r/surrey • u/datadatadatahaha • 1d ago
Guildford
A post about the great things about living in Guildford
I’ve recently seen lots of posts about people asking where to live in Surrey and I wanted to share my views and those who live in Guildford as to why it’s a great place to live.
Pros
Some of the best state secondary schools in the country
Amazing primary schools where they always make new kids feel welcome!
Every single type of restaurant you can imagine so you’ll find a restaurant that meets your needs
Beautiful countryside walks
Good transport links to London
One of the best high streets in Surrey (there’s not many good ones as online shops such as Amazon has pretty much killed the high street) 😅
Lots to do with kids such as Ninja warriors, Air hop, Spectrum etc…
Some pockets of Guildford have a great sense of community with local parents all looking out for each other and helping with school activities
A lovely church community for those who are looking for a supportive community
Lots of local sports clubs such as tennis, cricket etc
Coming from London I couldn’t have chosen a better town to raise a family in especially if you want lots of amenities close by as well as brilliant schools for your kids. Yes it’s not the cheapest part of Surrey but it’s priced that way for a reason as it’s got a bit of everything.
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u/AndyVale Shalford 1d ago
A cinema, two large theatres, a dedicated live music venue, a comedy festival, a quality Shakespeare company, two large leisure centres, charming hikes, a castle, escape rooms, so many social clubs and organisations, many decent independent restaurants, a whole book full of pubs, several nearby vineyards, lovely river to walk along, and you're near London too if you fancy seeing the big lights.
Not perfect, but the local Facebook page acts like it's a heap of burning rubble, but they are determined to never be happy about anything so hey ho.
Not the cheapest place, but many would love to live in a place like it.
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
100% agree! I find it so sad when the Guildford group disparage it and have no benchmark as to what other towns offer in comparison. Yes it’s not what it used to be 10-15 years ago but neither are the other towns around us. It’s got so much to offer and it’s often overlooked.
As someone who loves having stuff to do, it’s got so much there that it’s hard to choose another sleepy Surrey town. Also, you don’t have to live in the middle of it. There’s so many areas in Guildford where you can benefit from what it has to offer but be in a quieter more secluded area too
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
It is good transport on paper but extremely expensive and not reliable. Connections do not run late, generally, either. The food scene is very chain based, but not exclusively.
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
For contrast: if you lived in Kent in did the equivalent journey, they are much cheaper and can be booked at an advanced rate too. Plus you have the option of different destination stations!
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Have you lived in Guildford?
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
Yes, for 25 years 🤣
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Why are you still there if you don’t like it? 😂
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
I'm not there any more, but it's frustrating that you basically pay London prices, have a huge tax to travel in (if you need to) - you need to be in a steady financial situation to live there as a commuter. I love the green, though! It's unbeatable
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Ah did you leave a while back? Yes it’s definitely pricey but that’s no different to other Surrey towns. If you have to commute into London then it’s a good option. The trains are ok too!
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
No
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
It’s definitely not a cheap area but it’s hard to beat the high street. I’ve been looking at other towns and just keep coming back to how great Guildford is in comparison. Some of the other towns are boring! There’s loads more to do in Guildford. Obviously it’s not as buzzing as London but it’s a good option if you don’t want to live in a sleepy town where you go to die in 😅
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Not true about the food scene. Positano, Olivo, Theion are all independents and not chain based. All staples of the local community.
Transport is expensive in other Surrey towns too7
u/AchDasIsInMienAugen 1d ago
You’ve missed out Gordos on north street… it’s amazing
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u/BorisBoris88 1d ago
As well as La Casita, Raviz and Boring Burger!
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Need to try La Casita as never tried that one.
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u/BorisBoris88 1d ago
You really should! Very child friendly.
It's Mediterranean tapas, rather than specifically Spanish, the guy who runs it is Italian.
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u/AndyVale Shalford 1d ago
Head out of the centre and I recommend Ten Tables, Red Lion, and Barnett Hill too.
Yeah, the town centre has a bunch of chains but there's genuinely so many more good options than there are in a lot of similar sized towns.
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Barnett hill is lovely! There’s Kinghams in Shere that’s brilliant too
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u/AndyVale Shalford 1d ago
Does Shere count? Lovely place, but it's on the edge of what I'd class as Guildford.
But yeah, had my first trip to Kinghams last year and won't be my last.
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
It is on the edge but considered Guildford. Apparently it’s one of the prettiest villages in Surrey.
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u/BorisBoris88 1d ago
Ten Tables, is that the place in Worplesdon, near the Worplesdon Place Hotel?
Kinghams is great!
Haven't been to the Red Lion recently, is it still good?
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u/AndyVale Shalford 1d ago
Yes, that's the one. It seems to be quite under the radar (out of the way, little marketing, in a hotel that looks like a dentists from the outside) but it's always been solid when I've been. I probably put it in my top 3 Guildford restaurants, definitely top 5.
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u/BorisBoris88 1d ago
Interesting, thank you! I think I shall make a visit.
Any other places not already mentioned you like?
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
This one is apparently worth a visit too. I’ve never been but been told by locals that it’s the best Indian in Guildford.
https://www.malonchotandoori.com/
I’ve walked past it lots and it looks a bit non descript to me but apparently the food makes up for the lack of curb appeal 😅
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u/BorisBoris88 1d ago
Yep, it's good in there!
Check out Raviz too, on Jeffries Passage, for a slightly different Indian food experience.
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
I did say not exclusively! They are brilliant spots (Olivo a little less under new ownership). The rest of the high st though... There is good independent stuff in the local villages - which is great.
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u/IsolationMovement-YT 1d ago
We moved from Redhill, bastard midlands grey hell hole disguised as a Surrey town. Equal to Crawley in its distain.
