Working in Slough, where to live
Discussion
My fathers, mothers old house is in Cippenham down Washington Drive about to go up for sale, the neighbours have offered a private sale on it can't believe the prices of the houses around there! and the rental prices people charge it's ludicrous.
Stoke Poges is lovely in areas though. Often travelling through to place some flowers at the Memorial Gardens.
Stoke Poges is lovely in areas though. Often travelling through to place some flowers at the Memorial Gardens.
Anywhere in the Thames Valley/M4/M40 corridor is crap commuting. Roads are rammed from 7am. I have lived in Wokingham for 43 years and commuted for 38 of them. Even a 15 minute drive to Reading was a 45 minute commute 38 years ago! A few years back I had a contract in Slough, started at 7am and finished at 4.30, commute was easy at those times.
PS - Wokingham is good, I like it. More pubs, restaurants and coffee shops than shops!
PS - Wokingham is good, I like it. More pubs, restaurants and coffee shops than shops!
I'm also on a contract in Slough, home is Guildford (Surrey Hills + Great Schools + Best UK shopping/High Street according to the Telegraph + Waitrose + River + 30 mins to Waterloo + Castle + Porsche dealership!) and stayed there since Uni.
Have commuted to Slough, High Wycombe, Bracknell, Chertsey, London and 3 years working in Surrey Research Park, which was wonderful. All of these have been within an hour each way.
Have commuted to Slough, High Wycombe, Bracknell, Chertsey, London and 3 years working in Surrey Research Park, which was wonderful. All of these have been within an hour each way.
Edited by fastgerman on Wednesday 23 March 14:55
I was born in Taplow, grew up in Windsor, lived in Winkfield in my teens, and for the last 20 years I've been living in Reading (I'm 46 now).
If you don't like aircraft noise, don't consider Windsor or Datchet. It is absolute murder if you're not used to it. Incessant.
Property is poor value for money in Windsor because of the "Premium" tag the town now has. It does have dodgy areas, so if you do go for Windsor think twice about the west of the town - it has some notoriously bad areas and streets in Dedworth. I know several people who have made the "It's Windsor, it must be nice" mistake and lived to regret it.
I know the whole area like the back of my hand, and I (personally) seriously wouldn't live anywhere but one of the nice bits of Reading - particularly the bit I've been in for nearly all my 20 years here, Caversham Heights. However, I would only recommend living there if you are happy commuting to Slough by train. The car journey on the M4 would be a nightmare. The facilities in Reading are superior to all other surrounding towns in my opinion.
From your perspective, I'm getting Twyfordy vibes, as others have suggested. But schools are a bit of a struggle there.
If you've got an eye on increasing property values, Reading is a real hotspot due to Crossrail. Grammar schools are available, but more difficult to get in to than those in Bucks. I know, my son is part way through failing to do so because of weight of numbers.
I will be the first person to speak up for Slough here - on the whole it's appalling, but the Upton/Upton park area is jolly nice, and is only a walk/cycle ride to Eton and Windsor. Might be a good place to rent initially, if you don't like it then nothing lost. Lots of good schools in Slough, strangely enough.
Essentially - don't just be wowed by the glitzy, fashionable places like Windsor, Henley and Marlow. They all have their downsides and none have real facilities and communications to rival less fashionable places like Reading, and provide poor value for money - again IMHO. It's an expensive region, and these are the most expensive places.
If you don't like aircraft noise, don't consider Windsor or Datchet. It is absolute murder if you're not used to it. Incessant.
Property is poor value for money in Windsor because of the "Premium" tag the town now has. It does have dodgy areas, so if you do go for Windsor think twice about the west of the town - it has some notoriously bad areas and streets in Dedworth. I know several people who have made the "It's Windsor, it must be nice" mistake and lived to regret it.
I know the whole area like the back of my hand, and I (personally) seriously wouldn't live anywhere but one of the nice bits of Reading - particularly the bit I've been in for nearly all my 20 years here, Caversham Heights. However, I would only recommend living there if you are happy commuting to Slough by train. The car journey on the M4 would be a nightmare. The facilities in Reading are superior to all other surrounding towns in my opinion.
From your perspective, I'm getting Twyfordy vibes, as others have suggested. But schools are a bit of a struggle there.
If you've got an eye on increasing property values, Reading is a real hotspot due to Crossrail. Grammar schools are available, but more difficult to get in to than those in Bucks. I know, my son is part way through failing to do so because of weight of numbers.
I will be the first person to speak up for Slough here - on the whole it's appalling, but the Upton/Upton park area is jolly nice, and is only a walk/cycle ride to Eton and Windsor. Might be a good place to rent initially, if you don't like it then nothing lost. Lots of good schools in Slough, strangely enough.
