Aspirational Places to Live Outside London?
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Catycity · 19/11/2020 15:26
Just curious and wanted to canvas opinion. What do you consider to be aspirational places to live outside London?
London is up there, but there’s a lot of talk that covid has changed the dynamics a bit. Also, London is a big place and not all parts of London are aspirational places to live.
Outside of London, where else would you consider as an aspirational place to live? It could be towns, villages or cities...
positivelynegative · 19/11/2020 15:34
Well if you go by prices, St Albans seems to up there.
LittleOverwhelmed · 19/11/2020 15:37
Bath. Bits of Bristol. Some of the Cotswolds? Various places by the coast?
Qwertywerty3 · 19/11/2020 15:41
York
LaurieFairyCake · 19/11/2020 15:43
Surrey
Wearywithteens · 19/11/2020 15:44
Look at the times best places to live list: York, Rutland, Chichester, places in Oxfordshire etc or look at where the Waitroses are!
Catycity · 19/11/2020 15:51
@Wearywithteens
Lol! Waitrose is the litmus test for an aspirational place to live! That’s probably very true as well!
IncludeWomenInTheSequel · 19/11/2020 15:53
Aspirational place to live
Catycity · 19/11/2020 15:55
@Wearywithteens yes the Times list is good, but there are some hidden gems around the country that might not make their list. Places like Repton are not big enough for a Waitrose but aspirational nonetheless (thanks to the School etc).
MrsSchadenfreude · 19/11/2020 15:56
Sonning-on-Thames
Pootles34 · 19/11/2020 15:59
Love it when they list a nearby Waitrose in estate agents info!
I think York, Cotswolds, Cambridge, Oxford, I would imagine Edinburgh surely? Or are we just doing England?
Catycity · 19/11/2020 16:03
Yes! Edinburgh! U.K. in general, not just England.
LittleOverwhelmed · 19/11/2020 16:08
Andover (Hampshire) has a Waitrose (and has done for over 40 years).... Not sure I would count it as “aspirational” though 
(Sorry anyone who lives in Andover...)
Thickhead · 19/11/2020 16:19
Aspirational? 
PopperUppleton · 19/11/2020 16:23
There are bits of Cumbria that have beautiful (and extremely expensive) houses, but no Waitrose anywhere in the county. We have Booths, though
Catycity · 19/11/2020 16:57
@Thickhead
Yep. Aspirational, meaning sought after location.
Location, location, location and all that.
ClaudiaWankleman · 19/11/2020 17:01
I always think of Brighton as somewhere where people aspire to move to from London.
Also St Albans, nice commutable villages in Surrey, lots of Cotswolds villages.
Almost anywhere that features on Escape to the Country.
WombatChocolate · 19/11/2020 17:14
Guildford, Reigate, Oxted, Seven Oaks, Amersham, Beaconsfield, Marlow, Henley, many of the villages around these places. They are all affluent and expensive places to live which have speedy commutes into London so attract commuters and have a good stock of large houses and plenty of green space.
Oxford, Bath, York, Chester, Winchester.
Most of the big cities such as Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool have suburbs that are highly sought after.
Aspirational though sounds......a bit social climber tacky. Go somewhere because you like it bit because it’s a currently in place for those who wish to rise up the social scale and boast about where they live.
ComtesseDeSpair · 19/11/2020 17:15
Parts of North Norfolk - Holkham and the Burnhams (Burnham Market known as Chelsea-on-Sea.) Bath and some surrounds.
And Woolwich is getting a Waitrose soon. The view of MNers is that it’s a stabby shithole, so the litmus test is clearly on the out.
formerbabe · 19/11/2020 17:19
Cheltenham, the Cotswolds, Cambridge
movingonup20 · 19/11/2020 17:19
@Catycity
We have a Waitrose and a Lidl and sea, is that enough? The houses on the cliffs are amazing, ours less so thus affordable for mere mortals
DorisDaisyMay · 19/11/2020 17:20
Henley
Winchester
Alresford
Onedropbeat · 19/11/2020 17:22
Berkhamsted
Thame
Marlow
Burnham Market
snowspider · 19/11/2020 17:28
I have read that if you are looking for the rich and famous Bruton in Somerset is having a moment
Standrewsschool · 19/11/2020 17:37
Bourton on Water
Lymington
Lightsabre · 19/11/2020 17:50
Woolwich Waitrose🤣!
I think anywhere with a Booths surely!
St Albans, Surrey etc very bland. I would say Edinburgh would be aspirational - a dynamic place.
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