To ask about living in Chesterfield

[Didiusfalco]

I noticed a few Chesterfield mnetters on a thread last night, so I'm hoping they're still around to give me some advice.

Dh is on a secondment to the north of Nottingham not far from the m1, if it becomes permanent we are going to need to relocate. We have looked at other places but liked Chesterfield when we visited.

Can anyone tell me about which areas are nice, where to avoid? Which schools are good? What the housing market is like? Whether it would be an easy place to settle as an incomer? Thanks.

I moved to Chesterfield from Nottingham and it really wasn't for me. If you're a city person then I'd advise really getting a feel for the place before moving. I really struggled to fit in and meet people. We lasted six months before moving on!

My parents in law live in Wingerworth and my husband grew up there. We lived there for a month recently while we had building work, I am in mat leave so spent a lot of time there. It is a nice place, quite, primary school is supposed to be good, secondary not so much. Feels very safe, quite middle England. Pretty boring to be honest, very suburbia. We live in Sheffield which is great but probably a bit far for you. I'd maybe suggest Matlock as well and maybe check out some smaller villages if you like a more rural life. The town centre of Chesterfield is a little run down but it is friendly and there is everything you need there.

Thank you for all the replies that is really helpful. I totally agree about the library Pingu my nearest has closed down and I googled to see if there was one is Chesterfield - it's a real advantage as far as I'm concerned.

It's great to know what areas to avoid as well as which to look at. There seems to be a number of good areas, which gives us some options.

Mozzchops I admit I saw it on a sunny day - is it really so bad? I live in a very mixed city suburb at the moment. If I stand at the end of my road I can see high rise flats in one direction and expensive 5 bed houses in the other - with that in mind would I find Chesterfield a shock/depressing?

Oh right Gently thanks, yes, I suppose I am a city person. What was it about where you were that put you off? Too rural? Not enough facilities? Too insular?

Whereabouts is your dh going to work? My parents live in north Nottinghamshire but closer to Mansfield. Around there, ravenshead, hucknall, papplewick and Linby are all nice.

I'm not sure exactly which motorway junction he comes off at, but I don't think it is far from Hucknall muddy. I had considered Hucknall, but it looked like it flooded badly in - was it - 2013? That really put me off.

I went to school in chesterfield, Walton and Brampton are very nice, but houses are pricey. Hasland is lovely - not too far from town but has a lovely village community and the schools are excellent.

I live in Bolsover now - bits of it are very nice and bits as mention are awful. My dscs went to Bolsover infants & juniors both very good and the high school has a much better reputation than in the past as does shirebrook academy. I would however avoid new Bolsover primary! Brockley is excellent however

Schools for chesterfield itself

Westfield in Brampton is excellent and feed to Old Hall juniors again excellent

Walton & Holymoorside is in Holymoorside village and excellent primary

Brampton Primary is very good

William Rhodes and Whitecotes don't have the best reputations but aren't too bad

High schools for Walton and Brampton

Brookfield is very good

Parkside not as bad as it used to be but still not great

St Mary's is excellent BUT it is a selective catholic school

Outwood Academy in Newbold is a mixed bag. I know people who love it but personally I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Feel free to pm me if you want to know more specifics

Ok, I don't remember that but I've been further south for a while. If it's not far from hucknall, Linby and papplewick will be nice areas near newstead abbey and ravenshead is lovely but quite pricey. I was brought up in south normanton which is the next junction up the m1 (28) before Chesterfield. It was nice enough then but I think there are rough parts like anywhere. Not sure what it's like now though. The m1 can be a right nightmare though during rush hour which will make commuting a nightmare. Particularly Friday's and Monday's are bad!

This is all interesting stuff. I'm considering moving back to Chesterfield. Moved away many years ago as a bored 20-something with no prospects for work in such a small town. I'm considering the west side of the town as the schools seem better - and there's no way I'd want my kids to have to endure the shitty schools I went to there! Will keep an eye on this thread :)

There are so many nice villages within easy distance of the M1, either jn29 or jn30, and you'll have a broad spectrum of opinions of nice places to live, though we all seem to be saying the same thing about the places to avoid.

Can we do the house hunting for you? What's your budget? How many bedrooms? What are your must haves/must nots?

OP I also live in a city, live in a reasonable part but work in the arse end of my city
I'd rather live there than Chesterfield
There's no diversity, nothing remarkable at all

IMHO yes it's that bad
I'd rather spend a week in Afghanistan

On the list of places to avoid like the plague;

Clowne
Birdholme
Boythorpe
Danesmoor
Clay Cross
Holmewood
Grassmoor
Carr Vale

The problem with Chesterfield, and most of NE Derbyshire, is the schools. I grew up there, went to college in Chesterfield and have many friends and family still there. Most of them are already stressed about secondary schools as they're so bad. My secondary failed Ofsted in 1996, has been renamed a couple of times and is still in special measures.

Saying that, my DSIL works at Henry Fanshawe and that seems to be good. Out of your way though.

Thanks for that list Wheres thats really comprehensive. I had a quick look at the Outwood Academy Newbold and it looks like it was inadequate before being taken over by an academy chain, so I guess it depends how successful that is? - possibly not a chance I would like to take.

Lady Choppington, what were considered the shitty schools when you lived there and what are the positive points that would make you move back?

