Hackney is packed with bars hidden under railway arches, on-the-pulse nightlife, cutting-edge restaurants, delicious bakeries, and cool coffee shops. Puma Court and Princelet Street are two of my favorites. So, what are the best commuter towns near London, and what do they all have to offer? Aside from its historic and luxurious charm, Windsor is a town surrounded by some of the best open green spaces and parkland in the entire county a true antidote to the concrete jungle of the London you will be commuting to. Get an Uber Boat all the way to Barking in east London. Whether you choose to commute from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Surrey or Kent, these are some of the best towns to live near London; 1. So there we are, these are your top five dormitory commuting options. With vast swathes of green spaces, farmland, and countryside, Guildford stands alone as a satellite of London while keeping the rural feel of its surrounding suburbs. We came down to have a look and I was blown away with the sea, and the feeling of community, and what they were trying to do with the regeneration, she said. A real hipster bevvy, then, must be especially niche. From the colorful markets to the street art, record stores, and vintage shops around Brick Lane, this is one of the most exciting parts of London. The Company Shed is a fabulous seafood restaurant, Mersea Barns is the place for a Sunday roast, and there are three pubs. Located around twenty miles north of London, it takes a zipping 14 minutes to get into the capital, arriving at Euston Station. Fastest train to London: 27 mins. Old Leigh is a pretty enclave of weatherboarded cottages, cobbled streets, bars and restaurants. For those who enjoy nature and the great outdoors, Chelmsford is home to Hylands Park and a local favorite, Hyde Hall. High Wycombe is a beautiful area with the surrounding Chiltern Hills making it an idyllic spot. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Before that the couple had rented in Margate, having moved to the coast from London. As shopping opportunities go, Watford is the proud owner of the Atria Centre, a huge shopping mall that has everything you could need under one roof. The popular town is known for the annual Reading festival which see thousands descend on the town to jam to some music. Families looking for somewhere to settle and commute with younger children will be delighted with the high reputation Guildford has when it comes to its schools. ea, sand (or pebbles) and occasional sun are all on offer within 90 minutes of London. Now you have got The Folkestone Wine Company, which I love, a little tapas place called Pick Up Pintxos, and the Harbour Arm is amazing in summer because it has live music and lots of street food stalls.. Staines-upon-Thames is only a half-hour commute by train into London, arriving at the capitals Waterloo Station. Located on the Lee Navigation canal, this area is full of converted industrial spaces with artists studios, coffee shops, and independent breweries. Or you can always go axe-hurling in Whitechapel. Not only is it a stones throw away from rural and suburban bliss, but the town itself also has a lot going for it. We moved to Ramsgate because we could afford to buy here, she says. There are lots of bars and restaurants here, not to mention some of the best pubs in south London. Horley is an ideal commuter town near London (Image: Ian Capper) The average house price in the county is just over 653,000, according to Zoopla. It holds a fantastic collection of contemporary art, has its own cinema, and stages inspiring exhibitions and workshops. Like Danny Dyer. Peckham is next on my list of hipster London neighborhoods. When we first came down there were maybe one or two restaurants. Woking, Surrey . By ferry: Hayling Ferry offers trips across the short stretch of water to Portsea Island, Portsmouth saving a 15-mile journey by road. There are also three primary schools on Hayling, all with good Ofsted reports, plus a senior school also considered good. Investment is coming in from the London and Brighton market and you can get some really nice, traditional brick or flint built houses, says Rodgers. At just eight square miles, Mersea Island is certainly small but it is also rather perfectly formed with beautiful beaches, great sailing and some fabulous seafood restaurants. From there you can travel to Waterloo in around an hour and a half. Also in Hertfordshire, so the same rules about hurricanes apply, but house prices here hover perilously close to 600,000. One of the coolest areas in the UK capital, this place is known for its great nightlife and trendy bars. The garden caf serves lunch and cakes made with ingredients grown within this secret urban oasis. The average house price is 542,090 and season ticket prices come in at 3,856. Margate, on the east coast of Kent, has seen a property boom. Borehamwood, Hertfordshire 5. Petersfield is a busy local centre with lots of annual fairs and festivals, it has a resident-run community garden and Petersfield Festival Hall hosts plays and concerts year round. Whatever your personal style, budget, taste, or commute (if you even have one), theres a hipster London neighborhood for you. The famous shopping center, The Oracle, serves as one of the most popular shopping districts in the entire Thames Valley area and can provide you with everything you need while living in the town. Still, you're just six miles from Heathrow, it's very green, has some. These five towns, all within a decent commute of London for the office bound, are where you should be looking for sea with a side order of culture and coffee shops. Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Most beautiful places to visit in England. The average house price for this town is considerably lower than Iver which can make it that much more attractive. 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. Folkestones alpha address has long been its West End, with its streets of lovely Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian houses. Nicolagypsicola: The Hipster place. An annual season ticket costs 3,364. Leave us alone. In addition. Be open to making friends on social media. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. Trains from Queenborough Station to Blackfriars take from just under two hours. This endless expanse of shingles is lit by the glow of a nuclear power station and dotted with abandoned, rusting fishing boats and modest houses built from redundant 19th-century railway cottages. Located around forty miles directly west of London, the town of Reading has been a popular commuter town for decades. Dedham also has an Ofsted outstanding primary school, as does the village of Lawford. 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. Its isolation, close to the rolling farmlands of the North Wessex Downs, means that the town is surrounded by the idyllic English countryside and fresh air. One for lovers of the random-stuff aisle. The best London commuter towns for 2023 have been ranked in Yopa's annual report, uncovering the most affordable alternatives to the capital's high house prices. Mersea Island is just off the east coast of Essex, linked to the mainland by a Roman causeway over The Strood. It doesnt affect the way you shop, and its a great way to support the A Lady in London blog. All but one of Winchesters schools are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, which is a lot better odds than youre likely to find in London. has a number of outline villages that provide a far more secluded lifestyle ideal for truly escaping the day-to-day hustle of inner city London. Families looking for the best commuter towns near London, which also have thriving schools, will see Basingstoke as a winner. Hipster definition, a usually young person who is trendy, stylish, or progressive in an unconventional way; someone who is hip. There are two top-notch golf courses nearby and lots of bars and bistros to explore. What is Slovenia best known for? South of the river, the Bussey Building has fast become a hipster stalwart, thanks to rare groove funk and soul nights, gallons of Red Stripe, and more art students than you can shake a 20,000 loan at. My hipster London guide continues in the east. London Bridge services take an hour and a half. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. Clearly, being within touching distance of London isn't a winner for these people. Theyre fun places to get outdoors and into the elements here. Kings Parade and Great St Mary's Church, Trinity College, Cambridge. Most commuter towns around the north edges of London are very hit and miss. It's so hot it's even been rated the most hipster area of London. In 2014, Nice felt a need to be close to her parents, so the family moved to Leighton Buzzard. A prettyseaside resort in Dorset. A typical flat in the town will cost 229,000, while a house would set you back an average of 424,000. Beyond the beach, Leigh has good transport links. 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. This perfect combination of luxury, vast open spaces, and a direct link to the history of England all make Windsor a highly popular place to live and one of the best commuter towns near London. 