Market towns an hour North ish of London

[thegrammerpolicesic]

Any suggestions for nice ones? no need to be commutable easily by train. Big enough for some restaurants, shops etc.

Leighton Buzzard?

I second Leighton Buzzard as the commute is very short (30 mins or so to London station unless my memory fails). If you go for a visit, there is a very good car park with toilet and baby changing and opposite is the council office where you can get maps and info about the area. We didn't end up living there but they were helpful. And the NCT is friendly there.

I moved to Milton Keynes 7 years ago and I love it.

Leighton Buzzard does not have a very nice reputation AFAIK

am near milton keynes,but nearer to Bedford,which i love. is Bedford a market town?/ we have market days!!

No need for decent schools as it's not for me (for some relatives moving area).

Glad to hear I'm not alone in thinking MK isn't so bad. It's kind of efficient at least and the shopping centres ok.

Cantsleep - budget around £500k, 3 to 4 beds.

I like it cause it's super easy to get around, the doorstep recycling scheme is amazing and I have the advantages of a small village (local pub, little shop, local school) with the bonus of living 5 minutes from a big city center (massive multiplex cinema, snow slope/airkix, shopping center)

500k would get you a massive 4 bed too. My little 3 bed was less than half of that!

You need to choose areas within MK carefully to avoid the less successful schools though and your preferably want an older estate to get any sort of parking and avoid HIMOs.

Train is about 40 mins to Euston but there have been issues with trains stopping so that's something to look at too.

Modern or period house?
Thisand this are well within budget for modern, or this has a bit more period stuff in it.
Or this is in a lovely village between Hitchin and Welwyn.
Or this is a gorgeous village near to Hitchin, and I've actually been inside this property.

No definitely not a market town Ruby.

Although there is a market. Not a huge or exciting one but a market none the less. There are also occasional Italian/German food and Christmas markets which are OK. I rarely miss the market and I'm from Doncaster which is a proper market town!

Sorry - to clarify, I was just saying MK isn't bad but it definitely isn't what the rellies concerned are looking for.

They want somewhere charming and pretty with a nice high street lined with tea shops etc. Not MK!

No - not MK. There is nearby Olney though. Or Woburn?

Well, for £500,000 for a 3-4 bed I'd definitely second St Albans - you could get a lovely house, near the station, only 20 mins into St Pancras and frequent (if packed) trains. Hitchin cheaper but not as nice (IMO) and longer commute. Good state and private schools, lovely park, loads and loads of people with children, nice places to eat out, lots of lovely historic pubs, market on a Wednesday and Saturday, an Abbey, what more could you want?!

Having said that, property prices are horrendously expensive and you will get more for your money practically anywhere else. But your budget would get you a good house in a nice area.

You can move to Berkhamsted with 500k

here

The rellies concerned don't like St Albans - no idea why as I think it's a great place.

Link didn't work Laurie but I will search on that site.

st albans is very much a city in feel rather than a market town, so I can imagine that that might be their reason. Have they commented on any of the other places suggested?