As a police officer posted at London Bridge Station, Dominic Johnston had a front row view of the very worst side of London.
With a young family to consider, he and his wife Rachel decided to retreat to one of England’s most famous historic towns —Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire — in search of a more peaceful way of life.
Pre-move Dominic, 37, and Rachel, 42, had bought a three bedroom Victorian terrace in Sydenham, south east London, which they shared with their eldest daughter Carys, four.
When Rachel was expecting their second child, Bethany, now one, they put their house on the market and began planning a new life.
“I did not want to bring kids up in London, I was worried about the crime rates, about violent crime, and pollution,” said Dominic.
"I wanted to live somewhere nicer.”
Rachel’s parents live in Stratford-upon-Avon which made it an obvious choice.
“I did not want to bring kids up in London, I was worried about the crime rates."
In August 2022 the couple sold their London house for £550,000 and bought a modern four bedroom, three bathroom family house for £485,000.
“The garden is probably four times the size of our old one,” said Dominic.
Dominic, who works for British Transport Police, was able to transfer his job, and Rachel, who works in marketing, was already working from home most of the time.
She now visits London once or twice a week, making a round trip which takes around three hours
So far the couple have no regrets about their decision.
“I absolutely love Stratford,” said Dominic.
“You have got vast, untouched countryside on the doorstep, it has got lots of nice shops and brilliant restaurants, and anything that you can’t find in Stratford you can get in Leamington Spa," he added.
“It is cleaner, safer, and friendlier than London.”
There are, inevitably, a few downsides.
“It is cleaner, safer, and friendlier than London"
Public transport is not nearly so regular and convenient as in the capital, and Dominic misses the convenience of London’s 24/7 lifestyle and the ability to pop out and get a pint of milk at 4am if required.
The standard of local takeaways also leaves something to be desired, he said.
But beyond that his feeling is he simply outgrew urban life.
“When you have kids there is no point being in London because you aren’t going out for after work drinks, dinners, and the theatre all the time,” he said.
“We were not living a London life, and it just didn’t make sense to stay.”