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. A London budget will go much further down here renters will say theyve got 1,300 for a two-bed when that should pay for a five-bedroom house. Margate got a lot more expensive in the past few years. Its just 25 minutes from St Pancras, and is weirdly also known for its cinematic heritage, with Elstree Studios, a collection of different studios across various sites of which two still remain. Its peak domestic residence logistics too arcane a puzzle for us amateurs. The forests big catch, however, is its prices. Although not traditionally seen as a commuter town, the past few years have seen a huge boom in London employees settling in the city. Coming in fifth place in the rankings is Iver in Buckinghamshire. Here you can shop for your fave hipster brands such as Comme des Garcons, Jonathan Saunders and JW Anderson, plus plenty of other more or less known designers. However, the opening of the Elizabeth line in 2023 will make the journey far more streamlined, connecting you directly to Bond Street, Canary Wharf, and Stratford perfect for those who are working within the heart of the city. Shops will often put things on and its a good way to meet people. Ramsgate is the perfect place to trawl vintage shops. tend to be expensive and youd often have to settle for small apartments that dont meet your requirements. This mini community is home to tattooists, jerk chicken and jiu jitsu classes. The bustling hub of St Albans is home to a large independent scene, which includes independent book shops, cafes, and celebrated cinemas. 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. 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. London is only a 30-minute train which makes Redhill an attractive location. Shoreditch (EC1) was once the coolest place to live in London before encroachment by bankers and other professionals due to its easy commute to the central business. Arsenals European dream over as Wolfsburg land cruel late blow, Dissatisfied Arteta sends title race warning to Man City: This isnt over, Tottenham good, bad and ugly all in the same game at Liverpool, Amazon insight shows how Chelsea must learn from Arsenal, says Lampard, Wolff fires warning over Mercedes upgrades as Hamiltons wait continues, Where to buy outside London in 2022: the commuter areas seeing a new year surge in homes for sale, Has Covid killed the London property market? Weve heard good things about local independents, including bookshop Books on the Hill and the Odyssey cinemaand its also famous for being the only Englishtown to have ever produced a Pope, so if youve got your eye on theVatican,this could be the one for you. 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? Something wrong with this article? Hipsters are integral to London. If youre the type of person that finds it hard to choose whether you want sweet or savoury popcorn, or a hot or cold drink, youre probably not exactly, just someone who wants the best of both worlds. 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. All in all, Basingstoke ticks many boxes if you are looking for an overall better quality of life outside of the often chocking life inside the UK capital. And let's begin with breakfast eats. A budget of 300,000 is enough for a three-bedroom semi. Dunchurch Park Hotel, Warwickshire. How much will it cost? Levels Wine offers wines on tap including local options, theres craft beer at Bottle Grove, small plates at Cru, and hotel Ports restaurant is another top haunt for local produce. Dorking is one of Surreys gems, with a thriving town centre encircled by gorgeous countryside. At number three was the iconic Luton. Ive often gone for coffee with someone Ive got to know on Instagram. You can do so at King's Head Members Club provided you're get the go-ahead from the committee. The UK capital of London has long been one of the worlds most booming metropolitan cities. is only set to grow as a commuter town. Sheppey has a choice of primaries, the majority rated good by Ofsted. The season ticket price is 2,316 and you are also only 6 miles away from Heathrow. Hipsters are going to start frequenting actual working mens' clubs, like Penge & District Trade Union & Social Club. Moorings on the River Lymington at Lymington, Hampshire. Still, youre just six miles from Heathrow, its very green, has some Anglo-Saxon remains and youre right next to movie history in the shape of Pinewood Studios. 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. Super cool Dover Street Market is the hipster home in central London. St Albans tops many peoples lists when it comes to the best commuter towns near London, and it is easy to see why. Whats to love? The rise of commuter towns in the past few years can't be ignored. 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. In Little Chelsea you will find record shops, cafes, delis and boutiques. Journey time to London: 36 minutes Hitchin, Hertfordshire Twice the size of Londons Hyde Park, Cassiobury Park is a popular spot with dog walkers, runners,s and summer days sun-seekers. Given there are so many choices, I want to give you an idea of your options and some good ideas for cool neighborhoods in London. Required fields are marked *. More Copyright A Lady in London 2007 - 2023. Otherwise, it's Ghanaian food, Basque brunches and weaving workshops at Pop Brixton. This area has become an increasingly popular place to live in London in recent years, especially as nearby Shoreditch has gentrified and become more mainstream. 