Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells??

[MrsFlorrick]

Just wondering whether any MNers with local knowledge of the two could help me decide or at least make a more informed decision.

We are thinking of making the move from London and trying to decide between the two areas.

I can get a similar sized large period home in Tonbridge for

about £200k less than similar sized period properties (similar age and features) in TW.

The DC attend a prep here and will continue to do so wherever we move to. I am aware that there are more grammar choices in TW but my DC are 5 and 3 so it's impossible to say whether they will be grammar material just yet.

I want to hear the good bits about Tonbridge and perhaps about the bad bits about TW.

I already know the good bits about TW and the bad bits about Tonbridge. It would be good to hear some local views please.

Sorry to hijack but wondering if anyone here dies the South borough to Tonbridge school run (or commute) by car at around 8am - is it really really terrible and if so how long does it take. Also hoping to move to Tonbridge area and went for a look yesterday, really like South borough but wondering if that is 'too far out' for Tonbridge schools?? Do they have bus lanes on the A26 or is that just a London thing - my point being is it quicker to zip along on the bus than sit in slow moving car traffic.

Again. Sorry for hijack but not sure where a question like this might get any answers

8.00 is manic. You would need to leave earlier (get into tonbridge by 7:45). No bus lanes, but loads of buses.

Oh dear. So if DD had to be at school for 8.30 I'd need to drop her off by 7.45? That's not going to work well.

Where will your Dd be at school? She'll get the bus easily enough from southborough to Tonbridge. Pembury Road in Tonbridge is pretty busy 8.00 to 8.30., and around the station.

I thought you meant Tonbridge School from your first sentence in which case I'd suggest getting to the school by 8.00 because of the traffic. Pupils can arrive early there. Not sure what time the girls schools open.

It depends on the school you are talking about, really!

Sorry I'm not being very clear (up at 4.30). We don't know as she's got a few years until she goes to senior school but I don't want to buy a house in South borough if it means an hour long commute for her to Weald/Hillview. I won't mind driving her but wouldn't want to have a commute that's longer than 30 mins door to door on an average day. I suppose I would like to know if I should just forget about South borough and concentrate on TN9 only. I am getting a bit ahead of myself but we are looking to move this school year so need to think about these things.

Southborough to Tonbridge should be easy enough on a bus. its only 3or4 miles. Just watch the catchment area though, hillview seems to be getting more and more popular.

Yes it's a very easy and shirt route milage wise but I was hoping that someone could tell me roughly how lo g it would take in the car/on bus at around 8am

Hi OP, yes, we are very happy. Ex Londoners, who loved London.

When you ask how am I "handling" schools, what do you mean? Use got in to claremont. My limited experience, it totally lives up to its phenomenal reputation. I think it is very special indeed and, much more importantly, so does my child.

Enjoying. That's what I meant as in move to state catchment or prep instead.

Claremont does look great. Sadly DD would be an in year admission so moving to catchment wouldn't work. So we are staying with prep and working it out that way.

Going to two open days over the next week to see schools.

Bowelersam you'd only have to bus/drive as far as the station, not up Pembury road - everyone aged between 11 and 18 seems to congregate around the station (to mix with the boys) from as early as 7.45 onwards and then those in skirts eventually trudge up Pembury road to Togs, Weald or Hillview. There are tons of school children bussing it so don't rule out Southborough on transport grounds though you'd have to watch the Hillview catchment area very closely.

Thanks eat your veg, from the sounds of it I'd be chauffeuring dd in Y7 and after that she'd chuck me for bussing it with her mates once she discovers boys ...noooooo!

I currently live in Sevenoaks but grew up in Tunbridge Wells. I think most of the pros and cons have been discussed already but you might also want to factor nightlife into the equation. Tun Wells has the far better choice of restaurants and bars than Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. If I had your budget (and a partner who didn't bristle at the idea of a commute of more than 30 mins) I would probably move to the Boyne Park/Court Road area of Tunbridge Wells.

I still find Tonbridge a bit depressing though agree the park is pretty good. I wouldn't discount Bidborough - it 'a really not that remote and convenient for Tonbridge station.

MrsF

Why not just move back to London. I lived in Islington, moved out to TW (which is nice I admit - got kids in Claremont too) and am now moving back up. Kids grow so quickly and for career chances, nightlife, culture etc. everything is in the city.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-47998106.html

I'd move here instead.

Shudder mrsc, I'd never move back.

I agree with annie MrsF, I'd look at Bidborough. It's just a suburb of TW in all but name. Nothing rural or remote about it. Equidistant between TW and Tonbridge. Lots of lovely people there.

MrsCynical. Peckham!!! No I don't think I will ever be ready for Peckham

Bowlers. I am looking in Boyne Park and Court Rd later this week. It's a nice area. DH doesn't mind the extra commute from TW.

Thanks for the info on Bidborough. I have looked at details of houses there and they are all backing onto empty fields. Way to far out for me. I grew up in the middle of nowhere and I don't ever want to live too far out again.

Boyne Pk, Court Rd, v nice!

Keep an open mind on Bidborough if anything else comes up, no one i know there backs onto fields, just zillions of houses. I think it's more suburbia than Surbiton....

Yes, nice. Easy walk to the station too.

I had a friend at primary school who lived on Culverden Down. Her mum wrote romantic novels and Woman's Weekly bodice rippers.

It's a nice place to grow up I think.

In which case go for TW. Although it is the murder capital of Kent - told to me by an ex police officer who I worked with!

Seriously, I did like it there and, apart from London, it was the best place to live. I have also lived in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tentenden so have been around!!

Ahem. MrsC re. murder. Your linked property is in Peckham.

I too would have dismissed Peckham a while ago but some friends have moved there recently and I can assure you it is really great. Good schools, buzzy feel. Probably rather like Islington was at one time.

Bear in mind that local friends in TW will be made primarily through your kids going to local schools. If you are keeping them at the prep school then it will be more difficult to get to know people locally which is part of the charm of being there.

Sorry but you have missed the boat on Peckham.

(a) it's still just as murderous as ever
(b) the prices have doubled in the last 3 or 4 years

If you want to buy in London, find somewhere still relatively undiscovered. Maybe Wormwood Scrubs or something. (And no, this is not a joke.)

Examples of how ludicrously insanely expensive Peckham is:

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detail.html?country=england&locationIdentifier=POSTCODE%5E1668642&searchLocation=SE15+4QS&referrer=landingPage

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=40492691&sale=50667044&country=england

Also the estate agents speak in arsehole speak. It's like they feel the need to compensate for asking half-a-million-quid for Del Boy's flat, so they write their ads in wankerese.

www.woosterstock.co.uk/details/12009

Yeah, I know!

However, I am just putting forward an alternative view. As I know myself once you move out it is incredibly hard to move back. There have been threads on this subject many times. Moving out to towns like TW can be great for many families but for others (like me) the pull of London never leaves you and as kids get older and you start thinking about uni or college and then careers for them you realise that, in lots of cases, being in or very near to London is perhaps the best option. Lots of our children will be (are already) priced out of even renting there let alone buying and so I see that maybe a rethink on where we (parents) live can affect the futures for some of our children.

I wish this country was not so London centric but it is unfortunately. I think that every single London postcode will be 'desirable' in next to no time if that is not the case already!

I just think that the OP moving to somewhere like TW or Tonbridge whilst keeping her children in prep schools is going against one of the main reasons to move there i.e. make friends and be part of the community where you live.

Mrsc-why don't you think the OP will make friends with prep school parents? She will. She'll have loads of local friends.