Chesham/Amersham
Discussion
Morning all. Interloper from the Herts region here after a bit of info. Are there any residents of Chesham or Amersham around? Anyone work there perhaps? Looking to try and get an insiders view on the area, whats it like, traffic, locals, all the usual moving to an area info. Can anyone shed any light?
Many thanks!
Many thanks!
Can't help with Chesham but I've spent a lot of time in Amersham over the years. Basically.. Amersham is split into 2 towns. Amersham Old Town & Amersham New Town.
Amersham Old Town is in the valley and full of 16-18 century buildings, some expensive shops, a couple of poncy restaurants, a few decent pubs, a Toyota garage and a big Tescos. (they also sell 99 ron there)
Amersham New Town is located on the hill where the plebs can look upon the filthy rich with awe and envy. Home of Amersham & Wycombe College where I spent many an hour in mis-spent youth. Lots of students... However it's not a bad place. Decent restuarants are a bit thin on the ground in the New Town but, and this is an important but, Amersham is the last stop on the Metropolitan line which means that you pay Tube prices to get into London rather than main line rail prices. The station car park runs at a whopping £4 per day for parking so it makes sense. Generally the people in the New town are a little more down to earth than the people in the old town but it's the same everywhere. Some people are nice others are loathsome.
Amersham does have a few shops but you'll find that most of the shopping is done in Tesco or a trip to Wycombe (if you dare). There is a really good supermarket / butchers in Hazlemere.
For the hoonigan in you there are some cracking roads in the area that'll test all but the most foolhardy.
In short.. Amersham is nice but potentially a little expensive and a little too quiet.
eta.. Fast rail service is circa 40 minutes to Marylebone. Choice of either Chiltern Railways (Usually bloody good) or gulp.. .The Metropolitan line.
Amersham Old Town is in the valley and full of 16-18 century buildings, some expensive shops, a couple of poncy restaurants, a few decent pubs, a Toyota garage and a big Tescos. (they also sell 99 ron there)
Amersham New Town is located on the hill where the plebs can look upon the filthy rich with awe and envy. Home of Amersham & Wycombe College where I spent many an hour in mis-spent youth. Lots of students... However it's not a bad place. Decent restuarants are a bit thin on the ground in the New Town but, and this is an important but, Amersham is the last stop on the Metropolitan line which means that you pay Tube prices to get into London rather than main line rail prices. The station car park runs at a whopping £4 per day for parking so it makes sense. Generally the people in the New town are a little more down to earth than the people in the old town but it's the same everywhere. Some people are nice others are loathsome.
Amersham does have a few shops but you'll find that most of the shopping is done in Tesco or a trip to Wycombe (if you dare). There is a really good supermarket / butchers in Hazlemere.
For the hoonigan in you there are some cracking roads in the area that'll test all but the most foolhardy.
In short.. Amersham is nice but potentially a little expensive and a little too quiet.
eta.. Fast rail service is circa 40 minutes to Marylebone. Choice of either Chiltern Railways (Usually bloody good) or gulp.. .The Metropolitan line.
Edited by Snoggledog on Wednesday 23 January 17:12
Avoid Chesham - it's split in to the more ummm, Asian areas and the more chavvy areas. The edges are nice though.
Amersham well described above.
I grew up in Little Chalfont - excellent (and expensive) area, as is Chorleywood next door.
Traffic is ok, except the A404 towards the M25 in the morning gets really blocked if you need to go that way. Fast and decent train service in to London.
Amersham well described above.
I grew up in Little Chalfont - excellent (and expensive) area, as is Chorleywood next door.
Traffic is ok, except the A404 towards the M25 in the morning gets really blocked if you need to go that way. Fast and decent train service in to London.
Thanks for the responses chaps, just the sort of info I'm after. I can go and drive around and physically see what the places are like but insider info is always gratefully received.
Slider - pretty much where to look, where to avoid, what is it like to live (or indeed work) there etc.
Slider - pretty much where to look, where to avoid, what is it like to live (or indeed work) there etc.
Quite simply advoid Chesham. The rurals arn't too bad, Hyde Heath etc which i think is still chesham.
Amersham is alright, not much to do resturaunt / pub wise or any other entertainment. Advoid Park Place, Grove road areas.
Old Amersham is nice.
Good train service into metland but property is quite expensive due to its range from london.
Roads get chocka block at rush hour simply due to commuters and i dont think the roads are up to the volume but outside of rish hour, driving is quite easy.
If you let me know where exactly you are looking i can tell you more in detail. My specialitly will be the crime type of thing!
But yes Advoid Chesham......
There are some PHers that live that way. (having seen the stickers on the backs of cars) or when hoofing it away from my marked astra when they havent seen me!
Amersham is alright, not much to do resturaunt / pub wise or any other entertainment. Advoid Park Place, Grove road areas.
Old Amersham is nice.
Good train service into metland but property is quite expensive due to its range from london.
Roads get chocka block at rush hour simply due to commuters and i dont think the roads are up to the volume but outside of rish hour, driving is quite easy.
If you let me know where exactly you are looking i can tell you more in detail. My specialitly will be the crime type of thing!
But yes Advoid Chesham......
There are some PHers that live that way. (having seen the stickers on the backs of cars) or when hoofing it away from my marked astra when they havent seen me!
