does this place exist?

[gingerhills]

DC have grown up and DH is retired so we can now move away from the expensive London commuter village we've lived in for years.

We are prepared to move anywhere in England, pretty much, if we can find these things:

4 bed house with large garden for £650k or less

on the outskirts of a small town/big busy village as DH insists on having rural views and I insist on being walking distance from centre

town with lots of life - theatres, cinema, swimming pool, market and loads of community stuff going on

Not too cliquey - not too 'you have to be born here to belong here'

Ideally not Tory heartland. Diverse, bit left wing/arty eccentric.

ideally not more than 2 hours from London as we still have lots of friends there and I still have work meetings there a couple of times a month.

Does this place exist?

Bah to your DH OP. You're clearly a quality gal if you love my town . I've always said if I moved it would be way up North or Northumberland, so that's a shame too.

Liverpool not a bad shout - it's such a great city. Don't know the surrounds, but others would.

If Margate is too gritty and Whitstable too twee...then you definitely need to check out Ramsgate, perfect middle ground

Although I would second Glasgow!

@ughwhatnow

If Margate is too gritty and Whitstable too twee...then you definitely need to check out Ramsgate, perfect middle ground

Although I would second Glasgow!

I have heard lovely things about Ramsgate. We were on holiday around there and went to Margate and Ramsgate but missed Ramsgate and Broadstairs. Wish we'd taken a look now.

Ramsgate is quite rough. Think Chatham but with a beach! Broadstairs is nicer imo.

Leigh on Sea?

A lot of the places people are suggesting are really expensive!
Lewes for example , that house is ok but nothing special . I hate that the house prices are so high in the south . ! 🙄

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119906774#/?channel=RES_BUY

Salisbury?
I live in west Wiltshire and know Frome. It's fine but I think it's very overrated. However, The Times loves it and it was voted as their top place to live, so perhaps it's just me.

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111676031

Saw this and thought of you OP. Bedfordshire

Perhaps you're looking for this place? Just outside Honiton.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119899685#/?channel=RES_BUY

No don’t go to Bedfordshire, Tempsford is a small village split in 2 by the A1, I lived in the next village, moved out from London, it took me 8 years to get out of there!

@Itscoldouthere

No don’t go to Bedfordshire, Tempsford is a small village split in 2 by the A1, I lived in the next village, moved out from London, it took me 8 years to get out of there!

Tempsford is lovely but I think it's right on the planned EAST/WEST Railway line. You'd be in for years of road closures and construction.