A city worker who swapped sky-rise living in the cramped capital for a three bed in a “friendly” Kent town – without having ever stepped foot there – says he’s no regrets.
Ravi Sharma, 39, left his rented flat in London Docklands in January 2023 after his landlord upped the monthly rent suddenly by more than 50% from £1,450 to £2,200.
Faced with just ten days to find somewhere new, he widened his search and spotted a three-bed house in a historic town of Rochester
He had never visited the Medway area before, but with time running out, he was willing to take a risk.
After speaking briefly with the letting agent, who sent over a video tour of the property, Ravi decided to go ahead with the move despite not seeing it in person.
He paid the holding fee the same day and began packing.
“We were quite anxious,” he told KentOnline. “We didn’t know what to expect, but we told ourselves we could always move again in six months if we didn’t like it.”
Ravi works in change and transformation for the Greater London Authority.
His partner works in product development at a company that designed electric toothbrushes for children.
Despite commuting into London, they said the pace of life felt calmer and more connected.
“People smiled. They said hello, they stopped to talk,” Ravi said. “When I went running, other joggers gave me a thumbs up or wave.
“In London, everyone was in a rush. It was tunnel vision.”
Ravi says he hasn’t found the “kind of friendliness” he’s encountered in Rochester anywhere else.
Their first few days were spent unpacking, furniture shopping, and catching their breath.
A quiet drink at a high street pub changed everything.
His partner started chatting to a woman outside named Amy who works as a teacher at a local school.
She introduced them to her friends, and those strangers quickly became their new inner circle.
“We didn’t know anyone in Rochester, and suddenly we had a whole group of friends thanks to that one night,” Ravi added.
They soon threw themselves into local life, from evenings at pubs to enjoying the annual Sweeps, Dickens and Cocktail Week festivals all held in the town.
In April 2024, they launched an Indian street food stall called Chutney Street at the town’s monthly farmers’ market, held opposite the station.
The menu included samosas, onion bhajis, chilli garlic chips, sandwiches and masala chai.
“People who’ve lived here all their lives might not realise how special it is,” Ravi said of the town.
“But for us, coming in fresh, it felt genuinely special.”
Ravi says they now plan to buy a home nearby with his partner and has no intention of returning to London.
