Property prices all over London are constantly rising, and all sorts of people, from singles to couples, families to the elderly, are increasingly struggling to afford their homes.

That is why many, especially young families, have sought a different life outside of the city but one that is still within touching distance.

The capital is surrounded by so-called commuter towns, settlements that offer the feeling of being outside a concrete city but the comforts of being within spitting distance of London.

Hertfordshire has become a hotspot for people who work in London, with direct access via public transport and several A-roads leading straight into the city.

Of all the county’s towns, one continues to fly under the radar yet boasts amazing eateries, shops, leisure facilities, schools and more.

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Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is steeped in history and is noted as being the first ‘garden city’ — as well as boasting the UK’s first roundabout.

An ancient parish – it was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 – it has throughout the ages remained a relatively small settlement compared to its neighbours, today numbering less than 40,000 residents.

Letchworth is a relative rarity when looking at other towns of similar size, whose high streets have been run-down and filled with discount shops and bookmakers.

Leys Avenue is just one of many pristine streets which boast several independent businesses, including No 12 coffee house and delicatessen.

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Next door, there’s The Grapevine, a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant with a stellar menu, and further on there’s more independent coffee shops in Esquires Coffee, and Cultivo Lounge cafe bar for those who want a taste of the continent.

Then there’s Simmons Bakery, L’Artista Italian restaurant, and that rare thing of an independent bookshop in David’s Books (which doubles up as a cafe), and just down the road the highly-rated pub The Platform.

However, a town is more than its shops and eateries, what about schools and transport links?

One person, asking just this on the online forum Mumsnet, was met with a barrage of positive responses, and one that might prick up the ears of those with a young family.

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“The town centre has some really big houses and there is a posh private school right in the middle of town,” replied one user.

Another said: “I’ve been here for ten years. When we came there was one Italian restaurant, Pizza Hut (long gone), and the Chinese buffet.

“Now there are lots of nice places – the Grapevine is a fab Turkish, Khoi Khoi and Alloro’s have been great during the lockdown, it’s one of the most vegan-friendly places I know of.

“Lots of people like Esquires or No 21 for coffee. We have one of the best indie bookshops I’ve ever been in!”

Many often look first to neighbouring Hitchin, though many on the forum downplayed any notion that the town was better: “Letchworth has a nice town, better housing than Hitchin [which] is like a concrete jungle in comparison. Plus, Letchworth has more facilities and generally a nicer vibe.”

Letchworth also has great public transport links, with Great Northern services running directly to London King’s Cross, and the Thameslink which takes you to Cambridge to the north, or all the way south down to Brighton, meaning days on the beach in the summer holidays are nice and simple.

Moving there won’t be cheap, with the average house price in the last 12 months coming in at £397,210.

This is, however, less than £100,000 more than the average for England, which could be seen as value for money when taking into consideration the location, facilities, schools and proximity to the coast.

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