I think I'd like to move to Canterbury

[PickledElectricity]

Went to UKC 15 years ago ish and had a brilliant time as a student. Moved to London for work etc and bought a house here. Quickly outgrowing it with a toddler and another baby on the way and been thinking about where to live - everything is so expensive and the interest rates are depressing. Our house is only worth about £400k so low by London standards. A bigger house somewhere decent here is £650k minimum and even that wouldn't be much of an improvement.

I realise that life as a student and life as a permanent resident are very different so just hoping to hear from people who live there what it's like, and even more so if you also relocated!

We're going on a little trip to visit and have a mooch this weekend as well.

Don’t live there, but visited in December. Its a lovely city, but the high street and shopping area (like many high streets) is looking a shadow of its former self. It’s still nice, but not quite as nice.

Great theatre though (which is why we went).

( and use the park and ride, as parking can be expensive).

I had the opposite experience to PP - I was a student there in the 90s, and went back a couple of years ago with my family for a visit. I thought the high street was much improved - loads of little artisan-type shops.

www.plumplot.co.uk/Canterbury-violent-crime-statistics.html

As of January 2025, Canterbury's violent crime rate was 132% of the national average.

We lived there years ago when it was a posh county town It’s not what it was.

What made you decide to move and where did you move to if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks, I live in South London at the moment so can't base my decision purely on this.

I live near but not in Canterbury (about 15 miles away, but considerably cheaper). Absolutely love the area. It is a grammar school area though, so something to consider as this is highly stressful when your kids hit secondary school age. Tbh, in East Kent with a baby and a toddler, I would go for folkestone rather than Canterbury.

I live here. In the last few years it’s got a bit tired. Debenhams and Nasons closed and the doorways are full of little tents now ☹️
However, if you do come, our particular experience of the education system was exceptional. We live in Barham and the local village school was amazing. I had an elective mute which was dealt with very well and they were taught so much more than academic things. Kindness, tolerance, work ethic, tenacity. Both my kids passed the Kent test because of that lovely supportive school and they went to the boys and girls Langton grammars respectively . Me and DH are decidedly average but one got AAAA and the other is predicted AAAA . Both doing Engineering. Waiting to hear on Cambridge for DS. I wouldn’t have moved from here for the world just because of that little village school that’s given my kids wings. So anyway, if schools matter then check out Barham if you do visit.

Stars don’t work well on MN!

Redbridge council outbid Canterbury City council a few years back for the new housing that was built on the old barracks site. They promptly moved all their 'problem' families there. It's likely that this is why there's been a huge increase in crime in the last few years. There was a fatal stabbing in the city centre last year.

I think if either or both will continue working in London then you'll need to take the cost of HS1 into consideration, as well as possibly car park fees at the Kent end and cross London transport at the other. It will work out very expensive - that difference in property prices could easily be eaten up in a decade if both commute.
It's true that Canterbury shopping is not what it used to be and the once popular Xmas market was quite slated (although the dismal weather was a factor in that).
I relocated 12 years ago. If I were to do it today, I'd probably head for Folkestone if I wanted the big town vibe, or Headcorn for the tiny town vibe.

Actually, with children at your ages I think id plump for Headcorn. DBIL and SIL have brought their children up there and have had a really nice primary stage - lovely school, lots of social stuff around the children and have a nice circle of adult friends there.

We went to see a house today (unofficially) and I loved it even more in real life. The location was brilliant, we met a neighbour who was very nice and the toddler loved running around the town and park. I really felt like I was home.

Unfortunately DP has just started a new job and is, realistically, locked in for 2 years. So the house will be long gone by the time moving is a possibility for us.

I am gutted. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't be impressed when we visited but I really do love it even in winter.