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Original poster

Moving to Basingstoke vs Newbury

145 replies

lunepremiere79 · 23/07/2022 14:16

Not a AIBU, posting here for traffic.. I've seen a number of now older threads but wondering if anyone can give an honest opinion on moving to/living in Basingstoke. We are looking to move out from a London suburb and looking for a nice area with things to do (pubs, shops, some buzzy atmosphere) and also for our dd3 to grow up in a family friendly place with good schools and plenty of activities. We have visited and loved Newbury - it's going to be a bit of a trek to commute to London though (we both currently have to do it about 1-2 times a week), so Basingstoke came up as an option, as commuting to Canary Wharf would be the same as our current commute from North London. I keep reading that it's a mixed bag of areas and it seems to be a bit of a marmite place but that things are changing for the better and it's a much nicer place to live now? Is this true?

OP posts:
BrioNotBiro · 23/07/2022 14:35

I personally think it's a bit of a 'none' place and a lot of shops etc have shut down and not reopened after Covid which has made it worse. Newbury is more interesting/historic.

Have you considered Winchester? Lovely place, good schools and entertainment etc and good connections to London trains/motorway. Expensive though.

Ziggerty · 23/07/2022 14:35

What is it you're looking for exactly? Basingstoke itself has a good bowling alley and ice rink etc, but otherwise its a bit soulless, some of the villages are quite nice.

1Wanda1 · 23/07/2022 14:39

Have you ever been to Basingstoke? If not, go there. It has good fast train link to London (much better than Winchester as it's further up the line and several trains go direct to London). But the town centre is grim. Soulless shopping centre. There is a big leisure centre on the ring road. Not much else to distinguish the place. Some of the villages outside Basingstoke are nice, but then you've got a longer drive to the station.

I grew up near Basingstoke and wouldn't choose to live there.

DorritLittle · 23/07/2022 14:43

How about places like Whitchurch, Alton, Farnham, Farnborough, Fleet.

Or Winchester and Petersfield if you have a big budget.

riesenrad · 23/07/2022 14:44

I think I'd choose Newbury over Basingstoke but BSK has better links to London.

What about Wokingham? It is expensive, though I can't imagine Newbury is that much cheaper.

Findyourwayback · 23/07/2022 14:50

I lived in Basingstoke all my life. The second I hit 18 me and DD were out of there! Don’t do it, the crime is surprisingly high, I didn’t know ‘everyone’ but have had 2 friends murdered, 4 who committed suicide and more or less everyone I know has been involved in some sort of attack/burglary. Afaik from friends still there; there is actually a massive London based gang taking over with selling heroin/crack. Agree with a pp Winchester is nice.

SavoirFlair · 23/07/2022 14:53

Winchester is nice, but does OP have Winchester budget?

Desert76 · 23/07/2022 14:58

I think I’m a lone voice, but I like Basingstoke.
The centre is not grim - I would say it is no worse than Reading, or Wokingham or Bracknell or Farnborough or Southampton or any other places around that area.
The shopping is great, there is plenty to do, the transport links are very good.
Old Basing is a nice part of Basingstoke, granted there are some less nice parts, but no need to write off the whole town.
There are some nice villages around, easy to get into the countryside for walks.

The schools aren’t great though - much, much better in Newbury, (although I am not completely up to date). If you are moving for schools I would go with Newbury - though you may be eligible for the Reading grammar schools with a Basingstoke postcode.

Panda89 · 23/07/2022 15:15

I grew up in Basingstoke - moved west to Wiltshire when I was 25 and I would never move back!
The schools are not great. Crime is quite high, my parents had their house burgled and car stolen a few years ago (and they live in a 'nice' suburb).
Newbury is nicer IMO, it has more character.

balalake · 23/07/2022 15:18

I hate 60s brutalist architecture, so would rule out Basingstoke in a heartbeat.

user1471457751 · 23/07/2022 15:22

@Findyourwayback and yet I've lived here for over 30 years and know no one who has been murdered, no one who has committed suicide, and the only crime any of us has been victim to is my bike being stolen 20 years ago. I think it might have been more the people you chose as friends rather than the town.

Findyourwayback · 23/07/2022 15:26

user1471457751 · 23/07/2022 15:22

@Findyourwayback and yet I've lived here for over 30 years and know no one who has been murdered, no one who has committed suicide, and the only crime any of us has been victim to is my bike being stolen 20 years ago. I think it might have been more the people you chose as friends rather than the town.

