Recommendations for places to move outside London please?

[Monty92]

Criteria:
*Commutable from London and, specifically, no more than an hour’s drive from north London
*Trains must go into King’s Cross or Euston

[Sir C]

Criteria:
*Commutable from London and, specifically, no more than an hour’s drive from north London
*Trains must go into King’s Cross or Euston

Northampton.

Next question.

[Monty92]

Northampton.

Next question.

Sorry, I should have said: somewhere nice.

[Sir C]

Sorry, I should have said: somewhere nice.

I visited it two years ago and found it to be a charming, prosperous little market town with a wonderful chinese restaurant owned by a chap who had decamped from Soho. Admittedly the chinese restaurant has now closed.

[redgunamo]

Criteria:
*Commutable from London and, specifically, no more than an hour’s drive from north London
*Trains must go into King’s Cross or Euston

Paris?

Personally, I moved to France (Elsaß) years ago to avoid quarantine regulations regarding importing hounds.

[Monty92]

I visited it two years ago and found it to be a charming, prosperous little market town with a wonderful chinese restaurant owned by a chap who had decamped from Soho. Admittedly the chinese restaurant has now closed.

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?

[Ash]

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?

Southend. :thumbup:

[Burney]

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?

Come and live in Hertfordshire. Some lovely places. Trains tend to go into Liverpool St, but you can get off at Tottenham Hale and change to the Victoria Line if Euston and King's Cross are important to you.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?

GLWTP imo. Kent has better ones but wouldn't meet your criteria.

[Sir C]

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?

Clacton. Delightful place. The Padstow of the East, they call it.

Enjoy.

[Monty92]

Come and live in Hertfordshire. Some lovely places. Trains tend to go into Liverpool St, but you can get off at Tottenham Hale and change to the Victoria Line if Euston and King's Cross are important to you.

Could we get something as nice as this for our money?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65555786.html

[Monty92]

Clacton. Delightful place. The Padstow of the East, they call it.

Enjoy.

I was forced to spend 12 hours in Clacton after missing my ferry on the way to the 1999 UEFA cup final.

No.

[Luis Anaconda]

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?

Friends of mine lived in Leigh-on-Sea - always thought it was very nice, but invariable visited on hot summer's days which might skew the memories somewhat. Also train goes in to Fenchurch Street.

Thought of Cambridge?

[Sir C]

Could we get something as nice as this for our money?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65555786.html

I believe 'terraced' means that one has 'neighbours'? Living right next door?

This is what I love about awimb. Getting to see how poor people live.

[Burney]

Could we get something as nice as this for our money?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65555786.html

Probably not quite. As ever, the further out you move, the more you'll get for your money. The transport links to London from that part of the world are fairly poxy. It all depends how far out you're prepared and able to live.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

I believe 'terraced' means that one has 'neighbours'? Living right next door?

This is what I love about awimb. Getting to see how poor people live.

The gardens on these places depress me.

[redgunamo]

I believe 'terraced' means that one has 'neighbours'? Living right next door?

This is what I love about awimb. Getting to see how poor people live.

:nod: Just like in Knightsbridge, poor *******s.

[Luis Anaconda]

I was forced to spend 12 hours in Clacton after missing my ferry on the way to the 1999 UEFA cup final.

No.

Why were you getting a ferry from Clacton to Moscow?

[Monty92]

Probably not quite. As ever, the further out you move, the more you'll get for your money. The transport links to London from that part of the world are fairly poxy. It all depends how far out you're prepared and able to live.

Parents getting old so don't want to be any further than an hour's drive from them, and commutable from London also essential. Other than that, it's just about getting a big old gaff in a nice town with some "character" and enough regional highlights to compensate for not being London (seaside, countryside, etc).

[Burney]

Parents getting old so don't want to be any further than an hour's drive from them, and commutable from London also essential. Other than that, it's just about getting a big old gaff in a nice town with some "character" and enough regional highlights to compensate for not being London (seaside, countryside, etc).

