To ask you about Bristol

[HungrySleepyGrumpy]

Sorry for posting here for traffic but I'm struggling to find answers through my own research.

My DH has a new job and we're looking to move to Bristol area as a result of this. Any advice on best areas to aim for or areas to avoid? Any primary schools to avoid??

Doesn't necessarily have to be in Bristol city itself, surrounding areas would be okay too. I'm just finding it so hard to figure it all out. House move with so many unknowns plus school move for multiple kids is making my brain explode!

Please help 🙏🙏🙏

On that budget I'd definitely look at east Bristol - St George, Redfield, Fishponds, bits of Eastville. Housing stock is a mix of Victorian through to 1930s so you can get some nice size properties with decent gardens, and parking isn't quite as dire as Southville/Bedminster. Getting into town isn't worse than from any other part of Bristol and it's good for Temple Meads. Getting to the airport is a bit of a faff but not dreadful.

@MrJollyLivesNextDoor

It is a bit of a stretch, but not quite as far a stretch as Cardiff Airport 😉😂

We lived in Henleaze when we lived there and I would pick westbury park, Henleaze and westbury on Trym if you want a bit more 'sedate' but with facilities - I like Clifton and redland and St Andrews too at the posher end of the market - there is a big student vibe still in those areas and lots of huge shared houses and it can be very studenty too in other cheaper areas like Bedminster and St George's and Horfield and in my experience it can be awkward finding a good place that's not next to a 6 bed house share etc with bins everywhere- depends if that bothers you though- if I was younger and maybe a bit more into a 'vibe' it probably wouldn't have bothered me so much. we were in our 50s though when we lived there (husband originally from there, thought he would love it and just didn't). He got fed up of poor public transport and it taking forever to get anywhere, whether by car or bus - he's not into cycling etc so we moved to Bath after 18 months and personally we both prefer it. Smaller, easier to get around, nice countryside on doorstep.

Lots of people go to Portishead if they want a newish estate house. Bad traffic though if you need to commute and no train. We also get a fair few commuters in Bath who go to Bristol but we do have a train between the two quite regularly . Keynsham is another option if working in the centre - decent housing, good school and half way between Bristol and Bath and on the train. It's a bit dull as it's non studenty , but on the plus side it doesn't reek of weed!! but it really depends what you want and what matters to you

Haha true!!

Also London Luton and London Stansted 🤣

I have to agree with this. But if you do move into a "mini London" enclave, you're likely to just not see a lot of the issues.

I live South of the river which is cheaper, but has a lot of deprivation and poverty and the social issues that come with that.

But it's my city and I love it, hope you can find somewhere nice with that budget.

WOW! This is exactly what previous posters meant by come live in Wales the people are nicer!

Where will he be working? What's your budget?

The traffic is heavy, speed limits are often 20mph so best to not be crossing the city

Born and ( nearly ) always lived here.
I'd honestly look at the outskirts of Bristol for getting more for your money .
I've lived all over mainly in the north . But love Bedminster / Southville ( priced out )
I've also lived on the outskirts ( Backwell, prefer Nailsea , avoid Yatton 😉) and would advise those areas for young families .
Was brought up on an estate but worked all over . Live back in Horfield area but I wouldn't be in Bristol at all by choice ( I'd be looking at outskirts of South Glos and North Somerset )
Wherever you go I hope it's a great move for you and you're all very happy here x

For that money and only 1-2 days a week I'd buy a nice family home on the coast l. It's only 50 minutes into the city centre on the bus but we have the channel at the end of our road and the kids walk to school along the promenade.

Agree, Fishponds is a very mixed area but has a good community and family feel to it.

Lots of new places opening up for coffee / food

Lots of choices for schools.

Also you will get more for your money

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143217746

Chew Valley isn't far from town centre, depending on which side your husband is going to be working. And good primary schools in the area - Chew Magna, Chew Stoke, Bishop Sutton & Ubley to name a few. Drive out of Bishopsworth over Dundry hill and you're into beautiful open countryside and vibrant villages within 15 minutes, but works the other way too - love driving over Dundry and seeing the lights of the city below. 25 mins to city centre, but more during rush hour.

I currently live in Cheswick Village, around 6 miles from Bristol city centre. Really easy and quick to get to the centre (several routes to take) and handy for the M4/5. Lovely village with a fab primary school, lots of great places to walk/explore, Filton Abbey Wood train station very close and regular buses, also plenty of shopping centres/restaurants near by. The village has a nursery, gym, co op, eateries (Italian, Chinese and Boston Tea Party), hair and beauty salons, children's play areas, Barnardo's charity shop (it's lush), and a sports bar/barber combined. The village has a great community vibe and is a good place to live in my view!

@HungrySleepyGrumpy you need to be focussing on South Bristol I think.. Bedminster (BS3) and Knowle/Totterdown or Brislington (BS4) although Knowle/Totterdown has more going on at the moment.

