Nigel Farage is standing as a Reform UK candidate in the General Election. Mr Farage announced he will contest Clacton, Essex, after it was also confirmed he will take over as leader of the party.
Speaking at a press conference in London to confirm his U-turn, Mr Farage said: “Difficult though it is, I can’t let down those millions of people, I simply can’t do it, it’d be wrong. So I have decided I’ve changed my mind, it’s allowed you know, it’s not always a sign of weakness, it could potentially be a sign of strength. So I am going to stand in this election.”
The 60-year-old’s comeback to politics comes after he starred in last year’s season of the ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! where he finished in third place. But away from the spotlight the avid Brexiteer lives on the Bromley border in a pretty village where he enjoys the quieter life.
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Nigel was born on April 3, 1964, in Farnborough, Kent. During his younger years he attended grammar schools in West Wickham and then Eden Park, both in Bromley, South East London.
He later went to the private school Dulwich College which also saw esteemed writer P.G. Wodehouse and also Ed Simons, one-half of the electronic dance group The Chemical Brothers, grace their corridors.
But it appears Nigel has never forgotten his roots as he settled in Downe, also in the London Borough of Bromley, where he reportedly lives in a family home. The village is a pretty pocket bordered by countryside and far away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre.
What is Downe famous for?
The idyllic area is just a few miles away from Orpington and is known for being home to ‘godfather of evolution’ Charles Darwin. The village appears like many you would expect in its former county of Kent.
It’s surrounded by farms, golf courses large private residences and is crisscrossed by dozens of public footpaths making it a prime location for a day out rambling, hiking or even exploring the pretty London/Kent/Surrey border.
Best of all, its London location means it is served by two TfL bus services: the 146 (Bromley-Downe) and R8 (Orpington-Biggin Hill via Downe). A 20 minute bus ride from either Bromley South or Orpington stations, it is a great destination for those wanting to escape the feel of the capital for the day, without actually escaping the capital.
The main attraction in the village is Down House (note the spelling!), where Darwin lived. It’s now an English Heritage site open to the public, making it a great place to start or end a verdant adventure. On display is Darwin’s greenhouse where he conducted experiments, ‘The Sandwalk’ where he went for thinking walks and the study where he documented it all.
Just north of Down House is the village high street, adorned by the Grade II* listed St Mary’s Church, which dates back to the 13th century. There are also two traditional country pubs, an Indian restaurant and a village hall which are also on offer for the perfect quintessential away day.
The eastern flank of the village is Downe Bank Nature Reserve, which several footpaths go across.
Being in such close proximity to central London and with such an incredible history, it’s not surprising that properties in Downe had an overall average price of £565,833 over the last year, according to Rightmove.
The majority of sales in Downe during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £681,250. Terraced properties sold for an average of £335,000.
Overall, sold prices in Downe over the last year were 50% down on the previous year and 27% down on the 2015 peak of £776,675.
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