Westgate on Sea is a lot more than an hour's drive from London. It's more than an hour's drive from other bits of Kent, ffs.

Seems to me that Essex and Herts are your only realistic options. Problem is, the bits of Essex nearer London tend to be pretty grim. Some exceptions, though. Chipping Ongar might work for you.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

St. Albans

[redgunamo]

Parents getting old so don't want to be any further than an hour's drive from them, and commutable from London also essential. Other than that, it's just about getting a big old gaff in a nice town with some "character" and enough regional highlights to compensate for not being London (seaside, countryside, etc).

Oh, in that case, live where you want and sod the parents! It's your life and they know it.

If they need you, they'll find you. Mine always do anyway :-|

[Sir C]

Friends of mine lived in Leigh-on-Sea - always thought it was very nice, but invariable visited on hot summer's days which might skew the memories somewhat. Also train goes in to Fenchurch Street.

Thought of Cambridge?

I think I read recently that Cambridge is all sorts of fortunes.

[Burney]

St. Albans

:nod: Stalbans is nice. Hitchin, too. Hertford and Ware are nice, also.

[Luis Anaconda]

:nod: Stalbans is nice. Hitchin, too. Hertford and Ware are nice, also.

:nod: I like Stalbans once I disassociated it from years of being dragged to see my great aunt in the nunnery there

Harpenden is nice also - but probably a tad expensive

[Burney]

I think I read recently that Cambridge is all sorts of fortunes.

:nod: Not far off London prices in the centre. And the outskirts are all a bit meh.

[Burney]

:nod: I like Stalbans once I disassociated it from years of being dragged to see my great aunt in the nunnery there

Harpenden is nice also - but probably a tad expensive

Oh, dear. Had she been a naughty young lady and been hied thence to live out her days in seclusion so as not to embarrass the family?

I saw a nun yesterday. I almost jumped out of my skin. They give me the fear for some reason.

[Luis Anaconda]

:nod: Not far off London prices in the centre. And the outskirts are all a bit meh.

Monty's minted though - I must say I have only been there once and can't say it was that nice. Oxford is much nicer

[Burney]

Monty's minted though - I must say I have only been there once and can't say it was that nice. Oxford is much nicer

The thing people forget about Cambridge is that it's absolutely tiny.

[redgunamo]

Monty's minted though - I must say I have only been there once and can't say it was that nice. Oxford is much nicer

I thought it was "Monty's munter's minted"?* And you are correct about Oxford. It's approximately 218% nicer.


*Apologies, M; couldn't resist.

[Monty92]

I thought it was "Monty's munter's minted"?* And you are correct about Oxford. It's approximately 218% nicer.


*Apologies, M; couldn't resist.

Neither of us are minted. We are the squeezed middle, dontcha know.

[Sir C]

Monty's minted though - I must say I have only been there once and can't say it was that nice. Oxford is much nicer

Cambridge has East Anglian Big Skies, though. Proper pilot's country round there.

[Ash]

Monty's minted though - I must say I have only been there once and can't say it was that nice. Oxford is much nicer

My recollection of visiting Oxford every weekend during the early 90s was the fine-buildinged, Morse-esque interior full of smug students, and a ring of seething resentment around the outside.

[Burney]

Cambridge has East Anglian Big Skies, though. Proper pilot's country round there.

Fücking freezing in winter, though. The wind'd cut you in two.

[SWv2]

Neither of us are minted. We are the squeezed middle, dontcha know.

2 x six figure salaries are squeezed nothing.

[redgunamo]

Neither of us are minted. We are the squeezed middle, dontcha know.

Decent quip though? Well-timed at least? :-(

[Ash]

Neither of us are minted. We are the squeezed middle, dontcha know.

You were bragging about your six figure income. :shrug:

That might not be much for some people on here but for others it is a decent wad.

[Luis Anaconda]

Oh, dear. Had she been a naughty young lady and been hied thence to live out her days in seclusion so as not to embarrass the family?

