So a couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about how we got on the property ladder, and how we chose an area near Windsor that was about to be regenerated… well, if you haven’t guessed by now, I can now reveal that area is… Slough.
Poor old Slough has had a bad rep since forever, with help from the famous John Betjeman poem that asked for bombs to fall on Slough (and that was in the 1930s!) to more recently Ricky Gervais’ series The Office, that painted the picture of the dullest town ever. And just this week, the guy that sits behind me at my office was on a rant slating the town. We work in Kentish Town and there was a conversation about how boring the lunch choices are there, then the guy behind my desk says, ‘oh my god my friend has just started work in Slough, it is a dump! He says there is NOTHING there, blah blah blah….’ My goodness, I wanted to die in my seat, when my manager blurts out to him, ‘hello some people might live there!’ I was like ‘Shhh!!!’ Talk about embarrassing!
Now I’m not denying the town looks dull, it is a real concrete jungle, full of 1960s buildings and offices that span as far as the eye can see. It really is not one of the pretty places I visit with my toddler. And yes there are homeless people and junkies here, and teenagers hanging out like in any big town. Windsor was where we wanted to settle, but whenever we searched on Rightmove or Zoopla for properties, Slough always came up as being 1 mile away from Windsor but at much more affordable prices.
We spent a day there to see what it was like. I was still like, no way, I cannot live in Slough. It was so grey and the high street was full of pound shops.
Then our weekend break in Birmingham happened. The city has been regenerated beyond recognition, like a brand new shiny city. We thought wouldn’t it be great if we could settle somewhere with affordable properties that’s a bit rough, but is about to be regenerated. And that’s how we got back to looking at Slough.
Slough is on the Crossrail route which is opening in 2018, and, with a bit of Googling, we discovered the £1billion Heart of Slough regeneration scheme. It has already started, with the High Street having brand new paving and seating, the shiny new bus station that replaces the 60s monstrosity made famous by ‘The Office’, and the £22m building called The Curve which is being built right now – it’s going to be a Learning Centre housing the library, museum, cafe and a cultural centre (EDIT – this has now opened, see here). There are also two new buildings by the bus station – The Porter Building is now open, real modern architecture – it looks really swanky)
So that’s how we settled on buying a new-build apartment in the centre of Slough – an area that is rough and ready, but has a bright future. We have been living here a year, and I can say it is the friendliest place I have lived in! We really love it, and there are lots of things to do here that I think the public are just not aware of. So I am going to start a weekly series called ‘Slough – it’s not so bad’ at themummystylist.com/slough and an Instagram account at ‘SloughItsNotSoBad‘.
For now I will tell you my Top 10 Reasons why we like living in Slough:
1) The people are friendly! There’s a real family atmosphere here, and people smile and say ‘Morning’ here. At the local playgroup, the mums are approachable and there are no mummy cliques! Even the Asian folk are friendly here (we’re used to the more miserable kind in West London :-P) They all start talking to us in Urdu or Panjabi, we don’t understand, but it’s okay! I was in Asda and the checkout lady was so jolly, chatting away to me in Urdu, I just nodded having no idea what she was saying, but it’s better than being frowned at.
2) The Train Station. Windsor is 6 minutes away by train and it costs only £2.80 return! It’s amazing. The trains run every 20 minutes, so anytime my boy wants to go on a train, we just jump on one of these, and we’re in Windsor! In the other direction, it’s 20 minutes in to London Paddington, or 40 minutes to Oxford, and we’ve done many a daytrip on the trains from Slough to places such as Reading, Henley-on-Thames, Maidenhead, Newbury and Basingstoke.
3) The shopping centre. We have the Queensmere Observatory here, and all the big brands are here, so I can pop into town and get literally anything I need. The stores are clearly not the most well-loved, and could do with a refurb, but they sell the same stuff you get in any other high street. As it’s not a destination shopping centre, it’s often quieter in the week, which is good as there are less queues and more space for the boy to run around in.
4) We have the biggest Tesco Extra ever. It is huge and 24 hour too. I think it was the biggest in the country in 2005, but that title has been taken by another Tesco now. It has a huge Home and Clothing department, and the biggest Food of the World aisles that you feel like you’ve gone to another country! There’s a trendy restaurant called ‘The Cafe‘ at one end and Dorothy Perkins, Burton & Wallis at the other. Whenever we have people visit our apartment, they all want to check out the giant Tesco!
