Leighton Buzzard what’s it like?

It’s a market town regular market on Tuesday & Saturday There’s l quite a lot of activities for older people , over 50s swimming twice a week plus an extra session in main pool too . The library is well used you can borrow puzzles as well as books, several walking groups set off from the cricket club or library or leisure centre each week. There’s a small theatre in the library that runs movies for the more mature £3.60 incl tea & biscuits about once a month. Quite a few different groups U3age, knit & natter. I feel it’s quite a safe town to walk around there’s regular buses around the town and to MK , Aylesbury & Luton. If you are not very mobile there’s a lot of retirement flats around the town centre so you would have GPs shops etc close by. There’s some lovely walks around Rushmere & Tiddenfoot. Like many places there’s people that don’t like it and town centre traffic can be horrendous at times but it’s well served with supermarkets , coffee shops, hairdressers , charity shops and independent retailer. Downside is there no hospital although there’s talk of having a health hub ( that’s been talked about for 40 years) GP surgeries quite busy but probably the same everywhere in the summer the town council put on band music in the main park every Sunday there’s also a canal festival, small carnival, food events and a laser light show for Nov 5th.

Wow! Lots going on then thank you that’s really helpful Lyn57. I’m fine with my mobility and I’m used to driving in London so traffic isn’t an issue for me. I want to be able to walk to town my daughter lives near the railway station at the moment she likes the area a lot. Thanks

Lived in Leighton Buzzard many years ago with DH and children, I have still got several friends there who love it.
Now live on the North Norfolk coast and would move back if I could it is so friendly!

I lived there years ago. The railway station (good service into Euston) is in Linslade, so a bit of a walk if you're on the far side town centre.

It’s a quiet market town with good pubs and restaurants. The restaurants seem to offer very good value and it’s a very chilled atmosphere on the whole. A by pass seems to have solved traffic problems which beset other places. Milton Keynes, Tring, Berkhamsted and Euston are accessible by train. There is a very helpful kitchen door replacement shop and prices for property improvements seem affordable. Property seems very well priced and well established.

Thanks all souds likee i need to take a trip there and look around. My mistake i meant the narrow gauge railway not the main line station. I think the price of houses is certainly well priced.

Anyone that lives there recommend nice areas or areas to avoid?

I don’t live there but an old school friend lives in Linslade and has been happy there for over 40 years.

I’ve lived in LB for almost 42 years.
Obviously, nothing is 100% perfect but I think it’s a good place to live.
Lots to do, clubs to join and many free local events organized. Great walks down the canal and Bluebell Woods.
There’s masses of new housing estates being built. Our local buses seem to serve these outlying areas but only about one per hour.
I live walking distance ( 30 mins) to the mainline station snd minutes from bus stop to M Keynes and Aylesbury.
Lucky you, having family here already
Go for it!

I have lived in the area for 50 years. A vast amount of new housing has been built in the last ten years on what were the sandpits that LB is famous for. The infrastructure is not there to support the increased numbers. Like many places getting doctor’s appointments or a NHS dentist are problematic.

Non stop trains to London only take half an hour.

The town centre is attractive with interesting architecture and a lovely church.

Lots of activities, choirs, drama, art , active U3A and plans for a new leisure centre. Not many useful shops but an abundance of coffee shops, pubs, hairdressers and charity shops. Overall, a pleasant place to live but the Linslade area is much the nicest though a vast new estate is wending its way towards it!n

Nice walks along the Grand Union Canal, National Trust Ascott House just up the hill in Wing.

Thank you for your helpful information I’m going to be taking a good look around next week with my daughter who already lives close by.

Well here I am nearly a year has passed and I moved in 5 weeks ago. The move went ok but of course I did too much and ended up in A&E with suspected spinal nerve damage which put a spanner in the works but hopefully with some physio it will resolve. Still be keen as soon as I’m more mobile to chat to local Gransnetters maybe meet up locally.

Good to have an update and sorry about your health problems.

I just came here to say the Wetherspoons there was quite impressive!

Then I noticed it was an old post but hope you settle in and feel glad about your move.

Thanks keepingquiet I am happy i moved but the 'spanner in the works' hasn't helped. Hopefully locals might respond.

I used to live there for a couple of years. It’s a quiet town, decent shops, and the train into London is super handy. Parking can be tricky in the centre though.

Just read this thread and so pleased you are happy with the move Tanith. Sorry to hear you’re suffering with back pain, so do take it easy, and hope it heals very soon. Leighton Buzzard sounds a lovely place to live. Wishing you lots of happiness in your new home. 💐

Thank you Patsy70 I’m a lot more mobile now been walking a bit further everyday and finding my way around the town and the area I’m now living which has some nice walks. I’m going to mooch around a garden centre 5 mins walk away this morning see if they have some bird feeders, at the moment we only get Magpies, high flying Red Kites and lots of Pied Wagtails nothing else at the water trays I have out so keen to entice other small birds in.
Parking in town hasn’t been a problem with PayByPhone it takes all the faff out of figuring how the blasted machines work and alerts me if I need to top up.
Anyway hoping maybe there are other shy grans locally who’d just like to chat with a view to meet-up in the future.
Have a good day everyone.