Why the snootiness about Staines-upon-Thames?

[FortunesFavour]

Hi All

I’m considering moving to Staines upon Thames - moving out of small London flat, desperate for a garden etc.

I’m a bit baffled by most people’s response -generally along the lines of “ew no, not Staines”.

I don’t understand where this is coming from. To me it seems like a bustly town, good transport links, pretty river, modern shopping centre. I really like it. What am I missing?!!

Is it just the old Ali G association? I thought that was ironic, ie he and mejulie had naff all to do in a quiet town. Am I wrong, is it in fact choc full of wannabe gangsters hanging out by the town hall?!

Any experiences of living in Staines welcome, plus of course anyone who can shed light on Staines’ dirty little secret that causes people to sneer as they do? Personally I think it’s snobbishness and Ali G misunderstandings, but am ready to be corrected.

Thanking you!

It is a very very busy area due to M25 and Heathrow so I would consider very carefully your tolerance of noise and traffic. I go back to that area to see family and have no absolutely no intention of going back purely for those reasons.

Traffic can grind to a standstill on a Friday afternoon if the M25 is heavy or there’s an accident. But once you know the back routes it can usually be skirted round. Or plan journeys accordingly so it rarely impinges on daily life. The rest of the time, if you are used to crawling through London at 10mph, you’ll think it’s fine.

My advice would be to listen to the locals on this thread, and take everyone else’s opinions with a large pinch of salt.

It's always seem alright when i've driven through. Much like anywhere really.
The main problem in that area of the world is the traffic, as said. The roads are completely beyond capacity & travelling about can be a nightmare.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

Bill Bryson writes about the area in Road to Little Dribbling

@Toddlerteaplease

Bill Bryson writes about the area in Road to Little Dribbling

It’s changed a lot since the time he lived here.

Imo the high st can be a bit chavvy but no different from any ordinary UK town. Nice area and feel a safe. I would move here or egham any day .

But yes that bit of the m25 can be a car park at times!

Are you thinking of moving to the WESTSIDE!!!???

I think there is/can be quite a rough element in the evenings in Staines, it's been an issue for many years. Have you seen about the recent stabbing at Thorpe Park 😬

However I should think most town centres can be rough at night time...

Traffic over the fecking bridge is another downside IMHO.

Forgot about the M25, erm yeah often the speed says 40mph, if only it were going that fast!! It is a notorious stretch - used to walk over M25 on the school run...

Another member of the massive here. Grew up in Staines. It’s fine, normal family area. Definitely a bit tasty in the evenings and there was an endemic problem of youths congregating in the two rivers car park on a Sunday, stopping people leaving the car park etc.

I would say it’s never been very aspirational in feel and tone - I now live somewhere solidly MC and when I go back there’s a noticeable difference in feel. It is downmarket. Also secondary schools are a problem.

@RandomMess

I think there is/can be quite a rough element in the evenings in Staines, it's been an issue for many years. Have you seen about the recent stabbing at Thorpe Park 😬

However I should think most town centres can be rough at night time...

Traffic over the fecking bridge is another downside IMHO.

The stabbing at Thorpe Park had nothing to do with Staines.

Staines has a pretty good shopping centre, large riverside parks, good transport links and is an absolutely fine place to live in my opinion.

It does have Heathrow noise, but then again so does almost all of the Western side of the M25. Windsor is much noisier for planes in my opinion. You just get used to it.

I don't know about schools as that's not my catchment area.

The main thing I would check on any potential new home there though, is the flood risk. Certain area if Staines do flood. It was very bad about 5 or 6 years ago and a lot of properties were under water. I think flood defences have been improved now but it is something to be aware of.

I think most locals still call it Staines rather than Staines upon Thames. It will take a while for the "upgraded" name to really become the norm.

@CraftyGin Thorpe Park does have issue with local youth gangs, plenty of older teens will no longer go there for October Fright Nights because of it 🤷🏽‍♀️ it's just down there road from Staines...

When you look at Staines on police.uk, it comes out about the same as Woking or Tunbridge Wells. Everywhere has got some crime, but Staines does seem absolutely fine tbh.

I grew up in a town not too far from Staines. I don't ever remember it being rougher than any of the other towns in the suburbs.

Also I find it hard to believe that Thorpe Park has a gang problem when it costs the best part of 50 quid to get in!

You get season passes for about £50.

I agree many suburban towns have similar issues. Woking is another place that until recently had nothing but a few nice restaurants to go to in the evenings but that has changed recently.

Hopefully the restaurants in both towns will survive and it does improve the evening atmosphere.

@CasuallyMasculine

bum

Englefield Green has one of the largest social housing estates in the south-east, if that would bother you. Also no train station (you have to walk to Staines for the nearest one).

Virginia Water is a very small town - nothing really going on there and property is expensive because it has good train links to London but little else.

Egham is nice but again, a small town and not a huge amount going on there.

Egham has the most fantastic charity bookshop though, and a really good Waitrose. Ds did his BA and MA at RHUL, and I made a beeline for the bookshop and Waitrose when we visited, as we were based abroad, so cheap books and Waitrose were rare treats.

Staines attracts lots of young families moving out of London these days. It does have a reputation of attracting lots of rowdy people on Sunday evenings around the shopping area.

It's main industry was linoleum, perhaps that's more downmarket than carpet?

Are schools a massive issue? I know four or five people from Staines and they all went to Tiffin. Actually, that possibly answers the question — none of them went to school there!

You can always refer to it as St Aines when people ask where you live, if you're concerned about the stigma

I used to live near there and never understood the dodgy reputation either. Egham is nice too.

I lived in Staines for 17 years and loved it. The shopping area is nice school options are good and lots of lovely surrounding areas for walks. Good links to london but the flights are a little noisy and the M25 is a pain! But a great quality of life.

Re secondary schools, Matthew Arnold was pretty dire and I think it may have even been put in special measures a few years ago but apparently it's improved a lot recently. Thomas Knyvett is better. Depending on where you live in the area you may be in the catchment for Magna Carta in Egham which is very good. I also know people from Staines whose kids have gone to Chertsey High and Windsor Boys/Girls so there are plenty of options. I know less about the primary schools in Staines itself but Ashford and Shepperton have some very good primaries. Staines Prep is excellent if you go private.

I have to agree about the Sunday meetups at Two Rivers carpark, can be a bit intimidating but not to the point where it would stop you going.

And the traffic over Staines bridge is a complete bloody ballache.

We spent a week in Staines-upon-Thames last spring during Covid-19 quarantine. Lovely little town, nice people, great shopping, nice restaurants, especially Indian food. Great commute into London and a visit to Windsor...people, rethink you're opinion of Staines-upon-Thames!

I know and have lived in neighbouring areas. I wouldn't touch Staines for these 3 very important reasons.

1. FLOOD RISK. Type "Staines floods" into YouTube. Staines-upon-Thames? No, Staines-in-the-thames. With global warming, its the first thing I check about an area, and flooding is an instant deal breaker.

1. AIRCRAFT NOISE. Its next door to Heathrow.

1. TRAFFIC. Yes Staines is handy for the M25,M3, etc but that junction is notoriously jammed with traffic. Constantly.

Couple that with it being a remarkably forgettable place, I'd look elsewhere. Egham, Englefield Green, Sunningdale, Ascot.

To add, I did watch the original Ali G movie at Staines cinema, and the locals were loudly talking about it, like it was a documentary 🤣