London to Folkestone, any experience of moving there...

[AuraofDora]

that you can share with me?

DH is mad keen, and well, I've only been for an afternoon so don't feel qualified to make a decision.
My main queries are -
the commute, it would only be me still working in London, does this sort of daily travel grind you down? I know the HS train is only an hour but it means being uber organised and leaving work on time all the time to have some family time
the mix of people, is it mixed and is it chilled?
Schools look fine - any horrors to avoid?
and just how did you feel?
I would be sad to go, there is much here I love about London. Also scared that the family will have new life there whilst i trundle to London everyday to pay the bills and just become a weekender
DH feels it has a lot to offer, Creative Quarter, fantastic countryside and seaside, lively town etc and we should get in at the bottom.

Any thoughts, comments - have you done this, do you rate it, or do you yearn to come 'home'?

This has been a really useful thread - I'm from Folkestone and have lived in London for the last ten years. Our eldest is starting school next year and we're now house hunting to make the move to Sandgate. Lots of you make a good point about the area being described as 'up and coming' for some time now, and you're right. But I think now's the time! We're getting in before everyone jumps on the band wagon and I know of at least two other families doing the same. We're planning supper in The Ship in Sandgate on our first night down there sitting by the big glass windows looking out to sea and I can't wait...

We bought our flat behind the Leas around July and I am very happy so far. I agree some part of Folkestone look really derelict and depressing.It s true however that they are some people in this town with that air of desperation but I have meet so far locals who really love the city and are trying their best to improve the local life. Anyway let's face it, I will have never been able to afford a beautiful grand 120sqm 5 minutes walk from the sea anywhere else and so close to London for work. Winter is about to start, the old town is much quieter but we like it. The views, the sea, the beaches, no wonder the Edwardians were found of the area. As for the buzz, Betty345 is right, I know too so far 2 families/single friends from London who are looking to move since they visited us.

Watch: www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/finance/personal-economy/11243014/folkestone-regeneration.html#ooid=hyMWx5cTpfAyXoFCvxq6VlR1E_zz_weW

Um, did you say 'so close to London'

Yes. 55 mns by train is close. I know many people who travel 1h30 minimum every day to London.

No it's not close. I guess you'd say commutable at a stretch just because lots of people do it. But it's not close to London.

It is thoroughly commutable. It's easy to look at the distance involved and ignore the small increment of time involved over "closer" places. If you live in somewhere like Richmond it can take 40 minutes plus to commute. When we lived in Beaconsfield it was around 35 minutes. 51-55 minutes is not too bad.

The good thing is that you're on one train for the bulk of it, so it's both more relaxing and/or possible to get some work done. It's also a train on which you can almost always get a seat, thankfully. But there are a lot of people moving here so who knows how long that will last.

My point was it's not close to London. It's commutable. Richmond is close. And no way would it be quicker to get to the same point in London from Folkstone than Richmond when there are fast trains that only stop at CJ then waterloo.

And that link looks like an ad for HSBC.

I'm not having a dig at where you live, we've talked briefly about Folkstone because of this original thread! If you're happy to do that commute then it's no concern of mine.

Hi We are considering a similar move and this is exciting but a bit scary! We moved from east london To Sevenoaks 18mths ago but cannot afford to buy there. folkestone is an option as is the same distance to MIL who lives nr Leeds Castle and also the commute time and expense will balance out the same but we could afford a better property. Is there a nice mums network? We would be looking west folkestone/sandgate.

Sandgate is wonderful in summer!!!!

:) I would love to hear some experiences of relocating here. I experienced teething issues when I moved from London to Sevenoaks so expect similar if we decide to make the move, but I would be grateful to hear some positive experiences (and negative for balance)

We moved to folkestone from London last year. Commute in 4 days a week, it's expensive but quick and easy. And we are totally in love with the town and area around. Yes it lacks a high street full of big chain stores, and is without doubt a bit rough around the edges, but it's got lovely pubs, brilliant places to eat (try Googies for burgers, rock salt for fish) the quarter house has a brilliant theatre lineup, the coastal park is gorgeous and the triennial which they had last year was awesome. I thought I'd miss living in London, I genuinely haven't given it a seconds thought

I have to day the first time we came for a househunting weekend we thought the town was dire, went to the wrong pub on the wrong day and it nearly put us off. But so glad we persevered, because we love the place now!

That's great EmzDisco.
Did you find it hard to meet other Mums/Families?
We have a 2 year old daughter who will be attending nursery a couple of days, but we have an amazing mums network in Sevenoaks so I would feel a bit lost without knowing other Mums!
Are there many toddler groups etc..Thanks!

The boy and girl grammar schools are great, The Academy, set up by Roger De Haan, has amazing facilities. It's very hit and miss pupil wise as there are pupils whose parents WANTED them to go there, so they are better behaved and better er um backgrounds, and then there are the children who live in the vicinity and would have gone their if it as still the run down and half derelict Channel school.

