Greater London Area (Maidenhead, etc.)?
Jul 13th, 2004, 01:34 AM
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Greater London Area (Maidenhead, etc.)?
We're getting set for our move to the UK and will be living in Maidenhead for a year or two...any favorite cafes, restaurants, place to go, things to do? Parks (as in best places to walk the dog)? We will have cars (and the house has parking, hooray).
One question for UK posters: the cottage we're renting is Grade II listed..anything special we need to keep in mind? Can you stick a satellite dish on a listed cottage? (I know I should ask this elsewhere, but thought I'd take advantage of your UK expertise). Thanks!
One question for UK posters: the cottage we're renting is Grade II listed..anything special we need to keep in mind? Can you stick a satellite dish on a listed cottage? (I know I should ask this elsewhere, but thought I'd take advantage of your UK expertise). Thanks!
Jul 13th, 2004, 02:07 AM
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If you're just renting a Grade 2 listed house, relatively little affects you.
Mostly, listing requires the owner to keep the place in good repair, and he needs listed building to make any change - inside or out. You, as tenant, will inevitably have more onerous restrictions imposed on you by the landlord than the listing system will impose on him, so it'll all be in the lease.
However, putting up any kind of aerial might be tricky. You quite explicitly need listed building consent for a satellite dish (or for some FM aerials). It's possible that your house is in a consevation area as well. Either way, the planning department at your local authority (presumably RBWM) will explain how this is done. From my experience of such houses, you'll need to choose and locate a dish in such a way that it's virtually invisible to everyone else, and getting permission isn't always instantaneous (or even certain).
The practicalities vary a bit from location to location (really: I do mean house to house) but it can often happen that this kind of thing gets referred to local advisory committees, especially if you're in a conservation area.
And it's a pretty good rule of thumb that people on these committees hate satellite dishes. If cable isn't available, it's just possible you might have to content yourself with terrestrial TV, or get to grips with the joys of Digital and BBC Freeview. If your house gets the signal at all.
Mostly, listing requires the owner to keep the place in good repair, and he needs listed building to make any change - inside or out. You, as tenant, will inevitably have more onerous restrictions imposed on you by the landlord than the listing system will impose on him, so it'll all be in the lease.
However, putting up any kind of aerial might be tricky. You quite explicitly need listed building consent for a satellite dish (or for some FM aerials). It's possible that your house is in a consevation area as well. Either way, the planning department at your local authority (presumably RBWM) will explain how this is done. From my experience of such houses, you'll need to choose and locate a dish in such a way that it's virtually invisible to everyone else, and getting permission isn't always instantaneous (or even certain).
The practicalities vary a bit from location to location (really: I do mean house to house) but it can often happen that this kind of thing gets referred to local advisory committees, especially if you're in a conservation area.
And it's a pretty good rule of thumb that people on these committees hate satellite dishes. If cable isn't available, it's just possible you might have to content yourself with terrestrial TV, or get to grips with the joys of Digital and BBC Freeview. If your house gets the signal at all.
Jul 13th, 2004, 02:09 AM
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BTilke
I am fairly sure you cannot stick a satellite dish to a Grade II listed house - you cannot make any changes AT ALL without permission from the local planning authority's conservation officer.
I wouldn't really consider Maidenhead to be part of Greater London myself, it's some distance outside the M25, but it is part of the general spreading urbanisation around London and not too far to preclude visits into town easily.
Are you looking for recommendations in Maidenhead itself or in London?
I am fairly sure you cannot stick a satellite dish to a Grade II listed house - you cannot make any changes AT ALL without permission from the local planning authority's conservation officer.
I wouldn't really consider Maidenhead to be part of Greater London myself, it's some distance outside the M25, but it is part of the general spreading urbanisation around London and not too far to preclude visits into town easily.
Are you looking for recommendations in Maidenhead itself or in London?
Jul 13th, 2004, 02:19 AM
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Thanks to you both! As it happens, the property owner actually works for my husband, so I'm sure we'll get along fine ;-) (They are moving from Maidenhead to Brussels so we're doing some appliance swaps as well...their washer for ours, our TV for theirs...works out better than fiddling with adapters and rewiring etc).
I'm not sure cable is in the neighborhood, but obviously we'll be checking all that stuff out. I DO like to watch TV and am not too proud to say it!
Any recs for Maidenhead or nearby communities would be much appreciated.
I understand the "fast train" connection into London takes about half an hour, so I'll be in and out quite a bit.
