Move to South Croydon/Purley from Tunbridge Wells??

[User112]

Hi Mums,

We live in Tunbridge Wells. DS is at grammar school in Tonbridge. He either takes the bus or DH drops him off on the way to work. Our twins are in Y1 and their school is within walking distance.
We live in a small 3bed house and it’s getting very tight for us. We are looking to buy, but there isn’t much on the market that suits our needs and within budget.

Happy budget : under £800k
Ok budget : under $900k
Really stretch : 1M max

DH and I run our own consultancies from home. We visit our clients offices in London 1-3 times a week. I’ve drastically cut down London visits due to me being high risk.

We’d like a 4 bed detached with at least 1 office. Good size bedrooms (no box rooms). Our main concern is DS. He is really settled in his school and loves it. He is very academic and thrives in the environment at Judd. He has the box room now and says he is happy to commute for a bigger room 🤔

There is nothing much on the market in Tonbridge/Tonbridge Wells at the moment. The roads are tight here and traffic jams are HORRENDOUS. I’ve seen some lovely houses in Purley/South Croydon. We are thinking of buying there and let DS commute to Tonbridge until he can find a place at a more local grammar.
Does that sound like a good idea? Our commute to London gets cuts down to half. We pay crazy train fares to get to London from TW!!

It sounds like you're on the same fb groups as me Sonex - the only crime which seems to occur around here are catalytic converter thefts.

I agree with your point about what you're used to. DH and I both grew up in urban South London, so Croydon centre is not an unknown quantity.

I queued for two hours to get into Hewitt's last year for uniform 😫. Ridiculous. Forbidden Planet next door is pretty good though.

The only time I ever go to West Croydon is to go to bloody Hewitt's

That's not West Croydon though, it's the centre. I don't think I venture into West Croydon ever ... I genuinely can't think when I've been there (other than further along to A&E!)

the only crime which seems to occur around here are catalytic converter thefts.

And Range Rovers which seem to have shit security given the rate they disappear!

@HavfrueDenizKisi

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90540571#/?channel=RES_BUY

Not my style but a good sized house in Petts Wood. That was after a 30 second rightmove search. How can petts wood/Orpington be out of your price range?????

Your son could stay at Judd and commute easily, you can get into London easily.

I know Croydon well as used live there. Yes there are nice houses but no it's not going to feel great after living in tun wells (I grew up there). If you really can't find something around tonbridge/tun wells for one million quid I'd say you're not looking.

That’s BR5 postcode. next to the “Crays”. Not a good area in my opinion.

It sounds like you're on the same fb groups as me Sonex - the only crime which seems to occur around here are catalytic converter thefts.

We get them round here in rural, low crime rate South Yorkshire.

@SoupDragon

The only time I ever go to West Croydon is to go to bloody Hewitt's

That's not West Croydon though, it's the centre. I don't think I venture into West Croydon ever ... I genuinely can't think when I've been there (other than further along to A&E!)

Very true, I think you're probably right, I've never been either. Is Mayday/Croydon University Hospital and where the Brit School is classed as West Croydon? If so I've been to each once (without incident).

@SoupDragon

the only crime which seems to occur around here are catalytic converter thefts.

And Range Rovers which seem to have shit security given the rate they disappear!

Also very, very true!!!

It's always the Range Rovers right? Why do they sell such expensive cars with such shit security?

@soupdragon is right. People are confusing West Croydon and central Croydon.

West Croydon is awesome for Indian restaurants and international grocery shops, but most Croydoners from S Croydon and neighbouring 'huburbs' would only ever drive through it to get to A&E.

You live in TW and have a healthy budget so why not move to Tonbridge or better still, Hildenborough - easy commute for both DS & DH and £800-£1m will get you a fantastic detached house on a residential road. Struggling to see why you'd want to move to somewhere like purely and uproot your dc if they are happy when you can get what you want down the road!

Something like these:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73947108

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111895406

The point still stands though. Comparing West or even East Croydon and most of South Croydon is like comparing Catford and Dulwich. Or Lewisham and Blackheath. And I haven't been to Catford of Lewisham for awhile and I'm sur ethere are some nice parts of both!

West Croydon is awesome for Indian restaurants and international grocery shops

Absolutely. If you want any kind of "foreign" food ingredient, it is the place to go!

