High Wycombe - bad areas?

[BoyMeetsWorld]

Hi,

For anyone who knows High Wycombe please talk to me about Eaton Avenue / Dashwood Ave / Abercrombie Ave

We've seen a house we adore around there but have been told the area is so bad it's not safe to walk around, especially at night. Is this really true? I'd be waking home alone at 6pm every night...

[TheSmallPrint]

Hi, I don't know your roads but I see they are not far from Desborough which isn't great to be honest although 6pm isn't really late.

The upside is you get a lot for your money in an area that's quite well placed for transport and close to the centre of town and West Wycombe which is quite nice.

[mumblechum1]

Desborough is definitely pretty rough, in fact most of the town centre is. There is a nice bit off the top of Marlow Hill, towards the RAF place. West Wycombe is nice too; it's a separate village and I think the National Trust owns part of it. Downley is also quite nice.

[fussychica]

Keep away from the sinkhole - sorry not helpful but couldn't resist.

[RightInTheKisser]

Personally I'd give them all a miss and stick to the outskirts of Wycombe.

I don't know if you have children but there are some very dubious catchment areas.

[RightInTheKisser]

Walking home I would feel perfectly safe though. Just wouldn't want to live there!

[Scuttlebug]

It's not so bad but depends what you are used to. I moved to HW from tower hamlets and believe me, this place is rather tame in comparison...there aren't many people out and about in the evening tbh, it can be quiet at night. Those roads aren't far from the lovely village of west wycombe but still walkable from town and all the nice shops, library and good market. Can you do a practice walk one evening to get a feel for the area yourself? I always think going to an area after dark can give you a totally different feel for a place than viewing it on a Saturday afternoon with an EA. PM me if you want to ask anything else about wycombe, we love it here!

[Itmustbeme]

Eaton Avenue used to be nice as I lived there 15 years ago but it is too close to Desborough Rd/Ave which should be avoided. I think you can find crime statistics on www.upmystreet.co.uk?

The roads you've mentioned are within walking distance of the town.....do you absolutely HAVE to be within such a close proximity? If so, does it have to be that side of the town? Like scuttlebug I can help.

[MotherOfInsomniacToddlers]

It's not as dangerous as you describe but it's also not an area I'd want to live in tbh

[redrubyindigo]

Worst three years of my life were spent in HW. I lived near the centre and I have never made so many 999 calls in my life. Stabbings, muggings, ram raiding etc. I saw a young mother with a 3 year old dd and a new born being rescued from an arson attack on their flat because they were Asian.

I witnessed a siege with a man holding his wife and small child hostage at knife point.

There were three rapes on campus in the space of three weeks.

I had bottles thrown at me because I was white in a 'black' area and a colleague of mine was throttled by the tie because he was 'in the hood' by a random bloke.

The Octagan shopping centre was a 'no go area' with groups of Asian youths locking arms and 'sweeping' through and knocking over anyone who dared to stand in their way. I once tried to walk through and had a cigarette stamped out on my shoulder burning through my coat and jumper through to my skin. The security did nothing but watch.

I could not go to the shops for a pint of milk after 9pm because I would be a walking victim.

I had a stash of drugs thrown into my garden and told the police. They shrugged and took them away.

I have lived in 'rough' areas of the world but HW was the worst. I will never go back to that fucking place.

I lived in a 'nice' part by the way.

[Itmustbeme]

redruby This ties in with a police officer telling me that Slough is now statistically safer than HW...and that says something.

[TheSmallPrint]

Blimey redruby that's not the HW I know

[firstpost]

It's not a great part of Wycombe to be honest. As others have said its the rougher edge of town centre. Totteridge / hazlemere/ Downley still cheapish in places but with better reputation. Whatever you do don't buy in castlefield

[redrubyindigo]

BoyMeetsWorld

Do not go there. It is a bloody horrible place. I have NOT GOT A SINGLE GOOD MEMORY of that town. I was frightened. My DH was mugged TWICE at knifepoint. I was once followed by a weirdo in an underpass and literally ran for my life.

The Rye is a common land/picnic place that is frequented by weirdos that follow you around. It is lovely to look at........but

When I lived there the BBC did a documentary on the drug culture in England. They centred the filming on an estate up the road from where I lived............. Castlefield.

I have lived in Bogata with no problems. High Wycombe scared the crap out of me.

[firstpost]

Oh and I love Wycombe would move back in a heartbeat if I could. Husband not so keen though ..

[redrubyindigo]

Ok. I had many a few bad experiences there.

Brunel University is now Chiltern University and I hope it makes it 'nice'.

[RainYourRottingMyDhaliaBulbs]

red what a portrait of a town!

I live near ish HW and its not a place I would go to shop to be fair, or hang out.

I have always found the town center lifeless and dull...an air of nothingness going on. People criticise Slough but you can't deny, the high street is usually buzzy in some way....

I have looked at housing round there because it is cheaper but I could not live there. They used to have a great ski ramp but even that has gone.

Its not a town I would want to live near to have to go to as my local town either. Its a shame, there is potential there. I would have a smaller house somewhere like amersham or henley or marlow or nearer there. Marlow Bottom is really high wycombe but sort of in the middle near marlow i would try there and good shcools there i belive..

[BoyMeetsWorld]

Lol! I should probably have made clearer : I already live in High Wycombe, but on the north side in a pretty good area. So was just looking for thoughts on that particular area, rather than the town as a whole.

Made for interesting reading though, ruby! It's funny - we had to move up here for DHs work and had heard similar things about Wycombe. Having lived in v picturesque places like York and N Wales, I still don't find Wycombe as a whole in the slightest bit scary / racist / grim etc - the general things you hear. The Eden Centre is pretty good and I've not encountered hosts of undesirables at either the Rye or Hughenden park, both of which we often visit with the kids. Despite being young, female, white I've never had any issues in the town centre & like the multi cultural aspect. But even I have my limits & wouldn't fancy a particular road notorious for rapes, mugs and murders.

[RayABlokeIUsedToKnow]

Seriously we are talking about a smallish town in Buckinghamshire. A ghetto it is not. It is very multicultural but in 30 years I have never witnessed one crime and do all of my shopping in the town. The Rye is beautiful with a lovely Lido.

That said I wouldn't like to live on the roads you have named. It's slap bang in the middle of Wycombe. Far too built up for me. You'd do better to look on the other side of the Mill End Road towards West Wycombe.

I am going to print off the quote about Marlow Bottom being Wycombe and put it on their village notice board. I would love to see their faces!

[BoyMeetsWorld]

Just trying to bump this-

Although I seem to have started a debate about high Wycombe itself, I'm still none the wiser whether eaton avenue is sufficiently bad to put me off an otherwise fantastic property....

[Vee53]

Hi,

I have seen a house on Hughenden Road, is this a safe/nice area to live?

[BoyMeetsWorld]

Hi Vee, sorry for late response. Did you end up going to see the house on Hughenden Rd? Not a bad area (though others may disagree), esp towards the lovely park. Just really really noisy on the road .

How to people feel about the New Road area? Any experience / thoughts?

[allwornout0]

I'm not keen on New Rd myself. It is always very very busy.

[Unsurechicken]

Could you look towards bourne end? Flackwell heath areas?