We have mixed feelings about the move, but it will be interesting to explore the UK for a while (we hope to buy a property in/near Tunbridge Wells after a year or two).
I'm not sure cable is in the neighborhood, but obviously we'll be checking all that stuff out. I DO like to watch TV and am not too proud to say it!
Any recs for Maidenhead or nearby communities would be much appreciated.
I understand the "fast train" connection into London takes about half an hour, so I'll be in and out quite a bit.
We have mixed feelings about the move, but it will be interesting to explore the UK for a while (we hope to buy a property in/near Tunbridge Wells after a year or two).
Jul 13th, 2004, 02:28 AM
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In addition, both of us are clinging to our American ways and getting cars with automatic transmissions (a Citroen C3, aka The Bubble, for me and a Peugeot 407 or Nissan Primera for my husband, who has to take clients around from time to time). The 2-bed cottage has a new kitchen and bath; it also has a fireplace and we're getting in a professional to see if it's in working order...I would love to have a WBF again.
Jul 13th, 2004, 03:01 AM
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You can't burn wood in most urban areas because of Clean Air Act. You can only use smokeless fuel.
Part of Maidenhead is quite swish, esp along the river Thames. Taplow and Cookham are particularly attractive villages, overlooked by Clevedon (Nancy Astor connection, NT, now a hotel). Burnham Beeches is a fine forested area, good for strolls. A number of great golf courses, esp Burnham Beeches, Stoke Poges (where Goldfinger was filmed) and Beaconsfield. Marlow with the Complete Angler (inn). Bray by the Thames is a gourmet mecca with very expensive and stately Michel Roux's Waterside Inn and equally fine Fat Duck (more informal) and its cheaper sister restaurant, Riverside Brasserie. The rest of the town is suburban. Lots of commuters to London and the Silicon Valley along the M4 corridor
Part of Maidenhead is quite swish, esp along the river Thames. Taplow and Cookham are particularly attractive villages, overlooked by Clevedon (Nancy Astor connection, NT, now a hotel). Burnham Beeches is a fine forested area, good for strolls. A number of great golf courses, esp Burnham Beeches, Stoke Poges (where Goldfinger was filmed) and Beaconsfield. Marlow with the Complete Angler (inn). Bray by the Thames is a gourmet mecca with very expensive and stately Michel Roux's Waterside Inn and equally fine Fat Duck (more informal) and its cheaper sister restaurant, Riverside Brasserie. The rest of the town is suburban. Lots of commuters to London and the Silicon Valley along the M4 corridor
Jul 13th, 2004, 04:03 AM
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I used to live near Maidenhead and it's a great area. Berkshire generally is very upmarket, and so is well served by picturesque villages, fine restaurants, beautiful countryside and riverside walks PLUS as you know, you're a mere 30mins (it might even be only 20 mins) from central London. So you get all the advantages of the big city without any of the grief and grime.
As Alec has said, Bray, only 2 miles from Maidenhead, is a beautiful little village with at least 2 Michelin starred restaurants. How this tiny place became such a gastronomic heaven I'll never know, but do try it out. The Fat Duck gets the best reviews.
You're only 30 mins drive from Henley on Thames, where the truly privileged like to sip cocktails on their pleasure boats and watch the annual Henley Regatta, an international rowing competition that sees olympic athletes do their best to catch people's attention who are, frankly, more interest in the Pimms tent (I know, went last year, didn't see one boat).
20mins drive the other way and you're in Windsor. 10mins down the road and you're in beautiful Cookham (try a meal at the Inn on The Green - country hotel with a fine restaurant).
Marlow is Henley on Thames' little sister - very similar to Henley, on the river, some smashing pubs, very pretty.
Sonning Common is yet another pretty village that you can walk to along the river from Maidenhead, until recently home to the late great George Harrison. There's a lovely pub there by the church who's name escapes me, but you must stop for an ale or two.
As for the TV, hopefully you'll be able to get a cable connection, unless the cottage is remote, in which case I'd be tempted to hide a satellite dish in the garden somewhere.
You about 30-40mins drive from Oxford, which makes a very nice shopping trip and lunch spot.
Maidenhead itself a pleasant enough suburban town with the usual high street shops (Boots, Marks and Spencer etc), modern housing, and with a posh bit by the river.
Buy some books on walks in the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire areas to get to know the countryside. (pre-order on amazon.co.uk to whet your appetitie for the move).
You certainly won't be stuck for things to do.