Thanks Boogers we are still waiting to see if dh's secondment turns in to a permanent job, its been extended by another 6 months and despite the ridiculous journey he is doing at the moment, we can't really make a move until we have some confirmation of that - if it were to happen we would be looking to spend up to £290k.

Mozz - You're not too keen on Chesterfield then?

Interesting Sellfridge sounds like I need to be careful. I totally understand about the stress of bad secondary schools - round here the good ones are outstanding, but the bad ones get less than 40% with 5 gcses grade A-C.

Problem is, Nottingham seems to have the same issue with schools - good ones horrendously oversubscribed, bad ones - really bad, so it looks like to get within reaching distance of work we're going to have this problem whether around Derbyshire or Notts.

Lots of people still have the memories of when they were at school - as do I. But a lot of my friends have kids at these schools now so I am seeing how much many of them have come on. Had you asked me about Bolsover 5 years ago I would have said it was a shit hole and I would live here if you promised me millions of quid a week. I live here now due to dscs being at school here and is isn't as bad. My dp went to Moorfields in the 90's and said it was awful but now his ds is at The Bolsover School he admits it is a hell of a lot better!

Schools like Outwood & Whittington Green have always been crap, and imo have got significantly worse in recent years. Schools like Parkside and Springwell have improved a lot. They are not in the league of Brookfield/St Mary's but they are good.

A lot of the issues are the areas the schools are in. Areas where unemployment is high and unfortunately breeds poor schools and poor pupil behaviour.

My friend withdrew her daughter from Outwood after a teacher assaulted her and the management team swept it under the carpet.

Another one saying to avoid Chesterfield. The only redeeming feature is the road out...

If your husband works near Nottingham I would look closer to there. I live nearish to Chesterfield (and have worked there) but now work very near Nottingham. That's where I would be looking.

Sorry, not much help but, in my opinion, I wouldn't touch Chesterfield with someone else's bargepole...

Chesntoots thats interesting - what is it about Chesterfield that makes you say that, it looks quite pleasant??

No offense to any Nottingham people but we've lived in Leicester and it feels like more of the same, not that there is anything wrong with either, but not something we can get particularly enthusiastic about. Also the schools seem if anything even more problematic than Chesterfield.

Like a pp said, the town centre is very outdated and shabby and some of the local areas are very rough.

It's a pity because the town could be a lovely place. There are some really nice buildings and the park is very pretty (the geese are evil though!).

I can't comment on things like schools because I haven't got children.

I use the m1 daily and mostly it is ok. Slow but moves. The Sheffield section is awful!

If you do decide to look further aouth avoid anywhere that joins the m1 at junction 28! The A38 is a bloody nightmare at rush hour and the junction for the motorway is hideous!!

Chesterfield has a lot going for it, it has a nice cinema, lots of lovely restaurants, Einsteins is great, Craft Burger is also excellent, there are lots of active Scouting/Guiding groups as well as a very successful St John Ambulance that runs junior groups. Lots of good local football clubs for kids, hockey and netball, basketball are all popular. The drama schools are very good as are the ballet schools

As with any town you will find people who love it and those who hate it.

I am not its biggest fan - I was born and raised in London so I do find it a bit too quiet and it is frustrating that there isn't more to do in terms of museums and cultural activities. However, there is ample of you enjoy walking or hiking and Sheffield has some excellent theatres! If big name groups/artists don't come to Sheffield they normally go to derby or Nottingham which are both only 20-30 mins away.

I have grown very fond of it over the years!

Shopping is ok for everyday stuff but again Nottingham/Sheffield are better and easy to reach/park although for Nottingham use the park and rides cos the ncp run the city car parks and they know how to fleece you!

As for nights out, bars in chesterfield are good. Chandlers is excellent for cocktails and the owner has won all sorts of awards!

In Chesterfield itself I'd stick with Brampton, Walton, Hasland or Calow. They're all close enough to get to the M1. However honestly I would look at living closer to Nottingham itself if your Dh is working there. I used to live in Chesterfield but work in Nottingham and the commute was a nightmare, should technically only take about 30 mins but traffic on the M1 between jct 30 and jct 27 especially is a nightmare, always long tailback in rush hour and can often take 60-90 minutes easily each way. That doesn't even include trying to drive into Nottingham itself which can take ages, I used to park at the park and ride closest to the motorway and get the tram into Nottingham, think it's called Phoenix park? Much cheaper as didn't have to pay for parking just a weekly tram pass which was pretty cheap and also cut out half an hour driving into Nottingham.

Where exactly will your husband be working, OP? That motorway journey between Nottm and Sheff can be a bugger at rush hour.

What kind of area are you after? Rural? Small town? City suburbs? You mentioned having lived in Leicester. Yes, living in Nottingham would be pretty similar - what puts you off that kind of move?

Also, what kind of amenities are important to you?? Where have you been living previously? What are you used to? (For instance, someone mentioned that Chesterfield had a 'nice cinema'. AFAIK, it has a smallish chain Odeon on a (depressing) leisure park packed with the usual Frankie & Bennies, Chiquitos etc etc. Not what I'd call nice...)

I lived in Bolsover for a few years, my DS went to Bolsover Infants & then the Juniors which were okay but he's doing much better since we moved. We lived at the top end and it was alright but I personally wouldn't go back, I don't think I'd have wanted to live in Chesterfield itself but Brampton & Hasland are lovely.

I'd look nearer Nottingham too as there's some lovely places around there.