To ask about Ashby de la Zouch?

[Didiusfalco]

Posting here for traffic as i noticed a few Ashby folk on the 'sneering' journo thread. Dh's job is relocating to the East Mids and because of the motorway network Ashby de la Zouch looks like a good option. So, one damp Sunday we went to have a look round. I feel umcertain about it and have a few questions, but would welcome any observations from people in the know.

Are the schools as good as they sound, are there any to be avoided or any parts of town to avoid?

Is the nearest a&e department in Burton?

Is the nearest train station Burton and what is the transport like for getting out of Ashby de la Zouch?

Is there a park with swings etc for children within the town - i cant seem to find one?

Is there much going on for children? Would teenagers be bored?

Are there paths that you can walk on out of town to open countryside?

Would you recommend living there?

TIA

DH worked in Beeston for yrs. We sometimes walked around there. I wasn't impressed. Only time I ever heard the P word shouted out of a car as abuse, but it was 12 yrs ago.

Have you considered newark on Trent? Market town on a46 to nottingham, trains to London 1hr15 and also on the a1?

As I work in Loughborough I'm going to chip in again. It's a much bigger place than Ashby but I don't like it as much personally. While there is a uni it definitely has some rougher spots and I don't think the shopping and culture it offers, in proportion to its size, are very good. Burton is much better for shopping/culture than Loughborough even though it's a similar size.

I was born in Burton and many of my family still live there. Don't do it. Seriously.

If your DH is going to work at J26 then I would strike anywhere to the east of the city off your list.

Can I just point out that Notts is the abbreviation for the county of Nottinghamshire, you might find yourself confusing people. I write Nottm for the city itself.

I know that people are posting about "culture" in certain towns but do people really spend so much time doing cultural things that it would dictate where they live? Maybe I'm in a minority but for the number of times I go to the theatre or an art exhibition (is that what culture means) it really doesn't matter if it's a 20-30 minute drive to the nearest city.

For J26 Ashby is just as good as anywhere else I'd say, you'd only be on the M1 for a couple of junctions and they aren't the ones that normally have bad traffic, I wouldn't go to Chesterfield for commuting reasons alone, I don't know anything about the city.

Do you have a set budget, that could be a very big factor

I agree with people saying that if work is north of Nottingham I wouldn't live in Ashby if you can help it. I commute to Leicester and that's bad enough but I'd take that any day over commuting on the M1. I know lots about NW Leicestershire but I can't offer any guidance on Nottingham as I just use it for shopping!

I agree with everyone that says that neither of you want to spend any more time on the M1 than you have to. The stretch between 24 and 30 is a bloody nightmare. Notoriously awful. It's difficult without knowing specifics, but the east of the city is on the doorstep of the A1, which is a far far FAR more civilised route to the south, depending on where you want to go of course.

The city being Nottingham...

I know that people are posting about "culture" in certain towns but do people really spend so much time doing cultural things that it would dictate where they live?

Good God, yes.

I can't claim I pop to the opera every weekend (or ever), but I'd hate to live in a place where 'culture' is found somewhere else and I have to travel to it.

I grew up in a Home Counties dormitory town with a few chain stores and retail parks. The cinema shut down when I was a young teenager. Everything interesting seemed distant and 'other'. (At least you could get a train to London.)

I am delighted that my kids - now teenagers - live somewhere where interesting things happen and they can access them easily. For instance, they're interested in performing and they've done youth theatre at Nottingham Playhouse. Really high quality and they get independence travelling there on the bus. (And from there they've joined the theatre's Critics Circle which gives them free access to all main stage productions.)

But culture doesn't have to be galleries and museums. I'm thinking more about cinema, sporting culture, food culture. You're much more likely to make use of it if you don't have to make a special trip. My boys have had season tickets at Trent Bridge - £25 for the whole summer so they often go after school, meet friends there etc and it averages out at three or four pounds a match.

