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Original poster

Moving to Malvern/Cheltenham area?

134 replies

spinningbirds · 31/01/2025 19:08

Looking to move our family away from the busy and expensive south east, to a more rural area, but somewhere that's culturally rich (we're into art, books, etc) and with some lovely cafes, restaurants within a few miles.

Malvern/Cheltenham area seems to fit the bill, can anyone recommend nice villages, ideally pretty, with a pub, possibly a shop & school? At least 2 miles away from a motorway as we are looking for rural quiet asa a priority :)

Also, does anyone commute occasionally to london from this area? Is that mad to consider?! I need to pop to london 2-3 times a month for work, so can't really move as far as Herefordshire/welsh borders, even though it looks so pretty up there!

Any general advice would be gratefully received :)

OP posts:
newrubylane · 31/01/2025 23:42

Lots of people do an occasional commute from Cheltenham to London. It's a bit long to be doing every day, but it's certainly doable a couple of times a month.

Lots of lovely villages on the Cotswolds side. I don't know the area out towards Malvern very well though. A lot depends how far out of town you're happy to be.

Original poster
spinningbirds · 31/01/2025 23:49

newrubylane · 31/01/2025 23:42

Lots of people do an occasional commute from Cheltenham to London. It's a bit long to be doing every day, but it's certainly doable a couple of times a month.

Lots of lovely villages on the Cotswolds side. I don't know the area out towards Malvern very well though. A lot depends how far out of town you're happy to be.

Thank you

Probably up to 6 miles out of a nice town with a couple of nice cafes, maybe a book shop!

OP posts:
SerenStarEtoile · 01/02/2025 00:43

Have lived near Malvern. Villages around the extensive common land areas can be nice and think there’s direct train from Malvern Link to London. Been awhile so not sure about current book/coffee shops but there will be some. Try Welland, Birtsmorton or Colwall on the other side of the Hills.

Notgivenuphope · 01/02/2025 00:45

Worcester dweller here.

Hate Malvern. Cheltenham is lovely. Evesham is nice. Easy to get to London or Birmingham

NinnyNook · 01/02/2025 01:40

Notgivenuphope · 01/02/2025 00:45

Worcester dweller here.

Hate Malvern. Cheltenham is lovely. Evesham is nice. Easy to get to London or Birmingham

Hellooo fellow Worcester dweller! Yep, I dislike Malvern too - it's just so gloomy. Never can quite understand the allure.

barefootcook · 01/02/2025 03:54

What's wrong with Malvern? I have only been there at night and it looked okay. Is it worth a visit?

Skipthisbit · 01/02/2025 09:34

Loads of villages around Stroud, Cirencester and Cheltenham which are all lovely towns in their own way but very different.

Try Northleach (nr cheltenham)
South Cerny or Oaksey (nr Cirencester) Minchinhampton (nr Stroud)

Train to London about an hour and a half.

Thethruththewholetruth · 01/02/2025 10:24

Evesham is a shit hole! Full of cheap shops so is Stroud. Villages around Cheltenham are generally nice looking but there isn't a great deal going on and can feel a little inbred to me, unless of course you move to the posh ones like chipping Campden but they are £££.

Toddlerteaplease · 01/02/2025 10:33

I like Malvern but every single person I met was my parents age!

NotaCoolMum · 01/02/2025 10:37

Evesham is definitely NOT nice- I can absolutely promise you that!. High street is nothing but charity shops and a few mediocre restaurants. The park is nice but that about it. The shopping centre is run down, empty for the most part and filthy. Rising antisocial behaviour as well.

cheltenham is nice though and so is Worcester.

NotaCoolMum · 01/02/2025 10:38

Thethruththewholetruth · 01/02/2025 10:24

Evesham is a shit hole! Full of cheap shops so is Stroud. Villages around Cheltenham are generally nice looking but there isn't a great deal going on and can feel a little inbred to me, unless of course you move to the posh ones like chipping Campden but they are £££.

Thank you!! Yes it is!!! So many people on Facebook call it a lovely market town etc… it’s a run down shit hole!! 😂😂

Mumbodadhd · 01/02/2025 10:42

I toyed with moving to the malvern area as its so pretty, but from a young family perspective found there just wasnt much to DO. Better for retired people maybe!?

CMOTDibbler · 01/02/2025 10:46

I live in Pershore, and its a lovely town - nice cafes, pubs, stuff for children to do that they can walk to. Direct train to London (2 hours), I live right on the edge so I'm in open countryside in minutes, and its a very friendly town

My problem with Malvern is its so spread out along the hill that it is hard to be close to things.

Chrismaslights · 01/02/2025 10:47

I live near Malvern and love it - the theatre is great, couple of good book shops and nice gym/ spa options but I agree the demographic is on the older side.
Pershore is a lovely Georgian town on the river very near the new Worcestershire Parkway station which is on the direct Hereford to London line ( which goes through Malvern and Worcester). Also great links to Cardiff and Birmingham from this station. Would def pick Pershore or Malvern over Evesham. Cheltenham is livelier and is on the circuit for music/ comedy events more than drama and has the literary festival but has some extremely deprived areas in amongst the posh bits.

