Bristol or Exeter?

5 replies

YunoYurbubson · 31/08/2010 14:45

We live overseas, but may have the chance to move back to UK in the next 6 months. Dh is looking at the
Bristol office and the Exeter office.

Which would you choose, and why?

And living nearby but commuting to one or the other is an option too of course.

Could we live by the sea?

OP posts:

liamsdaddy · 31/08/2010 15:26

I would say the latter having gone to University there :) and I think it's a nice city (I did have the option of Bristol as well)

It depends on what you want...

Bristol probably has slightly better road/rail/air connections. Bristol is the bigger city I think. Exeter is closer to better beaches but feels less oppressive and more green "leafy" to me. Both are student towns, so you won't escape that.

You could live next to the canal/river in Exeter (although thats also the flood relief). If you wanted to be by the sea you would need to be out of town, Exmouth or Dawlish possibly.

lifeas3plus1 · 31/08/2010 17:35

I'm about 1 hour drive from Exeter (south of), 10mins from the sea and about 20 mins to the moors!

So I would say Exeter as you have everything around you. I'm in a city but there's some lovely little towns and villages around me as well.

Unfortunately I get bored easily and so after 11 yrs here am feeling the need to move somewhere different!

purplepeony · 31/08/2010 22:24

I love B- my DDs at uni there.

SmellsLikeTeenSweat · 01/09/2010 20:58

Depends whether you want the buzz of a big city & all the facilities you'd expect - the centre of Exeter is quite small.

Bristol feels much more of a cosmopolitan city, IMO. It has a bigger airport, and an IKEA!

I live near Exeter & it suits me, it's a bit more 'rural', although it has a fancy new shopping centre with most of the shops you'd want. You could live near the sea/in a village & commute if you wanted to.

Fennel · 01/09/2010 21:03

As other say it depends on whether you want big city with lots of city facilities, or little city with good access to moors beaches forests etc. We chose Exeter after 20 years of living in huge cities, we like it but we do lots of outdoor stuff. and we don't care about shopping.

Yes you can live by the sea and commute in to Exeter easily.

Flip