We live in town deemed one of the best for families – it’s FILTHY and gangs rule the streets, we’re too scared to go out
RESIDENTS of a town deemed one of the best in the UK for families have said they’re scared to go out at night.
The historic market town on the outskirts of London was just named amongst the top ten most popular affordable towns for families in the UK.
Dartford, Kent, is best known for its famous crossing and for where The Rolling Stones were born, but its also proving popular with brand new homeowners.
It ranks as the cheapest place to live for families in England and is the most popular area for first-time buyers in the UK.
Property experts at Zoopla compiled a top-ten list based on the average prices of three-bedroom homes in each local authority, comparing them to average household earnings.
While Glenrothes, Scotland, took the top spot, Dartford came in seventh place with an average three-bedroom priced at £423,600.
But speaking to the locals about what it’s like to live in the town where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were born, many thought it wasn’t quite rock’n’roll.
Asked whether they thought Dartford was an affordable area, Shar Phillips, 27, and Vicky May, 30, scoffed.
Shar said: “Getting a house round here is ridiculous, people can’t get housing and you get people coming in and they get a house straight away.”
For a town deemed one of the cheapest for families, the pair said they did not feel safe walking the streets at night, highlighting gangs and drug dealing in the area.
On this, Shar said: “Sometimes in the day, you’ll get all the gangs walking around here, you get all the trouble with the police.
“They’ll see something happen and turn a blind eye.
“Everywhere you go, even Dartford Park, you get drug deals going on.”
Gesturing toward Dartford High Street, she added: “I’ve been here when there’s a boy stabbed right over there, and they took no notice and walked away.
“I used to go out with my friends a lot at night and my Nan gets so worried about me being out in public.
“I get shouted at in the streets, I get abuse and you can’t get away from it.”
The pair also pointed toward how they felt Dartford was “dirty” with Vicky saying: “It’s not clean, they don’t care about it.”
This sentiment was echoed by Carol Rawlins, 80, and Sue Taylor, 67, retelling what they had heard the local busker say that very morning.
Chuckling, Sue recalled: “A bloke was singing earlier and he said, “Welcome to Dartford, or should I say Dirt-ford!”
“It’s dirty, I went to use the cash machine earlier and it had food all down it.”
Pointing toward the bronze Mick Jagger and Keith Richards statues just a stone’s throw away, the ladies said they were grateful they hadn’t been touched.
Carol said: “I’m so glad that hasn’t been defaced because you just don’t know anymore.”
A short commute away from London, with a train taking just 41 minutes into London Bridge, first-time buyers are flocking to the Kent town.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2023, Dartford had the highest rate of first-time buyers in the country at 20.2 sales per 1,000 dwellings.
This figure has jumped up from 15.0 per 1,000 over the last 10 years.
At the same time, and not unsurprisingly, first-time buyers looking for properties in the capital has decreased in the last decade.
For a three-bedroom home, those looking to move to Dartford will be looking at paying an average of £1,680 in monthly mortgage payments.
But not everyone was unhappy that Dartford was the place they called home and it hasn’t stopped manager of Mann Letting Agents, Tim Knight, 40, buying a property himself nearby.
He cited ongoing developments in Dartford, good grammar schools that parents flock to and good transport links and green spaces, saying “it’s nice to have things on your doorstep”.
Tim said: “I’ve lived in the borough for over 10 years and I’ve really enjoyed where I live.
“It’s absolutely popular for first-time buyers – the road links to London are good, train links are good and there’s a lot of investment being put into Dartford.”
Most people on the street agreed they enjoyed the green spaces with some admitting a lot of effort and investment has gone into the area.
Dartford is almost spoilt for choice when it comes to open spaces including Central Park, Hesketh Park and 300 acres of Dartford Heath which has a rich history going back to 1660.
Tim added: “I think when Bluewater Shopping Centre was originally introduced years ago, it had a huge impact on the town over the years.
A lot of investment has gone into the town and there’s been a real focus in trying to bring this small market town back to where it was.”
However, Tim did admit that it’s still more expensive overall than other areas in Kent and, in the last couple of years, there’s been a “big increase in rent”.
Residents clearly feel a strong sense of community and care about what is going on in Dartford.
The popular Dartford Community group on Facebook has a staggering 69,000 members.
And many of the locals are concerned not just about the town’s cleanliness, but the crime on the streets.
Addressing concerns, the District Commander for Dartford at Kent Police, Chief Inspector Will Lay, said: “Dartford has a dedicated team of beat constables and PCSOs focused on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
“They work closely with partner agencies to ensure a joined-up approach to concerns raised by residents and business owners.
“The result of their diligent efforts has been continual reductions in victim-based crime over the last three years. Incidents involving serious violence have also seen a reduction of 28.9% over the last twelve months.”
They stressed they “fully understand” the concerns about crime and disorder committed by “the minority of offenders who live in our community”.
He added: “I would seek to reassure them that our local officers are determined to provide a visible and effective deterrent.
“They will use a range of tactics, including closure orders on disorderly properties, to ensure persistent criminals understand there are consequences for their unlawful actions.”
But there are also concerns about the pace of change felt in the community.
Catherine, 55, has lived in Dartford all her life and said the town has “changed a lot”.
She said: “It’s a bit run down, especially the town, and we saw a dawn raid just this morning.
“Nothing ever changes really what they spend the money on, it’s the same old rubbish.”
Turning to her daughter Gabby, 20, she asked whether she thought that was a fair assessment.
She stressed she was trying to be polite about her hometown but said: “I know they’ve tried to make it better, but I still feel like it’s “Dirty Dartford.”
“That’s what people have always called it!”
Caroline added that “the people of Dartford are nice, mostly” before adding with a wry smile: “Not in our area though!”
But not all parents are downbeat about raising a family in the Kent town.
One mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was a “family-led community”.
With the local Orchard Theatre and Dartford Museum, there’s family entertainment on offer.
There’s even Dinotropolis, a dinosaur adventure park, complete with impressive animatronics and raptor racing.
She added: “It’s a good place to live – a good community and they do a lot for the kids in Dartford, it’s good for families.”
UK adults fear being priced out
Zoopla’s latest research also found a third of UK adults fear being priced out of their ideal area.
While mortgage rates have declined recently, they’re still higher than pre-2022 levels, with the average monthly payment for a £304,600 three-bedroom house sitting at £1,210.
This is at odds with the £870 figure respondents felt was a reasonable monthly mortgage price.
The survey also revealed that three-bed homes in the most popular affordable towns, such as Dartford, were viewed twice as many times as the average three-bed home in their respective regions.
Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla, commented: “This heightened popularity, coupled with the significant portion of would-be buyers expressing concerns about being priced out of housing, underscores the ongoing challenges facing movers and the clear appetite for value.
“The willingness of many to consider different regions or compromise on property features further highlights the adaptive strategies families are employing in today’s market.”