I saw a nun yesterday. I almost jumped out of my skin. They give me the fear for some reason.
I've no idea actually, particularly not how she ended up in St Albans. Nuns are terrifying though, b. You are right to be scared. I remember, I was often sent to the kitchen to get more tea or something on visits. The place was full of dark corners from whence they would emerge and terrify me

I have an aunt who is also one of Christ's brides - but she was way cooler. She went to teach in San Francisco

[Sir C]

Fücking freezing in winter, though. The wind'd cut you in two.

:nod: And often has. There is nowhere, and I mean nowhere, colder than an East Anglian airfield on a crisp winter's morning :cloud9:

An Irvin jacket and a flying suit and you're sorted.

[redgunamo]

My recollection of visiting Oxford every weekend during the early 90s was the fine-buildinged, Morse-esque interior full of smug students, and a ring of seething resentment around the outside.

Town v Gown has long been something of an issue. Almost inevitably, I suppose.

[Luis Anaconda]

My recollection of visiting Oxford every weekend during the early 90s was the fine-buildinged, Morse-esque interior full of smug students, and a ring of seething resentment around the outside.

Yes the students tend to bring the whole place down. Best to visit in the summer - some very decent pubs

[Sir C]

Yes the student's tend to bring the whole place down. Best to visit in the summer - some very decent pubs

The city council still won't allow a kebab shop or a titty-bar. Wánkers.

Your errant apostrophe is causing me physical pain. Please attend to it forthwith.

[redgunamo]

You were bragging about your six figure income. :shrug:

That might not be much for some people on here but for others it is a decent wad.

He has a wife and bairns though, so there's not really any such thing as a decent wad.

[redgunamo]

The city council still won't allow a kebab shop or a titty-bar. Wánkers.

Your errant apostrophe is causing me physical pain. Please attend to it forthwith.

When I was going around, there were plenty of kebab palaces :rubchin:

[Monty92]

You were bragging about your six figure income. :shrug:

That might not be much for some people on here but for others it is a decent wad.

It's not a decent wad if have a big mortgage and London childcare costs. Even a 200k-earning family will have little left over at the end of the month once all the bills are paid.

[Sir C]

When I was going around, there were plenty of kebab palaces :rubchin:

There are several kebab vans which drive in and park up, and there's that nice little Lebanese restaurant in Jericho, but no kebab shops.

[Burney]

I've no idea actually, particularly not how she ended up in St Albans. Nuns are terrifying though, b. You are right to be scared. I remember, I was often sent to the kitchen to get more tea or something on visits. The place was full of dark corners from whence they would emerge and terrify me

I have an aunt who is also one of Christ's brides - but she was way cooler. She went to teach in San Francisco

Thankfully, I don't come from the sort of Irish family where people taking holy orders was considered a desirable thing. My family has always been pretty wary of such people, in fact.

[Ash]

It's not a decent wad if have a big mortgage and London childcare costs. Even a 200k-earning family will have little left over at the end of the month once all the bills are paid.

Fair enough. I do wonder where the middle-class families that live around me get their moolah. Thanks the gods for social housing, else there would be no pwopah caffs and offies left on Junction Road.

[Luis Anaconda]

Thankfully, I don't come from the sort of Irish family where people taking holy orders was considered a desirable thing. My family has always been pretty wary of such people, in fact.
With good reason, b. Don't have many priests - I think my dad's first cousin's son became one, and his twin sister became a nun, but they were a big family with sons to spare. Tended to be thin on the ground on that side

[redgunamo]

There are several kebab vans which drive in and park up, and there's that nice little Lebanese restaurant in Jericho, but no kebab shops.

Perhaps you just had to know people; my Persian chums (Yasmin Le Bon was one of the party; in fact, I got to meet the lovely Simon Le Bon through her) introduced me to several excellent places over the years. Mint sauce on the salad and everything.

