How 'joke' town transformed itself into one of country's most visited places
Concrete cows, recurring roundabouts - 130 at the last count - and a soulless suburb built to help with the housing shortage in London may have been the traditional image many people had of Milton Keynes, but it’s come a long way since the 1960s.
Today, the modern metropolis of Milton Keynes is one of the UK’s most underrated cities, according to research by holiday let website Independent Cottages, which says it’s no longer just a commuter town but a hidden gem with lots of fab things to do and see. Milton Keynes is the same distance from London, Cambridge, Oxford and Birmingham and is home to 270,000 people, many of whom love it and are proud to call it home.
Long gone is its reputation as a concrete jungle. The indoor ski slope boasts of teaching more than three million people to ski or snowboard since it opened. And the list of things to do doesn't stop there. Milton Keynes is also home to the world famous Bletchley Park, where codebreakers worked round the clock during World War Two.
Milton Keynes was famous for its concrete cows (VisitBritain/Britain on View)The concrete cows also haven't completely disappeared and are now housed in the Milton Keynes Museum. Just outside the city is the incredible Woburn Abbey. Still the family home of the Duke of Bedford, the stunning estate has links back to Henry VIII. Milton Keynes' charm is not lost on those who live and work there. Claire Reynolds, 50, a mum of one moved to Milton Keynes 23 years ago and says it has a lot going for it and is perfectly positioned between London and Birmingham with easy access to the M1.
“Milton Keynes is obviously famous for its roundabouts and concrete cows but there is certainly more to the ‘new city’ than roundabouts and concrete," Claire says. "Many businesses have head office sites in Milton Keynes: Argos, BP and Santander are just three that spring to mind," she explains. “There's the Milton Keynes Bowl where many an artist has performed and they have built a stadium near Bletchley which is home to the MK Dons but also hosts rugby world cup matches and lots of other events. And there's the Xscape building in the centre which has an indoor ski slope and lots of other leisure activities and restaurants."
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The stunning Woburn Abbey (FameFlynet)Like many people who live or visit the city, Claire says there is a huge amount of things to do for people of all ages. Although she admits it's the type of city where you need to be able to drive to get the most out of what it has to offer. “I wouldn't say I hate anything about it but I do think you need to be able to drive in Milton Keynes."
Lindsay Edwards, 38, lives in Buckinghamshire but as a personal stylist takes her clients to shop in Milton Keynes and loves that there is so much choice for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. “Harrods is a new, and very welcome, addition to the shopping centre," Lindsay says. “I always start a trip by treating my clients to a coffee in its champagne bar, it's such a luxurious start to our day of shopping together."
Milton Keynes is famous for its recurring roundabouts (BuckighamshireLive - Grahame Larter)When she's not working, the mum to teenage boys, aged 17 and 13, enjoys taking the family to the indoor snow slopes at Xscape or skydiving or rock climbing. “For families there's also the escape rooms, bowling, a cinema and water activities as well as walking at Willen Lake," she adds. “Milton Keynes theatre is also very good, as a family we go there every Christmas to watch a pantomime."
Lydia Berman, lives in Hemel Hempstead and has a marketing and brand agency with clients in Milton Keynes says it's amazing for families and businesses as well as ‘incredibly underrated for work opportunities’. She added: "The shopping centre offers almost everything you need and I don't usually go shopping these days but will happily wander through there. Not just big chains but also those selling local and independent products and there are always events in the area. Some of the surrounding villages are lovely too.
“MK has a centre full of shops, regular events and large footfall, vibrant communities around and I think it definitely deserves to be given more credit.” That said, it does have its imperfections with many people saying its road system and reams of roundabouts are a bit of a pain in the backside.
“I am dyslexic, and that grid system of roads will always be my nemesis,” Lydia laughs. “The roads all look so similar, I regularly chat to a friend while driving through Milton Keynes, and every time I get lost! The roundabouts just become a joke! The sat nav is constantly talking about the next roundabout and you’ve barely left the previous one!”
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