Where to move to after being in London for 10 years/ to start a new family

[Coffee2025]

Hiya, me and my husband are planning on leaving London so that we can buy a larger property and start a family, due to being outpriced by London. We've lived in London for the past 10 years, and both in our early thirties. But we have quite a specific criteria when it comes to exploring where to live.

• My family are based in Bushey Hertfordshire and my partner's family are based near Bath
• We're looking for a countryside village an old/classic property which is reasonably priced
• Trendy independent shops, cafes, bakeries, pilates...a nice wine bar or small plates restaurants, potentially an art scene or quirk about the place
• Good schools and near a train station which is commutable to London (within 2 hours)
• I'm not quite sold on Stroud or Frome...
• I've been looking at Sheerluxe for inspo

Please help!

Corsham or Bradford on Avon maybe? My father in law lives in Frome so I would have said that but if it isn’t you then maybe or BOA ? Both A bit less bohemian but still very nice . 1hr10 from Chippenham to London ( 3 miles away)

Well, you haven’t said what your budget is, but kindly, I don’t think you’ll find all of that in a village - and if you can, it won’t be reasonably priced.

You could look at Harpenden, if you have £££. St Albans is also nice, but it’s a small city (and also expensive).

Although neither could be classed as quirky.

My friend moved to a gorgeous house and village in the Notswolds, which is apparently what they call then more affordable bit above the Cotswolds.

@MadameSzyszkoBohusz ha- true - ironically if she’s not sold on Frome or Stroud they do have all that - and are quirky - Corsham and BOA do too-although smaller- personally OP I would ask what your budget is as I think what you really want is maybe something like Marlow or edge of Cheltenham like charlton kings- not actually quirky as others might see it . Woodstock near Oxford or chipping Norton maybe too ? Or Lewes?