Thinking of leaving London. Does this place exist? Where is it?

[Speaknowfearlessreputation]

London has gotten so expensive and I am finding that the community I once loved is disappearing too.

If this is on our wish list, where would suit us?

-strong community: friendly, easy to integrate, lots to do
-liberal minded people
-creative people around (I work in a creative industry)
-access to London (doesn’t have to be commutable as I work from home, but DH and I do need to get back once every fortnight or so)
-a charming high street full of independent shops
-not too polluted
-good schools, preferably progressive schools
-great place to be a kid

Where would this place be?

Essex and Suffolk rivers, many of the villages and small towns have good rail to Liverpool St. Maldon is a realistic place, relatives live there.
Someone suggested Woodbridge, spend time looking around there. You will probably do many more miles in the car than in London.

How accessible to London does it have to be? You have literally just described Whitley Bay but it's a good half hour into Newcastle and then 3 hours to London from there.

Teddington ticks those boxes.

I live in Beaconsfield and while it's nice, I'd go for Marlow as it has better shops and it's near the river. Transport links are not so good.

Plymouth

There's no progressive schools here!!!!

York, less than 2 hours in the train to London King’s Cross, loads of history and character.

Norwich

Stroud or Norwich

Admittedly I have only visited Plymouth. But a friend from Shepherd's Bush moved a few years ago and loves it. Her daughter is at Devonport High School for Girls which compares very favourably to W London options. I don't know how progressive it is, but it seems to be a very good school. Not a very diverse city but amazing natural landscape, very cheap attractive Georgian housing, and I like the postwar town centre.

Agree with you OP. Walthamstow is the pits.

I’m living in the Blackhorse Road area of Walthamstow too (waves at other poster). It is not grimy thank you very much! Walthamstow is a large area consisting of neighbouring parts including Blackhorse Road, St James St, Wood St & Walthamstow Central/ the village. The village is ridiculously expensive & I find it quite pretentious. But there are so many interesting & creative parts. Saying that I would say that Lewes or Brighton totally fit the bill.

Yes to all those apart from Seaford and Eastbourne, which still have a huge elderly population.

You'll get a property at a bargain price in comparison because of this, but you'll need to bide your time before they'll tick all your boxes.

Stroud and anywhere in the five valleys surrounding. It ticks all your requirements.

Broseley in Shropshire is a Gilmore Girls town. Went to see a property there recently and I immediately fell in love with the area . My first thoughts were this place reminds me of the Gilmore girls . It's very community spirited, a really magical place. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broseley
http://www.thepipemakers.co.uk/
8

Walthamstow or Crystal Palace.

I don't really think St Alban's has the Hackney vibe.

I've lived in Brighton most of my life and I think Hassocks is going to be the next big thing for Londoners moving out.

It basically abuts the countryside and is incredibly pretty, but has a train station that's 20 minutes from Brighton and an hour from London.

Its still quite parochial with a quaint 1960s high street, but give it a few years...

Shoreham-by-Sea
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1206&minBedrooms=4&radius=1.0&propertyTypes=&mustHave=garden%2Cparking&dontShow=retirement%2CsharedOwnership&furnishTypes=&keywords=

A few years ago I would have said Bristol, however it has become much more expensive with a noticeable decline in the city centre/public services in general. Public transport and traffic are both awful.

It’s somewhat contingent on the age of your DC as well - schools can be an issue.

Totnes.

I was raised in Cheshire and suggest you disregard any mentions of Cheshire = the nice areas are ludicrously expensive, Tory strongholds to boot, people are small minded and snobby. The not nice areas are really not nice.

Also: Hebden Bridge

Suggest Wanstead for both OP and your friend @EmmaEmerald. Quite a young vibe, busy High Street...lots of community events. Definitely not Gants Hill.

I agree with this. Bristol is great if you live in the tiny catchment area around Redland Green school. Most other parents up and move out of Bristol just before their kids reach secondary.

A friend moved to Stroud from London. She raves about the strong sense of community - and it's got an arty vibe for sure.

Someone did actually mention Woodbridge further up @Ashtara10 - I agree it's a lovely place but I've heard mixed things about how easy it is to integrate into.

Walthamstow is great and the new theatre should bring lots more culture but it does depend how much urban grit the OP is actually looking for. It's very different to some of the other places mentioned here!