5) Absolute Bowling is a favourite of ours. It has a soft play area for toddlers, an arcade games area, pool tables, eating area as well as the bowling alley. And this is all about 5 mins walk from the Town Centre. It’s right next to Salt Hill Park, where there’s a lottery funded playground for the kids. (EDIT: Absolute Bowling has closed and the council are building a new one there now that will open in 2019)
6) We have another favourite soft play centre inside the Observatory Centre called ‘Activus’, which the boy loves. It’s great to let him have a play and I get to relax with a coffee, as there’s plenty of seating. We like going on a weekday morning so it’s more quiet and he has it all to himself!
7) Herschel Park – this is a Grade II Listed Garden that is absolutely beautiful. You would not believe you are in Slough. There are ducks and geese on the ponds, and the park is surrounded by pretty character houses, it’s so very picturesque, especially on a sunny day. There’s also a Nature Reserve, which we haven’t yet visited, but it’s on our to-do list! As well as this park, there are many others a short drive away from the town centre, including Black Park and Langley Country Park which we discovered back in April.
8) More shopping – haha. If you drive a little bit out of the town centre, you have every brand of ‘Retail Park’ store you can think of along the Bath Road, like literally EVERY brand (Matalan, B&Q, Homebase, Smyths, Asda, Furniture Village, Sports Direct, M&S Food, Next, New Look, Boots, Mothercare and I’m sure there’s more), as well as a McDs for a shopping break. We’ve had many a cheeseburger in there 😉
9) On the subject of food, my boy is a regular at the Slough Burgerking. He loves it in there, whenever we walk past we have to get chips. Then we sit in the comfy sofa seats by the window and watch the world go by. (EDIT: I wrote this post when my boy was 3. He’s moved on now to Starbucks – tastes have changed! Read about our fave Slough coffee shops here)
10) The best bit about Slough is how alive it looks from our apartment. It never sleeps, there are always lights on everywhere, and we can see trains, buses, taxis, cars and planes from our window, so the boy is always entertained. We can see the planes flying out of Heathrow on the left side, and to our front we can see Windsor Castle. We love looking out of the window, and it was especially amazing on New Years Eve with all the fireworks going off.
This really shows you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, and each week I hope to share with you something nice to see or visit in Slough. Here’s to ‘Slough – it’s not so bad!‘
Sabrina x
Please note, I have NOT been paid to write this post. These are my real, genuine opinions and experiences from living in Slough for the past year. (But if anyone wants to pay me, please feel free :-D)
EDIT 08/17 – Please note, you may notice a lot of big brands stores closing in the shopping centre over the next year – it is rumoured that the Queensmere Observatory will be demolished and a new Westfield-type shopping centre will be built in it’s place. This is all word-of-mouth from shop workers in the centre, I have seen nothing confirmed on paper. This will be a slow makeover as they are waiting for the leases of each store to run out apparently. So if you are thinking to move to Slough, just be aware that although it looks like the High Street is dying, this should be only temporary.
For more posts about Slough, days out in the area, latest on town centre developments etc, click here.
If you are interested in seeing more of the good stuff in Slough, do follow my Instagram page @sloughitsnotsobad.
Other posts you may find useful:
Baby Groups in Slough
7 Toddler Friendly Coffee Shops in Slough
Children’s Street Dance Classes in Slough
Messy Play in Slough
Empire Cinema in Slough
Trampolining in Slough
Hi I found your post through the mummymonday linky. I’ll be honest living in Devon I never normally would have read a post about an area not related to my everyday life (slightly self absorbed I know sorry!!) but I’m so glad I did. I love how you’ve done your photos especially the platform one with the Slough sign in the background (has given me some great ideas!). I also love your take on your new home and how your honest with your readers that you had a negative opinion about the place and how this was turned around. It allows the reader to feel less guilty about unfounded negative thoughts thus freeing them to see things from another point of view without feeling like they need to defend their opinion. Good luck with your new home I hope it all continues on the up for you!!
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Haha I know what you mean, but I’m glad you read it! I do love Devon, we’re forever holidaying there! Glad the photo inspired you – I took that when we first moved to the area, so it wasn’t for the blog, but it really fits the post! And yes, I wanted to show that I’m not pretending that it’s not a rough area, but just want to share the positives which rarely get picked up on in the media. Hopefully people’s perceptions on the area might change, who knows! xx
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It’s definitely the smart way to buy property – get something bigger/more affordable in an up and coming or about to be regenerated area. & places usually grow on you. I don’t live in my favourite part of the country or in a place I would have picked if I hadn’t ended up there due to circumstances, but I have got used to it over the years! #MondayBlogs
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Exactly, I’m really glad we went with the more affordable route, life is much more relaxed with having a monthly mortgage payment we can afford, and it allows me to work part time and spend more time with my son. And you’re right, areas grow on you – people are people, no matter where you live! xx
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Wow that Tesco sounds amazing, I can waste hours of my life mooching round supermarkets!!