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. Whether youre wondering where to live in London, where to hang out in London, or where to stay in London, theres a variety of hipster neighborhoods in London to choose from. Rambling detached houses in peaceful East Mersea come with big gardens and 1 million-plus price tags. 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. This multicultural neighborhood is known for colorful south London markets like Pop Brixton, Brixton Village, and Brixton Market. The commute involves a drive to Ashford, 17 miles away. Lymington and Brockenhurst have train services to London (about 90 minutes to Waterloo). But the second you step across the ancient causeway that separates island from mainland you will feel like you are on a different planet. And, although Surrey is the most expensive of the home counties, buyers who are willing to look beyond the classic dormitories can find value on a (comparative) budget. Top 15 sights in Engelberg, Switzerland (including TITLIS). Your email address will not be published. This infrastructure is bolstered by Readings huge commercial center, especially for information technology and insurance. The season ticket prices are 2,708. What stands out as Guildfords most favorable aspect is the surrounding countryside and villages. 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. As a plus, journeys to central London take about an hour. What is Lyme Regis famous for? At number one worst place to live came Aylesbury. 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. Theyre great places to soak up the local atmosphere. Coastal commuter towns: five hipster-friendly seaside spots for London leavers looking for work-life balance Spend weekends paddleboarding without sacrificing on London comforts in these. Whether you want somewhere more central or more up-and-coming, theres a place for you. A bit of a shortage of larger period houses means, when they do come up, prices of around 800,000. Be ahead of the game: Do Moby Dick crazy golf in Chadwell Heath or Jurassic Encounter Adventure Golf in New Malden instead. Alternatively try Sway, a sleepy village light on amenity but heavy on charm. You are also only 16 miles from Cambridge for day trips and nightlife while the journey to London (from Audley End Station) takes less than an hour. 7.50 adults, 5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 (+4420 7401 8865; www.gardenmuseum.org.uk) BEST FOR: River walkers. The best up and coming places to live in the UK. Epsom is a charming commuter town in Surrey. Its another hugely historic settlement, in Roman times known as Verulamium. And they have useful shops on their doorstep, plus country pubs dotted all over the place. work life. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images 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. here was a time when Londoners lured by the sea would head off to Brighton or perhaps Southend. Coastal towns are still very mixed communities, so get to know your neighbours, whoever they are. Rail journey: St Albans City to St Pancras International. 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. The switch to a village from the bright lights of the capital can be a daunting one though. By ferry: no regular commuter services but Jetstream Tours does regular day trips to Southend. Ive included a map as well. 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. Theres a range of options to choose from in the neighborhood, including hotels and apartment rentals. Named Thames Valley Town of the Year in 2017 and boasting a quality of life rating of 96%, Basingstokes popularity is undeniably on the rise. Houses are a total mash up you might find a 12th-century timber-framed cottage, a Victorian terrace or a rather bland estate house. And things get livelier on the coast, particularly around the yachting town of Lymington. Located right next to Greenwich on the Thames, Deptford is an ideal area if youre into all things new and on-trend. The numerous primary and secondary schools that educate Basingstokes younger residents are highly praised by Ofsted. She loves Potters for interiors shopping, Positive Retail for pre-loved luxury fashion and Vinyl Head for records. The average house price in High Wycombe is 354,830 and a season ticket would cost 3,856. The coastal town is actually so popular with Londoners it has been dubbed "Hackney on sea." We've covered London neighborhoods for families in detail here. (Photo: Matt Buck) Hertfordshire generally dominates the top ten; with Waltham Cross coming in at second place, and five other towns in Hertfordshire making the cut. Georgie, 43, runs a local community centre while her husband, Lee, 45, is an electrician. