moving to Leamington spa, warwick area - any tips? where to live? what do do? will I make friends......?

[millie865]

We (DH, DD15 months and I) are moving in July for DH's job at Warwick Uni. I'm trying to get ideas about where we should look to live - Leamington spa? Warwick? Kenilworth seemed nice round the park but wasn't sure if there was much going on. Having said that its not like we get out much these days anyway!

I suppose I'm looking for somewhere I can make friends more than anything else - so probably somewhere with lots of parent and toddler activities. Not that I only make friends with people with toddlers - just that as I'm combining SAHMing with a couple of days freelancing from home I'm probably most likely to meet people at play groups.

I'm feeling a bit anxious about the whole thing to be honest - I always try to make new faces welcome at play groups here - but I've made friends who said they found it really hard once people have already found their group of friends from ante natal classes and don't talk to anyone else. I've started to realise how much I depend on the other mums I've met to get through the day and have got horrible thoughts of trudging round play groups as Ms Billynomates trying desperately to find somone to talk to....

Sorry, just re-read that - sounds a bit more self pitying than I thought! I just wanted to post a message asking for suggestions of places to live and nice groups to go to.... I'm obviously finding this harder than I realised!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Ooh I used to work at Warwick (live near Banbury now). Leamington is v expensive and tends to be inhabited by retired old dears. Warwick ditto, but has grotty bits. Most people live in Coventry - I grew up there, it's horrid, but has some nice bits.

The groups side of things will be determined by where you live so you have to figure that out first. If you want to CAT me I can tell you what areas are like if you have any in mind.

[Rusty]

My DS is just finishing his first year at Warwick (History & Politics) & will be living in Leamington next year - there may be a lot of old dears, but there are an awful lot of students there too! It seems quite nice in parts - not the student parts! - though DS's house is not bad at all - it's just been done up & is in a nice pedestrianised road. But I'm not sure about it's @family-friendliness' - there may be too many old & young people & not enough inbetween.

[GlassSlipper]

Leamington is lovely.

[BrownieBells]

There are lots of parent & toddler / baby groups in and around Stratford....although depending on your price bracket - you may get more for your money elsewhere? I would have thought there were also a few in Leamington itself, but can't honestly say, as I don't go there very often apart form for shopping! (oh and dh works in Leam)

Let me know when you arrive in the area, and we could perhaps meet in Strat for a coffee or toddler group? (there you go - a friendly face already!)

[whomovedmychocolate]

Sobernow - should we start an 'ex-cov survivors' subgroup of Mumsnetters?

I grew up there and then moved back to bloody Corporation street after my degree - I lived above Lunn Poly by the Belgrade....oh how I enjoyed watching the stabbings on the weekend from my window.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Stratford is nice and not too far. Mind you I commuted from here (six miles south of Banbury) to Warwick uni in 40 minutes most days so there are lots of options.

I think Cheylesmore and Styvechale are okay in Coventry though.

The rest of it is chav-tastic!

[LunarSea]

Hi - Kenilworth is nice, but you'll find yourself using the car to get out as range of shops etc is limited. Leamington isn't all old dears (I live here and I don't think I qualify yet!) and there are quite a few baby activities etc. Warwick is quieter, and town centre is more limited.

Sobernow - IMHO Kenilworth is MORE expensive than Leamington. We moved from Kenilworth to Warwick because we couldn't afford the same size house in Kenilworth that we could in Leamington.

[whomovedmychocolate]

I used to squirt men peeing in the bushes outside my window with a supersquirter at 3am, they never knew where it was coming from. It was the only perk of living there. You poor sod working at the Belgrade!

Finham is still green? I heard the schools had gone right down the pan and it was now as bad as the rest? My parents are still there - you can tell things are bad, their road has speedhumps

[poptot]

I live In Kenilworth and love it please feel free to cat me

[funnypeculiar]

Ahhh, I grew up near Leam (dad works at Wawick Uni) - always thought Kenilworth was a bit dull... (sorry!)

[twinniemum]

Hi, I've just moved away from Leamington/Warwick! Kenilworth is really nice, do you want a town or a village? There is a lovely village called Lighthorne, then all around Leamington you have Harbury, Long Itchington (that has a good school)I would avoid Warwick Gates, and Witnash although really nice there is a real problem with schools, as they built a huge estate but not a school so there are parents with children in seperate schools even though they are within the catchment area. Warwick is nice, Leamington is also nice. As is Stratford. How far do you want to travel?

[whomovedmychocolate]

My fave part of Cov is seeing it disappear in the rear view mirror as I drive out of it.

Kenilworth does have a touch of the zimmertastic about it FunnyPerculiar

[poptot]

I'll give you zimmers you cheeky mare we love it for the children, great schools, parks, facilities, shops aren't great but I never need an excuse to go further afield for a shopping trip!

[funnypeculiar]

I grew up in Harbury, twinniemum! I loved it, but my little bro & sister found the lack of excitment somewhat trying!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Poptot - Kenilworth - honestly??? You've seen your high street right? I'm assuming you've been to other places now and seen what they are like???



People from Kenilworth are so touchy Millie, definitely don't go there!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Ah Poptot - misread your post, I thought you were praising the shops for a minute, was sending round the men in white coats.

Will just go call them off

[millie865]

Thanks for all the replies. Kenilworth looked good partly because DH currently cycles to work and wanted to carry on doing that but I'm not sure about the lack of shops. I'm not much of a shopper, but I do like being able to do everything on foot at the moment.

Price wise it's difficult to tell. Wherever we go we wanted to be within walking distance of shops and I think that might be easier in our price bracket in Kenilworth - we could probably get more for our money in Leamington but only if we lived further out.

Moving from Nottingham prices are a bit of a jump. Classic English understatement - its about £100K more for a similar house. So I guess we'll be downsizing!

We'll be house hunting at the weekend so I'll report back

[whomovedmychocolate]

Good luck with your search. Do feel free to get in touch with me if you want to know what particular areas are like. My parents are still in that area so I can always ask what the latest on that is in terms of crime etc (parents work for local authority so know of such things).

[jodiddley]

Hi, bit late to this and new to Netmums but just wanted to say I live in Warwick so if you want to know anything, give me a shout!! Will be happy to help as much as I can.

[LynetteScavo]

I really like Leamington - a children's hairdresser, and a good childrens shoe shop. I think the town has a good feeling to it.

[Chirpygirl]

DH and I grew up in Leam and his family still live there, I would join the hordes of people saying not to live in kenilworth...unless you want you kids to die a slow dull death of boredom (and coventry for that matter)
I grew up right in the middle of town (opposite the White Horse...) which wasn't great for kids stuff but DH grew up in Cubbington which is much nicer and next to the countryside for good jaunts.
Most of the villages around Leam are nice like Long Itchington, Bishops Tachbrook, Offchurch, Barford but maybe not Lillington/Sydenham or Whitnash (ooh, I'm sucha snob!)

Can't help with groups I'm afraid but I know there are a lot of playgrounds/parks in the villages so am sure you can meet up with people there?