Estate agent websites are no use when trying to figure out if a potential area to buy a house is middle class enough for you. Here are some telltale signs.
When thinking about moving to another it is important to have some sort of clue to the social status of the area. Estate agents never give any indication of how posh an area is. Price is of limited use on its own. There are some indicators that will help. Some you can check online, others will need you to drive through the area.
WI branch
Some will instantly recognise the initials; Women’s Institute. All middle class areas will have an active branch. Use their handy branch finder to see if the area you are thinking of moving to has one.
Add 30 points.
Vape shops
Easy to search if the area you are interested has a vape shop. The more it has the more common it is.
Deduct 20 points per vape shop within 5 miles.
Artisan bakery
No truly middle class area worth its salt would be without an artisan bakery with overpriced sourdough loaves.
Add 30 points, and add an extra 20 points if it was set up by someone called Tristan or Jemima.
Pizza takeaway
There is an important difference between a takeaway only business and a restaurant that does this occasional home delivery. Add 30 points for an Italian restaurant within 7 miles and deduct 30 points for any take away pizza places in the same area.
Telephone box book swaps
Nothing is more quintessentially middle-class than a defunct telephone box that has been converted into charity book swap. Only in the most middle classed places would the telephone box not be trashed and used as a lavatory.
Check on the Facebook group for the village to see if they have one. It will be mentioned frequently as they will be ball achingly snug about it. Add 30 points.
Crocheted postbox toppers
Nothing screams middle class than having crocheted toppers on top of postboxes. Check out the local Facebook group for subtle signs of whether the area is just regular middle class, or if it has stepped over into Stepford Wife or facism. If the toppers mention ‘trad’, or have while hooded figures on them then steer clear.
In Nottingham a short-lived topper that was created by a transphobe was quicky replaced by something more suitable.
