Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Local

Find conversations happening in your area in our local chat rooms.

Original poster

Chandlers Ford

28 replies

raspberrysundae · 02/03/2011 17:21

We are looking to move and are looking all around the Winchester area and a little beyond. Can anyone tell me what its like living in Chandlers Ford? Is it a family area? What are the people like? Is it a low crime area? We are considering it mainly because of the schools as we have 3 children and have read good things about Thornden and feel it would be a good fit for our son who is almost at secondary school age. I would be really grateful for any info.

Many thanks

OP posts:
halfcaff · 02/03/2011 17:24

I think Chandlers Ford is very 'naice' but a bit soulless - it does have good schools. I moved to Winchester 2.5 years ago and love it here. You get more for your money in CF but as I say, it has no character. (BTW we live on a modern estate with no character, but can walk/cycle into town/St Cross when we want some!)

Original poster
raspberrysundae · 02/03/2011 19:30

Hi Halfcaff

Have you found it easy to make friends in the area? Do you have school age children? If so how have you found the schools? I have been mainly looking at secondary school but will also need primary school places.

How is Winchester in the evening? Is their people about or is it dead? Say on a Saturday evening?

Would love to hear more about living there.

regards

OP posts:
mummynoseynora · 02/03/2011 19:34

I live in CF and I think it has character!

Original poster
raspberrysundae · 02/03/2011 19:38

Mummynoseynora

Would love to hear about living in CF. All the questions I had before really. I would really appreciate it.

Many thanks

OP posts:
mummynoseynora · 02/03/2011 19:49

well I don't have secondary age kids (1 and 4) but thornden does seem a good school. Yes pretty low crime - the worst I have seen is the usual kids hanging around mildly antisocial stuff - but even then they are polite.. .makes me laugh! They sit on the walls by the local shop and then if you have to walk through them, apologise and move out the way :)

I would say definitely a friendly / family area - the local community centre at the hilt is new and lots of new things on there all the time depending on what you are into, DD does ballet classes on a saturday and DS maracca jacks.

Does depend on which bit of CF actually - some areas are less 'nice' than others'

no real night life but there's a couple of good takeaways Wink

mistressploppy · 02/03/2011 19:51

Winchester is lovely (I live in one of the posh villages just outside). It's not dead in the evenings at all - lots of lovely restaurants. Pubs are good and there are some studenty bar things too.

Chandler's Ford is quite nice (they've got a Waitrose!) and a lot cheaper than Winch. I think there are lots of families living there so probably easy to make friends. Chandler's Ford is closer to Eastleigh really though. People have mixed feelings about Eastleigh....Grin

You could look at Badger Farm in Winch, nice and close to town but affordable housing. Winnall less nice. Weeke is a bit old fogeyish. Teg Down is ok. St Cross, Hyde, Fulflood - very expensive but lovely.

Outside Winch - Bishops Waltham is ok, Twyford expensive, Shawford a bit less so (closer to motorway), ditto Compton and Otterbourne, Owslebury is tiny but lovely, Littleton is ok.

mummynoseynora · 02/03/2011 19:53

depends on which bit of CF mistress! Grin

Agreed on relativity to Eastleigh haha - but hiltingbury end is other side and closer to hursley et all I love it here

and yes - we do have a waitrose Wink

Couple of lovely pubs near and resteraunts within a short drive

mistressploppy · 02/03/2011 19:56

True...Blush

Grin
halfcaff · 02/03/2011 21:43

Hi, I love Winchester and I think there is a good atmosphere out in the evenings and plenty of culture. I haven't made a lot of friends as I work 4 days and don't get to spend much time around school, and have a difficult home situation which makes it hard for me to get out, but where I live everyone is friendly. There is big money in Winchester and some quite snooty types but it all adds to the wallpaper.
We have just got dd's place for September at Kings School which she is delighted about. (Actually she has just taken it for granted, I don't think she knows how lucky she is, but I think most people get their first choice school here!) I think all the primary schools are quite good too (ours has just got a 'good' OFSTED despite being in one of the least affluent areas of town). DC are doing well there and they have very different needs and abilities.

halfcaff · 02/03/2011 21:45

PS I love Eastleigh too, but maybe not to live there - it's got a great shopping centre, Vue multiscreen, and my beloved Lidl!

