London commuter city 20 minutes away has tons of green space and ‘great sense of community’

Londoners are very welcome, according to locals

London has great transport links, so there are plenty of commuter towns we can move to and get to our jobs here in no time. Take St Albans in Hertfordshire, just 11 minutes from West Hampstead and 19 minutes from London St Pancras on a Thameslink service.

Around 150,000 people call it home, and while it’s a feast for the eyes, it’s not that much cheaper than London. A home there costs an average of £627,689, about £28,500 less than the London average of £655,353. Regardless, £28,000 is a lot of money and could be an extra bedroom or garden, should you wish to leave London.

And with it’s terraced homes, cobbled streets, and being on the edge of the countryside, it really is ideal for those who find the capital that little bit too much.

It’s a historic Cathedral city and is, you guessed it, named after Saint Alban. He was Britain’s first recorded Christian martyr, who was executed around 209 AD for the crime of sheltering a Christian priest from the Romans.

People also know St Albans for its historic street market held on Wednesdays and Saturdays which runs the length of St Peter’s Street. It has roots dating back to the ninth century and a Royal Charter from 1553.

MyLondon spoke to Lib Dem Councillor Tony Lillico about life in St Albans. He’s lived there for 28 years and has been involved in local politics for the last 12, so he has a great understanding of what life is like in the commuter town.

He said one of St Albans’ best aspects is that ‘there’s lots of green, open space’ making it ‘very quaint and attractive’ despite being only 20 minutes by train from London. It’s an architecturally ‘diverse’ place, he added, saying the city centre reflects that heritage.

Cllr Lillico added that town ‘is very mixed and vibrant, with a huge amount of character and a lot of characters.’ “People feel like they are part,” of the community, he said.

The town also has a strong sense of diversity, another reason it could be a great place to call home. Cllr Lillico told us about the ‘thriving Muslim community, strong Jewish community, and black community’.

He said: “It’s obviously a city of sanctuary, as it were, and very welcoming to all people, whether they’re from elsewhere in the UK or elsewhere in the world.” Londoners are also well received and ‘a significant proportion’ of those living in St Albans were originally in the capital.

We also spoke to Independent Cllr Chris Brazier. He’s called St Albans home for over 50 years and has been a local councillor for two-and-a-half decades.

Cllr Brazier said one of its ‘greatest things’ is its history. He described it as a ‘history town’ with ‘places to see’, with the privilege of being ‘20 minutes outside London.’

He described the people as ‘very good’ and lauded the town for having fewer numbers of homeless people ‘than other areas.’ He added that it’s a place that’s ‘safe’ for women to walk around in at night.

Zoe Trussler is the Assistant Manager at Toast, an award-winning brunch restaurant that boasts 4.7 stars on Google Reviews and serves delights such as big breakfasts and fancy salads. She lived in St Albans for about 20 years, and has recently traded the town for Kensal Rise in West London.

Zoe told us those who live and frequent Toast ‘are all very friendly.’ “There’s always something going on, such as Park Runs, which is really nice,” she said. “It’s a nice place for families.”

Zoe added that the community is ‘a lot nicer and more diverse’ as ‘more people have moved’ from London. “The people are more friendly in the past few years.”

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