Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells - any views?

Edna_Bucket_2

Interested to know of any opinions of this area of Kent for living from any local MSE'ers? Good places to live? Particular locations in the area to avoid? Positives and negatives on commuting, schools and other local services?

Any input gratefully appreciated.

sportbeth

I live just along the road from here in Sevenoaks.

Tunbridge wells is lovely and any property you can afford will boom in value over time, it's a very stable market and properties are quite sought after.

Very good schools in Tonbridge and T wells. Both Grammar and Secondary.

T wells is also lovely for entertainment, shopping, open spaces etc. The pantiles is great in summer for a long walk looking at little shop windows etc and it's always packed outside the cafes in the summer. About a mile out of town there is a big industrial park with a huge odeon, Ten pin bowling and diy superstores.

Tonbridge is also very good, but if you've visited you'll notice it's a bit like a poorer sister town. Not bad in itself, but the shopping is more functional and there's not a lot going on. We looked at it but considered that if we had the money, we didn't want to live slap bang in the middle of it. House prices will be a bit cheaper though.

Also worth considering is Hildenborough. Nice village with shops, good primary school, lovely houses and nice and residential. Taxi distance from Tonbridge if you want to go to a restaurant or something and has it's own station linking into Charing Cross.

Great area though.

bluekp

I used to live in Tonbridge, and like the other poster said Tunbridge Wells is posher but also more expensive to boot.

I only went to primary school in Tonbridge but out of the 3 I went to (yes 3 - we moved) the Slade school in Tonbridge was my joint favourite.

If I remember correctly, Tonbridge has one of the best girls grammar schools in the country.

Anyway, its a nice enough town - well worth considering.

Edna_Bucket_2

Nice comments - confirms some of the initial thoughts we had, thanks.

Glad to see these replies - knowing how quickly the threads fill up at MSE I was starting to think for a moment that we had no readers in from Kent!

cattie

A friend moved from the borders of SE London/Kent to Paddock Wood a few months back & really likes it there.

The only thing she doesn't like is the long drive she now has to work!

micheleen

If you move to Tunbridge Wells you can send disapproving letters to the Times and sign them Disgusted :rotfl:

myfairlady

Im from Kent too

Both Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are very nice places. If you can afford Wells then go for that as the houses are very sought after. Lovely bars and restaurants too!

Good luck on your search.

Rikki

I used to live in Speldhurst a small village between the two. Its a lovely place to live.

melancholly

I used to be nearer to london, but on the same train line out to that part of kent, it's a long trip but you can get fast(ish) trains into central london if that's where you're planning on commuting too. since i left connex has been kicked off so i don't know if the service is better/worse, although generally the rush hour was fine, problems were during the rest of the day.
(don't even know if that's relevant, but wish i could afford to live in tonbridge wells - very nice place, hope you find somewhere good!)

sportbeth

I get the train from Sevenoaks into London every day and the service has definitely improved since the good old days of connex. Only problem is that I have to get into Victoria every day and that line goes into Charing X and Cannon St. So I have to pay for the tube as well which is extortionate!!!

Sevenoaks is very nice if you're looking for something on a par with T wells, it's a little bit smaller but still very lovely.

T wells is just that bit further out of London so depends what you're after

Edna_Bucket_2

micheleen wrote:

If you move to Tunbridge Wells you can send disapproving letters to the Times and sign them Disgusted :rotfl:

Hey - you guessed the main reason for moving there!

Thanks to all thus far - very useful. Haven't looked at Sevenoaks yet but will pick up on that now too.

Take the points made about costs and Tonbridge as opposed to Tunbridge Wells on property values - we're looking at a ball park budget of £600K-£750K - preferably not more unless absolutely necessary, which hopefully is OK. Thankfully not in a chain now so also hope that will be a plus to move swiftly when we see something suitable.