Or maybe it was being a child growing up in a town like that, made me witness things and be exposed to things I never ever should of. It’s hard in such a small place to just ‘escape’ from it! However I am glad that you have had a better experience living there than the 17 years I did.

Roominmyhouse · 23/07/2022 15:32

user1471457751 · 23/07/2022 15:22

@Findyourwayback and yet I've lived here for over 30 years and know no one who has been murdered, no one who has committed suicide, and the only crime any of us has been victim to is my bike being stolen 20 years ago. I think it might have been more the people you chose as friends rather than the town.

I also grew up in Basingstoke and didn’t experience anything like that. Lived there until I was 25 and only moved when I met DH. Loads of friends still live there as do just parents. It’s not the most exciting place ever but lots of places are like that. But it’s great as you aren’t too far from London or the coast and can also hop on a quick train to places like Winchester. I’d echo others that the surrounding villages are better than the town itself.

Katyrosebug · 23/07/2022 15:40

I'm form Andover but have worked in both Basingstoke and Newbury. Newbury would win hands down for me. Basingstoke has a good town centre for shopping, cinema etc.. But it's a concrete jungle, there's nothing to it, Newbury has so mu h more character

seramu · 23/07/2022 16:08

Lived near Basingstoke years ago. I'd say live in a village in between Basingstoke and Newbury. It'll lengthen your commute, but the right area will enable you to access Newbury Schools, and to go into Newbury for social activities, but also Basingstoke for the shopping etc, somewhere like Kingsclere or Headley or Ecchinswell.

riesenrad · 23/07/2022 16:17

OP if you need to get to Canary Wharf have you thought about places in Kent or Essex? Also if you currently live in North London would you have the budget for Guildford? Or Woking? It is a bit of a concrete jungle as well but I think it's probably a bit nicer than Basingstoke.

As for Basingstoke being a mire of crime, my son went to sixth form college there and seemed to come through unscathed! it is true that county lines are a problem, but I think that is true of anywhere.

DorritLittle · 23/07/2022 16:29

I actually quite like Basingstoke too. It is the best place for public transport in North Hampshire, there is a good library and some museums, good shops, an old quarter with decent walks and there is a lot of housing development and associated investment going on there.

But would I choose it over Newbury? Not sure.

Whereabouts in Wiltshire @Panda89 ?

Hesma · 23/07/2022 16:32

Look at Theale… nice village, great schools, direct train to London and only 9 mins by train to Reading.

Panda89 · 23/07/2022 16:41

Trowbridge

One thing I do miss from Basingstok actually is the direct motorway link! But Newbury has that also with the m4.

Ionacat · 23/07/2022 16:48

I’d go Newbury over Basingstoke. Basingstoke schools are a bit patchy. I also agree with looking at Alton or Fleet or perhaps Thatcham if you like idea of Newbury - it’s that bit closer to Reading.

Bluevelvetsofa · 23/07/2022 17:02

Fleet is mega expensive now.

Quarique · 23/07/2022 17:02

Basingstoke has an excellent teen Athletics Club at Down Grange.

Lonecatwithkitten · 23/07/2022 17:21

My DH I met me a Newbury dweller and him Basingstoke.
Basingstoke no longer has ab ice rink - closed, no longer has the aquadome - closed. There is a shopping centre opened in the noughties that is reasonable and lots of supermarkets.
We choose Newbury and once the Elizabeth Line runs from Reading Canary Wharf will be very easy,
We live in what feels like the middle of nowhere 5 mins from a Sainsburys and 11 mins from Newbury Station.
The other day I did Newbury Station to Tottenham Court Road in 51 mins via Elizabeth Line.
Newbury has good schools, market town feel with lots of culture and artisan stuff going on.
Newbury every time for me.

ANewNameANewDay · 23/07/2022 17:29

Basingstoke is really, really shit IMO. Newbury a bit better but if you're looking for a commuter option this way I'd go for Alton.

Bigger budgets you could look at Salisbury or Winchester, beautiful cities with heaps of buzz and history albeit you pay a premium for the privilege.

Andover is near both B'Stoke and N'Bury, on a commuter line and probably your cheapest option but it's the absolute worst place I've lived in.