Alton towers village …. Please help!

[Jierty]

Basically me and DP are moving as I’ve got a job at Alton towers offices and he at JCB down the road.

We are moving from Birmingham. Would the actually village of Alton be too remote? Looking on a map it seems an hour ish from bigger cities and 30 mins to Derby and Stoke.

just worried I will miss a busier life and whilst we have to drive to nicer suburbs now as we are basically on the outskirts in a not very nice suburb, they are all a bit closer maybe 10 or 15 min drives rather than 20. Sounds petty but just weighing it up! Obviously the village itself is much nicer to be in and we love walking

Could you live out towards Ashbourne? It's a really nice market town, lots of great walking nearby too.

Hi - I'm originally from the area. Alton Towers is basically in the middle of a huge rural area, and yes, if you are not used to this, it is going to feel isolated. This is going to be true of any village around the Staffordshire Moorlands or across the border into South Derbyshire, not just Alton. Uttoxeter is the nearest town, but it is still very small with a small town vibe. Public transport is extremely limited, so you are mostly driving everywhere.

In practise, if anyone goes to a city/larger town, it will be Stoke or Derby, maybe Stafford or Burton. Nottingham and Birmingham are within reach, but it would be rare that anyone living around the Uttoxeter area would venture that far. In all honesty, a lot of people won't usually go further than Uttoxeter.

Specifically where else were you thinking if not Alton itself? Alton is a lovely village (although very hilly!), I was always jealous of my friends that lived there. Personally, the small town/isolated feel didn't work well for me. I left for university and never moved back. However - now that I am older, I can definitely appreciate better how beautiful the area is. The countryside is stunning, and there can be a strong community feeling. So it definitely does depend what you want.

Feel free to ask any questions, and I'll do my best to help.

I live near by and know lots of people who work there. Do you drive?

Thanks!

@OtterAnimagus @Cloudonthemountains @QuantumWeatherButterfly

yes I drive. I would probably go to Stafford to get the train to bham to see old friends but the reality is we never actually go into Bham so really we are on the outskirts of a city in a grubby area but are fifteen mins to edgebaton and harbourne etc.

family are saying the next at the retail park in Stoke is the same as the one on the outskirts of Bham! Hah.

I feel so conflicted as the main thing I like to do is eat out… I have seen there are a few pubs in Alton and there’s the denstone farm shop?!

i used to live in Ashbourne and didn’t like it though it’s a nice town. I guess I’m not a town person, it’s either city or village for me!

My experience of the food at the Alton pubs isn't recent enough to be any help, I'm afraid. Back in my day, they were the nicest pubs around, but that may not be the case these days. I do still have slightly tenuous family connections to the area, and I hear through those that the Denstone Farm Shop is very good, especially through breakfast. There are a few other good pubs around Uttoxeter that have nice food too, and even more as you go up into the Moorlands/Peaks as they're catering as much for tourist trade as locals - however, you will be driving to absolutely everywhere other than your local village pub, so depends how much you enjoy a drink with that meal!

Nowhere nearby is going to have the same feel even as suburban Birmingham (which I also know really well). I think if you're going to do it, commit to going full rural. Alton is nice, but the traffic up to the Towers can be awful (the roads are narrow and the coaches are big!). Denstone is nice, and I always liked Ellastone and Bramshall.

Honestly I’d move to Stoke. I don’t know derby well but from stoke to Alton towers it’s a straight run(through the lanes). I know Stoke has a bad rep but i like it. Good transport links, Trentham gardens, festival park, Piccadilly in the town centre has been done up. I wouldn’t move to Alton, it’s lovely but miles from anything. Cheadle is also an option (I’m assuming the JCB job is Rocester?). Some parts are a bit rough and it’s a smaller place but only 20 mins to Stoke town centre? Or Dillhorne? Blythe Bridge is nice and again onlt 20 mins from the town centre