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Original poster

Left London for the suburbs - hate it

454 replies

Whereishome22 · 31/08/2022 11:27

Feeling miserable about this situation so want to at least have hope on the horizon! Moved from a part of London I loved to zone 6 suburbs end of last year and absolutely loathe it. It's a cultural wasteland, nothing to do, need to drive everywhere (which I can't yet), takes ages to get into work, and no local parks or playgrounds (two small kids). Suffering serious buyers remorse but anywhere I'd live in London has shot up in price Vs here, which has stayed steady.

So I want to leave and start anew in a town/ small city and want your help!

Budget is £850k, need at least 3 bedrooms but ideally more/annexe. Want a house with period features (not cottage more Victorian/Edwardian/1930s), at least 100 foot garden, good schools (this doesn't necessarily mean grammar schools) within walking distance, things to do, cinema, swimming pool, fruit and veg market, actually useful shops rather than gift shops and to be able to get a nice coffee, vegan food every now and then. Family in the South so don't want to be too far from them (i.e. Wales, Scotland, NE/SW England) and will need to commute to London one day a week (but don't mind it being a long one)

Places on the shortlist are:
Folkestone
Norwich
Tonbridge
Faversham

Any other ideas?

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 31/08/2022 15:30

I've lived in a lot of places OP- personally I didn't much like Bristol - but I am not you and you may love it- I found it a fag getting from A to B and a lot of areas felt really scruffy and grubby - but it is each to his own and if you like vegan things and all that then I would have thought Bristol or Brighton or Lewes would suit you a lot.

Other places I've lived that I think you would like are Bath and Canterbury. Canterbury is nice as you are on quite a quick link to London , it's studenty but not scruffy and it's really easy for Kent coast- whitstable and Broadstairs etc .( on the train to Broadstairs and a 15 minute regular bus into whitstable)

Winchester is lovely but even pricier than Bath - Guildford lovely too (I don't get what people are saying about dull at all- but it is very white, not particularly multicultural and pretty middle class as are winchester and Bath too). Winchester, bath and Guildford all on good lines to London- as is Bristol

Norwich is a lovely city too - but not that well connected.

If you want a London kind of melting pot multicultural vibe then really Bristol would be your closest fit unless you go further North or somewhere like Reading

Will have a look at some houses you might like in areas I know to give you an idea

BigSkies2022 · 31/08/2022 15:32

I was in Broadstairs on bank holiday monday. Reader, it's a dump. Well, that's a bit harsh - but it's not much of a place if it's buzz you seek.

SatinHeart · 31/08/2022 15:33

What about Reading?

Plenty of Victorian houses there and trains to Paddington (fast) or Waterloo (not so fast). Has one of the most extensive public transport networks outside London as well.

Techno56 · 31/08/2022 15:37

Be very careful if you move to Bristol with kids - secondary school catchments are tight and a lot of the schools for this age range are not great.

Chewbecca · 31/08/2022 15:40

Leigh on Sea example, not perfect but gives an idea. You're right in the heart of it here, wouldn't need to drive.
I'd only move to the area if your DC are likely to go to grammar schools though, though they're not superselective, just need to be top 25% or so.

acorntotree · 31/08/2022 15:41

Norwich is wonderful , it's my home town so I may be biased but I would move back there if I could. With that budget you would find a nice place in the golden triangle with period properties and lots going on for adults and children. Otherwise just outside the centre in Thorpe Hamlet, Trowse, Thorpe st Andrew are nice but maybe not buzzy enough.

Tiredalwaystired · 31/08/2022 15:45

Canterbury?

Crikeyalmighty · 31/08/2022 15:51

Here are some in Bath (all quite a lot below budget too) that one on newbridge is a steal for less than £600k if the basics are good - great area and a big house

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124934204#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126359726#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126169337

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126209084#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125137607#/?channel=RES_BUY

MonkeysandParrots · 31/08/2022 15:52

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125321594#/?channel=RES_BUY

I live in Bristol, probably in one of the areas you’d be interested in. It definitely could tick almost all of your boxes … the 100ft garden might be a challenge unless you are up for something like the above?

WonderingWanda · 31/08/2022 15:55

What about Exeter?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125092385#/?channel=RES_BUY

TheMullerLightOwl · 31/08/2022 16:02

Have you considered somewhere like Salisbury? A city in its own right but the fast train to Waterloo is doable for one day per week.