Peng Valley is currently under subscribed and under performing and seems to be where kids are managed out to, would not recommend in any way, although oddly, prior to the doing up of The Academy is was the best school.
Awful lot of people send their children to Brockhill in Hythe which seems to currently be the best of the bunch in performance and in behaviour.
Cheriton is 50/50 - some very rough bits and some lovely.
Lots of ex Ghurka soldier families now purchasing properties and living with grandparents, ie 3 generations in one home has made it actually much nicer and seems to have pulled a lot of the primary schools performances up.
Always opt for the smaller primaries as they seem to have less rough element.
East end and the huge estates sprawling upto the hills to Capel le Ferne are incredibly cheap but mostly social housing, nothing wrong with that, but they are spattered with some very very rough families.
It's very non multicultural in my generation, 40's, much more so in the younger generations which is nice, much more mixed experiences and religions etc.
I wouldn't live in Folkestone now for over nor money, got out in my 20's and went rural though I do work there.
Town is run down, but there is a Primark haha

The idea of rural is lovely, but with OH needomg to commute and me working locally (hopefully) we need somewhere that has a good balance of relatively easy to commute, good schools and nurseries, nice places locally to visit, eat out etc.. within 45min drive of Ulcombe (nr Leeds Castle) seems to be a good fit if living on west side/sandgate?!
Only drawback for me is hospitals don't seem too great and still needs further redevelopment?

As far as hospitals go, the situation is similar to many places - there's a walk in centre, which is actually quite good in Radnor Park in the centre of town, but for specialist appointments or A&E you go 20 minutes down the M20 to the William Harvey hospital in Ashford.

There is plenty of redevelopment happening in Folkestone, and at quite a pace. Most people with small children seem to love it here.

I have found it easy to make friends, and most of the people very friendly. I live midway between Sandgate and Cheriton, about a 10 minute walk to Folkestone West, and it is the best move we ever made. My husband has commuted on the train, but doesn't currently. He loved the high speed when he did.

Broad stairs a zillion times nicer. But Folkestone, esp Botany Bay area beautiful beaches.

Bit desolate in feb though

Hi Emila, I'm actually expecting my first - very early days so not at the knowing mums stage just yet - but really looking forward to. I think there's a lot of ex-londoners and people from other areas moving here so if the local's aren't up for it i'm sure there are lots of new folk up for making friends! But on the whole to town is very friendly, I've got to know people by social media - following local businesses on facebook and twitter and interacting with people who i now bump into out and about which is really nice.

Great well we are arranging a second viewing for a property just north of Enbrook park so will keep you posted whether we put an offer in, maybe we can meet up for coffee if we do end up moving Emz disco ;)

Hi Psychotherapist,
Interested to know whether you've made any decisions yet? Also a single fortysomething with grown-up and flown children, I've lived in the Folkestone area for over 20 years.
I agree with previous positive and negative comments, it's completely subjective, but would like to add that that for me, the joy of waking to watch the sun rise dripping out of the sea far outweighs the lack of metropolitan opportunities here. The windblown seas, rolling skies and mocking herring gulls are an ever-changing inspiration.

Financially, you exchange grim expensive housing for grim expensive travel, but if you add the wellbeing factor to the scales then you may find that they tip...
There is plenty here for you, but without a ready-made family support system it won't be easy, however I guess you are well qualified to keep yourself happy
Shelly70, my heart goes out to you. It's not an easy place to be a single woman, people can be rather insular. It's a great situation in which to raise a family, although a harsh and beautiful place to be alone.

Psychotherapist, feel free to let me know if you visit, and good luck whatever you've decided...

Wondering if anyone can help? We have looked at a house in sandgate. It is in a great position, 5 mins to sandgate school, 5 mins to station, but is just of Romney road abd I don't know the area very well.
Obviously coolinge lane is very lovely but I think a lot of the properties in the 'golden valley' are ex council and some still probably do firm social housing do it is not as aesthetically pleasing! Can anyone shed some light on the area? It looks a mixed bag to me.., Thanks xx

It's only just been "moved" into Sandagte, was always Golden Valley!
Check the door handles around lol. The council ones have a fat white handle ... I've just looked n a street map and its on the steep hill yes? Or off it. That side seems nice, there are some flats and bungalows nearer the shops and some are HA but it doesn't have a rough rep at all.
Sandgate Primary is very successful double at least form entry with very high transfer to the grammars, the head mistress is in charge of the appeals process so knows exactly how to get them thru although with the introduction of the shepway test there should be less need for appeals.

Thehouses are fairly low cost .

Avoid Pent Valley and Cheriton Primary from what I am told. I have no idea if you can get into Sandgate primary easily sort of mid year.

There's some gorgeous new houses in Eversely ..... Ooooh soooo nice

Thanks, that's very useful to know :)
My daughter is 2.5 so won't be going to school until sept 17, so we have a while yet, but def want her in sandgate primary.
Those new houses look amazing but a bit too high for our FTB budget!
Glad to hear it isn't rough. It is on the steep hill yes :)