Is Market Harborough still good place to live?

[user148984678942]

I am very seriously considering moving out of London and Market Harborough may be a good fit.

The only reason I want to move is that my child will be starting secondary soon and I want him to get independence like I had when I was a teenager or a young adult.

I am currently in Bexleyheath and whilst it is not the worst place to live, there is certainly lots of anti social behaviour etc

Looking at posts on this forum MH has been always highly regarded but I just wanted to see if this is still well deserved reputation or perhaps it has been good place in the past but it changed in recent years.

What prompted this post is few online articles I came across reporting anti social behaviour, drugs and some other troubles in MH.

I get no place is perfect but if I to go through the hassle and expense of moving, leaving all the friends behind (we have no links to the area) and getting my little one out of clubs, school and friend groups then I want to make sure this is well worth it if you see what I mean.

I've been to town and I like it but one or even couple short visits won't tell you what place is really like to live in.

My daughter moved there in February and really likes it. There are antisocial issues of course, but on the whole it’s a nice area to live. It has quite a busy thriving high street, and lots of nice restaurants and pubs (especially in the surrounding villages), but I can’t comment on what it is like for a teenager.

The trains are expensive into London at peak times though, if you need to commute. They drive to Kettering and train it from there.

We’re just outside MH in a large village, with schools.
MH has a lovely vibe, excellent schools, independent shops and the better chains ( Jo Malone, Jigsaw, Joules, etc), a very good leisure centre, theatre and great restaurants. Any anti social behaviour is no more and probably less than most places. The fast train to London is a real bonus.

Meant to add that my teenage grandchildren have grown up in the area and have always been involved in activities such as sort and dance. They are well rounded respectful young people.

Thanks a lot.

I think I will start doing some property viewings, so this will give me few more opportunities to see the town.

Most towns will have some crime, drugs etc but the main feeling of Mkt Harb is pleasant. It has a good high street and some character, nice countryside nearby. I don't live there but know it.
As a point of information, there is no cinema although the theatre does show films and does am dram type stuff. For real cinema/theatre you'd probably have to go to Leicester. Trains to London are regular and only really expensive if you don't plan ahead and buy the best fare!

We live in a village about 5/10 minutes away from Market Harborough. My daughter went to primary school there and just started secondary school. We love it. It feels a lot safer than a lot of places and it's overall nice. Everywhere has some sort of "issues" or "problems" but I've never encountered any. It's a lovely town in my opinion and I'm so glad we moved this way. I'm originally from a city and my partner is originally from a very large town so it's very different for us and we love it

We live in Lutterworth which is close to Market Harborough. Market Harborough has a very good reputation and that shows in the house prices compared to other towns nearby and the type of shops in the town. The town has a nice and upmarket feel about it if that makes sense.

One or two short visits really won't tell you, so make the visits count:: go on a Friday or Saturday evening as well as a weekday morning - the town at 10pm is the one your teenager will actually live in. On the antisocial behaviour articles, check the local Facebook groups and the local paper's archive rather than one-off pieces - you quickly see whether problems keep occuring or one story just got amplified. A town's reputation tends to lag reality by a few years in both directions, so your evenings there will tell you more than anything written. And the independence test is practical more than anything:: can he get himself to school, clubs and friends on foot or by bus without you driving. If the answer is yes, you have probably found what you are looking for.