Weston, Gloucester, Telford, Swindon

[Sittingonasale]

Ok, so my house has sold. In fact, I'm 6 weeks in and I'm looking to move to an area where I know people or where I'm not too far from family.
I have 3 children who are mixed race and have experienced racism in different forms since they were young, some areas more than others. (sadly this has to still be factored in in 2023).

I've lived in Somerset near to Weston so know the area fairly well but never actually lived in the town. I really miss living near the sea.

I do not know Gloucester but it would be within an hour's driving distance from family.

I grew up in Shrewsbury but don't know Telford very well. It's more affordable for me and I still have friends and family in Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury is still a possibility.

I have some family in Swindon but do not know it.

These are some of the areas I could afford to move to. I'm currently in South Wales in an affordable area but for the scheme I want to use (Heylo), I need to buy in England. The schools here also have been pretty dire where we live so I'm looking for better schools (primary and secondary).

I work as a TA and tutor currently but am looking into doing my TT next year.

Weston seems to be having a bit of a boom, probably because living on one of the new areas is good for commuting to Bristol, I think it's about 40 minutes from Worle or is it Milton Station to Templemeads and it is affordable, well more affordable than Bristol. All the new shopping areas as you drive in have probably killed off the town centre but I like big new free parking out of town shopping so it would suit me.

I think Cheltenham is nice but expensive from what I remember and I don't know Gloucester or Swindon.

Someone mentioned Worcester and I have to say it is the last place I'd move to. A pharmacist once told me the only place with more people on antidepressants was Oxford. No idea if it is true but not sure why she'd lie.

Thank you, am sitting in my sunny Swindon garden trying to figure out where on earth Frogpool would be, or what it might be a typo for 😂

Probably secondary. I have my degree and A levels but need to resit my Maths GCSE. Hoping to just do the QTS without PGCE.
I have applied for a few and am waiting to hear back.

😅 How strange!
Maybe I shouldn't to there with my anxiety then.

I really so need to meet friends and get out a bit more. I've not really made any here and never been very settled.

My Bristol based mortgage broker is recommending Worle at the moment as good for commuting. My DC aren’t school aged any more so unfortunately no idea what the schools are like. We did Cheddar Valley when DD was little then moved out of area for years and recently come back to the area with no regrets.

Weston itself has changed a lot since we were living near it 20 years ago when I really hated it. Now I feel it is what you make it and the easy access to Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Wells is really handy.

I went to university very close to Telford, it is one of the most soulless places I’ve ever been!

I live in Gloucester and it's not that bad. In places it is a bit of a shit hole but there are lovely bits too near the cathedral and the docks is quite lovely, the shops in the quays are a waste of time but the markets and music are great fun. They are heavily investing in a lot of new development so hopefully that rejuvenates the town a bit. It's quite diverse I'd say and you can get a lot for your money compared to surrounding areas. I do think if they develop the town well it will result in house prices going up but we'll see what they do. I've been very unimpressed with the kings square development.

Someone mentioned Brockworth upthread, that's a lovely place to settle down. Very villagy vibe with friendly locals and a lot of family pubs and decent schools. It's also in the middle of Cheltenham and Gloucester with Gloucester prices. Longlevens and Longford are really nice but a little more.

Not really getting the Gloucester hate either- I’m not local but have lived here for about 15y. There’s plenty going on, loads of interesting bars/restaurants for a city of its size if you take the time to look. We’re on the southern side, and both worked in Bristol for a while- train is dead easy, and because we’re close to J12 it’s not too bad a drive. The only thing I wish it had was faster trains to London but tbh we usually drive down these days and leave the car at DH’s office.
granted there are some shitty bits but find me a town that doesn’t have these!

Places do change. I was born and bread in Swindon and my family are still there. Parts of Highworth are lovely but it is changing and the secondary school there is not as good as it was. Family members live in Pinehurst and parts of it are not bad. It would be better if money had been spent on it instead of on commuter areas.

I would not go back there to live but then I live in London so it is what it is!

