Property News · August 17, 2012

Let's move to Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey


Rebranded and a bit of all rightWhat’s going for it? Has a town ever before been driven to rebrand by the relentless taking of the Michael by a fictional rude boy? Staines, as was, was. And the newly rechristened Staines-upon-Thames (love that “upon”: no cheap old Staines-on-Thames for this town!) was at once ribbed for its pretensions. As one naysayer put it, there’s something rather Hyacinth Bucket about it all. Thing is, though, Staines is all right. I mean, it’s not amazing. But it has lovely parks tumbling on to the Thames and a thriving local culture, if you’re into footie and messing about on a river. There is a lovely scrap of an old town. It’s surrounded by reservoirs, has a Waitrose. Even its property market is relatively affordable for a place with Chertsey, Virginia Water and the Queen for neighbours. Aha. That’s the rub. Staines feels the touch of Feltham, when it wants to nuzzle Egham.The case against Ideas above its station: even its sports centre is the Matthew Arnold Sports Centre (I’m picturing the Victorian writer in a spin class). The cruddy Elmsleigh Centre; worse, the Two Rivers retail park. Needs more than a new name to stop its slide; encourage some independence and chutzpah! Continue reading…

Source : theguardian.com
Read more…Let’s move to Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey

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