Secondary schools here are actually a million times better than they used to be. This year there are 2 new secondaries in South Bristol. Great primaries too.

All areas I mentioned will have lovely Victorian/Edwardian terraces 3-4 bed in your budget. Totterdown houses generally smaller but some have incredible gardens and views.

All have a lovely community spirit and Bedminster and Knowle a shortish walk from the train station. Bus links from Knowle are also great. Would thoroughly recommend you ignore whoever said to avoid Knowle. I find that advice comical. Avoid Knowle West.

Bristol is a very special place.

This! 👍🏻 And I’d recommend him cycling to work

We live just east of Bath in a small village and my husband communtes into Bristol twice a week. It's worked out really well for us- a small city on our doorstep, good primary and secondary schools in Bath and public transport links. Plus we found (at the time we bought our house anyway) you were more likely to get a bigger garden in villages just on the edge of Bath.

Thank you everyone! Loads of helpful advice here. Really appreciate it

I'm bristoleon. Born and bred in Avonmouth...a village of 2000 people but a docks and massive heavy industry. Here's the truth. Centre of Bristol is a shit hole. No decent shops, ridiculously expensive parking. Homeless people everywhere. A clean area zone that basically taxes poor people. The cities traffic is probably the worst in the country outside of London. The last mare introduced many 20mph limits. The current one has over seen a mess of road changes. A lot of the schools are shit as parents ship their kids out of catchment or to the private schools.
But it's still a lovely place. The harbour side. The downs (huge open park), Ashton court (country estate 4 miles from the city centre and owned by the council) home of the music festival and the balloon fiesta.
Live in one of the satellite towns, I'm in Portishead and it's got some problems 're transport but there is a great community and the best Christmas lights in the West.
Clevedon is ok but is a bit samey...huge housing development in the 80s.
The town's around are ok. Yatton had traffic jams constantly. Weston s mud is a dump!
The winterbourn area is lovely...But avoid yate (70s housing development).
As is thornbury. I had a colleague who lived in nailsworth glos. And the wife one who lived in North devon...with the m5, m4 distance can be done

They really aren’t, speaking from
my own experience of 2 years working in Newport and 3 in Cwmcarn as well as 15 years living in Bristol. But that’s just my experience, yours may be different. I strongly recommend OP sticks to Bristol.

It's only 6 miles out of Bristol.

Much closer than the various London airports are from London (generally 10-27 miles)

WOW that’s such amazing expert experience you have, 5 whole years working in Wales, you must have met at least 98% of the population in that time! It’s incredible really!
But that’s just my interpretation, yours may be different.
I strongly recommend you stick to Bristol.

@Rocksonabeach - totally disagree about BGS. Excellent pastoral care and really outstanding teaching. Clifton High is fine but v small and not much challenge for brighter kids.

Used to live there.

Nice but expensive:

Clifton/Redland: Big houses but unless you pay out over £2 mil you won’t get decent parking. Fairly close to city centre. Especially if you go near to Whiteladies Road.

Bedminster- Cheaper than the above but smaller houses. Still often no parking.

Knowle- Stick to the area closest to Bedminster as it can be pretty rough around here. Benefits are that there are decent size gardens, off street parking and it’s cheap.

Stoke Gifford- Can get some decent size new builds with off street parking and decent size gardens

Bristol is great you'll love it. I enjoyed living in Redland and Clifton, wouldnt recommend the city centre proper as it is pretty soulless. But I do know lots of people that work in Bristol and live in the borderlands of Wales, as per a PPs suggestion, and love it. If you're interested in a more rural setting, that is, Bristol is the nicest city around IMO so wouldn't live in wales for a city life. But if you like rural would recommend the Wye Valley or Forest of Dean, 45 mins ish to Bristol and a much more relaxed lifestyle.

I've Lived in and around Bristol for well over 40 years. I love it, I originally moved from London and since living here I’ve met many ex Londoners who like me would never go back.
As far as areas are concerned I’d consider going slightly outside Bristol itself to Long Ashton, Flax Bourton and Backwell areas. The schools whether Primary or Secondary are good/very good in these areas which are actually classed as North Somerset. However, you have a decent budget so could also look at Southville, Spike Island and Ashton which are all in South Bristol. It’s really worth a few visits before you make your mind up. Clifton and Redland have stunning houses but the prices are like London and parking is a nightmare. Driving anywhere in Bristol itself can be frustrating and time consuming, the roads are narrow (I call it a horse and cart city) and you are ALWAYS going up a hill wherever you are but it is a great place to live.

Fishponds is not a bad suggestion. The area between Eastville park and Fishponds (along Fishponds road) looks like it would have some decent sized houses at a price you could afford. Fairfield secondary school (and Metro) are nearby and both of these are decent secondary schools (as others say - some of the secondary schools in Bristol are really not great!). Am not very familiar with the primary schools in that area. Whitehall primary has a good reputation (but I've heard it is very strict).