Agree with above really. Old Amersham is really good for pubs and restaurants and very quaint but expensive. The Tesco store is the most profitable in the whole of the UK which gives an indication of the quite wealthy area in which it's located. Amersham on the hill has most of your bases covered in terms of shops etc but very little in the way of night life.
Also be wary that both Amersham college and Dr Challoner's Grammar are located on the two main roads up to the new town from the old town so can get very busy at school run times. Great catchment area for schools though. As said, transport links are good but don't expect a seat on the trains at peak times into town - can get very busy. Tube is an option but you'll generally loose the will to live if you go all the way from Amersham into the City.
Chesham's fine but not as nice as Amersham. Chesham Bois on the way down to Chesham is nice and has some great houses tucked away. The bigger houses are located around Hervines Park behind the grammer school. Properties north of Woodside Road (A4154) and White Lion Road (A404) tend to be cheaper but still nice.
Worked as a pizza delivery driver in Amersham/Chesham for 3 years whilst at Uni so if you need any info about individual roads let me know Why did I ever leave that job.....driving and pizza!!
Also be wary that both Amersham college and Dr Challoner's Grammar are located on the two main roads up to the new town from the old town so can get very busy at school run times. Great catchment area for schools though. As said, transport links are good but don't expect a seat on the trains at peak times into town - can get very busy. Tube is an option but you'll generally loose the will to live if you go all the way from Amersham into the City.
Chesham's fine but not as nice as Amersham. Chesham Bois on the way down to Chesham is nice and has some great houses tucked away. The bigger houses are located around Hervines Park behind the grammer school. Properties north of Woodside Road (A4154) and White Lion Road (A404) tend to be cheaper but still nice.
Worked as a pizza delivery driver in Amersham/Chesham for 3 years whilst at Uni so if you need any info about individual roads let me know Why did I ever leave that job.....driving and pizza!!
One major question would be whether you have (or are planning to have) kids?
Challoners is a superb school - generally in the top 50 or so state schools in the country, even if they did also manage to produce me
- but this means that you pay a very big premium to be inside the catchment area. Fine if you have boys, they are capable of passing the 12+ and you want to send them there, but if you don't, then there are going to be other places where you'll get more house for your money simply because they're not in the catchment area.
Challoners is a superb school - generally in the top 50 or so state schools in the country, even if they did also manage to produce me
- but this means that you pay a very big premium to be inside the catchment area. Fine if you have boys, they are capable of passing the 12+ and you want to send them there, but if you don't, then there are going to be other places where you'll get more house for your money simply because they're not in the catchment area.Right.
Chesham.
Areas to advoid based on my work experiances.
Pond Park.
Bellingdon Road, Berkhampstead road.
Waterside.
Actually anywhere in Chesham center.
Not too bad:
Chartridge area.
Hyde Heath.
You will find that it doesnt look too bad, but you will soon see that there are definate "divides" in the community.
I cover Chesham, Amersham, Chalfonts and find Chesham to have the heaviest work load with criminal damage, anti social behaviour, Uninsured Drivers, Drugs, and alcohol related disorder of the whole area i work.
But i guess i will only deal with the crap and not always see the good stuff.
Chesham.
Areas to advoid based on my work experiances.
Pond Park.
Bellingdon Road, Berkhampstead road.
Waterside.
Actually anywhere in Chesham center.
Not too bad:
Chartridge area.
Hyde Heath.
You will find that it doesnt look too bad, but you will soon see that there are definate "divides" in the community.
I cover Chesham, Amersham, Chalfonts and find Chesham to have the heaviest work load with criminal damage, anti social behaviour, Uninsured Drivers, Drugs, and alcohol related disorder of the whole area i work.
But i guess i will only deal with the crap and not always see the good stuff.
Thanks again for all your input guys. Will probably go and have a further mooch around, particularly at night and see whats what - then go down the road to the estate agents in Amersham 
Slider, if you see a bloke loitering in a silver Yaris, please don't nick me.
Virtual pint to all (or praps a real one if I end up in the area)
Slider, if you see a bloke loitering in a silver Yaris, please don't nick me.
Virtual pint to all (or praps a real one if I end up in the area)
I've lived all over the area from Little Chalfont to Amersham and High Wycombe. I liked Amersham. I lived on the road between the New and Old towns so could walk to both sets of pubs and the train. Also lived right behind the police station / near the rail station.
Ok the night life is a bit boring unless you like the drinking pubs in the old town. But the people are generally nice.
Ok the night life is a bit boring unless you like the drinking pubs in the old town. But the people are generally nice.
I live in chesham and i agree with some of the comments here but not all are entirely true, there are some lovely areas in chesham that are still nice, but it is true the central areas within chesham are not so nice, but i think its like that with most towns, the outskirts are always better.
Think the biggest problem with chesham is that the police station is part time and some people from lower socio-economic groupings take advantage of this, hence giving some areas of chesham a bad reputation. Also a very large amount of car traders for such a small town.
Transport links are good, Met line into london, and close to A41, M1, M25, M40.
I have also spent a lot of time in Amersham and Chesham Bois so let me know if you want to know anything in particular.
Think the biggest problem with chesham is that the police station is part time and some people from lower socio-economic groupings take advantage of this, hence giving some areas of chesham a bad reputation. Also a very large amount of car traders for such a small town.
Transport links are good, Met line into london, and close to A41, M1, M25, M40.
I have also spent a lot of time in Amersham and Chesham Bois so let me know if you want to know anything in particular.
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