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Yes it is amazing, I get lost it there! And Tyler loves it too, he’s always going ‘I liiike sopping’ whenever we go in there! xx
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I’ve only ever been to Slough twice, and to be honest I wasn’t a huge fan! But perspective changes when you have a family and I now see things so much differently.
#twinklytuesday
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Haha, I am with you, I wasn’t a big fan before I moved here, but yes I do see it differently now – it’s definitely more a family area than a going out area! xx
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Great post! #twinklytuesday
I know what you mean about how much it means to live somewhere where people are friendly. I’ve lived in pretty places where people were grumpy and not-so great places where people are lovely and I’d much rather have the second! (Even if you don’t always know what they are saying!). Following you on WP now so I can read more!
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Thank you! Exactly, the people make the place, that’s what I’ve learnt from living here. Yes even if I don’t know what they’re saying – they smile so I can only assume it’s good! Sounds like you’ve got some stories to tell too! xx
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SOLD! I want to visit Slough now! It’s true what Sian has said above, once you have a family, things change. Where I am, all the young things want to live in Brighton and are repulsed by anyone living elsewhere but when they have kids, they all move to Worthing where you get more bang for you buck and then after a few years of that they move to a smaller village or another cheaper seaside town. Others may mock your choice, but it won’t be long before they join you! #twinklytuesday
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Ahh brilliant, do come visit! That’s exactly it, before I had my boy, I fully admit I was not the biggest fan of Slough. But from a toddler’s point of view, he loves it here, and I love seeing it through his eyes. That’s so interesting about what you’ve noticed in Brighton and Worthing etc, like the cycle of living! xx
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Thanks for linking up to #TenThings again lovely! Fab post, I think a lot of the time people take places too much at face value and don’t see what’s underneath such as the people. Slough sounds fab to me through your eyes 🙂
Stevie x
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Thank you, that’s just it, and people love to moan and go on about bad things – so I’m hoping to spread some positivity from someone who lives here and actually likes it! Thanks for reading and have a great holiday xx
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Herschel Park sounds really nice. I’ll have to check that out! #TenThings
Sally @ Life Loving
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It really is! I’m going to write a proper post about it soon with some pictures, it’s so pretty! xx
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I have never been to Slough but might make a visit there now after reading this! We’re about to move and it’s important to love where you live so I really enjoyed reading your post.
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Ahh I’m glad I inspired you to visit – it’s not so bad like the media make out, and if you get bored, you can just hop on a train to Windsor! You’re right, it is important to like where you like, and I must admit, this place has grown on me 🙂 xx
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Hi
I love your post!!!
I do live in Slough and yes it can seem a bit dismal sometimes but you’ve highlighted it’s good points for a change!!
Sounds like you’ve settled in well, look forward to seeing more posts 🙂 x
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Aw thank you so much, nice to hear from a fellow local! It is grey, and I’m not pretending it doesn’t have it’s bad bits, but we have really liked living here for the past year, so I just want to share our experiences and spread some positivity! I hope you’ll like the future posts 🙂 xx
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Your post brought back many special memories for me of happy days spent in the’Duck Park ‘ as we called it .We lived just down the road in Park Street and used to go there most days after school.Moved from Slough in the late Seventies, perhaps I need to go back and re-visit.
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Ahhh Duck Park – that’s such a cute nickname. I walked through Park Street the other day, still got some pretty houses! It’s not so bad here like people make out, yes come and re-visit 🙂 xx
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I moved to Slough 13 years ago after having met my now husband who is a local. I came from a rural area. I was blown away by the range of job opportunities and I managed to find a comparable job to what I was doing back home for 5k more. Not to mention it is 25 mins from Central London on a fast train. I can also get back to the South coast in 1 hr and 30 mins to visit relatives and I also have lots of friends and relatives in the midlands and west country that I can get to easily due to amazing motorway links. There are so many places to get to easily – Maidenhead, Windsor, Reading, Staines etc.Big shopping complexes such as Brent Cross and Westfield are really easy to reach. If you venture 10 mins out of town there are some lovely rural areas like Langley Park and Black Park. There are many schools that are good or outstanding. Every town has its good parts and bad parts. There are a lot of advantages to living here. 13 years on and I have a really happy life here and I have made many new friends.
