This area guide to Esher offers a brief overview of the district, including its local shops, attractions, properties, schools, history, council tax and public transport links.
Esher Overview
This prosperous town in Surrey in the borough of Elmbridge is a sought-after location predominately filled with well heeled and urbane residents. People are generally attracted to the area’s abundance of green space and convenient proximity to London.
Aside from being a desirable place to both live and work, Esher offers easy links into London – both by train and the nearby motorway network. Young families are also attracted to Esher by its superb schools – both in the private and state sectors.
The main postcode in Esher is KT10.
Esher Shopping
There are many trendy, quirky and chic designer clothing shops in Esher, along with some of the more traditional high street brands – most of which are located on the High Street. The High Street also features florists, supermarkets, charity shops, card stores, jewellers, mobile phone outlets, a post office and newsagents.
Esher Attractions
Aside from the collection of stylish shopping facilities on Esher High Street, there are hotels, pubs, restaurants, night clubs, cinemas, and theatres.
The town is also within easy reach of three golf courses – Esher golf club, Thames Ditton, and Moore Place. There are also two lawn tennis clubs located nearby, along with a popular bowling club. Sandown Park Racecourse is situated locally, as well as a dry-ski slope, health club, go-kart track, a snooker club, among other recreational facilities.
If sport is not your thing, then you should check out Hampton Court Palace and Gardens or Claremont Landscape Garden - a beautiful eighteenth century garden now owned by the National Trust. Arbrook Lane and Esher Common are also attractive places to visit.
Esher Food and Drink
There are a number of excellent cosmopolitan restaurants serving the best in British and international cuisine – most of which are located on the High Street. Try The Albert Arms on the High Street or the Nepalese cuisine at the Sherpa Kitchen further down the road.
There are many recognisable cafes in the area, including Carluccio’s and Café Rouge.
Esher History
Esher, which gets its name from the old Saxon Aisselai, has a long and colorful history with strong royal links. Queen Victoria regularly visited Esher and owned a lot of land in the area, including Claremont Park. She honoured the town by gifting it a drinking fountain, which is still located on the High Street. The Bear public house, which still exists today, was formerly a royal hunting lodge which played host to King Charles II, William of Orange and Lord Nelson.
Esher Property Market
A wide range of people buy and rent property in Esher, including many young professionals and families, attracted to the good local schools.
There is a vast selection of housing types in Esher, from luxury mansions to period cottages, together with many private roads and estates. Many homes in the area - of which detached houses make up the majority - date back to the Victorian and Edwardian era, although there is a plentiful supply modern properties too.
The most desirable areas to live in Esher are situated in and around the Clare Hill, Ember Lane and Blackhills vicinities, with a high proportion of properties suitable for families with children.
Esher Council Tax Rates
The annual rate of council tax varies and is dependant on the valuation band, which is determined by the value of the property and the current rates for the local council. Esher is represented by Elmbridge Borough Council.
Elmbridge Borough Council Tax charges:
| Band Grade | Value | Annual Council Tax Cost |
| Band A | Up to & including £40,000 | £988.15 |
| Band B | £40,001 - £52,000 | £1,152.85 |
| Band C | £52,001 - £68,000 | £1,317.54 |
| Band D | £68,001 - £88,000 | £1,482.23 |
| Band E | £88,001 - £120,000 | £1,811.61 |
| Band F | £120,001 - £160,000 | £2,141.00 |
| Band G | £160,001 - £320,000 | £2,470.38 |
| Band H | More than £320,000 | £2,964.46 |
Esher Education
Many schools in and around Esher can boast high educational attainment. Here is a list of the educational establishments in and around Esher:
- Cardinal Newman Catholic Primary School
- Burhill Community Infant School
- Bell Farm Junior School
- St Paul's Catholic Primary School
- Hinchley Wood School
- Hinchley Wood Primary School
- Esher College
- Rydens School
- Walton Oak Primary School
- Thames Ditton Junior School
- Thames Ditton Infant School
- Long Ditton St Mary's CofE (Aided) Junior School
- Chandlers Field Primary School
- St Alban's Catholic Primary School
- Lovelace Primary School
- Reed's School
- The Orchard Infant School
- Long Ditton Infant and Nursery School
- Grovelands Infant School
- Ashley CofE (Aided) Primary School
- Chessington Community College
- Ellingham Primary School
- St Lawrence CofE (Aided) Junior School, East Molesey
- Hurst Park Primary School
- St Paul's CofE Primary School
- The Royal Kent CofE Primary School
- Cleves School
- Southborough High School
- St Andrew's CofE Primary School
- St Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School
- Castle Hill Primary School
- Tolworth Girls' School and Centre for Continuing Education
- St Matthew's CofE Primary School
- St Andrew's and St Mark's CofE Junior School
- Maple Infant School
- Beauclerc Infant and Nursery School
- Notre Dame Senior School
- Surbiton Boys' Preparatory School
- Surbiton High School
- The Hollyfield School and Sixth Form Centre
- Surbiton High Junior Girls' School
- St John's CofE Primary School
- Hawkedale Infants - A Foundation School
- The Bishop Wand Church of England School
- Kingston Grammar School
- Tiffin School
Esher Hospital
The nearest local hospital to Esher is Kingston Hospital in Kingston upon Thames.
Esher Transport Links
Getting around Esher is easy by car or any one of the 15 local bus services.
Esher railway station in the town centre is served by the Waterloo via Weybridge service which connects to London Waterloo in just over 20 minutes.
Commuters seeking to travel to London by car should take the A3, accessed via Hinchley Wood. Heathrow and Gatwick Airports are under half an hour drive away, assuming little to no traffic.
This area guide is intended to give a general overview of the area, whilst the information contained is believed to be accurate at the time of publication no responsibility is accepted for any errors or subsequent alterations.