I'm about to go on a trip (by train from Lon) to Bedford and Market Harborough in one day, with a view of moving to the area, and have discussed these two in my other thread. I've now noticed that the train stops in Kettering inbetween, and having looked at rightmove, quite impressed with the value of houses there! They are also easy walking distance to the station which I like.
I realise it's probably not as nice as MH or Bedford but it's so near to both, and better value it seems.
So what's it like - any amenities, shopping, good parks or just plain greens? are there many commuters living there, or mainly a farming community (sorry if that' ignorant!). Worth stopping and looking?

[vlc19377]

Allofaflutter, I moved to Bedford from East Dulwich last September and we are very happy here - please don't discount it! I can't find your Bedford thread otherwise I would have posted on there. We were attracted by the good house prices and the easy commute. Yes the town centre isn't great, but things are definitely on the up. This has definitely been helped by the efforts of a group called We Are Bedford wearebedford.co.uk/ (co-run by a local mum from my son's school) and the Portas Pilot bid.

The shopping street with indies that you were looking for was probably Castle Road. It runs parallel to the Embankment, so you wouldn't have found it by wandering around the town centre. It is nice, but no Northcross Road! There are also some good shops, cafes and restaurants in Castle Quay, set just back from the river by the Swan Hotel. There are a number of new restaurants that have opened up recently, which was definitely one of the things I missed from living in London!

Lots of green spaces: the Embankment and Russell Park are fantastic, Prior Marina and Country Park and Bedford Park (which I live just next to in the Saints area). Lots of sporting opportunities from rowing, to tennis to rugby. There is a thriving arts scene: Bedfringe bedfringe.com/ is soon to take place and the Higgins Museum and art gallery has just been re-opened after a huge investment, to critical acclaim. The Bedford Clanger is full of useful local information. www.scribd.com/thebedfordclanger

There is an active young WI called the Scone Roses if that is your thing, and lots of crafty groups such as Stitch and Bitch and Monster yarns knitting group.

My husband and I both commute to London and it is fine. Always get a seat, and on the whole reliable. It takes me just over an hour to get to Blackfriars on the Thameslink. Husband gets the East Midlands Train which is 35 mins to St Pancras.

If you have any questions, feel free to message me.

[bookishandblondish]

MH is overrun with cafes - independent & chain - I thinks there's at least ten in the town centre. Independent include joules, aldwinkles, emerson&west, and enigma ( and those are the ones I know about)

Supermarkets - sainsbury, waitrose, Aldi, & lidle are all on Springfield road ( which is parallel to st Mary's. tesco and co- op are on the other side of th high st. There's also the farm shop.

Trains - normally good ( I use the line for work a lot)

Housing - depends what you consider nice but for the station, I'd look at great & little Bowden, and houses off Northampton & Rockingham road. Possibly burmill road. As said, market harborough has grown enormously so not all housing is 20 mins from the station. To be honest. from what you've said, you've only walked along two main roads in MH - which doesn't really
Parks - welland park (large one with river) is about 10/15 mins from the high st. Should be googlable.
Town does get busy at weekends - but I'm not sure what you're really asking with that. Do you just mean numbers of people at weekends or stuff to do? It's a small market town and has grown but there is still a lot of people who've lived there for generations. In terms of stuff to do, depends, but there is loads to get involved with if you choose to.

Shaven head look - been like that ever since men discovered that the best way to hide male baldness...

I know Bedford slightly ( friend moved there - to a house by the park) and also know Kettering ( went to school there ) which since I've known about it has been improving. That said, it is possible to get to KGH in 15 mins from MH.

[Catbert4pm]

Blimey All, you have been busy! Will respond when I've caught my breath. We drove from MH to Sussex and back today, so feel v tired now!

[allaflutter]

Also, having passed through Banbury on train, does anyone know if that's worth considering too?

[allaflutter]

ah forgot to mention that the nice area in Bedford is a hike to the station, going through not-so-nice centre, which is another minus.

[allaflutter]

Right...so I've ended up going to all three places in one day last week (and the weather wasn't great so I did minimal walking around, at least not pouring with rain!), plus another day I also went to Leamington Spa which was also recommended on MN. Definitely quite a variety, all places are different from each other, more than I thought they would be.

Out of the first three, yes, Market H is the nicest, definitely! quite sirprised as I thought I'd prefer Bedford. But on the first visit none of the places really felt like 'this is it!', so I still have questions.
MH has by far the nicest looking High street though it's small, and does lack nice cafes (I could only see Srarbucks and Nero which are both nice-ish and big but not much else), but I'm wondering whether there is another shopiing area somewhere off the centre. The small shors aer very nice and enough for books, clothes-shopping, household, but I'm wondering where the supemarkets aer (I think waitrose was mentioned)?

Also I went to see the canal side area, but due to horrid weather only had a quick look - it's pretty but I only saw one place to sit and eat/drink there, and across the water what looked like a park, but is there anything there, on the oter side? I liked proximity of the station to the centre and there is a big auction house right there, which is great, and of course yes, it's an hour from London! Though EVERY time I ventured to places from St.pancras, there were cancellations and big delays, is this a regular thing or was I just unlucky? That said St.P is nice itself to arrive to.

Another thing I preferred in MH, were the locals, everyone is polite, and it's a neutral sort of area in vibe - not snobby but also not rough. The only thing is, it did feel quite empty as I visited on weekday, does it get livelier at w/ends? As an aside, quite a lot of middle-aged bald/shaven head men around - is this a local trend?

The oter question is, how far is this big park that someone mentioned? I couldn't see it but agan it wasn't the weather for it to walk around. Abd where are niceish houses aer in relation to station as again didn't see residential areas. If it's pretty much what I saw, it's to small for me possibly, even though nice. But if a house was close to station (yet nice) I would still think about it.

