Marylebone has changed over the years, ‘it’s always had a community feeling to it, but over the years it’s become more posh,’ says John who’s lived in the area for over twenty years. ‘But that doesn’t mean that it’s not a lovely area to be in’ he continues. Marylebone is loved by many for it’s diversified atmosphere with the quiet and peaceful Regent’s Park at one end and the buzzing and busy Oxford Street at the other. It’s a place that hosts both families and young people, most of whom appear to fit in under John’s description of the ‘posh’ people who have recently found a liking to the area.

Let’s find out what this area really has to offer and whether it’s the place you want to move to next…

What do the locals say? 
Firstly let’s start with some first hand information from the people who actually live in Marylebone, what is it about this area that makes their heart beat a little faster.

“I like the village atmosphere that Marylebone always has had, even though it’s near Oxford Street, it’s still like a small village here.”

“It’s very chic, there’s a lot of fashionable people here and also a lot of French people living here which makes it feel kind of like a mini-Paris.”

“It’s quaint, it’s not too busy and it never gets crowded. It’s also great that it’s near the park and Oxford Street.”

“It feels safe, it’s a safe place to bring up a family. It just a very homey area.”

“The best thing is that it’s so central and yet doesn’t feel too busy but the worst thing is the high rent.”

Where is it?
Marylebone is located in the centre of London within the City of Westminster. The area reaches from Oxford Street to the south, Marylebone Road to the north, Edgware Road to the west and Great Portland Street to the east. It has seven different tube stations and even more bus routes, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a direct line to commute to work if you decide to move here!

Culture
What Marylebone lacks in size, it definitely makes up for in its ‘village atmosphere’ and cultural hotspots. For its residents, and frequent visitors, it is an area that boasts a community feeling that is difficult to find in other such central locations in the country’s capital.

Walking through this area, you cannot help but encounter some huge juxtaposition between the old and new Marylebone. Tailored suits, chauffeured cars and designer handbags are all too familiar among the high rise residential areas and high street. But between this cosmopolitan scene, you get a sense of the old Marylebone – cobbled alleyways and quaint little sweet shops sit nestled between much larger establishments. But that is what makes the area so great, it has been able to retain its quintessential community whilst adapting to the manic London lifestyle.

Our trip with the BuzzMove mascot “b” took us to two of the most well-known cultural spots in the area. Firstly, the St. Marylebone Parish Church surrounded by the gardens offers a place of spiritual worship in a tranquil setting which nicely offsets the hubbub of the main town. Or if you are after a brisk walk in winter or a jog to shed the Christmas weight, Regent’s Park is certainly the perfect setting. It also boasts many sporting events in the summer in and around the main lake.

Aside from the main attractions, Marylebone also has some hidden gems which make the area a great place to visit for the day. Daunt Books, which was one of the world’s first custom built bookshops is a beautiful, traditional store which local residents hold in very high regard. Customers are often frequent visitors and are able to browse the most recent and also classic books, with an extensive travel book collection.
If you are a musician or even just interested in all things instrumental,  the Royal Academy of Music Museum offers an in depth display of musical item collections. Best of all, admission is free! (Weekly tours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also free of charge).

Shop until you drop
Marylebone is a great place for a shopping spree and especially if you have money to spend. Walking down Marylebone High Street, you understand that this is an affluent area not only by the people but also the shops and boutiques. You’ll find exclusive clothing shops such as Paul Smith, Sandro, Malene Birger and L.K Bennett (The Duchess’s favourite shoe brand) as well as posh interior shops The White Company, Skandium and Diptyque. Follow the street down to the bottom and you’ll end up on Oxford Street, which is pretty much any shopaholic’s heaven. So we promise you, whether you’re looking for a new outfit or a new sofa, Marylebone will not let you down.

Fancy a drink or a bite to eat? You’ve come to the right place.
Marylebone is filled with both fancy restaurants and cafés as well as exclusive food shops. Around Marylebone High Street you will find everything from classic French restaurants such as Orrey, Relais de Venise L’Entrecôte and Côte to popular burger places such as Tommi’s Burger Joint, Meat Liquor and Patty & Bun. At the end of Marylebone High Street you’ll find James Street and St Christopher’s Place where you’ll find all the restaurants and food places you can dream of, from sushi and thai to tapas and pizza.

For exclusive food shopping you have both La Fromageri and The Ginger Pig located next to each other on Moxon Street where you can get homemade charcuterie and farmhouse cheese as well as fruits and vegetables and homemade bread. The Natural Kitchen is another option if you want to grab a smoothie or a sandwich while you shop for your food. This is also a favourite place for many celebs, the American 90210 star Jessica Lowndes (Adriana in the show) has been seen there having a snack and the British model Lily Cole has been spotted sipping one of their renowned smoothies on Marylebone High Street.

Now let’s see where we can get a drink around here! Many locals as well as people working in the area seem to love The Marylebone, a modern styled pub which is packed most nights of the week. One selling point could be their amazing cocktails which are priced at two for one during happy hour on Monday-Friday from 8pm to 10 pm and all day on the weekends! Another favourite seems to be Coco Momo only a few minutes away where many go when The Marylebone gets too crowded. For a more sophisticated and chilled night try Artesian, the bar in the Langham hotel or one of the cool bars in the Sanderson Hotel. Also, don’t forget that both Oxford Street and Soho are no longer than a 10-15 minute walk away (less than 5 minutes in a cab) and there you’ll find bars in every corner!

Schools
If you’re a family thinking of moving to Marylebone you’ll be glad to hear that there are schools in the area for both your youngest and oldest children. For the little ones there is for example St Vincent’s RC Primary School which is a mixed Catholic school, and for the older children you have Portland Place School, which is a secondary school. For the eldest there are two Universities in the area, Regent’s University situated in the beautiful location of Regent’s Park and the University of Westminster with campuses both on Marylebone Road and upper Regent Street.

Finding a home
An overwhelmingly large proportion of property in Marylebone is flats, and this is in part due to the location and costly price of housing. Prices in the area go hand in hand with the luxurious lifestyle that comes with the postcode. Renting a flat on average would set you back a whopping £890/week. To buy a similar sized flat would cost you approximately £1.3m, so one must consider if the central location and Marylebone culture is worth such a high price tag.

So what do you think? Is Marylebone something for you?