TheMullerLightOwl · 31/08/2022 16:04

E.g. this house is beautiful and only a mile from the station www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122549609#/?channel=RES_BUY

Panicmode1 · 31/08/2022 16:05

We moved from Earlsfield to Ewell/Stoneleigh (which I think is Zone 6) and I hated every second....so we moved to Tunbridge Wells.

It is increasingly diverse as more and more families from London arrive, and there is loads of cultural stuff going on here, in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge - all of which are very accessible by public transport from TW. Plus there is beautiful countryside, fabulous parks, close to the sea - and you can be back in London in 50 minutes.....and the education is very good as although it is a grammar area, the non grammars are also excellent and highly sought after. Primary schools are tricky for in year admissions though, and 'catchments' have traditionally been tight.

billywilliamthefourth · 31/08/2022 16:06

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125707124#/?channel=RES_BUY

Southbourne in Bournemouth? Walkable to the beach from this house, pretty much everything on your list on Southbourne high street (except cinema, but that's not far on main bus route into Bournemouth). We have a Grammar system and that area is either Christchurch schools or single sex secondaries, infants and juniors within Twynham academy (all good, afaik)

billywilliamthefourth · 31/08/2022 16:08

You're also an easy walk to Pokesdown station for trains direct to Waterloo.

Crikeyalmighty · 31/08/2022 16:11

Which area did you love in London op and where are you now - that will help point in right direction

Dartmoorcheffy · 31/08/2022 16:13

It's quite easy if you only have to do it once a week. I did it for almost a year when we first moved here.

gatehouseoffleet · 31/08/2022 16:18

I am wondering what part of London has no parks. London has loads of parks everywhere. It is an astonishingly green city.

But you could get a 3 bed terrace with a big garden in a few areas of south east London for your money and be able to go into Blackfriars as well.

Agree that schools in Bristol are not very good.

Guildford and St Albans are too expensive on your budget unless you want a rabbit hutch on a new build estate. I think Winchester is probably too expensive as well. Salisbury is worth looking at but might be too far out. You might get something nice on your budget in Petersfield. Despite much hilarity on the relevant thread last time I suggested Woking, it has nice bits and has a theatre, if that's what you mean by culture. Same goes for Reading.

If you need Blackfriars you could also consider anywhere that goes into Waterloo/Waterloo East or London Bridge as they are not too far to walk.

Crikeyalmighty · 31/08/2022 16:26

@gatehouseoffleet I don't think the Guildford places I posted believe are rabbit hutches and none are modern. Nor are the Bath ones. I don't disagree about Woking too- some nice areas and much better I think than many other places that are often suggested. - handy for so many other places too.

kevinturvyschair · 31/08/2022 16:26

You could probably get something in your budget In Walthamstow / Leyton / Highams Park / Chingford. So you then get to experience or be very close to proper "London" again. I'm in Walthamstow, we have lovely parks, loads of playgrounds, the Soho Theatre is about to open here and are close to Epping Forest. And the market sells plenty of fruit and veg!

Crikeyalmighty · 31/08/2022 16:29

Here's a few Bristol ones op in areas I think you would like bearing in mind you don't drive(I don't either by the way)

You will struggle on big gardens but handy for town in most cities!!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126555620#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125598449#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126270752#/?channel=RES_BUY

Rosehugger · 31/08/2022 16:32

I used to live in zone 5 in SE London and my commute was easier than when I lived in Zone 2 SW London. Sounds like you just chose the wrong area.

And the best thing about living around Sevenoaks/TW is living in a lovely down to earth village with lots going on and a really nice community but still having a good commute into London. Sevenoaks itself is very Chelsea tractor, private school, yummy mummy, new money set. Nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there. And the traffic in and around TW is fucking horrendous all the time.

Rosehugger · 31/08/2022 16:32

Also you would HAVE to drive (around Sevenoaks/TW).

Pebblebeach15 · 31/08/2022 16:36

Cross Folkestone off your list . The sea front and Harbour Arm are being regenerated and lovely , but the town itself is not so good.
Faversham is lovely but you definitely need a car to get to a lot of activities . There is a market , swimming pool and cinema , but tiny by London standards .
What about Rochester or Canterbury?

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