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Looking to move to Norfolk

30 replies

alena001 · 05/06/2016 11:56

Hi all

We are looking to relocate to Norfolk soon and as neither my husband or i are local I was after some advice.

I am wondering what are the areas that we should really avoid. We have two young daughters (7 and 4) and are really looking for a nice slower pace of like that London with some goof local schools. I am originally from a small town outside Portsmouth.

Thanks for any help.

Alena

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Mattheguineapig · 05/06/2016 12:08

We're moving to Old Catton in the north of Norwich on Friday, so I'll tell you then Grin We thought about leaving London for about 2 years, looked at a few places, but we have been to Norfolk a lot and my DH is from here, so we chose Norwich to relocate to. I would say it's definitely a slower pace, but in a nice way. The city has a real buzz about it but its still small. The schools my kids have got into are rated good by Ofsted and from what I saw when we looked around, there were plenty of good primary schools. Secondaries are a bit more of a concern but we have a choice that we wouldn't have got in London ( one school I would be happy to send my DS's to, that was in no way a guarantee)

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 05/06/2016 13:43

Are you looking for a small town, a bigger town or Norwich/outskirts?

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alena001 · 05/06/2016 14:02

Hi

Ideally we are looking for a small town or maybe a village with good access. I don't really drive so need to learn I guess.

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Jak1e · 05/06/2016 14:11

Ooh, can I hijack this post please? We're also moving up to Norfolk or Suffolk. Same desires as original post, I guess, and were after a smaller village rather than a large town. We're looking in a radius of 10 miles around Loddon, which I love. Any places to avoid?

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 05/06/2016 14:26

Alena I'd recommend Wymondham. It is a small town but has everything, including trains to Norwich and Cambridge and beyond to London/ the north west. It has two decent supermarkets, independent shops and a market town feel. It also has buses in to Norwich and a decent secondary and infant and junior schools. There are two gp surgeries, a couple of dentists and the great excitement at the moment is that there is now a Domino's pizza HmmGrin

There is only one area I would avoid, but that is just because there are nicer parts iyswim.

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 05/06/2016 14:30

Sorry Jake I don't know the Loddon area well enough :)

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alena001 · 05/06/2016 14:34

Thank you MatriarchalDictatorship. This is exactly the kinda information I need. Sounds like a good area.

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AcornToOak · 05/06/2016 15:04

Im a born and bred Norfolker Blush to be honest there isnt many of the smaller towns or larger village's that would need avoiding, depending on your budgets there are some absolutely stunning areas, it really depends what you are looking for

Loddon is a stunning area, maybe worth looking at Beccles and Bungay too, also may be a little bit further that 10 miles but Acle is a lovely little town with its own train station which can take you to Norwich and has its own shops etc

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 05/06/2016 15:08

It is. There is a mix of older people and young, plenty of children and a vibrant community feel. My mum moved there a few years ago and its my nearest market town.

I'm sure there are other lovely market towns that would fit the bill but I know Wymondham best :)

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 05/06/2016 15:16

I feel it is my MN duty though to tell you that....



...there is no Ocado in Norfolk.


You will get the world's best turkey for your Christmas dinner though.

Grin

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alena001 · 05/06/2016 15:37

Well as long as the turkey is good then that's all that matter. Smile

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MasterSplinter · 05/06/2016 16:28

I live in Norfolk and I don't know what Ocado is so clearly we all survive without it!

Norfolk is everything you need imho. Beaches, countryside, a lovely city, heritage, culture, community. It has everything. Plus no motorways or um, direct routes but easy enough to get to That London on a train.

Wymondham is lovely. Not a lot happening for young people but Norwich is near enough. It's pronounced Windum btw...

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Mattheguineapig · 05/06/2016 16:49

The Times doesn't deliver in Norwich either, as we found Shock

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Jak1e · 05/06/2016 18:12

Thank you MatriarchalDictatorship and AcornToOak for your response. I will take in Wymondham (I even know how to pronounce it now 😀) and Bungay in my search (Beccles seems a bit too big and towny)
Never used Ocado (always been a Tesco girl) and don't read the Times, so I don't think I'll be missing much. 😀 Thanks again xx

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quirkychick · 06/06/2016 17:45

Mattheguineapig we have The Times delivered via a newsagents in Norwich.

I originally came from Hampshire, OP, between Southampton and Winchester. I have also lived in London before here, but Norwich is much smaller and provincial than London! Wymondham is south of Norwich, so a bit closer to London and has a very big Waitrose (to make up for the Ocado). Local produce is usually very good here, but obviously not quite so international as London...

North Norfolk is very beautiful, the beaches are quite unspoilt, Bungay and Beccles are pretty to the south. Suffolk coast is very lovely too. Lots of great countryside, Thetford Forest is lovely, lots of nature reserves. I'm in Norwich and the local school are all very good.

For culture we have just had the Norfolk and Norwich Festival with lots of events on, the Sainsbury's Centre has good exhibitions on, there is a food festival soon.

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lljkk · 06/06/2016 17:50

State school places can be extremely hard to get in Wymondham (why we didn't move there). Look carefully.

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Mattheguineapig · 06/06/2016 18:04

Quirky Its fine. Ill just send DH drag myself the 200 yards to the shop round the corner Grin

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 06/06/2016 21:00

school admissions info for Norfolk there is also info somewhere on there about secondary school places and waiting lists and spare capacity. If you get allocated a school too far away for primary then your dcs would be entitled to a taxi run to and from school anyway. There are good schools in villages all round Wymondham.

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Suffolker · 09/06/2016 10:36

Hello! We live in Norwich and love it here. If you are looking for somewhere smaller, Wymondham is lovely but house prices artificially inflated due to the popularity of the schools (Wymondham College specifically). If you are happy to look north of Norwich, can I suggest Aylsham? I have a friend who lives there and it has a lovely community feel. Schools are very good too (primary and secondary) and it has good access to the beautiful north Norfolk coast.

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charleylarlie · 09/06/2016 17:45

Have you thought of Diss or one of the surrounding villages? Good transport links (on the Norwich/London line), amenities, and primary schools. If you do learn to drive then it's 30 mins by car to Norwich, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich. Cambridge about an hour away, as is the coast (nearest beach probably Southwold). Thetford Forest about 20 mins.

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Jak1e · 10/06/2016 20:13

We've just found a really nice place in Wymondham. Advised broadband speed is very poor. That would be a deal breaker for us. However, the speeds were taken in 2014. Have things improved there at all in the last two years?

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 10/06/2016 21:30

What speed do you class as poor?

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Jak1e · 10/06/2016 22:11

It's about 4mbps apparantly

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MatriarchalDictatorship · 10/06/2016 23:09

My mum gets 20mbps with talk talk, but how close you are to the exchange makes a massive difference.

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TheHetSetter · 10/06/2016 23:24

As my name suggests, I'm in Hethersett. Perfect location for me - halfway between Norwich and Wymondham, easy access to A11/A47. Good amenities (2 pubs, Tesco Express, library, nice parks) but still a village community feel.

And I just tested my broadband speed and got 14mbps.

Also know Wymondham v.well if you have any questions.

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