BakedAl · 01/02/2025 10:48

I live in Malvern. We love it. If you want a village there are a few around which fit the bill. Hanley Swan is lovely. A nice pub with good food, a local shop/post office, primary school and a good secondary close by. There are a few houses for sale there at the moment.
We love the community in our part of Malvern. The local pub is friendly and our neighbours are lovely and always willing to help one another. Our kids play in a local cricket club, where we spend a lot of time socialising in the summer.
There are a lot of old people in the town but there is a great science park, which employs a lot of people, so some of kids at the secondary are very bright and there are good links with cyber security/tech companies.

Chrismaslights · 01/02/2025 10:49

Cross post re Pershore!

Mrsladybirdface · 01/02/2025 11:12

Cheltenham is lovely and lots of villages around the edge. Dh commutes to London twice a week on the train( but we live near the train station). Could try Apperley village which will be a bit cheaper or go west to sevenhampton way. Bit closer to the action is gotherington or Gretton

SoapySponge · 01/02/2025 11:25

Don't be so sure about Herefordshire OP. I know a guy who commutes twice a month from Hereford - Liverpool Street.

Says it's a very long day but twice a month is doable.

Original poster
spinningbirds · 01/02/2025 11:51

NinnyNook · 01/02/2025 01:40

Hellooo fellow Worcester dweller! Yep, I dislike Malvern too - it's just so gloomy. Never can quite understand the allure.

Show quote history

That's so interesting; Is it because it sits on the east side of the big malvern hills, so only gets the morning sun - then is gloomy by the afternoon?

I'm super-sensitive to light and would always reject a house surrounded by tall trees, so this is a really relevant point for me, thank you! 🙏

OP posts:
Original poster
spinningbirds · 01/02/2025 11:54

Notgivenuphope · 01/02/2025 00:45

Worcester dweller here.

Hate Malvern. Cheltenham is lovely. Evesham is nice. Easy to get to London or Birmingham

Thank you, this is really helpful - can you expand on what you don't like about Malvern?

Haven't been to Evesham, I will look it up :)

OP posts:
Original poster
spinningbirds · 01/02/2025 11:55

Notgivenuphope · 01/02/2025 00:45

Worcester dweller here.

Hate Malvern. Cheltenham is lovely. Evesham is nice. Easy to get to London or Birmingham

Thank you, this is really helpful - can you expand on what you don't like about Malvern?

Haven't been to Evesham, will look it up :)

OP posts:
BuzzieLittleBee · 01/02/2025 11:58

I'm not sure Malvern is 'culturally rich'. A nice theatre, yes, but beyond that...

Evesham is definitely not nice.

But if you're looking as far as Evesham, maybe consider Stratford. I'd choose there over Cheltenham.

Original poster
spinningbirds · 01/02/2025 12:02

SoapySponge · 01/02/2025 11:25

Don't be so sure about Herefordshire OP. I know a guy who commutes twice a month from Hereford - Liverpool Street.

Says it's a very long day but twice a month is doable.

Ok that's good to hear. I love herefordshire's proper rural-ness, and we'd love a little bit of land if we could afford it.

I'm just a sucker for a fancy coffee, so need to make sure I don't end up living in the complete sticks!

OP posts:
Fuckle · 01/02/2025 13:10

Skipthisbit · 01/02/2025 09:34

Loads of villages around Stroud, Cirencester and Cheltenham which are all lovely towns in their own way but very different.

Try Northleach (nr cheltenham)
South Cerny or Oaksey (nr Cirencester) Minchinhampton (nr Stroud)

Train to London about an hour and a half.

Avoid Northleach.

There is a lovely wine shop. Kurtan's alright and Kerry Mucklowe is much better now her dad has moved on and the Rev Francis Seaton has moved to the parish.

But Mandy Harris still scares me. More than her dog.

NinnyNook · 01/02/2025 13:14

spinningbirds · 01/02/2025 11:51

That's so interesting; Is it because it sits on the east side of the big malvern hills, so only gets the morning sun - then is gloomy by the afternoon?

I'm super-sensitive to light and would always reject a house surrounded by tall trees, so this is a really relevant point for me, thank you! 🙏

Show quote history

Yes, mainly. It's oppressive, but then I too, am sensitive to light ( or lack there of). You have to be extremely careful if you like a sunny garden - be on the ' wrong' side of the hills and your garden will be cast in shadow even during summer. I also don't like the way villages are so spread out across the hills, so there is no proper ' centre ' and doesn't feel connected. Nothing is within walking distance, unless you like to trudge uphill for a few miles to get to your bookshop or pub. I agree with pp who mentioned pershore - it's very pretty surrounded by lovely countryside and river, has a good arts scene ( independent theatre/ cinema) and despite high streets struggling across the UK, has bucked the trend and is thriving with independent cafes/ fishmongers/ delis/ bakery etc. The train station is a huge plus to connect you with London.