Essentially - don't just be wowed by the glitzy, fashionable places like Windsor, Henley and Marlow. They all have their downsides and none have real facilities and communications to rival less fashionable places like Reading, and provide poor value for money - again IMHO. It's an expensive region, and these are the most expensive places.
SilverSixer said:
I know the whole area like the back of my hand, and I (personally) seriously wouldn't live anywhere but one of the nice bits of Reading - particularly the bit I've been in for nearly all my 20 years here, Caversham Heights.
You're rather overselling Reading a bit aren't you! I avoid the town centre like the plague but I guess it depends on what you like. Personally I'd far rather go to Windsor shopping than Reading and my wife usually finds stuff in Marlow. Since the kids grew up we hardly ever go to Reading... RichB said:
SilverSixer said:
I know the whole area like the back of my hand, and I (personally) seriously wouldn't live anywhere but one of the nice bits of Reading - particularly the bit I've been in for nearly all my 20 years here, Caversham Heights.
You're rather overselling Reading a bit aren't you! I avoid the town centre like the plague but I guess it depends on what you like. Personally I'd far rather go to Windsor shopping than Reading and my wife usually finds stuff in Marlow. Since the kids grew up we hardly ever go to Reading... I just think people can get so hypnotised by the bling and period buildings in the smaller, more fashionable towns that they miss the value of places considered to be 'lesser'. Sometimes, less is more. Peple often alg rading because it has some dodgy estates and less attractive parts - well so do Windsor, and even St Henley and Marlow, in my extensive experience.
As with everything, each to his own. I wouldn't move to Henley, Windsor or Marlow. I can afford to, but I prefer my part of Reading. Of course, there are parts of the town I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.
Windsor is your best option. High St is busy at the weekend (which I like)but doesn't affect the central residential areas at all. It's lively, attractive, very international(friendly)and surrounded by a huge swathe of publically accessible and lovely parkland. River and Eton are also pleasant and Windsor has loads of decent events (including motoring) throughout the year. There are decent schools around too if relevant. You can even get the (5 minute) train if you don't want to drive.
Yes, I chose to live there...
Personal view on alternatives:
Henley - lovely but a bit further out.
Marlow - under the(attractive)surface not a pleasant town. Boring and oikish locals
Cookham - nice but too small and quiet
Beaconsfield/Stoke P - Gin, Jag and soulless wife swapping.
Reading - dump, with strange locals.
Ascot/Sunningdale etc - Green, spacious and smart, with decent sized houses...but deathly dull.
Maidenhead - nice by the river and Pinkneys Green but rest forgettable with eastern European town centre.
Taplow - bugger all there.
Happy to help!
Yes, I chose to live there...
Personal view on alternatives:
Henley - lovely but a bit further out.
Marlow - under the(attractive)surface not a pleasant town. Boring and oikish locals
Cookham - nice but too small and quiet
Beaconsfield/Stoke P - Gin, Jag and soulless wife swapping.
Reading - dump, with strange locals.
Ascot/Sunningdale etc - Green, spacious and smart, with decent sized houses...but deathly dull.
Maidenhead - nice by the river and Pinkneys Green but rest forgettable with eastern European town centre.
Taplow - bugger all there.
Happy to help!
Windsor, 800k:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
Caversham Heights 800k:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
You pays your money, you takes your choice.
:-)
Just for interest's sake, the alley down the side of the Windsor house leads to the back garden of the house I grew up in. These houses flood occasionally, there is an underground river (the Bourne) below them.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
Caversham Heights 800k:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
You pays your money, you takes your choice.
:-)
Just for interest's sake, the alley down the side of the Windsor house leads to the back garden of the house I grew up in. These houses flood occasionally, there is an underground river (the Bourne) below them.
NormalWisdom said:
Anywhere in the Thames Valley/M4/M40 corridor is crap commuting. Roads are rammed from 7am. I have lived in Wokingham for 43 years and commuted for 38 of them. Even a 15 minute drive to Reading was a 45 minute commute 38 years ago! A few years back I had a contract in Slough, started at 7am and finished at 4.30, commute was easy at those times.
!
We moved out of Wokingham 8 years ago after living there since 1979.!
Main reason was the traffic, far worse now , but also the early morning aircraft noise was starting to drive us insane.
SilverSixer said:
Dedworth
God yes, in my younger days I used to buy 'stuff' from someone in Dedworth, not a nice part of town at all!Plus even in the nicer parts of town you get all the bloody tourists pointing about and getting in the way as 'OMGTHEQUEENLIVESHERE!!111' Marlow can be just as bad for that on the river, you have to walk miles up past temple lock for a bit of peace and quiet on a hit sunny day. Hurley lock used to be good, but then that was found and became busy and horrible, same with Medmenham, although at least with Medmenham there's more space to spread out a bit.
