Farnham or St Albans?

[duchessa]

Hi all, we're returning to the UK after many years abroad. We've spent months looking for rentals and have missed out on a few due to the London exodus! It's proving incredibly challenging to find a place and to be honest, my cortisol levels are off the charts as our move date is fast approaching.

We need to be within reasonable distance of London for a twice weekly commute, but really want somewhere safe, near nice countryside (but not rural!) with a 'charming' high street and good state and private school options. DC will all be in primary this year but DC1 will start Year 7 in September so great secondary options are essential, too.

I think we've narrowed it down to Farnham and St Albans, as they seem to tick most of our boxes. We have a good rental budget, up to around 4500 a month, but we have 3 DC who are used to having a good-sized house with a proper garden so we'll need the same, wherever we end up.

Would be so grateful for your opinions on these two towns. It's been a really tough year for our kids and we desperately want them to have a 'soft landing' in a lovely place.

Thanks so much in advance!

I grew up in Farnham and my parents still live there. It's a lovely town centre (though one way system means traffic can be a nightmare) and state schools are great. But it is very quiet, with no theatre or cinema, for example. If you live near the train station the link to London is great, but it is tricky to get anywhere else easily on public transport.

I don't know St Albany's but understand it is quite a big bigger with more amenities. You might want to consider Guildford if you are looking for something equivalent close to Farnham.

They’re both lovely places to live. St Albans is bigger, with much faster train links into London, and it also depends on where into London you need to get to (Farnham is into Waterloo, St Albans has Thameslink which goes through London).

Both have excellent school options and both are green and leafy-though pp is right that they both have traffic issues!

They both have excellent schools, but check the admissions processes when you’re looking for somewhere to rent if you’re being specific about schools as Herts and Surrey slightly different.

Honestly-it doesn’t matter, I’d probably think about which is the better location for you in terms of family/commute.

Guildford does have better transport links but is bigger than both. Harpenden is smaller but greener than St Albans, also on same quick train line but also a bit more expensive.

Good luck with your choice!

Have a look at the borough of Bromley. Lots of areas with lovely big houses and gardens - Beckenham, Shortlands, Keston, Chislehurst. Schools are generally good.
Lots of amenities, plenty of train lines into Central London and not far from countryside.

Farnham is a lovely town (I consider it charming) and both private and state are excellent (state some of the best in the country). Quieter than St Albans but Guildford is only a few miles away and the countryside around Farnham is wonderful and so much to do (especially during lockdown...) outside walking, sailing, riding, biking etc. within a few minutes drive of the centre.

Farnham and St Albans are very different so it depends what you are looking for. St A is a city, Farnham a market town. It’s more comparable with Harpenden (St Albans’ more expensive neighbour). Both very nice areas but they also go into different sides of London, so you might want to consider which gives you the better commute. Berkhamsted is another option which is similar to Farnham and Harpenden.

I live near but not in St Albans. One of my children goes to school in St Albans and my husband works there. It’s not as nice and leafy as it seems. There is a large drug issue and it’s actually on the county lines watch list.
Knife crime is terrible too. A machete attack near my sons school in Clarence Park (a very expensive area) and a couple of robberies of children’s bikes at knife point would be more than enough for me to not want to pay the very expensive house prices.

Farnham is lovely and Guildford is too. Farnham state options will be limited if your DC1 is going in September as the best secondary school takes from feeder primaries - you would have to live very close to stand any chance of getting a place as a late applicant and you would be behind applicants from the feeder schools. Other state schools in the area are nowhere near as good, you’d be better living in Guildford and moving close to Guildford County or George Abbot (both are good, the former is easier for train station commuting).

If your DC are girls, the private options are plentiful although for Year 7, I would think the exams are imminent - you would likely find a place regardless (imo). Boys private options are more limited but there are some nice schools (Frensham for example) and perhaps more down towards Haslemere that I know less well.

Have lived in Harpenden and Farnham and would go fo Harpenden every time. Commute is easier and the secondary schools are excellent and your child does not have to move for 6th form.

Thanks for this. Older DC are boys which makes the decision more challenging! Girls seem to have far more options for secondary ☹️

I lived in Harpenden and loved it (still do) excellent educational facilities and speedy line into London. At Albans is nice for a city but quite big. It depends what you want? Quaint market town feel or vibrant city?