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Hello fellow local! So nice to hear you’re still happy here. There’s so much negativity in the media about Slough, they never mention the good bits, so I thought I would spread some positivity! You’re right, the transport links are great, we love hopping on the train and visiting different places. We just discovered the 2 parks back in April and they are amazing! I wrote a blog post about them back then so I’ve now linked them up to the ‘Slough – it’s not so bad’ series. Thank you for your positive comment xx
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Hi Sabrina,
I’m one of the assistant managers at Harris + Hoole. We would love for you and your little boy to come in and have drinks on us to welcome you to the area =)
I will let our team know that you will hopefully be coming in! Just let me know a rough time!
Hope to see you soon!
Kind Regards
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Hi Tania, wow that’s so kind of you! We’d love to take you up on that offer 🙂 I’ll drop you an email when we can come in xx
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Sounds awesome!
Hope to see you soon!
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Oh gosh, I know London prices are ridiculous – that’s why we’re in Slough! But it sounds like prices are rising here too – oh dear. I think if you’re lucky, there are lower-priced houses that need renovating, but they do get snapped up quickly. I hope you find something! Ha ha – you’re right – a giant Tesco and great schools – that’s all I need for my boy! xx
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It’s really nice further out, you might find you like living in Surrey or Hampshire! Good luck! Hee hee, I hope so with the house prices, that would be great! xx
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I completely agree that shopping in Slough is under-rated – it’s got much more variety than Maidenhead (where I live/rent). The Curve development is very exciting (and do you know the design of the bus station is based on a radio wave I think and inspired by Caroline Hershal who lived in Slough… that’s off the top of my head – Google her!). There is also the ice skating rink plus Burnham Beeches and Black Park on your doorstep.
I used to live round the corner from the Farnham Road and loved that stretch as it’s like being in London… so many shops – a late night ice cream parlour, exotic foods shop and brilliant Indian restaurant!
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Yes it’s true, all the big brands are there, they just need a refurb – apart from the TK Maxx which is pretty fab! Yes I did read that about the bus station, it’s amazing the history of it – not many locals know that, they call the bus station ‘the Whale’! We discovered Black Park earlier this year – it’s great – but I haven’t been to Burnham Beeches, will check that out, thanks for the tip! I know which Ice Cream parlour you’re talking about, it’s next to Lidl right? Always busy whatever time of day! Thank you for your positive comment xx
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keep working hard and one day you’ll be able to live in Maidenhead 😀
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Ha ha! I worked in Maidenhead for 2 years when I was at Mattel – it’s okay, but I’d rather live in Slough 😉
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Born and bred in slough. I love it here x
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Hurrah a local! I’m so happy you love it here too 🙂 xx
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You’ve sold the town brilliantly and it sounds like you’ve chosen wisely with the location of your first place. Crossrail is bound to be hugely desirable so as and when you’re ready for you next move you should do very well on the selling price.
Although we’re in a small town I can definitely see the convenience that comes with bring in a larger town with big stores and it sounds like you’re really making the most of it. The park sounds like a lovely retreat, too.
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Thank you, well it was a nerve-wracking decision but I’m glad we made it! Tyler is really happy here – as a train and car-mad boy, it suits him here! We do love visiting small towns on our train adventures though 🙂 xx
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My mummy used to work in Slough by the train station and yes you’re right that Tesco is HUGE!! It’s gets to get near Windsor and if you think Sloughs got a bad rep you should check out Basingstoke’s!! Lol. Be proud where you live xx #LovewhereILive
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Really? Then your mummy knows it well around here 😉 Aw we love Basingstoke, remember my post about our random day out there! Shops and a red door, that’s all you need haha! xx
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I grew up in Birmingham and couldn’t wait to leave but when I go back now I often think if it had been the city it is now I would never have left. I think regeneration is a great thing and you have made a very shrewd choice. xxx
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Really? It must be strange to see all the changes to your hometown. Birmingham looks amazing and we had a fab mini-break there. We’ve going to go back once they’ve finished the New St refurb. Yes I agree, regeneration is a good thing, our kiddies deserve to live somewhere nice 🙂 xx
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I live in Slough and it does have huge potential. Just outside London means you don’t pay silly prices for property but its still very quick to get into London. Its also close to key motorways; M25, M40 and M3. Another bonus is the proximity to Heathrow.
I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned education but we have five grammar schools delivering some of the highest standards in education.
It does suffer from areas of social and economic deprivation but so does West London and many other parts of the country.
Thank you for the positive post!
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Exactly, the location is great for commuting and travelling, and it’s true about the grammar schools. I think there’s still improvement needed on the primary schools, but hopefully we’ll get there – and you’re right, it’s the same in any big town! xx
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I have to admit that when I think of Slough I do think of The Office! I’ve never visited but you’ve really made it sound a very cool place to live – I bet Tyler loves seeing all the trains/cars/planes/buses from the windows! Thanks again for linking up to #LoveWhereILive linky xx P.S The Slough tourist board need to employ you!
