The best places to live near London: Warwickshire We adore Dunchurch. This up-and-coming part of south London is known throughout the city for its cool coffee shops, great local market, tattoo studios, and independent stores. We moved to Ramsgate because we could afford to buy here, she says. The rich culture of Chelmsford is bolstered by a number of local attractions. There are also three primary schools on Hayling, all with good Ofsted reports, plus a senior school also considered good. From Colchester you can get to Liverpool Street in just under an hour. ABQ, meanwhile is a Breaking Bad-themed bar, where you spend two hours in the back of an RV, 'cooking up' cocktails. Coastal towns are still very mixed communities, so get to know your neighbours, whoever they are. Notting Hill Put on the map by its namesake film, Notting Hill has retained its fame throughout the years. While areas such as Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Hampstead and Mayfair retain their luxury hallmarks, hungry hipsters with drive and creativity are leaving their stamp on once undesirable parts of town where rents are affordable and commercial space is plentiful. Agood option if you need an excuse to parade around in a ruff. The area offers a wide range of places to choose from. Sign up to our free newsletters here. Georgie Perkins moved to Leigh-on-Sea in 2004, from Hertfordshire. The season ticket price is 2,316 and you are also only 6 miles away from Heathrow. Mark Newman, director of Winkworth estate agents, says buyers after a home in Leigh-on-Sea should budget around 350,000 for a two-bed flat, or 550,000 to 600,000 for a three-bed terrace. Although its ideally placed for commuting into London, there is a large infrastructure here that means you are not forced to travel outside of the town during your days off, creating a great balance between work and home life. As its name suggests, this market town lies along the northern banks of the River Thames and has grown from a small town to a hub for commuters and residents as the expansion of London has grown. This friendly little market town is right on the border of the Surrey Hills and the South Downs, so you get access to two areas of outstanding natural beauty for the price of one. Tam Rzh: Great atmosphere, nice hipster vibe, great bubble tea :) 8. The balance of small-town feel and energy makes Reading a great place to live while still being close to the UK capital. Ranked as the best commuter town for those working in London, pretty St Albans sits proudly in Hertfordshire. Shoreditch's Boxpark is probably a bit passe for today's hipster, and they're more likely to be found scoffing frozen yoghurt in a box in Croydon's Boxpark, while getting their ears around some grime. Obviously, Reading is known for its annual music festival but recent news thatits existing four Lidls will be joined by a further three has caused a right stir in thelocal press. Finally, top of the list is St Albans, a mere 20 minutes from St Pancras. This mini community is home to tattooists, jerk chicken and jiu jitsu classes. The fastest train to London St Pancras takes 20 minutes, the average house price in the area is 582,115 and with a relatively lofty season ticket price of 3,712. The town of Reading is well known for its textured history and being one of Berkshires largest towns. Number three is Reading in Berkshire,currently 25 minutes from Paddington, but thestretch of the Elizabeth line that runs there opens in 2023 and it will effortlessly connect residents with Bond Street, Canary Wharf and Stratford, which suddenly makes it a good choice if you commute to the City. It holds a fantastic collection of contemporary art, has its own cinema, and stages inspiring exhibitions and workshops. Peckham is home to some of the most famous rooftop bars in south London, which is to say nothing of pop-up markets and shops. St Albans on the edge of London comes in number 1 on the list. Crazy golf has found a lot of love among the hipster community; navigate your balls through old washing machines at Junkyard Golf, or go putting on a Peckham rooftop car park. Dedham also has an Ofsted outstanding primary school, as does the village of Lawford. Rambling detached houses in peaceful East Mersea come with big gardens and 1 million-plus price tags. There are lots of hipster-friendly. Londoners spend record sums on homes outside the capital, Leaving London: We bought a five-bedroom Victorian home for the price of a London flat, Woman stabbed to death in street in Brixton, Man, 20, in critical condition after assault in Beckenham, Ant and Dec among celebs invited to Coronation as guestlist revealed, Investigation launched after woman stabbed to death in broad daylight, Mum says son was too embarrassed to leave killer girlfriend. The best London commuter towns, according to Phil Spencer and Moveiq 1. This multicultural neighborhood is known for colorful south London markets like Pop Brixton, Brixton Village, and Brixton Market. As the need to work from home meant the need to be in the office became less important, commuter towns saw an influx of people making the move out of London. Be ahead of the game: at some point, someone's going to figure out you can essentially have bottomless brunch at Wetherspoons for 20 a head. Holiday Home' by Richard Woods, part of Folkestones public art scene. For every hipster that shops in Hub or Albam there's one that gets kitted out at the Frock Me! We've occasionally been told we're hipsters (we're not). Average property price: . Dunfermline. This swift journey only adds to the appeal of a town that was once considered too far away to be a commuter town. Pah. The