The birthplace of the Bard is a tourist's dream – but do the realities of living there match up?
Stratford-upon-Avon is everything that you expect from the birthplace of William Shakespeare: picturesque scenery and beautiful buildings steeped in history. Unsurprisingly, house prices in Stratford-upon-Avon are the highest in the West Midlands and this historical town fetches a premium for both the older properties and the many new houses that have been built.
Research from Rightmove found that property prices around Stratford-Upon-Avon had an overall average of £419,197 last year – £91,000 higher than the UK average. However, one of the UK’s most famous towns is also struggling with some of the same issues as typically more deprived locations.
This historical gem, while maintaining a premium housing market, faces infrastructural and social challenges. The pressing question then arises: If a town with such wealth and fame struggles, how on earth do other towns manage?
Cottage of Anne Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare
Jim Withers (pictured), of Man4Mortgages, noted the high desirability of properties in Stratford: "One of the advantages of this area is that houses have never really dropped in value." However, he said that entering the housing market there is "very, very hard because of the pricing”. And that, remarkably, “50% of their properties in Stratford are bought cash.”
A small town like Stratford, with many buildings hundreds of years old and only boasting limited social economic resources such as schools and healthcare facilities, isn’t necessarily suited to an influx of new builds. Despite this, Withers said that the ring-fencing of Stratford has been scrapped by the government – and new houses are popping up everywhere.
“We’re now building lots of new houses for around £400,000-£500,000,” he said. “It's extortionate. People moan about it because of the infrastructure – because Stratford is a small market town.
“My kids couldn’t afford to buy houses and the only houses I sell to young people come on the back of mummy and daddy giving them £80,000 in cash – which in some instances is an entire mortgage for houses in the North. It really doesn't matter what the government says – having more houses isn't going to resolve the problem.”
However, as Withers is quick to point out, people are still buying these properties – mainly middle-class, older people who’ve potentially come up from London. Transport links, unfortunately, still pose a big problem to the town.
“One of the biggest issues Stratford has with all these houses at that price and that desirability is that it doesn’t have a good train line. The best train line is from Warwick or Leamington, and that's about an hour and a half into London. If it had a direct line into London, it'd be in the commuter belt territory.”
William Shakespeare’s birthplace
And that, in itself, can make or break a property market. Towns with quick links to the capital enjoy higher prices and quicker sales than the more isolated locations. Research by eXp UK found that commuter towns have experienced a 2.9% increase in average house prices over the past year, reflecting growing homebuyer interest in these areas. Additionally, a report by The Telegraph identified the most in-demand commuter towns of 2021, noting significant increases in property transactions and prices in areas such as Wokingham and Brentwood
And, despite a lack of London lines, Stratford is anything but struggling for buyers – especially when it comes to families. Because, education-wise, Stratford is home to some of the top schools in England.
“If you look at Stratford as a whole and why people want to be here, two years ago it had the best school in the country – King Edward School. And, historically, Stratford Girls Grammar School is also very, very good as well,” Withers said.
The case of Stratford underscores the need for a balanced approach to development that includes not just housing but also the essential infrastructure and services that support a healthy, vibrant community. Looking to the future, it seems the Bard’s birthplace is set to grow – both in terms of tourism and new residents.
Church of the Holy Trinity