Then I went to Kettering - surprisingly I don't think it's horrid, was really surprised at the number of modern shops and chains there. It's also much greener when you walk from station than MH. But it's very 'faceless' apart from a couple of churches at the start of shopping area. Reminded me of Sutton in surrey though prob not as clean!

Bedford, I had hopes for, and yes, the area by the canal is impressive with my favourite type of houses - Victorian, high ceililnged. Canal itself vey nice though along a busy road. Great swans! But I don't like the town centre at all and that's despite large new shops and a feeling that it is up and coming as they are investing in the big chains there and in places it's quite smart. But again, not old charm and you could be anywhere, not own personality, so the one small nice aera doesn't really compensate. Besides there are rough characters hanging around, and the locals coming of the train look stressed. Just didn't seem like a happy place. Shame really as it's a short commute. I never saw the East Dulwich type shopping street with small shops - must have been halucinations when on google maps.

Well, I also then went to Leamington - that was really a nice town and only 1h6m from Marylebone, big flower beds by the station , has plenty of old architecture, park in the centre, LOTS of shops and quite a few cafes if not huge amount. I was at first quite excitied, untill I went around and observed the locals. First, sorry but the Brum accent spills out to Leamington more than I thought, but the main thing is the locals are GRUMPY! And it was sunny on that day! yes, they are not so happy in Bedford either but this is very pretty town and better quality of life - so why?? You know, people aer not joking or chatting merrily with strabgers even in the small shops. Market H is definitely more cheery! Also lots of students which is ok though as at least they aer more good natured. Again, maybe the place is livelier on weekends but it was actually busier than the rest i've visited. What is it generally with West Mids that people are not happy? Take places in the South like Salisbury - similar in size, style and amenities, but smiley positive locals! Sorry if this is generalising but it is my impression and I got quite down about people not being friednly in the shops. There is also lack of manners to compare with MH (or the SW). Quite upsetting really as I'd consider it even though it's a bit pricier than others.

Sorry for a huge post, but lots of info to process!

[allaflutter]

had hugely busy few days, Cat, including visiting places! will report tomorrow as am exhausted (but have yet more questions now).

[Catbert4pm]

Have you visited yet? What did you think?!

[Wuldric]

Perfectly horrid

HTH

[bookishandblondish]

I grew up in and around MH and my parents still live there. MH has grown massively in the last decade so the concept of all areas being 20 mins walk from the station is complete fiction ( and has been since the 80s). There are quite a few areas that meet that criteria - just not all.
Train line is good - much better than Northampton line.

There's a couple of proper parks - my favourite is the little Bowden rec ground) - and within a short drive, big countryside parks - east Carlton, Rutland water, pitsford resovoir. Obviously, there's also footpaths &bridlepaths.

One thing I would say is its pretty boring for teenagers - and I doubt it's changed in that respect - nearest cinemas are Kettering/ leics/ northants. MH has a lot of pubs ( was the town with most pubs per capita at one time) but very little else in the way of entertainment and its highly likely you will be a taxi/ paying for driving lessons.

On the others hand, I still do my most of my clothes shopping in MH - and I live in London :)

[SuperiorCat]

I live in Northants and agree MH much much nicer than Kettering.

Is London commute important to you? If so can I throw Long Buckby into the mix.

Big village with lots of pretty small villages around, easy access to M1 / A14 / M6 and a station with free parking on the edge of the village.

Not as quaint market town as MH, but nice village and excellent schools.

[Catbert4pm]

I feel like this is some sort of Eurovision type of thing - please vote for MH!

[allaflutter]

Catbert, I mean

[allaflutter]

excellent, Cathbert, need to know about the hidden gems! will take your post on a note with me.
Adam and Eve st

[Catbert4pm]

*restaurant! Not restraint!!

[Catbert4pm]

Should add - reserve your full judgement in MH until you hit the high street!

Suggest you head right on St Mary's Rd until you get to the main square; turn right up the High Street (cross over onto the Square side of the street.

If you have time and are feeling energetic, keep straight ahead past the shops, police station etc and turn left into the canal basin (residential, office and bar/restraint), it's a lovely spot. OR just go as far up the high street as White Stuff then cross over onto the White Stuff side pavement and walk back down. BUT where the road forks left, go down Church Street instead of keeping on the high street, there were lots of lovely shops down here.

At the end, turn left and follow Adam and Eve Street - Starbucks is on the corner of Adam and Eve Street and Saint Mary's Road, so if you turn left you'll be heading back up to the station.

This by no means picks up everything MH has to offer, but it would give you a good feel for the centre of it.

[Catbert4pm]

Sorry this usb't a hyperlink, but look MH up on Wikipedia - v informative I think.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_Harborough

Worked in Bedford - I found it horrid, in the main.

Kettering not great, but better than Bedford IMHO.

Hope your scouting trip goes well!

[vix206]

Have PMd you OP

[Cherrypi]

Kettering has an Asda now and also an Aldi and a Lidl. The only supermarket we don't have is a Waitrose. The library is gorgeous and there is an art gallery and small museum.

[JuliaScurr]

Dunno, I've never kettered
(I'm here all week)

[allaflutter]

that's good, vix. I like that there is a mix of ages, wouldn't want to be in either 'just nappy valley' or just retired people, I think Bedford is a bot too much of a commuter town, meaning gets lively mainly on weekends.

[vix206]

Not sure about demographic but there's a real mix in MH. Not dominated by a specific group and plenty to offer young families and professionals, that much I can vouch for.

[vix206]

Loads of locals in MH, I know so many people there and none of them commute but work locally, for themselves, or in Leicester.

I did give the name of my town, it's not got a train station though

[allaflutter]

oh God, too many typos, sorry, must never type when in a rush!