So yes, that's what I like about living in a city.

I'd cast my vote for Southwell, gorgeous market town plenty going on, good transport links, family activities, excellent schools and nurseries in the area. Not far from J26 at all.

Are you buying op?

Ashby is great. it was fine as a teenager, but that was a long time ago. There used to be plenty of buses and it wasn't hard to get served in pubs underage back then.

I wouldn't want to commute to north of Nottingham from here, but I'm not used to much of a commute. You definitely don't want to be as far as Tamworth.

There's plenty for young children in ashby and the schools are good. You'd struggle to find a much better place to live that's got the mix of convenience and countryside. I wouldn't write it off because it may seem a bit boring.

Oh dear lljkk thats quite off putting!

I had dismissed Southwell on the basis that it flooded, possibly not the best commute either?

Looking to spend in the region of £250k-£275k on a house. Does that rule anywhere out?

I guess theres no substitute for going to have a look - hoping somewhere grabs me, as i didnt get a strong feeling either way about Ashby.

Nottm - noted! - thanks

Oh thanks Dont its definitely worth another look then? I think i would have seen Ashby at its worst - rainy Sunday, most things shut.

OP I've never experienced anything like that in Beeston. And I'm pretty sure it could happen anywhere.

Southwell's lovely but more awkward for J26 - the wrong side of town.

OP did I miss, what kind of area do you want to live in - city/suburb/small town?

If I/we had to commute to M1 J26 I would stick quite locally to that area. You can get a bit carried away with how far you can get on the motorway around here, and end up with a really horrendous commute in rush hour. I know someone who lived near Ashby and worked in that big business park off J26 and he was relieved to get another job and not have that commute any more.

I don't know the north/east side of Nottingham that well but I really like Nottingham as a city. I would explore places on the right side of town first, or even into Derbyshire - Ripley etc? It might not be as chi-chi as West Bridgford but it's not universally grim either.

I think you're right steam I've always lived either in cities or suburbs of large cities. This is probably what I'm comfortable with. Not necessarily chi chi (actually one of the places I've lived I've seen described on mumsnet as 'depressing')

I think based on the advice on here the next place I'm going to look at is Beeston/chilwell/Attenborough area. This is because of what several people have said about the horrible commute on the M1 and also it looks really well connected with train/tram etc.

Still open to other suggestions and opinions though!

Loughborough and beeston are not nice IMHO.
I know both well.
I would agree with west Bridgford (if you can afford it!!)
Also bramcote village.
Toton/chilwell/Attenborough are fab for transport links to Notts now.

What's wrong with Beeston? The high street is fine, and some of it has changed recently. But yes chilwell, Attenborough, Toton etc are much nicer. Transport links are excellent.

Right, will pay particular attention to chilwell, Attenborough and Toton!

I personally don't like it
And the op asked for opinions
That's mine

If you're used to city living then Ashby would be quite different to that, but there is some culture here. There's a monthly comedy club, film nights and an am-dram theatre. There are quite a few other regular events, especially over the summer. There's plenty of cafes, restaurants and pubs for a town of this size. And far too many hairdressers, beauticians and charity shops.

You should get a decent house in ashby for that sort of money.

I don't think you'd gain anything on the commute by moving to Loughborough.

West Bridgford is a good suggestion, but I don't know about schools or house prices there.

I work in the North of Nottingham just off the M1 actually and I live in Derbyshire its only a 30-40 minute commute Derby has good road links and whereas not as much as Nottingham it certainly has plenty to do plus lots and lots of countryside

I'll forget about Loughborough then Badders as its still a bit of a commute It would need to be lovely to make it worthwhile.

I haven't ruled Ashby out Dont it would be a change, but the people who have posted who live there sound positive about it and the Ofsted reports on the local schools make good reading too, which is definitely a pull.

I think West Bridgford might be a bit expensive for us, and having searched old threads there seems to be a school place shortage there?