Thinking about moving to Bedford...

[daphnebubbles]

I'm fed up living in North London - I work full-time so maybe that's why I'm finding it virtually impossible to make new friends. All of my old ones have p'd off to Brighton, Surrey, Edinburgh etc.
All of my mates with older kids told me that once my ds started school, we'd meet loads of fun people. Despite all my best efforts to invite other kids around to my house, we rarely get an invitation back and recently my son was admonished at one house for taking a cookie (the child whose house it was had 2 in his gob and a fistful in each hand at the time!)
So we're thinking about moving to Bedford. I know you may be thinking that with my obvious lack of social skills (and my ds's uncontrollable lust for cookies), Bedford is going to be just as lonely as North London, but hey, a change is as good as a rest!
So, would anybody out there recommend the sunny town of Bedford?
Let me know!!!!!!

what made you choose bedford?

Any particular reasons for Bedford? There are nicer places in that neck of woods.

IMVHO bedford is a hole!!

As princess says there are nicer places near to Bedford.
Echo the others what made you choose there?

Wouldn't recommend most parts of Bedford, but there are some nice smaller towns around the area.

Well, not too far from London and I don't drive so I can walk to the train station.
I grew up in the country so have a pathological hatred of all things 'village'.
I like the feel of a bit of concrete under my feet and some disconsolate teenagers giving me the beady eye - it makes me feel safe.
Come on - there are some nice bits down by the river, aren't there? Remember, I'm in north London so my standards are quite low!

I once had a boyfriend from Bedford. A visit or two there was enough to turn me right off him.

cheshunt,cambridge,broxbourne to name just a few much nicer places than Bedford and closer to North London

Good god, it's not THAT bad is it?

Dh lived in Bedford for a while in in his words... "it's a sh*thole", he recommends some of the smaller villages outside Bedford, much nicer.

no no no no no no NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Don't do it - don't go to Bedford - Embankment "looks" lovely at first glance.........until you spot all the used condoms and needles. It's a dive - I lived there (in between being away at school, and abroad for 2 1/2yrs) for over 10yrs and I was VERY pleased to get away from it.

Surely that's everywhere though, isn't it?
I spent 10 years living in Windsor, which, on the surface of it, is a lovely town. Yet most of it's population under the age of 25 were on drugs and violence after the pubs closed was notorious. And that was when I lived there - it's almost certainly worse now! You can't get a 3 bedroom house there for under half a million!

no - it's just a dump - horrible place to live and not very friendly either (so if you're looking to make friends I wouldn't really recommend it either).

Houses also really overpriced IMO

I'm waiting for the good mums of Bedford to stand up and defend their town...but it's not happening!
More unfriendly than North London - mmmm, that would be something but I'll take your word for it, FAQ.
Where to then, but no villages please and less than an hour from London and I like older properties?
All recommendations gratefully received.

I am suprised that no bedford residents are here defending it's honour!

How much do you have to spend and what size property, as that will be a determining actor on where you move to.

I WAS a good mum of Bedford

agree what size house/budget??

With no mortgage, around £330k and then anything up to £450k with a mortgage.
We live in a nice, but bit squashed, victorian 3-bedroomed semi- at the moment so I really want more space as my dh works from home.
Maybe the good mums of Bedford go to bed early on a Sunday, as my mum used to advise me to do?
Could that explain their lack of interest in defending their town or is there really nothing at all positive to say for this town???

I think Cambridge is lovely but I am biased.. but for the money you have there aren't many choices if you want to be close to the train station.

What about St Albans - Town not village don't know about house prices there though.

Agree about Bedford, lived there for about 15 years, don't like it at all. We moved up north, but are looking to go back down south, (my family still live there) but would never in a million years go back to Bedford, we are going to be looking at one of the villages around the outskirts.

Most of the larger towns in Buckinghamshire are nice (well, I haven't lived there, but spent a fair bit of time in them with DH's work) Would Oxford area be too far from London?

What about Hitchin instead?

Your budget is good for Bucksexample

If you need to be walking or easy bus distance from station try Huntingdon? 45 mins to London during commuter times, about an hour rest of the time, and you'll be near me!

You have a good budget, so I would agree with Muffinmclay and go for Hitchin. I was being polite earlier as I didn't want to offend anyone but I personally wouldn't touch Bedford with a bargehole, it has no character, no soul, I think a move from London to Bedford would actually be quite depressing!

Lots of places closer to London and much nicer imo - you should just about be able to afford St Albans & Harpenden and for somewhere a bit cheaper but still has nice parts, Hemel Hempstead or Welwyn Garden City

Bedford has four large independent secondary schools, which is a lot for a town that size, and has a overall negative effect on the state secondary schools. It is also one of the few areas to retain the lower, middle and Upper school system, so ages of school transfer are different from most other places.

I'd go to Bucks or Kent if you like the idea of grammar schools, or to Hertfordshire/Essex if you prefer comprehensive. Bishops Stortford has good secondary schools, as does Harpenden. Or how about St Albans?

I've had a look at St Albans and Hertford but both are quite expensive (gulp!) but I haven't investigated Hitchin or Hemel. Interesting what you say about the schools in Bedford...
Thanks for your advice- it's backto the drawing board for me!