@duchessa

Thanks for this. Older DC are boys which makes the decision more challenging! Girls seem to have far more options for secondary ☹️

All 4 excellent secondaries in Harpenden are coeducational. If you want single sex you can apply (state option) to Verulam for your boys in St. Albans. If you want private there are 2 private boy schools on St Albans.

I live in St Albans, actually grew up here but moved away to live in London and New York for many years, then a couple of years ago opted to move back here to raise my family. I absolutely love it, it's a vibrant, beautiful city with incredible history (cathedral and Roman remains), fantastic state schools, some wonderful architecture, lovely parks, close to open countryside and only 20 mins by train to Kings Cross. There is no notable drug problem - you see the odd druggie from time to time but it's nothing compared to some places, and some elements of that exists in pretty much every UK city. Nor is it dirty.

The principal downside is that house prices are crazy expensive! Easily on a par with London prices now. Catchments for most popular schools can be tiny and traffic can be awful at times. However, all in all it is a wonderful place to live and bring up children. Never been to Farnham so can't speak for that, but Harpenden is lovely too - more "villagey", but even pricier! Worth looking at Guildford and Berkhampsted as well. Guildford likely to be more affordable. Good luck!

St Alb as is a fantastic place to raise kids, and for me the fact it’s a city s a bonus - I don’t want village life. The 2 biggest issue for you will be getting into the very very full schools and the lack of family houses.

@irisetta

I live in St Albans, actually grew up here but moved away to live in London and New York for many years, then a couple of years ago opted to move back here to raise my family. I absolutely love it, it's a vibrant, beautiful city with incredible history (cathedral and Roman remains), fantastic state schools, some wonderful architecture, lovely parks, close to open countryside and only 20 mins by train to Kings Cross. There is no notable drug problem - you see the odd druggie from time to time but it's nothing compared to some places, and some elements of that exists in pretty much every UK city. Nor is it dirty.

The principal downside is that house prices are crazy expensive! Easily on a par with London prices now. Catchments for most popular schools can be tiny and traffic can be awful at times. However, all in all it is a wonderful place to live and bring up children. Never been to Farnham so can't speak for that, but Harpenden is lovely too - more "villagey", but even pricier! Worth looking at Guildford and Berkhampsted as well. Guildford likely to be more affordable. Good luck!

Not got a drugs problem I assume you have primary aged children so are living in that delightful bubble. The drugs issue is of such concern locally that the heads of all the senior schools wrote a joint letter to all parents to inform them of the issue. It was very educational, I now know how much heroin costs (surprisingly cheap btw).

The reason I know it’s got a county lines problem is from a child safety course I took as a governor.

I work in Farnham and hate the traffic. Nice town, but traffic is horrendous and it really puts me off travelling there.

I grew up in Farnham. My parents can't understand why we don't live there now but it's so expensive and there is nothing to do! We are in Hampshire where there is also not much to do for teenagers but at least it's cheaper it depends if you mind driving your teenagers around all the time, if not then go for Farnham but otherwise somewhere with better transport links might be easier for all of you.

The drugs issue is of such concern locally that the heads of all the senior schools wrote a joint letter to all parents to inform them of the issue Not my DD’s school

Nononononoyes: When I am talking about a drugs problem, I'm not talking about teenagers experimenting. I'm talking about issues that are visible in the streets, that blight our communities. That is not the case in St Albans. When I was at secondary school in St Albans, from 1990 - 1998, I recall similar letters being sent to my parents. It's a common concern at secondary level. Drugs are and will forever be an issue for relatively large towns/cities, plus we are very close to the capital, but St Albans is not a city with problems so significant it should put people off moving there. I've lived in Oxford - incredible place, but the drugs/homelessness issues are far worse than St Albans, and it's about as expensive. St Albans is lovely place to live. But I guess it's all subjective. x

Thanks for all the responses so far. The new lockdown has further complicated things, as the agents we've spoken to say many tenants who were planning to move will now stay put, and landlords are more hesitant to list, too. We may have to broaden our search which is proving very tricky/stressful from several thousand miles away!