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Haha – exactly, I hope to spread some positivity on what it’s really like here! I have to thank you Elaine, this post was in my drafts unfinished for weeks. I was so undecided on whether to write it or not, as I thought it would attract negative comments, and I thought, is it uncool to like where you live? But when you tweeted about your Love Where I Live linky, that pushed me to write this on Sunday night, and now the post has gone viral! The response has been incredible – so thank you so much for the push! Haha, I don’t think there is a tourist board here, maybe I should start one! xx
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I did my final teaching practice in Slough – and it was the loveliest school with the loveliest children in it. If they are all there it couldn’t all be bad at all! Great post, and I hope you’re happy in your new home x
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Aw that is so lovely to hear! That’s kind of why I’m starting this series, for the children of Slough. There’s so much negativity on the internet about Slough, that I thought there should be some positive stuff for them as this is their home! They shouldn’t have to be embarrassed to live in Slough. It’s great here, and we love our new home, thank you! xx
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Right that’s it you’ve blooming sold it to me! 🙂 Funnily enough I live in a similar kind of town – Aldershot – a place which hovers around between swanky Surrey destination towns Farnham and Guildford being looked down on and dubbed ‘Aldershit’ by the haters! As you say it’s actually got loads going for it though and I think often times these kind of places are totally family friendly as well as affordable. We’ve also had some re-generation with a big new area called ‘Westgate’ incorporating loads of restaurants like Nandos and Prezzo and Pizza Express plus a lovely Cineworld cinema (but nothing on the scale of what’s planned for Slough). I’d be interested to see whether prices for Slough and Aldershot compare…
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Haha, that is one nickname! People just love to hate don’t they?! But also, people with families look for different things like you say. Westgate sounds great, maybe you should start your own ‘Aldershot – it ain’t so sh*t’ series! xx
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OK I’ve checked – you can get a *lot* more for your money in Aldershot!! 🙂
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Really, wow Slough is on the up then! 😀
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Hehe it is really funny to read your post. I was chocked to see someone writing about slough. Im spanish and i lived in slough in 2010 cos i got a job there and the current spanish situation made me move there thinking that it could be a good opportunity for me to improve my english. As spanish, i’ve never hear about slough before and because it was near london i was willing to spend a year there. When i first got there it was quite chocking and the first month was hard but later i started getting to know quite a few nice people and got to love the park close to the bowling center (dont remember the name). Everybody i tell i lived in slough for a year have told me how crazy i was but in the end, its just people and your positive thinking which make any city an amazing place, dosen’t it? Believe it or not, I’ve got really good memories from that place 🙂 congrats for your post and good luck!
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Hi Lucia, what an interesting experience you had here! I’m glad you made friends in the area and have happy memories – like you say, it’s the people that are important! You must mean Salt Hill Park by the bowling alley, it’s got a lovely new playground there so even better now 🙂 Thank you for your lovely comment xx
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It’s very wise of you to buy before the prices start skyrocketing. Here in the US, there are some mixed feelings towards “gentrification”, the sort of regeneration scheme you’re talking about. Longtime residents get priced out as more affluent families take over. What’s your take on that? Is it an issue in Slough at all?
Thanks for linking with #TwinklyTuesday.
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Gentrification – such a harsh term isn’t it! Property prices are risings everywhere in the UK, regardless of regeneration, so young people are getting priced out, more are renting or living with the parents for longer – it’s really tough. But the regeneration side of things is so needed, so many towns are run-down and dilapidated, so it’s about time, our kids deserve to have somewhere nice to live. Longtime residents will still be living here, and it’s not a case of affluent families taking over, but new young families trying to find their first owned-homes here. I think! xx
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Aww, poor Slough – you’re right, it does get a bit of a bad rep. I must admit, I’ve never been there either! Well…apart from on the train on the way to Windsor 😀
#tenthings
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Haha! Maybe next time you go to Windsor, you can make a detour at Slough 😀 xx
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I’ve never been to Slough, I know what you mean I get the same about living in Brum, but I’m lucky as there are some amazing places here too.
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Ahh Brum – the inspiration for moving to Slough! You do have some great places there too, I think people just like to moan about ‘crap’ towns! xx
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So weird to read, I moved out of Slough about 7-8 years ago, and don’t miss anything (except for being near family). You make it sound so much nicer than it was in my experience!
But then I’m now living in another town that isn’t held in too high a regard, it’s a good thing we all like different things really.
