Hello pr, I have my eye on a Boardman Comp Mtb! They are a popular bike, well specified, with good write-ups and, as iAdam mentions, you can commute and then have a thrash around in the woods too
Of course, you don't have to - it just offers more variety to the cycling game...
Obviously, if your commute is all, then something with a tough tyre (Marathon+
) will do - on a Hybrid or X bike (do Boardman make CycloCross bikes?) Then it's down to handlebar choice!
Halfords are regularly discounting these bikes too.
Then comes the ummm...ahhh.....ooooh "I could do with something a bit er faster for the Summer..." n+1 kicks in, and you find yourself with two bikes, three, et seq
Have fun.