Is Mayday/Croydon University Hospital and where the Brit School is classed as West Croydon?

I suppose I class "West Croydon" as being anything from West Croydon to where it turns into Thornton Heath. I think the Brit School is Selhurst (although I'm a bit vague on that!)

Central Croydon has been well and truly stitched up by Westfield pulling out. It's a shame. High streets are dying everywhere though.

Also, I walked through this week and one of the subways under Wellesley Road had tents pitched in it! The homeless situation is dire too - again, this is most likely true of everywhere but LondonBoroughs are likely to suffer from it more.

I don't particularly find it scary in WC, I was born & raised in Brixton which obviously was very different in the 80s/90s as you say. I just don't find it very nice & then the better parts are very suburban but yes good Indian restaurants in SC. I just like everything on my doorstep & not having to drive everywhere personally.

Lots of my friends went to the Brits

the only crime which seems to occur around here are catalytic converter thefts

very common in Wandsworth too, probably everywhere.

Mayday used to be known as Maydie, I assume it's improved? 😆

Whilst central Croydon is pretty run down nowadays, the southern suburbs/Surrey border are still really nice but commuting to Tonbridge sounds a nightmare. Orpington is good for this commute and quite reasonably priced for the London fringes, and there should be something suitable for your housing needs. If there was a space, your son could possibly transfer to St Olaves.
What about Sevenoaks? That's not too far from Tonbridge but also nearer to London for your commute.

Comparing West or even East Croydon and most of South Croydon is like comparing Catford and Dulwich

I don't think it's the same personally, there is a much bigger gulf between Catford & Dulwich then there is between parts of Croydon imo. But you can disagree of course.

It's been rebranded as Croydon University Hospital now and apparently is much improved. I've never been treated there so can't really say but I have a friend who had a quite serious accident earlier this year, lives in Purley, and when the ambulance came she begged not to be taken there. The paramedic persuaded her and she's been treated there all year, surgery, rehabilitation etc. I was at a dinner party at her house last night and she was raving about it, saying she could not fault them and her treatment there had been incredible.

TBh it's a big London teaching hospital not a local hospital and they are always going to have a different feel. I gave birth at at Thomas' and it was the worst experience of my life, truly grim, the ward was disgusting.

It's a nice area of your don't mind having to travel for shops etc. Quite quiet, family oriented. The reason to move is the green spaces. Avoid purley, and look at coulsdon, kenley, whyteleafe and Caterham, also Riddlesdown. You want somewhere within ~10mins walk of Riddlesdown, kenley airfield, coulsdon common or farthing downs: they're beautiful, all linked, and are the real reason to live in the area. Also avoid the main A roads, as they're super busy.

@Sonex yes no-one I knew wanted to go there but that was back in the day. Good it's improved. Sorry to hear that about St Thomas's.

If I’ve got this right and the op is talking about her ds in school in Tunbridge Wells while living in Croydon.... no way! You’ll hate it within a week- just too long.

I used to live in Kenley and it’s pretty decent. Up on the hill there are some lovely houses, near the airfield, and you’re only 5 mins from the north downs way and proper countryside. But I think he’d have to move schools. As has been mentioned, Riddlesdown is well regarded.

@Lonelycrab Ops son is also currently in a super-selective grammar school so unlikely they will consider anything less.
11+ for Judd 1 March 2021 was 387 for the Inner Area and 408 for the Outer Area. (The highest possible total score is 423.)

@Enko fair enough. But I really wouldn’t advise moving to Croydon, even the nicer parts near EC. I lived in central Croydon some years back and it is a depressing place.

Maybe the Redhill/Reigate border? Quick to Tonbridge on the train, quick for getting into London and a really nice area in general. Budget will get a larger 3/4 bed detached house.

The OP wasnt talking about moving to central Croydon. She was talking about moving to Purley/South Croydon. Which as has been repeatedly pointed out, is very, very different from central Croydon.

@Sonex

The OP wasnt talking about moving to central Croydon. She was talking about moving to Purley/South Croydon. Which as has been repeatedly pointed out, is very, very different from central Croydon.

Unfortunately Croydon has a bad rep, and people just can't see past that. I was very fortunate to grow up in a very salubrious part of South Croydon where the houses looked like the ones in the pictures. I have no idea what the houses in Dulwich are like, but I bet these are comparable.