Where's nice to live in the UK?

[Olly]

Back to the OT, why would anyone choose to commute to London on a daily basis? Stay there during the week and go home for weekends if you must work there.

Probably would do a mixture, say I got a 3 month contract within hour commute = sleep at home and push for 4 days in the office.

Long term contract the other side of London, get a cheap room in a shared house / cheap B&B or maybe something like crashpadders.com and stay over.

Even living in London I got unlucky with contracts, living in Limehouse (by Canary Wharf in the East) and working across town in Hounslow. That took about an hour. Next role in Barnet again took an hour.

[SueEllen]

Back to the OT, why would anyone choose to commute to London on a daily basis? Stay there during the week and go home for weekends if you must work there.

Loads of people do it.

People in London and the SE commute for much longer time then those in the rest of the country. Even a short distance can take you an hour due to congestion.

[Worzel]

If you want commutability to London and possibilities of local contracts then it has to be somewhere along the M3, M4 corridoors. Lots of tech jobs here but also a fair bit of competition too, not as bad as London though.

Basingstoke might tick boxes but it's not the nicest of towns really. Surrounded by some mainly 70's style estates all linked together by a big ring road!

[Olly]

If you want commutability to London and possibilities of local contracts then it has to be somewhere along the M3, M4 corridoors. Lots of tech jobs here but also a fair bit of competition too, not as bad as London though.

Basingstoke might tick boxes but it's not the nicest of towns really. Surrounded by some mainly 70's style estates all linked together by a big ring road!

Well the another place I was thinking is Reading.

Not sure I can afford a semi with a garage anywhere other than B'stoke.
That ring road is quite useful but I learnt from staying at a friends house that the traffic noise can be terrible and if you're close to the M3 then forget peace in the garden.

B'stoke is a compromise. I can see that. I'll go rent a room there for a bit I think and make up my mind.

[oracleslave]

Well the another place I was thinking is Reading.

Not sure I can afford a semi with a garage anywhere other than B'stoke.
That ring road is quite useful but I learnt from staying at a friends house that the traffic noise can be terrible and if you're close to the M3 then forget peace in the garden.

B'stoke is a compromise. I can see that. I'll go rent a room there for a bit I think and make up my mind.

What about Swallowfield, Mortimer or some other such village nearby?

[tay]

People in London and the SE commute for much longer time then those in the rest of the country. Even a short distance can take you an hour due to congestion.

Living in London, an hour door to door would be considered a good result. IMO

[Worzel]

Well the another place I was thinking is Reading

Yes, Reading is the obvious choice. I did a contract in Basingstoke a few years ago and most of the locals all aspired to live in Reading. Even in terms of a night-out they'd rather travel to Reading than stay local in Basingstoke!

[Olly]

Yes, Reading is the obvious choice. I did a contract in Basingstoke a few years ago and most of the locals all aspired to live in Reading. Even in terms of a night-out they'd rather travel to Reading than stay local in Basingstoke!

Ah ..yes I remember that too, locals favouring Reading for a night out or at least saying they did. Hmm, well I'd need £300K in Reading and it's a longer journey to London isn't it?

One big plus about B'stoke is a house inside the ring road is walking distance to the station. There's little in Reading that close. Did a day's house hunting there and walking around last year. The centre really didn't light my fire and I'm guessing it's a battle ground at night. I had some romantic notion there'd be a tinge of Winchester to it....there isn't.

[TriggerHippy]

Ever looked around St Albans or that area?

[SueEllen]

Ah ..yes I remember that too, locals favouring Reading for a night out or at least saying they did. Hmm, well I'd need £300K in Reading and it's a longer journey to London isn't it?

The train service is also worse. (Or use to be)