£350-400k, 3 beds with garden within 2 hrs direct train to London

[breadwidow]

Inspired by another thread where the OP got lots of suggestions, I need some suggestions for towns for relocation options. Quite typical story, moving out of London to free up some £, and to a place where DH could afford to set up longed for bakery. I will keep my job in civil service (which I love) so need to get to London fairly easily, for travel at least twice a week but likely not every day (hence happy with 2 hour journey)

So looking for locations:
Within about 2 hours train journey to London (I would stretch over that for the right place)
With decent schools (the biggest wrench will be leaving my sons outstanding primary)
Where houses with 3-4 bedrooms and decent size gardens, ideally within walking distance to the station, cost £350-400k

Even better if it's a location where you can see an artisan bakery doing well and extra marks for being near some wild / dramatic country side (this may be asking for the moon on a stick but I miss the landscapes of mid wales near to where I grew up)

Houses in the North West Chester area near the bakery above

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60357376.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69152243.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53145534.html

How about this house in Alton, Hampshire. Near to an outstanding secondary school. Town doesn't seem to have a proper artisan bakery yer.

In Leicester you would get a good family house for half that within distance of the station. We have some artisan bakers but room for competition

Saffron Walden, outstanding schools for both primary and secondary, lots of independent shops in town, successful posh bakery

This is on at £325k

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69556715.html

You do have to go a short drive / bus to train station though. Lots of countryside around.

Ware should have properties around that price and a train station and countryside. Good schools though one secondary is all girls. Lots of nice shops.

We’re relocating from Gloucestershire because although you’d get a 3 bed for your budget, the houses are pricey considering distance from London, etc. Plus there’s the grammar system to navigate and the comps are not so good as a result. Stroud has a good farmers market but already quite saturated with artisan bakeries (Hobbs in Naisworth etc.)

2h is within reach of most of England and some of Wales so you have almost endless options! Particularly with HS2 when it happens. We’re going north, just outside York and buying a 5 bed new build for a shade under 300k. Beach just over an hour away, moors and sales on the doorstep. Less than 2h commute to London for my partner and job opportunities in for him in Leeds as well (I know you are staying in your role but could it be transferable in future with promotions etc?)

*Nailsworth

And dales not sales. Good grief

Oh your original budget, Brighton is doable - 1h into Victoria and artisan bakeries are always popular. Or Rye?

The Suffolk coast (wild and beautiful, with a massive foodie scene and wonderful local produce). Especially around Woodbridge or Aldeburgh.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63944254.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63789403.html
Try Crowborough or Uckfield East Sussex. 1hr 10 from Cro into London Bridge, bit longer for Uckfield. Line is affected by winter weather as it is rural but kept going all through snow.
Both have good high streets, with a Waitrose and lots of independent shops.
Good/Outstanding schools
Farmers markets
The Ashdown Forest is literally on your doorstep. Largest free open space in SE England- 6500 acres. Where Winnie The Pooh is from.

Loads for children and adults to do, both have swimming pools, libraries and every sport going including tennis and golf clubs.

Close to The Sunshine Coast (Eastbourne), Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and quirky County Town of Lewes.

Eastbourne or Polegate? Polegate is nearer the countryside, but it's a small town so may not be great for the bakery business. Eastbourne would be quite good for your bakery business.

I’d say Market Harborough Leics. 1 hr to London, but there are already two artisan bakeries. It’s that sort of place.
There are a couple of large villages near by, Great Glen and Kibworth where an artisan bakery would possibly do well.

Preston is two hours and eight minutes to Euston, Manchester line is similar.

I would suggest Chester. Places like Hoole would lap up a trendy bakery/coffee shop concept and it's a 5 minute walk from the station.

We did something similar (minus the bakery). I also work in the civil service and only commute once a week, we opted for Chichester, bonus of being near the sea. For me a big thing was having a train that went into Victoria or Waterloo so I could walk to the office and not get the tube - Paddington to Westminster can easily add another 30mins each way to your commute.

Also there seems to be a lot of civil service jobs in Manchester. Maybe worthwhile considering that for future. Watch Sarah beenys best place to live program, she gites south ribble as best place to live, we are in process of moving there, and would live a nice bakery locally

Sherborne.

Lichfield, Staffordshire. 1hr 8 mins on the Virgin train or 2 hours on London Midland. 350k might buy you 4 beds.

Maybe faversham in kent. Lovely little market town which has monthly antique markets and arts and crafts markets. . One of the primary schools was listed around 12th in the country i believe (though as mine are past primary i am not completely sure but is certainly outstanding ). Outstanding grammar school and good secondary. Ten mins to Canterbury and to whitstable if you like the sea and an hour and 20 into victoria or just over an hour to st panc.... for a small town it has just had a literary festival and has yearly hat festival and hop festival and plenty more. i Think a bakery would do well. For 350 could get three bed with garden, worth a look x

How about Devizes or one of the villages around there. Lovely market town - the flip side is that it's a healthy drive to a railway station but you can either go to Salisbury/Andover then on the fast line to Waterloo or up to one of the stations on the Paddington line. I think an artisan bakery would do well there!

I live in South Worcestershire. Our station has a direct train to London which takes 2 hours, though there are rumours the new Worcestershire Parkway station will eventually have an express.
Your budget will easily get a three bed here, and we have lots of farm shops who might retail great bread products

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53368992.html

Kenilworth area? Coventry station 15 mins away then 1 hour to Euston from there. Can see an artisan bakery doing well In Kenilworth/warwick

Stamford. It's gorgeous.

Crewe is 1 hr 25 mins to London. How about this one? Plus Cheshire East has some of the best schools in the U.K.

Crowborough is lovely! Not too far from Tunbridge Wells and has a station.

Or you could go to Surrey, Reigate is a nice area with easy access to London!