Maybe I’ll wave next time I’m on my way through 😉
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Haha, I think I know the Slough of 7-8 years ago, as I worked in Maidenhead then, and it would not have been my first choice of places to visit! But it has improved so much since then, and I must admit, I am looking at the place through the eyes of a mum now, so I guess different things appeal to me now, like the kids activities. Yes do stop by next time you’re on your way through 😀 xx
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I’m just up the road from you and have been here just a year! It’s great! We’ve nailed it.
have you been to Black Park? And burnham beeches? And don’t forget Legoland is only a few miles away…and Odds Farm.
Lots for kids. Lots of shops. Lots of National Trust Places and a thousand choices of places to get your car serviced.
And there’s a Primark.
What’s not to love!
#twinklytuesday
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Really?! Hello fellow local 🙂 Yes we’ve been to all those places, except Burnham Beeches. I hadn’t heard of it until a lot of the comments on this post mention the place, so we’re looking forward to discover it! Legoland – haha – we were even considering it as a wedding venue – they do wedding packages! Didn’t get married there in the end though lol. And yes we have a Primark – what’s not to love?! xx
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You should check out Windsor Great Park (4,800 acres of glorious open countryside) & Runnymede (picnic next to the Thames in the birthplace of democracy!)
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Oh yes I know Windsor Great Park, we visited Savill Gardens in April, but still have to visit the rest of it – it is huge! Haven’t visited Runnymede though, thank you for the tip xx
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When your son is a bit older you will appreciate the education options in Slough, especially the secondary schools. We moved to Slough 8 years ago because of the schools – and I know we were lucky to be able to do so. The local grammar schools are fantastic, my sons have benefitted from a great education at Herschel Grammer and what I most impressed by is the fact that they have friends from so many different cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds – their knowledge of the wider world and their acceptance of diversity is so heart warming in today’s world. Also you will find the apprenticeship and job opportunities are very good. If you take a look at the number of major businesses on the Bath Road and Slough Trading Estate you will see why there are so many good job opportunities here. Do take a look at the council’s range of evening classes – I have been going to yoga and pilates classes for a few years and they are really good value for money. My sons learnt to swim and Montem – again excellent classes to life saver level, oh and the ice rink next door, and the paint ball centre just up the road in Stoke Poges. And the gyms – at Montem, Langley and on the Trading Estate with a wide range and variety of classes for all levels of fitness. Plus yoga group that meets at the Temple near Herschel on Mondays and Fridays and just asks a £1 donation to the temple and is full of lovely friendly ladies from around the world. Slough is a good place to live, work and raise your family.
I came to this conclusion before the regeneration projects – you just need to take the time to have a look at reality, not be swayed by a poem from years ago… 🙂 Nancy
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Wow, thank you for all the information – you should have started a ‘Slough it’s not so bad’ blog ages ago! That is really reassuring to hear that about the schools, as I must admit the standard of primary school is a concern of mine, but we’ll see how it goes. It’s good to know your thoughts, it just shows it’s the people that matter. xx
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Great post Sabrina, We actually stayed on the outskirts of Slough (Holiday Inn) last summer whilst we visited Warwick/Legoland/London and I was really pleased with the area. I was raised near a concrete jungle so Slough looked rather home from home for me and I wasnt at all phased. The people were really lovely, friendly, approachable. We popped into the local ASDA whilst there too, of which there is a McDonalds inside… this made Lewis incredibly happy and he’s been gutted ever since as our local ASDA’s dont have them in! #LoveWhereILive
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Oh yes, we always see Legoland visitors when we look out of our window! I’m glad you had a good experience here, the people are friendly. And I’m glad the concrete jungle made you feel at home haha! xx
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I need to write a post like this we live in Bracknell which doesn’t always have the best reputation – but 5 mins from Ascot. Also currently going through a massive regeneration & there are so many facilities here it’s fab. Also now the regeneration is underway our house price has rocketed. Definitely a smart way to buy 🙂
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Do it – ‘Bracknell – it’s not so bad!’ Don’t you just love regeneration! xx
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Fellow Slough resident here! I used to live in Park Street but moved round the corner near Herschel Park. You have, I think moved wisely, and I think in a few years Slough will become a very desirable place to live. People thought I was mad to buy a house here but I couldn’t stretch to my home town (Windsor) I think I will have the last laugh. Have you tried Tangs yet (next to the cinema) really good Asian buffet, very fresh food, it’s my new fave!
The transport links here are superb and the work on the trading estate looks like it will become stunning. Slough is rather like a mini London, some down at heel areas, some ‘pockets’ of really pretty areas some up and coming, lovely parks and good facilities (Ice skating, bowling) and London’s West End will soon be1/2 hour straight though.
