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Original poster

Would you rather live next to a pub or a primary school?

123 replies

TustedFormula · 20/04/2021 13:36

I realise there are many who wouldn't consider either but humour me.

My boss is trying to sell her house, which is next to a large pub with a big beer garden. To me, whilst anything will sell at the right price, it's obvious that the pub will be contributing to the fact it's not selling.

This turned into a bit of lighthearted one upmanship because I live next to a school "which must be much worse".

It is true the school can be a nuisance, but it's never affected us much. When DC were small I was taking them to the school by foot, so traffic wasn't a problem and if you're working FT you're not there when the school is a problem. Yes, I'd expect the school to be a factor in any sale, it's one reason we could afford it when we bought, but on a daily basis it's not a problem for us. However, I would be very reluctant to live close to an urban pub and associated night time noise.

Which would you go for if you had to compromise in one or the other? Or both equally bad and we're both just used to what we know?

OP posts:
SweetPetrichor · 20/04/2021 14:30

Primary school, definitely. I currently live across the road from a primary school and it’s fine other than the parents parking for pickup time. Nobody seems to be able to walk anymore! It wouldn’t put me off buying a house. But a pub would.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 20/04/2021 14:30

I'd rather live next to a school, I don't have a car so parking is not an issue for me and I work out of the home so I'm not in during school hours.

PollyPepper · 20/04/2021 14:30

Pub definitely worse. Aside from parking, which again is only a certain times at certain months. I actually would love to hear the sound of kids playing

RowanAlong · 20/04/2021 14:30

Definitely school over pub!!

thenightsky · 20/04/2021 14:38

I've lived next to both.

The Primary school was by far the easiest to live with. Cars at 9am and 3pm but not for long. Lovely sounds of children playing out on sunny breaks and lunchtimes.

The Pub - drunks pissing over my front wall, stealing my flower planters, vomiting etc. Noise, shouting (both good natured and aggressive) until about midnight, with associated car revving and horns tooting. Occasional police having to turn out.

emmathedilemma · 20/04/2021 14:39

Primary school, no competition!

IaltagDhubh · 20/04/2021 14:40

Primary school, definitely! If it’s a good one with a small catchment, the proximity would be a selling point, rather than putting people off. Whereas late night drunks and gobshites in a beer garden on a summers afternoon would drive people to distraction.

Worst case scenario with a pub is violence, noise, mess and antisocial behaviour. Best case scenario would be annoying slightly tipsy people with unnecessarily loud voices spoiling the quiet of the weekend with their inane conversations.

I’m sandwiched between two primary schools. It was great when my dc were younger - the school run was out the front door and across the road. The worst thing is the bigger primary behind the house who seem to be determined to get their money’s worth out of their sound system... it’s quite funny watching the year 6 kids being forced to dance in the playground every morning.

Comefromaway · 20/04/2021 14:41

Primary school any day.

SocraticJunkieWannabe · 20/04/2021 14:43

Primary school definitely better. At least any noise is only in the daytime.

minniemomo · 20/04/2021 14:45

I live between both (15 doors from pub, 5 from school) neither bother me

PomegranateQueen · 20/04/2021 14:46

I have also done both. I would choose primary school over pub. The music, shouting etc was bad enough, but then the pub over the road from where we used to live started doing karaoke and tribute nights, it was hell to listen too!

The sound of children playing is lovely.

denverRegina · 20/04/2021 14:47

Neither really but school if I had to

MarshaBradyo · 20/04/2021 14:48

School no doubt

LadyEloise · 20/04/2021 14:48

Neither but a school if I had to.

denverRegina · 20/04/2021 14:48

"A pub that mainly serves food in a nice area is nothing like a city centre drinking pub."

There are no guarantees that any pub won't be a boarded up eyesore left to rot.

Bear2014 · 20/04/2021 14:50

We live right across from a primary school. It's noisy at times and it wreaks havoc with our parking, but it's also convenient as our kids go there!

I would hate getting kept awake by loud chat late at night, having people wee/puke in my front garden etc. As much as I love pubs, you need some distance there.

Scarby9 · 20/04/2021 14:53

A school.
Don't try to leave or return around school start/ finish, but otherwise no real problems.
I much prefer the sound of children's shouting and screaming over drunk adults...

LST · 20/04/2021 14:53

I would love to live next door to a pub

Yamashita40 · 20/04/2021 14:54

I live in a town centre so there is my son's school about 200m away as well as about three other schools within half a mile. I'm also about 250m away from two pubs.

The nearby school doesn't bother me as son is walked to school obviously with it being so close. Very handy if you've forgotten something.

We vaguely hear the pubs if it's late on a weekend but it isn't loud enough to bother us and it's over by half eleven.

I wouldn't buy a house actually next door to a pub though.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 20/04/2021 14:56

I'm by a primary school and wouldn't want to be next door to a pub.

We have to check the school calendar for events and be strategic with parking but I'd much prefer that to late night noise.

sanfranfibber · 20/04/2021 14:56

I live next to a primary school and the noise does not stop at 5pm. They rent out (I assume) their playground to groups of men playing football, bootcamps, carboot sales etc so the noise is family consistent!

The screaming at lunch time and during PE is pretty ear shattering.

Youdontknowwhatyoureonabout · 20/04/2021 14:57

Primary school.
If the winds blowing in the right direction I can hear the shrieks of the children playing at our local primary. Such a happy sound.
Drunk people talk far too loudly and I like early nights.

romdowa · 20/04/2021 14:58

A pub for sure. I lived in a cul de sac at the end with a primary school next door and every day, three times a day at drop off and pick up we had people crowded outside our house. Theyve blocked our driveway, parked so close that they have blocked our gate. They allowed their children to play in our garden and dump their rubbish over the wall. Heaven forbid that you ask them not to do this as the parents are mortally offended that you dare ask them not to disrupt the use of your own property. With it descending into a massive arguement on several occasions where we had to exit the house in an emergency. Once where a member of my family was having a serious allergic reaction. It was absolute hell and I'd rather a bunch of drunks any day of the week.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 20/04/2021 14:58

Just moved opposite a Primary school. Can't hear it. Live within the residents zone, so no parking issue. And now my children have got places there, I'm looking forward to a 10min total school run, as opposed to over an hour.

I'd avoid sixth form colleges though, especially if no student car park.

Friend who lives 50m from a pub was always getting blocked on her driveway, not ideal for an on call nurse.

GrumpyHoonMain · 20/04/2021 15:00

@TustedFormula

I realise there are many who wouldn't consider either but humour me.

My boss is trying to sell her house, which is next to a large pub with a big beer garden. To me, whilst anything will sell at the right price, it's obvious that the pub will be contributing to the fact it's not selling.

This turned into a bit of lighthearted one upmanship because I live next to a school "which must be much worse".

It is true the school can be a nuisance, but it's never affected us much. When DC were small I was taking them to the school by foot, so traffic wasn't a problem and if you're working FT you're not there when the school is a problem. Yes, I'd expect the school to be a factor in any sale, it's one reason we could afford it when we bought, but on a daily basis it's not a problem for us. However, I would be very reluctant to live close to an urban pub and associated night time noise.

Which would you go for if you had to compromise in one or the other? Or both equally bad and we're both just used to what we know?

I live walking distance from both and tbh the easy distance to outstanding primaries + a Michelin Recommended Pub was a huge draw for us. Yes the traffic can get a bit crazy but we’re just far enough that it doesn’t impact us at all unless we need to go out.