Is Chesterfield nice

hotowelsandbaths · 2022-04-20T20:18:44+00:00

How would people who know anything about Chesterfield rate the town on balance. My friend lives there and am going to visit her very soon. I’m just being nosy, I’m going to visit her regardless.

MightyFishwife · 20/04/2022 21:23

It’s a dump. Then again, I’m biased — I’m from Matlock and there’s age-old animosity between us.

thefurriesthen · 20/04/2022 21:25

It's fine - I always feel like it could be so much better/more attractive with a bit of money and better town design, but it's functional, still has some shops on the high-street (which is something of an achievement in this day and age!) and I've always loved the crooked spire 🙂

It's one of the gateways to the Peak District - drive 20 mins or so further and you'll get to Bakewell, Chatsworth and some pretty Derbyshire Dales villages, which is well worth doing if you've got time.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 20/04/2022 21:31

I like the town centre and the market - I assume you know about the Spire.

The Museum is pretty good but I think it's closed for a refurb at present.

Rogue1001MNer · 20/04/2022 21:32

Agree with @MightyFishwife

TeddyTonks · 20/04/2022 21:35

If someone from Matlock is calling it a dump, it must be bad 😂

Potcallingkettle · 20/04/2022 21:37

Keep driving through and head out to the Peak District. Lots of lovely places in very easy reach. Depending where in Chesterfield it will probably be okay much like any non-descript town.

jcyclops · 20/04/2022 23:50

It's nicer than Aylesbury 😉

Libertaire · 21/04/2022 00:00

Well, it’s nicer than Mansfield… But then so is Chernobyl.

Joking apart, Chesterfield is fine. The best thing about the town is its location on the edge of the Peak District but accessible to Sheffield / Nottingham / Derby and, if shopping is your thing, Meadow-hell. The ‘naice’ side of town, as you would expect, is the west side, eg Brampton which is on the road to Baslow, Chatsworth etc.

HeArInGhandsgirl11 · 21/04/2022 00:03

Better than where I'm from 😂 Mansfield isn't the best!

mrsfollowill · 21/04/2022 00:12

It's a bit of shithole to be honest! I'm not rushing back there I'm not saying where I'm from as it's probably worse!

ShinyMe · 21/04/2022 00:29

I'm outraged that someone from Matlock thinks we're a dump. Sheesh. At least it isn't Mansfield though, so there's that.

Murdoch1949 · 24/04/2022 03:25

Blimey, you're visiting your friend not assessing Chesterfield. Any town/city has good parts and less good parts. Often the northern side is posh (Leeds) and the southern side not so nice. I'm sure Chesterfield is lovely.

BigMamaFratelli · 24/04/2022 03:48

thefurriesthen · 20/04/2022 21:25

It's fine - I always feel like it could be so much better/more attractive with a bit of money and better town design, but it's functional, still has some shops on the high-street (which is something of an achievement in this day and age!) and I've always loved the crooked spire 🙂

It's one of the gateways to the Peak District - drive 20 mins or so further and you'll get to Bakewell, Chatsworth and some pretty Derbyshire Dales villages, which is well worth doing if you've got time.

This. It's fine. It could be better. It's much better than 10 years ago. And it's easy to get out of.

ZealAndArdour · 24/04/2022 04:48

It’s bloody awful, I’d go so far as to say that Mansfield is nicer and has more going on than bloody Chesterfield. It’s redeeming features are the spire and it’s proximity to the peaks.

Chezvegas · 24/04/2022 08:04

I moved to chesterfield about 10 years ago and really like it. It is the gateway to the peaks. I've found it a fantastic place to bring up children. Would I have loved it as much in my 20s? Probably not, but for this stage of my life it's perfect.

I've lived in 2 big cities and abroad and never quite felt settled in them - too urban for me. It allows me to work in a city (sheffield/ derby/ Nottingham all commutable) lockdowns didn't feel so bad when you have nature on your doorstep locally.

So come visit and enjoy - get out in the peaks!

veronicagoldberg · 24/04/2022 08:31

The spire freaks me out. I can't look at it.

sageandrosemary · 24/04/2022 08:58

It's not a nice place at all imo. I grew up there and couldn't wait to leave. My parents are still there but hopefully relocating in a few years.

That said, are there any particular areas you're looking at or specific questions you have?

I'd move your search along a little further into the Peak Distract if I were you.

ShinyMe · 24/04/2022 10:01

For the people who hate it - what are the reasons?

I like it here. As @Chezvegas says (lol, that name always makes me smile, the kids at college use it a lot) it's small and friendly, it's easy to get out to the Peak, it's surrounded by countryside. It's also really close to the M1 and to Sheffield and on a direct mainline rail route to London, so it's easy to get out and to busier places too. I bought a house really cheaply in comparison to some areas of the country, and look out over fields, am 5 minutes from a canal and woodland, and also walking distance to a big Sainsburys, and I have most of the things I need within pretty easy reach. I suppose I'd be less impressed if I was 17 or something, but it suits me.

OP is only visiting though, so it depends what you're after...