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 2023 Londonist, All rights reserved. The jewel in Eastbournes crown is Towner, a gallery designed by American architect Rick Mather. Island life is quiet all long walks, sailing, and messing about on the beach but that doesnt mean theres nothing to do. It was one of Kents original Cinque Ports and the walled town centre still possesses plenty of medieval charm. Hackney Wick is also near large green spaces like Victoria Park and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, so there are plenty of places to channel your inner hipster outdoors here. Dont worry, its all part of the tour. It's perfect for those who want to live in a more rural area but still have access to all the amenities of city life. At which point the hipsters will be queuing out of the doors everywhere from the Putney Rocket to the Barking Dog. Stevenage consists of great transport links as well as great house prices, making it a worthy entrant onto the list. One major hassle to flag up about life in Haslemere is parking at the station for those who anticipate a return to the office post-pandemic. Services to Fenchurch Street take from 48 minutes. They have more information about each area. 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. Whats to love? Next up on our list of best London commuter towns is Woking, which is just Adventures of an expat Californian in London and traveling the world. Being 20-minutes from the city certainly makes this an attractive location. Commuting to London takes 25 minutes and your terminus is Paddington, but house prices there are still close to 550k. By Robert Cutts from Bristol (Fore Street . Its handy for the south coast, while trains to Waterloo take just over an hour. Watfords nightlife has been famed for decades, so much so that it often attracts revelers from the capital for an evenings entertainment. There are some great restaurants and cafes in town, notably Sorrel. hipster: [noun] a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion). There are lots of bars and restaurants here, not to mention some of the best pubs in south London. Support Time Out directly today and help us champion the people and places which make the city tick. The posh part of town is Meads, west of the town centre, close to the South Downs and the seafront. MoveIQ looked at train times as well as affordability, annual season ticket prices and what an area has got going for it to compile their rankings. The area south of the Thames has changed a lot over the last few decades, and today its home to some of the trendiest places in the UK capital. 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. Impressively, you can get from Richmond to London Waterloo in as little as 22 minutes. Its celeb-strewn too: Dele Alli and Gino DAcampo both live here. If you want one of the dreamy period townhouses right in the centre of the city or one of its smart satellite villages like Sparsholt or Micheldever, you are looking at asking prices upwards of 1 million yes, London prices. The lure of the city has dwindled in recent years. The 18th-century Huguenot silk weavers houses on the latter are stunning. The benefits of being in Hatfield are endless, and with house prices on average costing 358,761, you could save yourself a pretty penny. Employee Story Of The Month: Meet Chaythanya, Senior Backend Developer, 8 Home Renovations That Dont Add Value (and What to Do Instead), What The Short-Term Let Licencing Changes Mean For Scottish Landlords, A Landlords Guide To Renovating Your New Property Ready For Tenants To Move In, Expats in Barcelona: Everything You Need to Know About Setting Up a Bank Account, Employee Story Of The Month: Meet Salomi, Senior Product Owner, 13 of the Best Neighborhoods to Live in Barcelona, London neighborhoods: 15 Best Places/ Areas to Live in London. Its the kind of place you either fall madly in love with or hate. Great pizzas directly across the street. Theres a variety of places to choose from in and around the area. Another popular option for those not quite ready to dive into village life is the petite town of Manningtree, which is set on the estuary of the River Stour and is handy for the Suffolk coast. Hackney Wick is first on my list of the coolest neighborhoods in London. Georgie Perkins moved to Leigh-on-Sea in 2004, from Hertfordshire. That is why thanks to MoveIQ expert and TV property legend, Phil Spencer, who ranked the best commuter towns for London and Ilivehere which ranked the worst places to live in 2022, MyLondon has compiled a list of the best and worst to live. The islands population doubles in summer as tourists arrive en masse, which can lead to big queues to get on or off the island, but locals tend to simply avoid peak times. The historic town of Windsor is arguably most famous for being the home of Windsor Castle, a royal residency for nearly a thousand years. If you want to stay in this part of London, you can book accommodation in Spitalfields here. This collision of contemporary and crumbling is what gives the village its unique charm.

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