Kent coastline offers a huge range of options for buyers, from affluent historic towns alive with cafe culture to some of the most extraordinary landscapes in Britain. Since most of the houses were built post-Sixties this isnt the place to search for a cutesy thatched cottage. Now and then the causeway floods during high tide and you are marooned romantically on the island sadly this splendid isolation only lasts about 90 minutes. Unlike a Breaking Bad cocktail, it's not an exact science, OK. To us, all tattoo parlours look hip (told you we aren't hipsters), so yeah go to one of those. Just inland from the sandy beaches of Southend, arty Leigh-on-Sea has become hugely popular with families keen to leave London for the seaside but who dont want to compromise on local amenities. Think of this post as the highlights reel and those posts as places where you can do a deep dive into what each one has to offer. hipster: [noun] a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion). Guildford is one of the commuter towns near London with a long-standing reputation for housing many who work in the city, increasing its popularity. Edinburgh's most affordable commuter towns. There is, at present, a three-year waiting list for a permit. Required fields are marked *. Dunchurch Park Hotel, Warwickshire. work life. One for lovers of the random-stuff aisle. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. So, what are the best commuter towns near London, and what do they all have to offer? There are lots of good options in and around the area. Having the streamlined connection to the center of London with the international airport of Heathrow on your doorstep, while also having such idyllic places such as Staines Moor close by, all make Staines-upon-Thames one of the best commuter towns near London. here was a time when Londoners lured by the sea would head off to Brighton or perhaps Southend. Youve got a really beautiful old town with cobbled streets and pubs with seating out on the sea wall so you can sit and have a drink and watch the estuary and the fishing boats, and then you have got a really vibrant, thriving high street, full of bars, boutiques and vegan restaurants, she says. Factor in the ever-rising, Thankfully, there are people in the know that do all the delicate weighing up of prices, green space and broadband coverage then release their best-ranked places to live and commute to London, complete with travel times. Want more property news from MyLondon? The posh part of town is Meads, west of the town centre, close to the South Downs and the seafront. The couple have a six-year-old son, Evan, and a dog, Buddy, and the family loves to hang out on the beach. Another home county packed with commuter-friendly locations isHampshire, which has everything from charming cities to rural villages, although its hotspots tend not to be shoestring budget options. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More than 100,000 readers on Ilivehere voted for the worst place to live. One of the only noted downsides to choosing Reading as your commuter town is the high price of rail season tickets. Hayling Island in Hampshire is about four miles from coast to coast, its beach a mix of sand and shingle. It isnt only Camberleys leafy charm that has made many commuters turn their hard-working eyes to the town. Taking the longest on our list of best commuter towns, the train journey from Camberley to central London will take you around an hour and fifteen minutes. The average house price in Redhill is 479,434, season ticket prices come to 2,908. West Mersea, four miles away, is a busier, more touristy option with a high street, the main beach and plenty of cafes, restaurants, and pubs. The fastest train into St Pancras takes 25 minutes and the average house price is 514,773. How much will it cost? If you click on the pins, you can find my relevant blog posts about each one. If you're not in the mood for booze, it's got to be a beet-o-tini mocktail at Redemption, or a coffee in any push bike-related cafe that's going. New here? Its celeb-strewn too: Dele Alli and Gino DAcampo both live here. As its name suggests, this market town lies along the northern banks of the River Thames and has grown from a small town to a hub for commuters and residents as the . With no further ado, here is the list of the best to worst places to live. The commute involves a drive to Ashford, 17 miles away. Sea, sand and sun-kissed beaches. Do you plump for ease of journey but a tiny flatshare in Kennington, or bags of room in Brentwood but playing dodgeball with transport strikes and engineering works? Beyond the beach, Leigh has good transport links. Here are the Kent locations proving a hit with post-pandemic buyers. Another beachy option for the more occasional commuter are practicalisland towns with all the charm and romance of living by the sea and spending downtime messing around on boats, but where you can still be in the centre of London in a couple of hours. Heres our pick of 16 locations for commuter homebuyers. Ideally situated by the beautiful Henley-on-Thames as well as being well-connected for those looking to visit Reading. We've been to most of these places and would recommend them. Its peak domestic residence logistics too arcane a puzzle for us amateurs. Taking around forty-five minutes to arrive in the capital, Basingstoke commuters may have a longer journey to and from work than most commuter towns, but it is a welcoming trade-off for the quality of life this Hampshire town provides. Twyford in Berkshire is another location worthy of consideration. And they have useful shops on their doorstep, plus country pubs