Find me a new place to live, o wise Mumsnetters

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

So I need your collective wisdom, Bristolian Mumsnetters.

We currently live in Westbury on Trym. DS1 goes to Westbury Park primary. DS2 in nursery. I will shortly work in the centre of town, DP currently works on Whiteladies Road but wants to move offices (runs his own business).

We need to downsize and cut our rent down by a few hundred quid a month. Where shall we go and live?

We need a decent primary school, reasonable commute links into centre of town, and DP wants to live near water! We like Stapleton and Frenchay, but Frenchay seems pricey, at least the bit round the common does. Where is nice? What's Sea Mills like? Any ideas?

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

What about near Blaize Castle? Shirehampton? Snuff Mills?

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

thanks ilovemydog (how are you, by the way?)

Stapleton is round by Snuff Mills, so that's one of the places we're looking at.

Up by Blaise might be nice, good playground!

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

the other option is to move out a bit - we had a nose round Frampton Cotterell the other day, but not sure if it's quite right. Anyone know it?

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

bump bump

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

Thanks Riven! I was thinking of Downened or Staple Hill, might have a drive around there this weekend and see what looks nice.

How are you, by the way?

[exexpat]

There are some nice bits to live around Blaise and Shirehampton (good villagy atmosphere round bits of Shirehampton, lots of green space) but tbh rents in the nice bits aren't going to be that much cheaper than Westbury, and the cheaper bits aren't going to be very nice....

Also primary schools round there aren't brilliant unless you are Catholic, but if you have one child already at Westbury Park the next one should get in as a sibling, even if you move away. Then if you/DH are working in the centre you'd drop them off on the way into work. The problem really hits if you think one step ahead and look at secondary level, as at the moment the two closest secondaries don't have a great reputation (Henbury and Oasis Brightstowe, formerly the Portway School), though they are meant to be improving.

I don't know Sea Mills very well except for driving through it, but it doesn't look like it has a lot going for it unless you have one of the houses with a good view over the Avon Gorge. People I know who've been allocated Sea Mills primary have done their damndest to get their children out as soon as possible, but that was a few years ago, and things can change.

[exexpat]

Or maybe somewhere like Hanham? Don't know about primaries, but the secondary has a good reputation, and people seem to like living round there.

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

Thank you, that's all worth knowing!

I will, Riven, would be nice to see you again. I work on Fridays now so can never do meet up

No insomnia here, but was up half the night with vomiting bug. Both children and DP have had it, now it's my turn.

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

I am plague lady. Also mortified as DP had to help clean me up after I was forced to make a choice as to which end would make it into bathtub, if you get my meaning.

Not pretty.

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

exexpat i know we should keep our Westbury Park place, but we're very keen to have a simpler school/nursery/work run, as it's killing us at the moment! so ideally DS1 would move schools to wherever we go.

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

We need three bed minimum, ideally four. Rent - up to £1200, although would prefer something around £1000. It's a tough ask!

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

Wow Riven, how do you do multiple links?

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

Me too! .

I take it one step further and make appointments to have a look around .

[Runoutofideas]

How about these - I looked near Chew Magna for the water thing, but may be too far away. I've heard the schools are good out that way too...

Barn conversion

coach house

modern house

cottage

The I started looking elsewhere
flax bourton

Why move far?

WOT again

[Runoutofideas]

Or this - (Didn't mean to post before....)

no idea about schools

Abbots leigh

Better stop now - much as I love endlessly searching Rightmove! Good luck!

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

There's some fab ones there! I love the carpet in the one in Easton in Gordano, you wouldn't want to see what when you've got a vomiting bug.....

Our current contract isn't up till Feb so we're trying to decide where we want to live first, and then working out the rest after Christmas. Have to say that Coach House looks sweet - although I'm always suspicious of places that have no interior shots....

Thank you all! I think we'll take a drive round Downend some time soon, and check out the Chew Magna end of things, although I have a feeling that might be a bit far out for DP to commute.

[exexpat]

Abbots Leigh is a really nice village, beautiful countryside, and handy for Bristol, but there is no village school - I think the closest one is in Pill and it is in special measures at the moment. I have a feeling that's the closest one to Easton in Gordano too...

Flax Bourton also a nice village (great woodland for walks etc) but again no schools and the closest primary is in Long Ashton = horribly oversubscribed.

I think I'd be inclined to downsize and stay in the area if possible since you've already got a good school. Or the Downend suggestions could be good - Christ Church school is meant to be pretty good, I think.