Bridport, Dorset - please could you tell me about it if you are in the know?

[Moisetting]

This is currently top of my list for relocation over the coming months. Year 3 DS with mild SEN. Any info on primary schools, after school/break clubs, holidays clubs, after school activities, pros and cons of living there. Would be so grateful :)

My father lived there for about a decade and my son was small at the time and I didn't get the vibes that it was a particularly child-friendly place. No railway station either - I wouldn't choose to live somewhere without some level of public transport. But I can't comment on schools and I have no idea about Dorset's SEN provision. It might be worth asking on the SEN boards actually as I think it can be difficult to move areas without having to start all over again with getting the right provision in place (assuming that you are not already in Dorset).

Yeah I think nearest train is Dorchester, but I never use the train anyway

Any other views on Bridport?

Great for grown ups. Not great for kids and teens. Public transport is useless and the school runs are a nightmare.

Lovely market though.

Locally you get the usual low level asbo and vandalism associated with bored youth.

Deathly dull once you get to secondary and teenage years and shocking employment prospects for young people. Involves large amounts of taxiing for Mum and Dad to Dorchester or Weymouth. Same for a choice of further education colleges- up to an hour on the bus each way. A35 can and does get blocked by flooding making Dorchester inaccessible.
Reasonable enough things to go and do with primary aged children although very samey. Vurlands farm/swimming pool, some forest schooly type activities.
Absolute bedlam with the grockel influx in the summer making accessing lots of activities for kids seriously unpleasant.
Schools - real mix. Have you any advance on areas you'd chose? Lovely little village Schools but then single track roads to them in the middle of winter aren't fun.

Oh after school/breakfast club etc provison etc is very dependent on schools. Not particularly heard of any running holiday clubs either- I spent my misspent youth in the area and reliant on friends that remain there for info on schools and activities with kids.

I'm about 30 mins away and visit quite often on a Saturday for the street market - food and drink, books, plants, general bits and pieces and lots of antique / junk stalls off the main road. Nice to potter about and get coffee & cake. There's also a Waitrose, brilliant fabric / haberdashery / wool shop and several antique warehouses to explore, together with some little independent shops. Jurassic Coaster bus trip worth it for top deck views. A brilliant family butcher who at this time of year imports lots of French onions and garlic which hang in the old-fashioned shop. An interesting secondhand book space in old church, quite a few charity shops for all sorts of bargains and the usual high street retailers like Costa, Boots, Fat Face, Mountain Warehouse, Holland & Barrett, SpecSavers etc. Large Morrisons not far away, together with Lidl and Aldi. Large garden centre 10 mins drive + coast at West Bay.

So a pleasant little town IMHO but not sure there's much for children / teenagers but being very close to the beach is a plus at any age! Where are you relocating from?

Not sure I would choose Bridport for raising a family, though DH and I seriously considered buying there recently now DS has fled to the bright lights.

With pretty much anywhere that side of the county, be prepared for much taxiing in the teenage years.

Theres a lot more for young families around the Dorchester/ Weymouth way (and mostly very good schools in the Dorchester area particularly) Was there a particular reason for picking Bridport?

There is a Lidl but the nearest Aldi is (I think) Weymouth or Honiton.

We are rural tourist area already so it won't be much of a culture shock in that way!