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Ahh hello fellow resident! I’ve just done a post on Herschel Park, it is so beautiful and lovely houses that side. The prices in Windsor are just as bad a London prices, I hope you’re right that we’ll have the last laugh! I haven’t tried Tangs yet, but will definitely visit now – I do love chinese food 🙂 Thank you for your positive comment about Slough, always good to hear! xx
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Sounds like a lovely place to live and so much to offer for you. Tesco is my fave place. I spend hours in there each week. hahaha Can’t beat a good supermarket. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
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Haha, it’s always handy having a 24 hour Tesco! xx
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A great read and makes a change seeing a positive view online – or anywhere in fact – about Slough. The town I grew up in will always have a place close to my heart, despite me moving away over 15-years ago. Looking forward to your next blog, ‘Come friendly prose, and fall on Slough’ 😉
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Thank you for you kind comment. That’s exactly why I wanted to right this – there’s nothing positive on the internet or in the media about Slough, which I think is really unfair for children growing up here. It’s their hometown and it’s really not that bad! Hee hee, ‘come friendy prose’ – I like it! x
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It sounds perfect Sabrina!! I love a place that’s a bit rough around the edges, it needs our love even more 🙂 we recently moved from a place called Blyth that everyone turned their noses up at – now our friends often go there to the beach or park as they’ve realised it’s actually got some great bits to it – much as Slough has! I hope you’ll be really happy there 🙂
hxxx Thanks for linking up to #TheList xx
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Yeah that’s it, a rough place can only get better! I had to google Blyth, it’s really up north isn’t it?! I can’t imagine a seaside town being rough, as much as I do love Slough, I wish it was on the coast! Still we’re happy here 🙂 xx
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Hello, prospective Slough mover here. After finding our new home (hopefully), I’ve suddenly been on the receiving end of nothing but how bad Slough is. Then I found your blog and I’m hoping you still love it – a year on? We’ll be moving to Chalvey (awful name though.)
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Hi Nancy, we still love living in Slough a year on, the people are friendly, but honestly crime is high in certain areas and Chalvey is one of those areas so I wouldn’t move there. If you haven’t moved yet, do reconsider! We’re right in central Slough in a high rise new build with good security so feel safe. I wouldn’t move into a house round here because house burglaries are high. The area, people and things to do round here is good, but you just have to be careful, we stay in busy areas etc. Hope that helps! Xx
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hello Sabrina.
fab blog. It was really interesting to hear from the people who actually live in the area. Not the people who just want to feel better by putting other places down). We are from Adelaide, South Australia and my husband has just been successful in obtaining employment at a local primary school.( It seams to be in the less desirable part of slough.) He googled Slough and was disenchanted with all the negative comments. So, I wanted to find people saying nice things, as there is good and bad in every town/city.(so thank you and to the people who have posted positive comments, it has helped.)
Just because someone lives in an affluent suburb, doesn’t mean they are a nice person. We lived in the northern suburbs of Adelaide for 10 years and the people were kind and would help you if they could see that you needed it.I made and retained some of my best friends there. People say to me (now we live close to the city), “I bet you are glad to be away from there!” I have to honestly tell them that it is not as bad as it is portrayed.Where we live now is green, near the city and beach but does not have the community feel that we had in the northern suburbs. It is a low socioeconomic area but that does not reflect in the character of (most) of the locals. My husband is having second thoughts. I am trying to defuse the situation. We are so keen to try a year in the UK.
regards,
Mel
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Hi Mel, thank you for your lovely comment, I’m so glad you like my blog. It’s a big decision moving from Australia to the UK, and I have to be honest, there are nicer places to live than Slough if you are coming from abroad. Yes I love living here, but I’m used to the rough of London, and I imagine if you are coming from the beaches of Australia to Slough, it may be a huge change in your lifestyle. But the transport links to London are great so you could easily have days/nights out there or in nearby Windsor. Slough is sort of in a limbo position at the moment as it’s in the middle of a regeneration so there is a lot of building work going on, but by 2018/9 the place is supposed to be totally regenerated. At the moment housing is just about affordable, the locals are really friendly here compared to my experiences in London and the suburbs, but there are a lot of homeless people and a lot of crime here. I don’t want to put you off, but I do want to be honest with you. Have a good think, and if you want to ask me any more questions, just drop me an email at sabrina@themummystylist.com Good luck with your decision xx
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I felt in a similar position when I moved to Slough ten years ago. Everyone who didn’t live nearby felt it was amusing, almost sad that someone was going there to live.
In my opinion though, there is a lot going for it – my favourite aspect though is still how close it is to countryside to the North and South.