I'd go to Gloucester just for this -

🤣

@Sittingonasale Worcester is nicer than all of those if that's an option- Chippenham is maybe a better option than Swindon and probably in budget- only 12 minutes on train into Bath too and 22 minutes into Bristol

I've seen a reasonable amount of Gloucester and visited Swindon and Weston a fai few times. Never been to Telford. Positives in Gloucester are the docks and cathedral, but I'd hate to leave there - city isn't particularly nice and there are some rough types around. Swindon itself isn't anything to write home about (not many nice central pub/places to eat), centre with no character. Weston doesn't have the best beach in the world and like many seaside places is rundown, but I'd honestly choose either of those over Gloucester.

Actually, OP, there are other videos on that YouTube channel about Swindon and Gloucester that you might actually find helpful. How weird!

OP, I've just mentioned your post to DH and he's reminded me that when I had my covid vaccine, neither of us felt comfortable about me going to Gloucester for an evening appointment (I was lucky to be offered to qualify for my vaccine in January). In the end I waited for a 8.30am appointment to be faced with groups of people high on drugs/drunk in the streets. I guess if you could afford to live on the Cheltenham side, so would have the option of using that as you're main centre, it might be a better option.

I'm thinking Telford is going to be a bit far tbh now. My mum is here near me in South Wales so I can't be too far away and that's quite a trek up there. I think I'd just feel a bit cut off.

I do have a friend in Chippenham and they love it there but I just wonder how my kids would get if it's not so diverse (I don't know if it is as I've never been there).
I''ll definitely have a look at the youtube vids and see what they say!

''but I'd hate to leave there - '' I'm guessing you mean 'live' there?! 😂

I used to know Swindon well although have never actually live in it. Personally I would live there for all the tea in China!! It’s anodyne a cultural desert and uninspiring there are some ok places but no where really special. The shops are crap and the main high street is appalling it’s only redeeming feature is that it’s easy to get out of and go to better places as it’s on the M4 and other major A roads and has excellent trains to London Bristol and Bath.

What about Thornbury? It's an easy drive to Bristol, Gloucester and S Wales. Not sure how diverse it is but prices aren't bad

Is there anywhere nice within budget? 😭

It's important for me too that people are accommodating and friendly. I'm not very outgoing nor do I spend much socialising but I found London very lonely as we didn't even know who our neighbours were. Pretty much the same in Hertfordshire.
Somerset was better and people were more friendly. Shropshire people, from what I remember were fairly friendly but maybe not so at first. You have to get to know them and then they are long term. I still have many people I chat to from secondary school years and years ago on my FB.

I have tried very hard here in NP to settle in but I always think there's a slight anti English feeling when I've been looking for work and amongst my neighbours. The children are also forced to learn Welsh up to GCSE which they don't appreciate. I haven't made any good friends here really and have always felt quite lonely and a bit of an outsider.

I love Quedgeley and Longlevens (Gloucester).

What's your budget OP- ? I def think Chippenham is worth a look - we've got 'some 'cheaper areas here in Bath too (honest) and whilst it's not mega multicultural it's pretty liberal and I don't think people give a stuff about things like that- my friends son is mixed race and he gets no hassle at all - also Bristol - are you sure it's all out of budget? I like Bath better but I can see why Bristol might suit you. I think somerset is ideal for you if you need to get to south wales easily- Frome maybe too? Not cheap but cheaper than Bristol

I don't really want to go over 300K if I can help it Crikey.
I have an AIG for up to 400K but that would only mean a 25% share and a bigger rent.
I have about 100K deposit once this place sells but think I'm going to struggle getting another mortgage atm as I'm on a fairly low income and I know mortgages are much harder to get now. This is why I've thought about doing it with Heylo. You choose the house, buy your share and pay rent on the rest until you can staircase.
It's slightly different to HTB/shared ownership in that it doesn't have to be a new build and you can choose the house yourself.

AIP sorry!

I just think if I'm buying in Bristol or Bath I'm going to end up in a bad area. I'd rather live in a less expensive city/town but in a better area of it.

I also immediately thought of Worcester from your OP, and I see I am not the first. You might also consider other Worcs towns - Drotwich, Bromsgrove, or even (please don’t laugh) Redditch. It isn’t especially fashionable or naice in a MN-approved sort of way but it is very well-connected, your money will go a long way, and IMHO it is less rough than Gloucester on the whole.

What are your interests OP? I I know Worcester, Cheltenham, Malvern and Pershore well, including some of the Cotswolds. If you give us more of an idea of what you are looking for and budget that might help.