dotted all over the place. A combination of expertly run transport connections to London and a lack of the traditional commuter town feel, as can be found in many other locations, makes Stevenage an ideal location for commuting to the capital. Leave us alone. Ad revenue is Time Outs main source of income. Still, you're just six miles from Heathrow, it's very green, has some. This multicultural neighborhood is known for colorful south London markets like Pop Brixton, Brixton Village, and Brixton Market. Around thirty-five miles west of London, Camberley is far closer than many towns on our list, yet the commute isnt always the smoothest of journeys. One of the coolest areas in the UK capital, this place is known for its great nightlife and trendy bars. It is located 30 miles (48 km) northeast of . This unique arrangement means that Watford has the blessing of being far enough removed from London while being seamlessly connected to its major transport networks. Epsom is a charming commuter town in Surrey. Home to three iconic theatres, Watford Palace Theatre, Watford Colosseum, and The Pump House. While it's in vogue, head to The Library Pot in Richmond (yes, Richmond can be hip too) or Draughts in Hackney, where games include Bushwhackin' Varmints and Lords of Waterdeep: Scoundrals of Skullport. In the town centre, the physic garden a 17th-century herb garden is a lovely little oasis. Theyre great places to soak up the local atmosphere. That's right, we said eats. Trains currently arrive from Reading to Londons Paddington Station. My list also has links to my blog posts about specific London neighborhoods. If you want to learn more about this part of the city, my east London neighborhoods guide has additional areas for you to explore. Its another hugely historic settlement, in Roman times known as Verulamium. But Kents sandy beaches, grammar schools and lovely towns are drawing a new generation of Londoners still WFH for part of the week and willing to live farther from the office. All material on this site is the property of Londonist Ltd. 15 Charming Day Trips From London: May 2023, The Top 11 Exhibitions To See In London: May 2023, The Best Places To Find Bluebells In And Near London This Spring. Here a similar house would cost about 800,000. Iver is situated within the beautiful countryside while still being only 25 minutes away from London Paddington. Journey time: 22 minutes. Services to Fenchurch Street take from 48 minutes. Falkirk in Scotland is also one of the top commuter towns. Kings Parade and Great St Mary's Church, Trinity College, Cambridge. Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking is a scenic spot for a weekend walk. Hatfield, Hertfordshire 3. Some of our best friends are hipsters. Expect to pay 800,000 for a chocolate-box, four-bedroom detached cottage in one of these villages. Hipster girls may want to look into membership at Chez Stephan, a hairstylist that doubles up as a wine club. Most of the shops are independents, with lots of little art galleries, and the walking along cliff-top paths is just spectacular. Hipsters are integral to London. Whitbread Trophy Bitter will go up to 6 a pint, just you wait and see. This commercial reputation is married perfectly with Basingstokes proud cultural institutions. As promised, heres a map of the hipster London neighborhoods on my list. Whats to love? A new creative quarter was established by Roger De Haan, who invested millions in his hometown, which is now full of public art, by the likes of Antony Gormley and Tracey Emin, and hosts the Folkestone Triennial. People move on a whim after a fun weekend of beach parties in the summer. If you cant do without the London postcode, your cheapest option is a bedsit in Bexley or Havering but youll have to go without the avo on toast. It is not only the fantastic transport links to the capital that makes St Albans a highly popular place to commute to the city; it is the small city itself. Dj vu! If season ticket prices play a major part, then Iver would be your choice, but there are still many commuter towns that were left off the list to choose from. Its proximity means that you are able to take the train into the capital within 25 minutes or within an hour and a half drive. Luckily, several London neighborhoods offer just that, albeit for a slightly higher price tag. The area has a fun nightlife scene as well. Palin recommends a stroll on Addington Street. Enter your password to log in. A year later the family was living by the south coast. Ramsgate is the perfect place to trawl vintage shops. A two-bedroom flat here would cost at least 200,000 while a four-bedroom house would come in at about 400,000. But where should these yuppies with an edge start their search for a home? Again, with an average season pass of 2,904, the cost of making this daily commute isnt something that can be taken likely. A good choice if youre an extra in Holby. Be as snooty as you like; they're obviously doing something right (the combination of uber rare Japanese cereal and old He-Man videos, at a guess). Often seen as the quintessential commuter town near London, the small market town of Watford has dodged all the negative connotations of being so close to the Greater London area while retaining many of the independent benefits. By ferry: a service runs across the River Colne to Brightlingsea Harbour, a journey that would otherwise be 19 miles by road. This floods at high tide, so residents need to work around it. There are green spaces like Victoria Park and London Fields here as well. Although a royal park, Windsor Great Park is open to the public free of charge, from dawn until dusk. Old village stocks