As Alec has said, Bray, only 2 miles from Maidenhead, is a beautiful little village with at least 2 Michelin starred restaurants. How this tiny place became such a gastronomic heaven I'll never know, but do try it out. The Fat Duck gets the best reviews.
You're only 30 mins drive from Henley on Thames, where the truly privileged like to sip cocktails on their pleasure boats and watch the annual Henley Regatta, an international rowing competition that sees olympic athletes do their best to catch people's attention who are, frankly, more interest in the Pimms tent (I know, went last year, didn't see one boat).
20mins drive the other way and you're in Windsor. 10mins down the road and you're in beautiful Cookham (try a meal at the Inn on The Green - country hotel with a fine restaurant).
Marlow is Henley on Thames' little sister - very similar to Henley, on the river, some smashing pubs, very pretty.
Sonning Common is yet another pretty village that you can walk to along the river from Maidenhead, until recently home to the late great George Harrison. There's a lovely pub there by the church who's name escapes me, but you must stop for an ale or two.
As for the TV, hopefully you'll be able to get a cable connection, unless the cottage is remote, in which case I'd be tempted to hide a satellite dish in the garden somewhere.
You about 30-40mins drive from Oxford, which makes a very nice shopping trip and lunch spot.
Maidenhead itself a pleasant enough suburban town with the usual high street shops (Boots, Marks and Spencer etc), modern housing, and with a posh bit by the river.
Buy some books on walks in the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire areas to get to know the countryside. (pre-order on amazon.co.uk to whet your appetitie for the move).
You certainly won't be stuck for things to do.
Jul 13th, 2004, 04:13 AM
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The Fat Duck serves very, very cutting edge cuisine that is absolutely original in its very fundamentally scientific roots.
Try it once, but it's not the sort of place you could dine at regularly - it's an experience of "future food". That said it's far more original than Gordon Ramsay who criticises TV chefs, yet himself has just signed yet another deal for a reality TV cooking show in L.A.
He doesn't deserve his three stars, he's cashing in on them as his infamous swearing far too much!
Try it once, but it's not the sort of place you could dine at regularly - it's an experience of "future food". That said it's far more original than Gordon Ramsay who criticises TV chefs, yet himself has just signed yet another deal for a reality TV cooking show in L.A.
He doesn't deserve his three stars, he's cashing in on them as his infamous swearing far too much!
Jul 13th, 2004, 05:42 AM
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Thanks, all. Two things I'd really like to find close by: a good coffee bar (not a big tea drinker) and a sushi restaurant. Re sushi, although a non-chain sushi bar would be best, I'll even take a nearby branch of Yo sushi. When we lived in the Pacific NW, we took great sushi for granted and had it twice a week. A good neighborhood sushi bar was the one thing we could never find in Brussels.
Jul 13th, 2004, 06:27 AM
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Most dedicated coffee bars tend to be chains, I'm afraid. Unlike mainland Europe, we tend to cluster in pubs rather than coffee bars. Maidenhead will undoubtedly have the usual Cafe Nero's and Starbucks, and you may stumble across a good local coffee bar (as they're very popular now), but when I lived nearby the coffee revolution had yet to arrive!
For Japanese, although I can't recommend anything personally, you might want to check this website: it seems to be a restaurant guide dedicated to Japanese restaurants in the UK.
http://www.yakitori.co.uk/
If you don't have any luck, then you might have to save your sushi fixes for your trips into London. Check out hardens.com for recommendations.
For Japanese, although I can't recommend anything personally, you might want to check this website: it seems to be a restaurant guide dedicated to Japanese restaurants in the UK.
http://www.yakitori.co.uk/
If you don't have any luck, then you might have to save your sushi fixes for your trips into London. Check out hardens.com for recommendations.
Jul 13th, 2004, 06:38 AM
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If Yo Sushi is acceptable, there's one right in front of your arrival platform on the concourse at Paddington.
With trains every 15 mins or so, you'll eventually do what everyone in the Thames Valley does, and find it's easier to go into Town than to trawl round your area.
With trains every 15 mins or so, you'll eventually do what everyone in the Thames Valley does, and find it's easier to go into Town than to trawl round your area.
Aug 20th, 2004, 05:58 PM
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Also, you are very near Bray.. A lovely place to go that people don't often mention is The Monkey Island Hotel. I got married way back when. I visited the site just now and apparently they are doing summer BBQ's ~ the locations is peaceful and beautiful ~ so I would recommend that. Maidenhead is great. Pubs near Burnham Beaches like The Woodman are your typical local pubs.
w3.monkeyisland.co.uk
w3.monkeyisland.co.uk
