I'm currently thinking of re-locating from Lingfield and have been viewing houses in Dorking. A friend of mine thinks Dorking might be a little rough in the evenings.
Does anyone have any advice?
Do people generally enjoy living here?
Thanks in advance.
Archie
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As with most town across the United Kingdom, the town has a quite a few problems with anti-social and drunken behaviour at the weekends. The town has about twenty pubs, has some very good restaurants and has a good mix of independent shops with a few chain shops as well. The town has an increasing problem of bored kids who get drink from the local off licences or from home and drink it in the park and then cause problems in the vicinity of the park. This has been going on for years and sadly, the thin blue line (the police) in Dorking has been getting even thinner year on year. The police station is only a part-time one saying that, Dorking is a lovely town surrounded by beautiful countryside, has very good primary and secondary schools and there are train links to London Waterloo, London Victoria, Guildford, Reading and London Gatwick. All in all, it is a good place to live and the main problem at the moment is the idiots (like last night - Monday 27 July 7pm) who continually block up the High Street to do a spot of shopping at Sainsburys. Parking in some of the residential streets is also a problem as the moronic council have decided to put a £1 evening charge in the Reigate Road and Pippbrook car parks!! Jo
ReplyDeleteI've been here just under 2 years, moved from the suburbs of SW London. Never looked back, I love it, my girlfriend loves it and our kids love it. I've found it to be a very friendly town, never seen any trouble on the (admittedly few) nights I've had out here. The town may be struggling a little bit right now but it's set in a beautiful location, with fantastic attractions nearby. The train links are really good, it's easy to get to London Bridge as well as the ones mentioned above. This place really is a gem, I'd advise anyone to move here.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I moved to Dorking a year or so ago from Richmond.
ReplyDeleteWe both love it here and wish we had moved here years ago.
So my advice is just get on and move down here asap.
Don't be put off by people making out Dorking isn't safe as I can assure you the trouble in Dorking is like a vicars tea party compared to the suburbs of london.
There are no guns,knives etc just a bit of shouting and once in a blue moon a punch might get thrown.
Why not spend a few evenings in town and see for yourself and check out the crime stats for Dorking on find a property they are as low for Dorking as they are in Lingfield.
Oh my god - I've just seen this blog having been an avid reader of the Cockerals previous blog....positive comments about Dorking - Hoorah!!! at last....and long may it continue. It's a wonderful place to live.
ReplyDeleteI moved here from Raynes Park having lived previously all over SW London and as far in as Wandsworth (where I had a gun pulled on me) and although I hesistate to give it the old "you don't know you've been born routine" Dorking really is a crime free paradise compared to all the other places I have lived. In Raynes Park I lived literally a two minute walk from the station (actually doesn't everyone there?) in what I thought was a typical nondescript London suburb, in fact that's exactly what it is. In the first 6 months I was there three, yes three, people got stabbed between my house and the station.
ReplyDeleteYes, as a town Dorking is a little run down right now and may not be as vibrant as Reigate for example but if you're going to live near London then I can't think of anywhere better. It's still beautiful, the people are still overwhelmingly friendly, there is still a very good high street and the surrounding countryside holds something for everyone. Just two days ago we had friends down from Sutton (ask them about violent towns) with their two young children, we packed a picnic and headed down to Abinger Hammer. All four of our kids spent 5 hours fishing and playing in the Tillingbourne, played football and messed around in the playground down there. We managed to get teas and coffee to take away from the village tea rooms and my and my mate even managed to sneak off for a pint in the pub. It was a perfect sunny day out and a perfect example of what we couldn't have done in the graffiti and glass strewn parks of Merton. In fact, if Dorking could get a better football team it would be almost perfect!