What is Bracknell like?

[Quirkyme]

For a young, black single woman in my late twenties?

What is the place like generally, diversity-wise, racism? Links to transport/drives to London...

Considering looking at a place there, due to relocating for work purposes... and it seems not to be far from north-west Surrey - where I'll be working... is that right?
Surprised it came up in my Surrey radius search.

Thanks

Depends where you work really, I would not commute down the M3/A322 again! I used to do the commute to Guildford from Bracknell and it was a nightmare.

Not much in the way of nightlife unless you like chain restaurants. I would say lacking in diversity too to be honest. Some parts are nice though.

@MrsTWH

Depends where you work really, I would not commute down the M3/A322 again! I used to do the commute to Guildford from Bracknell and it was a nightmare.

Not much in the way of nightlife unless you like chain restaurants. I would say lacking in diversity too to be honest. Some parts are nice though.

Hello! Oh really... some of my work will be based in Guildford yes...

Okay thanks, so it's safe, and though it's lacking in diversity, is the demographic full of old people, or are there young people too etc?

Tbh what you've said isn't bad enough to put me off viewing just yeah, although I will be mindful of what you've said

I live in Bracknell.

It's fairly nice - quite convenient for transport, 10 minutes from the m3, 10 minutes from the m4, 25 minutes from Heathrow - direct train to London Waterloo, although only 2 per hour and they take an hour to get in as loads of stops.

Town centre is much better now since a major regeneration project, so it's quite modern and nice for shopping, good choice of restaurants although mostly chains. Plenty of facilities too, Swinley forest is on the doorstep with great walking/ biking trails.

I wouldn't say there's much nightlife specifically in Bracknell but Reading is only 25 minutes away which has lots going on.

As a previous poster has said, the a322 is a pretty major link road, so traffic down to the m3 in the mornings can be pretty painful, just something to bear in mind. You might be better off somewhere like Woking if you're working in Surrey.

Also - plenty of younger people here, I would say it's a lot of families, but there are some pretty new flats in the town centre and I would imagine they tend to appeal to a younger crowd.

@elessar

I live in Bracknell.

It's fairly nice - quite convenient for transport, 10 minutes from the m3, 10 minutes from the m4, 25 minutes from Heathrow - direct train to London Waterloo, although only 2 per hour and they take an hour to get in as loads of stops.

Town centre is much better now since a major regeneration project, so it's quite modern and nice for shopping, good choice of restaurants although mostly chains. Plenty of facilities too, Swinley forest is on the doorstep with great walking/ biking trails.

I wouldn't say there's much nightlife specifically in Bracknell but Reading is only 25 minutes away which has lots going on.

As a previous poster has said, the a322 is a pretty major link road, so traffic down to the m3 in the mornings can be pretty painful, just something to bear in mind. You might be better off somewhere like Woking if you're working in Surrey.

Hello, that's great, thank you for what you've shared! I'm keeping all my options open, haven't found anything in Woking as of yet! I wouldn't be commuting every morning to the office, so have lots of flexibility there , but that's good to know, thank you very much.

We lived there for three years. Wouldn’t do it again. Felt quite soulless.

Bracknell is the sort of place you want to drive through to reach your actual destination.

Soulless is about right. Lots of concrete. Id look elsewhere OP if you can

Are you avoiding Surrey because of the diversity aspect?

Is it that you'd like to live somewhere that's diverse (absolutely fair enough) or that you're concerned that it might be unfriendly?

Guildford is a massive commuter town to London so while not especially diverse itself is very liberal / full of people used to working in diverse places (what I'm trying to say here is lots of people who aren't ignorant dicks) so I think you'd find it friendly. Might be worth a day trip to hang out and see how you find it?

I'm white so I also appreciate I wouldn't know myself - I had a couple of close friends when I lived there who were Indian and Bangladeshi and they loved it.

@wheresmymojo

Are you avoiding Surrey because of the diversity aspect?

Is it that you'd like to live somewhere that's diverse (absolutely fair enough) or that you're concerned that it might be unfriendly?

Guildford is a massive commuter town to London so while not especially diverse itself is very liberal / full of people used to working in diverse places (what I'm trying to say here is lots of people who aren't ignorant dicks) so I think you'd find it friendly. Might be worth a day trip to hang out and see how you find it?

I'm white so I also appreciate I wouldn't know myself - I had a couple of close friends when I lived there who were Indian and Bangladeshi and they loved it.

Evening, no I'm not avoiding Surrey at all... I like Surrey and work there currentl (just not in the place I'll be working soon)... I'm open to anywhere, as long as the place itself is suitable, and safe... and not old people galore.. although diversity would be a plus, I can deal if not...

Deffo not avoiding, I know parts of Surrey really well :)

Just not seen anywhere suitable at the moment within Surrey..

I've also heard that Guildford may be a good shout also