‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judge Amanda Holden has just bought a new palatial pad in the much sought after area of Cobham in the Elmbridge District of Surrey, dubbed ‘Britain’s Beverly Hills.’ The TV star is said to be “over the moon” with her new Surrey home, setting her back a whopping £7 million, after selling her London home for £5 million.
She was mulling a move to the US, like fellow judge Simon Cowell, but changed her mind after hearing about Elmbridge, which is home to footballers, music and movie stars. Amanda joins the likes of Antonio Banderas, Elton John, Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, John Terry and John Lennon who have all owned properties in Elmbridge. An insider said of Amanda’s move, “Only the most wealthy and ambitious people tend to be able to live there and she’ll certainly be in good company with bankers, footballers and rock stars. Amanda is used to life in the city and a move to Surrey means she’ll be able to live more of a semi-rural existence without giving up the convenient commute into the capital where most of her work takes her.”
We caught up with Surrey’s premier estate agent Doug Parks from Doug Parks Property Nest to find out what all the fuss is about! “The Surrey borough of Elmbridge is often referred to as the UK’s answer to Beverly Hills – although the average hours of sunshine may be less! – it’s still easy to see why. It sits to the west of London and within easy commutable distance. The A3 and M25 trunk roads provide easy access to The City, south coast and international airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick.
Family life is enhanced with fabulous walks through the common at Esher and Oxshott, historical sites such as Hampton Court Palace and Painshill Park, an array of excellent health and tennis clubs along with some of the very best golf courses in the country. With the River Thames flowing west through East Molesey, Walton and Weybridge, it’s easy for weekends to be taken up with beautiful walks and a riverside pub lunch.
If shopping is on the agenda then little boutiques can be found in the local towns or more high street and designer outlets in nearby Richmond, Guildford or Kingston Upon Thames. For evening entertainment there’s a choice of theatres, cinemas, country pubs or top restaurants such as The Ivy in Cobham.
In such a delightful area to raise a family schooling is obviously important. Elmbridge has such an array of outstanding local schools for state and private routes and is one of the main reasons for the popularity of the Borough. ‘The Golden Triangle’, as the area around Esher, Cobham and Weybridge is sometimes called, offers some truly wonderful places to live. The private estates such as St George’s Hill are known around the world and offer seclusion and privacy to the owners that choose to live here.
As you can imagine, with all of the above on offer it doesn’t come cheap and explains why so many celebrities, singers, actors, sports stars and business chiefs choose Elmbridge as their home. Many properties on the exclusive estates sell for 8 figure sums with a number sold discreetly to ultra high net worth individuals. The average sale price of a detached home in some of the towns is £1,200,000 – £1,500,000.
As we move through 2024 I think the reputation and allure of the Borough of Elmbridge as a fantastic place to live and raise a family will only continue to grow.
Check out these stunning properties from Doug Parks Property Nest:
www.propertynest.co.uk/estate-agents/elmbridge
