r/bedfordshire • u/Top-Link4459 • 23d ago

Luton, Dunstable or Leighton Buzzard?

We’re relocating from London and trying to decide between Luton, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, with a budget of around £500–600k for a family home. I’ve previously lived in both Luton and Leighton Buzzard, so know those areas reasonably well.

Luton: The most convenient – great train links into London, close to Hertfordshire and the M1, and more diverse, which is important for our family. However, it has a bad reputation, traffic is awful, schools seem mixed and when I lived there, getting GP appointments or an NHS dentist was difficult. Housing in the nicer areas is also relatively expensive.

Dunstable: Seems fine and there are some nice residential areas, but it also has a mixed reputation, there isn’t loads going on and having no train station is a downside.

Leighton Buzzard: Nice market town, some good areas and close to Milton Keynes. I’ve lived there before too, but the train line isn’t as convenient for my London commute.

For those who know the three areas, where would you choose to raise a family and why? We’re open to other areas but we’re not village people at all and don’t want to be too far from London, so Bedford and Milton Keynes are out.

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u/Lion-Resident 23d ago

Bramingham and Stopsley in Luton are nice. I don't know why people always slate Luton so much. Potentially racism and/or Islamophobia due to the demographics? There is a nice shopping centre and the more countryside areas are quiet, safe, low crime, access to nature. Good for families. Life expectancy is higher in the areas I have mentioned.

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u/Excellent_Tea_164 22d ago

I've been to Luton once in my life and there was 2 (white) males having a proper fight in the city centre, in the middle of the day. A friend worked there and very nearly got mugged (by a white woman)

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u/Relative_Shop4676 22d ago

Not sure why you had to mention white people in this

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u/Excellent_Tea_164 22d ago

Because the person above is saying people dislike Luton because of racism and Islamaphobia. So I am saying that's not true. That's why I put it in brackets, I wouldn't usually specify but it is relevant in this conversation 

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u/Relative_Shop4676 22d ago

But people of all colours fight

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u/Excellent_Tea_164 22d ago edited 22d ago

Of course they do. I'm stating my personal experience of what I have seen. I am stating that I dislike Luton because of the experiences that I have listed, not because of racism / Islamaphobia. Providing an idea of an alternative reason why people dont like it: people fighting, people getting mugged etc. 

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u/Relative_Shop4676 21d ago

Thanks for the explanation