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Reasons why you should move to Cambridge

Sunday, 12th April 2015

Located 50 miles north of London is the East Anglian county town of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire. As a world-famous university city with a population of only around 125,000, it’s a highly desirable, compact location surrounded by beautiful countryside.

If you’re tired of the intense crowding of London but still want to be near to the capital, Cambridge may provide the perfect balance between wide, open spaces and a busy, productive city centre. It’s a safe and stunningly beautiful place, full of impressive properties and well-maintained parks, and is steeped in history throughout.

So if you’re considering moving house to Cambridge, but are not yet convinced, let us at Harrison & Rowley outline some of the reasons why you should move to this fascinating city.

PROPERTY

If you’re thinking of a relocation to Cambridge, then you will no doubt be interested in its property prices. As a highly sought after area, house prices in Cambridge are certainly not cheap. Due to its small size, there is a large demand for properties, but this in turn means that buying a house there is likely to be a very good investment opportunity in the long term.

The southern end of the city tends to be the most expensive area and any properties situated close to the railway station naturally command a premium. There are recent residential developments in St.Neots (where we are based), Saffron Walden, Newmarket, Huntingdon and Biggleswade.

EMPLOYMENT

With London nearby, many choose to commute to the capital, however Cambridge has its own unique employment prospects. The region has been referred to as ‘Silicon Fen’, due to its proximity to The Fens and the large number of technological and scientific companies that have emerged over the last few decades – most as offshoots from Cambridge University. There are of course many academic and non-academic positions available at the University’s various campuses also.

TRANSPORT

As a city which has expanded rapidly over the last century, Cambridge struggles to serve the large amount of vehicles on its roads and as such, traffic congestion is commonplace and in turn, so is parking.

For this reason, it is famous as a cycling city, where cyclists make up over 20% of all commuters. Surveys have shown that almost half of all residents use a bike at least once a week. For these reasons, coupled with how flat the surrounding terrain is, Cambridge is an ideal place for the avid cyclist.

For those who need to commute to London, there is a direct train from Cambridge Railway Station to King’s Cross St. Pancras every half hour, which takes 50 minutes. Alternatively, it’s an 80 minute journey to Liverpool Street Station. Cambridge Railway Station is actually situated just outside of the city centre, as when it was first constructed in 1845, the University applied pressure to move it further away from the campus. Stansted Airport is just a 20 minute car journey away, via the M11 motorway.

EDUCATION

Say ‘Cambridge’ to most people and the first thing they will think of is the world-renowned University of Cambridge. Consistently ranked in the top five universities in the world, its reputation for excellence dates back to its founding in 1209. The university culture permeates the city, with around one fifth of all residents being students, and many buildings permanently used throughout the city for academic purposes.

There are highly rated schools everywhere you look, with the most accredited by Ofsted being Spinney and Milton Road primary schools and Parkside Community secondary school.

LEISURE

The River Cam which runs through the city plays host to many leisure-time activities, including the notorious annual Boat Races between Cambridge and friendly rival university, Oxford. It’s not just the academic elite who get to enjoy its calm ripples however, as anyone can rent a boat and take a punt down The Backs.

The Fitzwilliam and Sedgwick museums contain art, antiquities and geology exhibitions respectively and are very highly regarded, receiving a large number of visitors annually.

In the summertime, the Jesus Green Outdoor Pool always proves to be very popular with residents and tourists alike, and is one of the last remaining examples of an early twentieth century lido and also one of the longest outdoor pools in the UK, at over 90 metres in length.

If you want to go shopping, the Grand Arcade shopping centre houses almost everything you might need under one roof, centred around a large John Lewis department store.

If social drinking falls more closely under your definition of leisure, then you’ll be reassured in the knowledge that Cambridge has a surplus of pubs. In fact, even in 1912, there were reported to be 365 in operation. One pub for each day of the year is surely enough for even the most dedicated punter!

A UNIQUE CITY

Taking all of these factors into consideration, it’s evident that Cambridge is a unique city that has no equal elsewhere worldwide. If you want to move somewhere that is engulfed in history, close to London, but also has rural areas very close by with all the amenities you might require, you will find nowhere else quite like Cambridge.

So, if you are considering moving house to, from or around Cambridge and require removals or self-storage services, at Harrison & Rowley we are a moving company with decades of experience in helping customers to settle into their new home.

Should you require any self-storage facilities, we also provide these, as well as specialist packing boxes and materials. Our professional surveyors and highly experienced movers and packers are ready to assist you with your new life ahead.

As you can see, when it comes to moving we have thought of everything, so if you have been inspired by reading this article and are ready to move house, please email us or call us on 01480 279 700 and book your free pre-move survey today.