in Aldbury, Kent. Although Stevenage stands over thirty miles north of London, it is possible to catch the fastest train and arrive in the capital in 27 minutes. One person wrote: "As you enter Aylesbury, you find yourself in a traffic jam. For more bang for your buck look east towards Redoubt, where you could pick up a two-bedroom flat for 180,000 to 200,000, or a two-bedroom Victorian cottage for 250,000 to 280,000. Excellent transport links into the city mean that you can make the journey from Guildford to London in around half an hour, perfect for the speedy early morning commute to work. If you dream of the taste of salt in the air, early morning walks along the promenade, and the chance to spend your weekends paddleboarding or sailing, but dont want to give up on the home comforts of London life, there are some amazing options. Taking the top spot of green spaces in Watford is its Cassiobury Park. Falkirk. As much as hipsters loathe to be put in boxes, they spend a lot of their time in actual boxes. Just under an hour from London, Aylesbury doesn't seem to be well-liked by those who live there. Spend weekends paddleboarding without sacrificing on London comforts in these hipster-friendly commutable coastal towns with flats for about 200k, Emma Jane Palin and her husband, Josh, in Ramsgate. Island life is quiet all long walks, sailing, and messing about on the beach but that doesnt mean theres nothing to do. These include the Chelmsford Museum and the home of Essexs first-class county cricket side. After a hard day hipstering (? An annual season ticket costs 3,364. All rights reserved, Best commuter towns to Paddington by train. You can head over to my guide to south London if you want to discover more. The ability to be within a reasonable distance of the capital without crazy high prices became too appealing for many to ignore. It is one of the longest lines of beach in the country, one just leads on to the next, so it is great for walks, she says. Stevenage consists of great transport links as well as great house prices, making it a worthy entrant onto the list. Woking, Surrey . The coastal town is actually so popular with Londoners it has been dubbed "Hackney on sea." Best places to live outside London for nature: Best places to live around London with top schools: Places to live outside London with easy commute: Where to live outside London near forests. A two-bedroom flat around here will cost about 300,000, says Claire Reene, branch manager of Bairstow Eves, while you could pick up a four-bedroom house for around 600,000. A Shoreditch original. One person wrote: "The town itself is not easy on the eye, it makes Slough comparable to the playboy tax exile haven of Monaco." She liked the town well enough, but it didnt really click. You can do so at King's Head Members Club provided you're get the go-ahead from the committee. Thomas Ruschke: Free WiFi, great shops and a cool hipster vibe. House prices are around 370k but a season ticket is a tough ask at nearly five grand a year. Picturesque country and seaside locations for house-hunters who still want to live within reach of the capital. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. See more. Not as smug as Broadstairs, this good-looking town is the perfect place to chill out on the beach, pick up vintage finds at its outstanding collection of antique shops (youll be hard pressed to visit the Petticoat Lane Emporium without finding something you have to buy), or cycle the Viking Coastal Trail. For the readers of Ilivehere, they voted on the worst places to live and these three commuter towns made the list as being some of the worst. 1. The commute: Trains to Fenchurch Street or Liverpool Street take about an hour. Families looking for the best commuter towns near London, which also have thriving schools, will see Basingstoke as a winner. Airdrie. Although more expensive than counties like Kent, Hertfordshire's commuter towns are among the closest to London, with our two hotspots both within 30 minutes of the capital 1. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. With many of Stevenages modern neighborhoods and commercial districts having been designed on the Radburn principle, this traffic-free environment can be found all over the town. What is Lyme Regis famous for? blog and then, because we cant resist, weigh in with our own thoughts. From pop-ups to pubs and railway arches bursting with cafes, this part of the city has everything you need. Linlithgow. A prettyseaside resort in Dorset. Despite all the trappings of urban life, the town of Watford also has its fair share of green spaces. One sip of this stuff and you'll be a raving hipster. Stephen Rodgers, senior branch manager at Fox & Sons estate agents, estimates that you would pay around 280,000 to 300,000 for a two-bedroom flat, or around 500,000 for a three-bedroom terrace. East Mersea is a peaceful, residential spot with some of the islands bigger, most expensive houses. Staines-upon-Thames is perfectly balanced between a growing town, connected to the infrastructure of modern London and south England, while at the same time, there is an expansion of greenery and untouchedness that comes with Staines-upon-Thames. Oh, and this hip cauliflower dish: Sweet-toothed hipsters will be found indulging in a Crosstown Doughnut or fighting a losing battle with a vegan freakshake at The Canvas (which also has a adult ball pit, for added hipster kudos). You would need to pay approaching 1million for one of the lovely Regency houses overlooking the sea on The Paragon or Royal Parade, and around 700,000 for a two-bedroom flat.

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