For a lovely walk though, Marlow common, or diving in even deeper Sycamore Woods etc are great, many happy days out without seeing a single person at all.
thole.beko1987 said:
SilverSixer said:
Dedworth
God yes, in my younger days I used to buy 'stuff' from someone in Dedworth, not a nice part of town at all!Plus even in the nicer parts of town you get all the bloody tourists pointing about and getting in the way as 'OMGTHEQUEENLIVESHERE!!111' Marlow can be just as bad for that on the river, you have to walk miles up past temple lock for a bit of peace and quiet on a hit sunny day. Hurley lock used to be good, but then that was found and became busy and horrible, same with Medmenham, although at least with Medmenham there's more space to spread out a bit.
For a lovely walk though, Marlow common, or diving in even deeper Sycamore Woods etc are great, many happy days out without seeing a single person at all.
SilverSixer said:
Ah, someone who really knows the area!
I think there's a few of us on this thread who really know the area - I've been here since 1979 so that's what, 37 years? Living and working between Henley, Wycombe, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Reading etc. and kids growing up playing football and going to school in Marlow, Maidenhead etc. Oh and shopping, visiting pubs and restaurants I pretty well know East Berkshire like the back of my hand. 
RichB said:
SilverSixer said:
Ah, someone who really knows the area!
I think there's a few of us on this thread who really know the area - I've been here since 1979 so that's what, 37 years? Living and working between Henley, Wycombe, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Reading etc. and kids growing up playing football and going to school in Marlow, Maidenhead etc. Oh and shopping, visiting pubs and restaurants I pretty well know East Berkshire like the back of my hand. The local area:
Henley - Horay Henrys that get on the farmers' nerves, mainly alcoholics and sexually frustrated women
Marlow - full of day trippers from Wycombe, borish rowers or doggers from wider afield.
Marlow Bottom - residents claim they live in Marlow, reality is they live on the cut though to Lane End, drunks with their own brewery.
Chesham - no comment, but drive through it with doors locked.
Beaconsfield - investment brokers and bankers that sell their souls in the week and dine in restaurants with horrific wallpaper at weekends.
Bracknell - town facelift, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Residents wish they were in Windsor.
Reading - competing with Slough and Swindon to be the biggest tip on the M4, currently in second place.
Ascot/Sunningdale etc - Full of golfers waiting to die, massive property equity levels. Car dealers with expensive metal.
Maidenhead - pretends to be another Marlow but actually more like High Wycombe with a wider river.
High Wycombe - melting pot of criminals with a wide variety of illegal items hidden in local woods. 113th best University in the UK, high chance of finding a dead body whilst walking your dog.
Great Missenden/Prestwood - inbreds with webbed fingers... Chilterns swimming champions since 1979. Local economy based on childrens' books.
Amersham - full of commuters trying to decide which train to use, standing room only.
The Chalfonts - Chavs with a bit of cash, lots of Range Rovers.
Taplow - where?
Windsor - full of people complaining about traffic, tourists or aircraft noise. Unsecured loans available for parking costs.
Henley - Horay Henrys that get on the farmers' nerves, mainly alcoholics and sexually frustrated women
Marlow - full of day trippers from Wycombe, borish rowers or doggers from wider afield.
Marlow Bottom - residents claim they live in Marlow, reality is they live on the cut though to Lane End, drunks with their own brewery.
Chesham - no comment, but drive through it with doors locked.
Beaconsfield - investment brokers and bankers that sell their souls in the week and dine in restaurants with horrific wallpaper at weekends.
Bracknell - town facelift, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Residents wish they were in Windsor.
Reading - competing with Slough and Swindon to be the biggest tip on the M4, currently in second place.
Ascot/Sunningdale etc - Full of golfers waiting to die, massive property equity levels. Car dealers with expensive metal.
Maidenhead - pretends to be another Marlow but actually more like High Wycombe with a wider river.
High Wycombe - melting pot of criminals with a wide variety of illegal items hidden in local woods. 113th best University in the UK, high chance of finding a dead body whilst walking your dog.
Great Missenden/Prestwood - inbreds with webbed fingers... Chilterns swimming champions since 1979. Local economy based on childrens' books.
Amersham - full of commuters trying to decide which train to use, standing room only.
The Chalfonts - Chavs with a bit of cash, lots of Range Rovers.
Taplow - where?
Windsor - full of people complaining about traffic, tourists or aircraft noise. Unsecured loans available for parking costs.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff