What’s Groombridge like?

[NixNooo]

I’m considering a move to Groombridge on the Sussex/Kent border with my husband and young baby. It’s quite a hard decision to make in the current circumstances as we can’t go and explore the area as we would do usually.
I’d be grateful for any info on Groombridge and the surrounding area.
What’s the community/general atmosphere like?
What’s the commute to London likely to be like? (We’ll probably go to Eridge and travel from there in the assumption that Tunbridge Wells will have far more traffic?)
We’re also hoping that we’ll be able to go for one of the grammars for our son, when get to that stage. Any insight into how tough it is, and whether Groombridge is close enough to Tunbridge Wells to get in would also be very helpful.
Huge thanks!

It’s a very pretty village! I can’t say I know it particularly well but we’ve driven through it numerous times and I’ve caught the bus from Tunbridge Wells to Groombridge Place numerous times. I imagine that the traffic into Tunbridge Wells to commute in the morning might be a bit dire traffic wise + the cost of parking high so Eridge might be the better option. The catchment area for the grammars I would think would include Groombridge (it’s not that far away at all!) - Tunbridge Wells Grammar for Boys takes in boys from a pretty wide area but I’d check Skinners catchment area on their website. The reality is only 25% of kids do pass the 11+ so it is a gamble - many parents here start the coaching process from Year 4 onwards and it does involve a fair amount of stress and pressure! Skinners Academy (a different school to Skinners Boys Grammar) is the State Secondary in Tunbridge Wells which might be your nearest Secondary. It used to have a rotten reputation but has improved a good deal. Various D.C. from the Tunbridge Wells area also commute down to Uplands Secondary in Wadhurst.

Actually, it doesn’t look like you’d be in Skinners Boys catchment - silly really as we’re quite a bit further away and are!

Traffic into Twells in rush hour in the morning is a royal pain in the arse, thanks to the ridiculous parking situations in Langton Green. Once you get past about 8.45am though, you're fine.

Hill is GREAT fun in snow/ice, but Groombridge itself is nice and the surrounding areas are very pretty.