General Chat

Considering a move to Bedfordshire - have you any views on Bedford, Kempston, MK, Flitwick ? which place would you prefer to live in ??

I don't live in Bedfordshire, but I wouldn't live in Flitwick or Milton Keynes. I don't know Kempston. Bedford is a town centre with good rail links, shopping, library, lovely river and some nice houses. It depends on what you want, I suppose. You can always google and look at properties online in estate agents' websites. You can use the site upmystreet to get an idea of a place. nell

Nell I appreciate what you have said but nothing like bit of info or comment from the local yokels !

i live 'not far' Kempston and Bedford are really one and the same. Milton keynes is New and Bedford is mostly old,they are difficult to compare. Do you need to be central to somewhere? (seems a funny combination of places!) Lots of nice villages around on Beds Northants Borders, but you maybe a four bed detached on an estate person! Jess x

Hi I was born in Bedford but moved to Hertfordshire when I was 3!! There are lots of new houses going up in Flitwick , Ampthill is as lovely old Town & I believe having a Waitrose built there but it depends when you are after. Are you looking for a flat, bungalow, country house old or new , live on an estate? Penny

Leigh - I was born in Houghton Regis! That was when it was nothing but a small village. No Tithe Farm, no Parkside, no Quadrant Shopping centre. The High Street was a few cottages, 3 shops and 5 pubs. It used to have fields too! LOL Magsxx

Thanks for your input to date. The places that I have given are all in easy reach of a village where my dau and family live. Being an oldie I really want to be near shops and town things. As a Londoner I doubt that I would be too happy in a village. I need a two bed house (at least) to accommodate me and the piles of stuff hoarded - I leave the 4 bedders to the young 'uns. Cos I dont know these places I ask whether there may be no-go areas ?

Hey, I'm no country yokel!!! Have lived in Flitwick for 24yrs, it's certainly NOT a no-go area. We have shops, building societies, doctors, dentists, churches, chapels, bank,leisure centre, library,village hall, cricket, football, badminton,tennis and bowls clubs etc. There's easy access to London on the train or Junctions 12 and 13 of M1 to take you to MK for shopping, theatre, cinema, skiing, bowling, eating out.Then of course there's Luton airport, just 20 mins down the road for those trips away.It doesn't sound too bad to me. What sort of things are you looking for? By the way there's a good Family History Course at the local Upper School! Get back to me if you want any help. Good Luck with your search. Mags

Don't move to Beds. Bucks is much better, especially S.Bucks. len

Thanks Margaret. I have looked at one house in Flitwick - wasn't impressed. Of all the things you mentioned - doctor, church, bank and shops are musts for now or future. You didnt mention Flitwick Manor - nice place to drop in for a cuppa ! M1 is Horror Road . Living all my life in Kent and borderline London area I find this move is not easy .... but what I do for family !!! and the thought of ploughing up to MK don't help either. Sorry ! but I may end up in Flitick !! Thanks for your offer of help - may get back to you yet ! Len I agree but ....................... (Oooops - not helping my case with the Beds folk am I ? )

My cousin lives in Flitwick and I can honestly say it's a nice area... as are many of the villages around there. I have a friend who lives in Kempston and she likes it there.. Pat

Joe Don't know your age but perhaps you could look to see what is on the local bus route to your daughter & family so it would be easier for you to visit. Penny

Give us a clue - where does daugher live and how far away do you want to be from her?

I lived in Luton for 12 yrs and i can say there are some nice parts of Luton and the surrounding arreas: Caddington Flamsted Redbourn Harpenden is lovely Eaton Bray is just pass Dunstable Lovely Village Toddington is quaint Sundon Park - part of Luton only some of the area is nice Stopsley - again part of Luton and only some parts nice Its all down to how much you want to pay for your house too......... Happy hunting

Well I've lived in Milton Keynes all my life (which, incidentally, is Bucks, not Beds), and I like it here, so there ! lol Bedford is OK, there are some nice parts and some not so nice parts - my neice lived there for a while but got a lot of racist abuse from the locals (she's white/english !) and so moved back here, or rather to Newport Pagnell, which strictly speaking isn't part of MK. Kempston is OK, but a bit like an extention of Bedford, doesn't have that much to recommend it to be honest. If you want somewhere nice to live, how about Ampthill ? Nice little town, and not that far from Flitwick.

ps... I really don't like Luton - sorry Deborah !!! lol

psssssssssssst Paul ( genie Genie) nor do I ....... lol...hence why I moved out 5 yrs ago ...lol

Joe, The wife and I moved to Luton in 1960; been in the same house since then. Let me know if I can help with any advice on the 'better' parts of the borough for housing, etc. that is, IF Luton interests you, as such. Brian, :< O )

Deborah... phew lol BTW, I'm sure there are some nice bits... just not the bits I've been to lol You're right about Harpenden, Redbourn, Eaton Bray etc though, although the first two are in Herts I think, and Eaton Bray is a little too remote... (drove through there on Thursday, first time in years, what a coincidence)

Your quite right Paul redbourn & Harpenden are border line Herts & Beds. I have an Uncle who lives in Eaton Bray .............. blink and you'll miss it for sure LOL