Some 11,000 London- ers, left homeless by bombing raids, moved to Britwell in 1956 alone, taking over farmland. Britwell, Chalvey, Cippenham, Colnbrook, Langley and a few other villages are near or now incorporated with Slough.The area attracts and retains businesses as well as residents. Jonathan Simnett, vice chairman of public relations firm Brodeur Worldwide, says: "We are on the M25/M4 interchange, with the fast rail link between Bristol and Paddington, and we are 10 minutes from Heathrow. Slough is neatly positioned in the hi-tech economy and has excellent communications for international business. Yet we pay £22 per square foot compared with the £60 for equivalent space in London."Mr Simnett credits Slough with offering "an enormous variety of residences". He adds: "We have people who live in the town and others who commute from Wokingham and as far west as Newbury.
With all the businesses here, the local shops are upmarket, and some villages are very attractive, especially Hedgerley, Stoke Poges and Farnham Common."Charles Lewis-Daniel, of Connell estate agent, says: "Our buyers are mostly young couples with no children, or young families. They commute to London or work in the Slough area and are on lower executive levels, buying their first home or moving from a starter home. Higher executives who live in this area prefer the nice villages around Slough or in Langley or other more desirable parts of the town."Slough's core property market remains solid. "Before 11 September prices were rising steadily, not sharply," Mr Lewis-Daniel says "Since then, prices have stabilised. Casual buyers and vendors have mainly disappeared, so the quality of buyer has come up. They have a job here or need a larger home because of a new baby.
We no longer see people who are buying on a whim."The low downTransportThe first Paddington-bound train departs at 6.30am for the 23-minute journey Slough is only four miles from Windsor. All of the Slough area is convenient for Heathrow, and some of it is blighted by aircraft noise.PricesStarting prices are about £50,000 for studio flats, £65,000 for one-bed flats, and £75,000 for two bedrooms The typical mid-terraced house sells for about £120,000. Prices are higher in popular areas such as Herschel Village and Upton Park, and new-build luxury flats at £140,000 cost more than many three-bed houses.PropertiesConnell are selling an unusual "Continental-style" end terrace with two bedrooms, three-car garage and 90ft south- facing garden for £119,950.Two-bed period properties in or near the town centre sell for £150,000 and four-beds for £250,000. B Simmons estate agent has a four-bed terrace in Cippenham for £134,950.LetsOne-bed flats rent for between £600 and £700 per month, and Karen Merson at B Simmons says rents are dropping slightly due to recent oversupply.Old SloughSt Laurence's Church in Upton is around 900 years old. Parts of Upton Court (home of the Slough Observer) were built in 1325, and St Mary's Church in Langley is probably 300 years older.Shop 'n' dropShops in the town's two adjacent shopping centres on the part-pedestrianised High Street include M&S, Allders, Next, River Island, BhS and Next.Fit SloughMontem and Langley leisure centres (there are three other leisure sites in the town), offer swimming and other typical health and fitness activities. Slough ice arena offers general skating and ice-hockey, and the tennis centre has three indoor and 20 outdoor courts. Lunchtime lanes, ladies only, lessons and life-saving courses grace the activities of the Centre Pool.EntertainmentThe Centre in Slough hosts a Comedy Club, tribute bands, and other events.