To add to your list of places, some of my favourites are:
1. The Jubilee River – you can park for it either at the roundabout at the bottom of the Windsor road, or at two other car parks, where the roads lead down to it from the A4. One is if you head left just after the Sainsburies roundabout in Burnham, the other is further along that way – probably about opposite Tesco in Taplow. In parts it is a bit close to the motorway, but for a lot of its length it feels like a natural river, with a wide cycle path and various diversions to birdwatching hides and circular walks that link across footbridges to the other side.
2. The Canal path – I lived around the corner from it for a few years before I even realised it was there – If you go out of Slough along Stoke Road, you get to it just by the entrance to Travis Perkins. You can walk along it all the way to West Drayton where it joins with the Grand Union Canal. The first part is a bit industrial for a stretch when it passes the Dulux / ICI factory, but after that, its through countryside most of the way. There is a park that runs alongside the Canal towards Langley and various bridges cross it, with potential to join it at any of those points. They talk about revitalising it at the Slough end with new canal side housing overlooking it, but there is no sign of this happening yet.
3. Stoke Common – managed by the City of London in the same way as Burnham Beeches, but a lot quieter. Its more of an area of open land, rather than woodland, with free roaming cattle to keep the plants under control. Its best to visit in fine weather, as a lot of the paths can be quite boggy when it is wet. You can get there from a car park by the side of the road if you turn right at the traffic lights just beyond Stoke Poges.
4. Dorney Lake – off the road that runs through Eton, after Eton Wick. Its a great walk on a fine day around the rowing lake and there is access to the riverside paths from there too. If you want to go on a Sunday in the summer it might be worth checking if there are any events on, as it is sometimes used for triathlons, races around the edge & rowing regattas which can make it rather unwelcoming for casual visitors.
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Oh wow, thank you for all your tips! I know about the canal path but not the other places – I’ll definitely check them out in the future 😀
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Another one occurs to me that our 2 year old son loves at the moment – slightly further afield (15 – 20 minutes drive), but worthwhile.
Ruislip Lido – its a reservoir, with a big artificial beach on one side of it. Within the beach (actually on the sand) is a huge kids play area, We take our son there to play on the sand, but he ends up playing on all the climbing frames, slides etc most of the time instead. There is also a miniature railway that is fairly reasonably priced & takes you on a long journey around the far end of the lake back to the parking area. the parking is all free.
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Oh yes I know Ruislip Lido as that’s near where I grew up – haven’t been there for years though. Didn’t realise there was a play area too, and of course the miniature railway – I must take Tyler on that! Thanks so much 😀
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I’m thinking of moving to Langley near trelawney avenue. Is this a nice area to live ? Thank you for any advice / opinions
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Hi Sean, sorry I’ve only just seen your comment. Yes Langley is a family area, lots of schools around that road you mentioned. You’ve probably moved by now, hope you like it! 🙂
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Hi Sabrina, I will be moving to London soon, I presently live in Mumbai. Found your blog so useful and informative. Wanted to ask you which would be an ideal place to stay close to the train station in slough as my husband’s work place would be Paddington. Also I have 2 kids one in primary and the other in secondary school…which schools would u recommend for them? Thanks in advance!
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Hi Aruna, glad you found it useful! I would suggest to stay anywhere near the station, there are a lot of new-build apartments. Best thing is to look on property websites like Zoopla or Right Move. There are a lot of schools in Slough, again best to research online. There are 3 grammar schools, Herschel, Langley and Upton Court which are good for secondary schools. Hope that helps x
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I used to live in Hounslow (one of those miserable West London Asians lol) and then moved to Leicester. I’d love to move back to London but can’t afford it but I think Slough might be possible and there are buses to Heathrow etc.. covered by Oyster. Thanks for your blog entry about Slough. It has helped me focus on this aim
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Hi Pabs, you really made me laugh with the miserable W. London Asians comment lol! I’m glad my post has helped you make a decision, it’s really alright living in Slough and so easy to get into London from here, we’re always hopping on the train to Paddington. And you’re right, the 81 bus takes Oyster 🙂
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Yes or you can take bus to Hounslow and then catch tube if where you are going is not served by BR
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This is a great post. I am considering moving to Iver/Langley but actually starting to get tempted by Upton area of Slough, as I like the idea of being close to the parks and the Slough town centre. Some people have told me I am crazy for considering Slough over Iver but Iver seems too quiet for me. Everyone is looking for something different out of where they want to live.
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Thank you 🙂 Oh yes do consider that side of Slough, there are lots of period houses and parks, very beautiful. Iver is lovely but much more of a village feel. You are right, everyone wants something different, best thing is to visit the area and get a feel. Good luck with your move! x
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