[Monty92]

Fair enough. I do wonder where the middle-class families that live around me get their moolah. Thanks the gods for social housing, else there would be no pwopah caffs and offies left on Junction Road.

Money breeds money - it's a cycle. A middle class family is likely to have parents who chucked them a big wedge to get them on the property ladder. Everything else follows. For example, the larger your home, the cheaper your childcare costs as you can pay pennies for a live-in nanny.

We can't hire a live-in nanny (even though it woudl be by far the cheapest option) as we didn't get any help from parents and so live in a poky little flat in Finchley and so instead we end up having to pay a childminder £2.5k a month.

[Sir C]

Perhaps you just had to know people; my Persian chums (Yasmin Le Bon was one of the party; in fact, I got to meet the lovely Simon Le Bon through her) introduced me to several excellent places over the years. Mint sauce on the salad and everything.

Know people? Oh, I know people alright. I might almost say that I know people who know people, if you get my drift.

[Monty92]

Perhaps you just had to know people; my Persian chums (Yasmin Le Bon was one of the party; in fact, I got to meet the lovely Simon Le Bon through her) introduced me to several excellent places over the years. Mint sauce on the salad and everything.

I interviewed Simon Le Bon a few months back. I liked him a lot.

582

583

[redgunamo]

Know people? Oh, I know people alright. I might almost say that I know people who know people, if you get my drift.

Not much good if they can't even get you a kebab though, is it.

[redgunamo]

I interviewed Simon Le Bon a few months back. I liked him a lot.

582

583

That's terrific! I never cared for him or his teeny-bopper band before, but after meeting him (In '89 this would have been) I became a big fan, got all their LPs. Excellent fellow.

[Ash]

We can't hire a live-in nanny (even though it woudl be by far the cheapest option) as we didn't get any help from parents and so live in a poky little flat in Finchley and so instead we end up having to pay a childminder £2.5k a month.

Surely this is what wives were invented for though? :redg:

[Sir C]

Not much good if they can't even get you a kebab though, is it.

Oddly, at that time I was sharing a house with his masseuse. I never met him but heard many tales.

[redgunamo]

Surely this is what wives were invented for though? :redg:

Yes, but childminders are clearly the better option, if a certain financial prudence is required.

It's a rather sad state of affairs, but I've been extremely fortunate; my people are from the third world and so have different priorities.

[redgunamo]

Oddly, at that time I was sharing a house with his masseuse. I never met him but heard many tales.

Just to be clear, *whose* masseuse? Monty's? No wonder he's skint.

[Herbette Chapman - aged 15]

What about a nice little seaside town in Essex? Any tips?
St Osyth and Jaywick Sands are really rather pleasant. My nan had a caravan there so I know from experience.

(forget Nothampton ...s' ****'ole)

[Pokster]

It's not a decent wad if have a big mortgage and London childcare costs. Even a 200k-earning family will have little left over at the end of the month once all the bills are paid.

Oh do **** off.... childcare is not 5 times more expensive in London than anywhere else

[Monty92]

Oh do **** off.... childcare is not 5 times more expensive in London than anywhere else

If we lived up north we'd have a bigger house and would pay a 17-year-old live-in nanny from New Zealand £30 a week to look after my children and occasionally have sex with me (non-negotiable).

[Luis Anaconda]

Oh do **** off.... childcare is not 5 times more expensive in London than anywhere else

For Monty's children though, p

[Monty92]

For Monty's children though, p

You've met them then? :-(

[Sir C]

Just to be clear, *whose* masseuse? Monty's? No wonder he's skint.

Simon's (and Yasmin's).

She was a devotee of the golden shower, and I once found her whipping a naked Matt Monroe's son across a glass coffee table.

Nice girl, actually.

[redgunamo]

Simon's (and Yasmin's).

She was a devotee of the golden shower, and I once found her whipping a naked Matt Monroe's son across a glass coffee table.

Nice girl, actually.

Oh, I say! Very nice indeed clearly.