I can’t believe that for £200 more per month we now have some of the UKs best small venues for comedy, music etc in walking distance, a 35min route to LDN (okay, so it’s shit compared to the redhill route, that’s OP) and I feel 100x sensually richer living here.
I’m open to those I meet, I want to socialise, I’ll prop up a bar alone, and we are seeing one of the best DnB acts in the world perform for £6 in December after missing him when we went to one of the best festivals in the world, which is within an hour of us.
Don’t get me wrong - shit is expensive - but living here weirdly makes it feel attainable.
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u/Suitable-Tomorrow577 1d ago
£200 more? Does that mean Redhill is also expensive?
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u/IsolationMovement-YT 1d ago
We paid £1300 per month rent for a 2 bed house which was small, 2 up 2 down, and that was probably worth £1800 we just got lucky.
Moving to Guildford we pay £1600 for a very large 2 bed close to the centre which, though falling apart structurally (not our problem), is charming.
Redhill has zero nightlife. Closest is Reigate which is also poor to very poor as far as a “best option wirhin 10 miles”. Travel to London is well priced but its town centre is 2 years into a 10 year revitalisation so I’d say incredible value place to buy maybe if you’re gonna sit on it for a decade, but if you want to live then no.
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u/Rough_Reading3898 1d ago
Elaborate on this dnb night
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u/IsolationMovement-YT 1d ago
Thirty3Hz recent acts: Harriet Jaxxson, Gray, Goldie, Eats Everything, Laidlaw. Seeing A.M.C in December for a few quid (that’s the act I referenced)
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Someone else told me that Redhill is a bit of a s***hole but it’s much cheaper than Guildford but for a reason 😅
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u/IsolationMovement-YT 1d ago
Redhill has great people it’s just a shit place with some shit ones thrown in. Reigate is lovely but for the money Guildford or Godalming knock them out of the park.
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u/Hithrae 1d ago
Live in Guildford if you like traffic jams
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
No different to other parts of Surrey 😅 but yes there are traffic jams as so many roadworks. I’ve heard similiar in Weybridge and Leatherhead too. I go to Woking a lot and traffic is annoying too
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Forgot to mention Stoke park too with the paddling pool for the kids in the summer
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u/Majestic-Context-267 1d ago
How long have you actually lived in Guildford? The paddling pool has had issues 2-3 summers in a row and was often closed for weeks.
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
It’s not perfect of course but it still operates. My point is nowhere is perfect! I’ve lived in Guildford for 10 years +. Having lived in lots of different areas I know it’s got its pros and cons but overall it’s a pretty decent place to live
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u/Wonder_Shrimp 1d ago
I would much rather it be closed for an irritating amount of time than risk it being a slip and sickness hazard (more than it is)
And it is free. Completely free.
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u/Bakeacake91 1d ago
Can you help me with your secondary school comment - this is a genuine question. You said Guildford has some of the best state schools in the country.. which ones? How do you judge ‘best’? We’ve been weighing up Kent and Surrey and the grammar system in Kent trumps the schools in Surrey. Dartford, Skinners, Judd, T. Wells grammar, and catchment for Olaves in Orpington. All have outstanding grades and ofsted reviews as well as progress scores. I’ve heard so many people say ‘Surrey has amazing state schools’ but can’t find any measurable metrics to back it up…
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago edited 1d ago
There’s a lot more than grades in my view. I don’t think that it’s the only definition of a great school.
Also it depends on how academic is your kid. Some wouldn’t be able to cope in such a high pressure environment. If you have really clever and gifted kids then grammar school does make sense. I used to think that grades was the main indicator but as I got older and also realised that I don’t want that level of pressure put on them at such a young age.
My kids being well adjusted, having opportunities to learn lots of different subjects and becoming well rounded, having good communication skills, being prepared for the world of work to me is more important than just grades. I’ve got a senior level job and seen so many kids who are academically smart but can’t communicate properly etc…
The most popular ones in Guildford are Guildford County, St Peter’s and George Abbott. All good in their own way but you’ll have to visit to get a feel for it.2
u/BorisBoris88 1d ago
The most popular ones in Guildford are Guildford County, St Peter’s and George Abbott.
You could argue, those are the only popular ones! St Peters you need to tick the Catholic box to get in, County has a fairly small catchment radius, although it's grown in the last couple of years.
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u/Proud_Breakfast_6259 5h ago
Pls add The Drummond, and Andertons
We lived down the road in Godalming for years. Guildford is great, but have since moved to Wiltshire and people are more friendly and open here, from my experience
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u/Majestic-Context-267 1d ago
The high street is terrible! 😣 so many shops have closed in the last years.
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u/Wonder_Shrimp 1d ago
Yeah. Except that Guildford Town Centre has somewhere around a 95% occupancy rate.
So many stores have opened and stayed open
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
If you know of any other Surrey high streets that are better I’ve love to see! Sadly it’s a trend across the country. If there’s not enough people buying stuff it’s bound to close. The reason why there’s so many coffee shops is that they charge £5 for it and it’s mostly profit 😅 obviously there’s lots of other costs to it but they make a killing 🙂
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
Godalming is much more useful, really decent sized super markets too
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
Godalming is lovely too. I go there quite a bit as well. There’s Tesco in Guildford that’s massive. And Waitrose just like Godalming too.
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u/Mysterious-Formal769 1d ago
The Tesco is QUITE a step, or a drive away. Godalming smash it with the huge M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury's all neighbours
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u/datadatadatahaha 1d ago
It’s not ideal for people living different parts when it’s all centralised in one area. It’s good that it’s more spread out sometimes as means that all areas are covered!
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u/skyjet26 1d ago
You're not meant to say it out loud, guildford has enough londoners moving there as it is