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If you really want to prioritize train links to London, Grantham had a fast line in. I do not know how nice it is to live in, though.
My brother lives just outside Grantham. Some lovely villages around there but Grantham itself is a fucking dump. Not helped by the massive statue of Thatcher outside the Wetherspoons.
ltc
Muc-ed-off
+1 to what @EcuriePeril said. Having lived many places in the UK and elsewhere, I think somewhere like Belper in Derbyshire would be about perfect to retire to, personally. In fact I'd be planning for that if I didn't already live so close!
I don't know it as well yet, but have always felt similarly about Bakewell.
If you really want to prioritize train links to London, Grantham had a fast line in. I do not know how nice it is to live in, though.
Places like Bedford are becoming increasingly popular with London commuters. Leighton Buzzard or Milton Keynes are also definitely within budget, although I personally dislike both having grown up nearby.
Given what you've said about your parents, one other thing to consider is how multicultural the place is. Sounds like they'd like somewhere where there is a good diversity of people. I have a friend who lives on the outskirts of Wolverhampton, for example, which fits the bill in many ways. However, his one complaint is that most of the people he comes across were born and raised around there and don't have particularly diverse experiences or worldviews.