Where to live close to London

[rachelg1974]

Hey - thinking of moving from London after a lifetime there! I have 2 kids (9 and 4). Looking for somewhere that is no more than an hour from London by train, has good primary and secondary schools, is quite vibrant and liberal minded. Not looking for a small village for various reasons including not wanting to have to drive everywhere. Am just starting to explore and would love to hear any suggestions. Thanks!

Oxford, Cambridge and Brighton are the most obvious options, although Brighton is a little more than an hour from London.

St Albans could be a good call. I don't know it.

Winchester maybe?? But it a bit more than an hour away.

Berkhamsted etc I would not consider liberal.

I'd go to Cambridge.

@Enigma53 Do you know Aylesbury? Not great. Bucks has quite a few Liberal councillors and a Liberal mp for Amersham. That’s a nice place to live as is Berko. Do politics really matter? Or are you looking for a laid back atmosphere? They aren’t quite the same thing.

Any reason you don’t like outer London? Still have good transport but a bit more suburban and on the green belt.

Winchester's pretty quick to Waterloo about 1 hour. Liberal and good schools.

@TizerorFizz yes I know Aylesbury. It’s my home town where I grew up. Left 18 years ago.

I can recommend the Oxhey area of Watford by Bushey station. It's still in the Tfl Oyster zone so not as expensive getting into London but doesn't feel like London suburbia.

I think you would like St Albans; liberal, good schools, fast train to London, market town, lots going on, housing stock very like London. Not cheap.

Leighton Buzzard is a 30 min train ride to Euston. Milton Keynes isn’t far from Leighton buzzard if you want more restaurants and shops without going into London