Milton Keynes is a utopian New Town in Buckinghamshire that was built to contain London's overspill. Though it is often referred to as a city, along with signs that will point you towards the ‘city centre,’ it is in fact a town and one that feels like a giant suburb, this is just one of the many quirks of Milton Keynes. The city offers many fun attractions including a gargantuan shopping centre filled with an array of major chains that can meet most residents’ needs, and the famous concrete cows art sculpture which was created in 1978 by the American artist Liz Leyh. Much to the surprise of tourists, Nottingham has plenty of outdoor areas to explore including many parks and waterways, as well as long nature walks.
There isn't a huge selection of local attractions to explore in Milton Keynes, although there are some lovely places to visit, such as Bletchley Park, Caldecotte Lake and MK Gallery. The city also has some fun entertainment venues for family or friend days out, this includes The Centre: MK for shopping, The Casino: MK, Formula Fast Indoor Karting, Milton Keynes Theatre and Snozone.
Milton Keynes is a safe place to live, with a total crime rating of 1.9 per 1,000 residents compared to a national rate of 2.5 – or 25% better than average. However, the more common crimes in the period from March 2016 to February 2017 included violent crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as criminal damage and arson and various kinds of theft.
Milton Keynes is a paradise for drivers, with its wide dual carriageways, roundabouts to mitigate traffic, and endless car parks. In fact, there are over 20,000 parking spaces in central MK. It also is easy to navigate, being laid out on a grid to emulate American cities.
Milton Keynes is lacking in nightlife, with mainly chain restaurants and pubs that are on offer and very little independent venues. If residents are looking for some evening entertainment, they can head to the likes of local Bistro Live Restaurant, Revolution, Pop World or Be At One. Surrounding areas of Northampton, Oxford or Cambridge may be better options for anyone looking for a more lively nightlife.
Milton Keyes is a good place to look for a family home, with a wide range of modern and relatively affordable family houses available. Surrounding towns and villages have period homes, if you’re so inclined, but MK itself is a postmodern town – all concrete and grids – and much of the property around the new town dates to the 1960s or later. There are many large, detached homes with gardens available, and property here is generally affordable. State schools in this area vary by district, with some ‘outstanding’ primary schools to be found, and a couple of comprehensive schools that get good results. However, many children commute by bus to grammar schools in Buckingham or Bedford, or Buckinghamshire private schools. Milton Keynes is home to the Open University.
Property in Milton Keynes includes a wide variety of houses that would be suitable for pets, including many large detached homes with gardens. MK is incredibly green, despite being famous for its concrete cows and roundabouts. Paths for pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders are tree-lined, and roads obscured from view by hedges. There are over 5,000 acres of green and open spaces in MK, taking up a quarter of the town’s space, which are managed by a charity. Milton Keynes also has several lakes and many miles of canals.
Milton Keynes is well-connected by rail to London and other parts of the UK, with trains from Milton Keynes Central to Euston taking an average of 35 minutes, and many direct trains. There are also trains from Fenny Stratford, Bletchley, and Wolverton stations. Traveling around MK itself is easy for car owners – the grid system is easy to navigate, and there are roundabouts to mitigate traffic. There are also segregated paths for pedestrians and cyclists, many very green and pleasant in the daytime. There are local buses, too – however, residents complain that the bus services are inadequate, and that this can be a difficult place to live if you do not own a car.