LibraPoppyGirl · 02/03/2011 21:49

Don't know what to say about that comment about Eastleigh mistressploppy Sad. We live in Eastleigh and thinks it's really nice. No problems at all.

halfcaff · 02/03/2011 22:03

Maybe the secondary schools in Eastleigh are not so high-achieving, but I think it has great character and history.[crawly bumlick don't want to upset anyone emoticon]

LibraPoppyGirl · 02/03/2011 22:19

Larf @ halfcalf and [crawly bumlick don't want to upset anyone emoticon] Grin

I don't know about all the schools around here but I do know that the school my DS goes to, 'Quilley School of Engineering' didn't have the best of reputations in years gone past. However, it's our local school and I went and had a tour when we moved here and read about it and also the OFSTED reports on being the most improved school again for a few years running and I was really encouraged.

DS is doing really well tbh. He's always been bright and has fitted in really well, he loves it there and has made some great friends. All of them polite and considerate, I have to say.

We only moved to the area last September from Oz and DS is so happy here and with his school, I couldn't have asked for better. All of the teachers at his school think he's great Confused and he's doing really well academically (yr 8).

I think everywhere has it's ups and it's downs but we've made the move back to the UK from a country that so many people can't understand us leaving. We're really happy here in this area, and I'm including the surrounding areas too and I think that says an awful lot about the Borough as a whole and the people who live in it Smile.

mistressploppy · 02/03/2011 22:52

Sorry LibraPoppy, didn't mean to offend. I'm rather fond of Eastleigh, as it happens.

LibraPoppyGirl · 02/03/2011 23:03

That's okay mistressploppy Smile no real offence taken, honestly. Everything is relative to each of our own experiences.

We're really happy here and I know that the fact my DS has settled in and absolutely loves it here and his new friends, makes me biased toward the area.

I was anticipating him being unhappy to be back in the UK, he was 5 when I took him to Australia and was 13 the month we returned last year. So I wasn't sure how to handle it if he was desperately unhappy. So the fact that he isn't is, in my opinion, a credit to the whole Borough and area and the people that live here.

BTW Winchester is absolutely gorgeous and I'd like to live there myself Envy but will wait until DS leaves school to move anywhere as I wouldn't dream of taking him out of his school now Smile. The best I can get at the moment is that I'm having all my ante-natal at Winchester Hosp and giving birth there Grin

mummynoseynora · 02/03/2011 23:39

RHCH is ace libra - I had both DC there

mistressploppy · 03/03/2011 12:57

Oh good, Libra Blush

Yup, RHCH is great, I had DS there last year and I used to work there too.

We seem to have lost the OP....Grin

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 14:20

Wow so pleased to hear from you both mummynoseynora & mistressploppy about RHCH.

I've been very impressed with the maternity section at my scans and appointment with the obstetrician. Have another appointment with Ob on 10 March so I'll be there again Grin.

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 14:21

Yes, where has the OP gone?

"Come back raspberrysundae we're nice around here...honestly we are" Wink

mistressploppy · 03/03/2011 14:23

Yes, me and Libra have made up and are now friends Grin, it is safe

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 14:28

Hee hee you're funny mistress Grin

raspberrysundae we were only playing Smile

Me and mistress are friends really, we won't start fighting Grin

QueeferSutherland · 03/03/2011 14:39

Ooh, Libra, I work at the Mat unit at RHCH! Shall I out myself if I recognise you?Grin

Where did you work MP? I remember your DS; I commented to a friend how much I liked you DS's name without twigging it was you iyswim.

I like Bishop's Waltham, (although I am biased). I'm thinking of moving into Winch itself though because we spend so much on fuel living so far out.

I think CF is affordable, but would be a bit wary of the "soullessness", but then I don't know it very well.

B eastleigh has lots of affordable victorian terraces.

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 14:56

Hi Queefer yes please do 'out' yourself if you see me. My pic is on my profile page along with my ramblings Blush.

I'll be there on 10 March appointment time is 3:10pm Wink. You'll be able to look me up. I'd love to say hello {grin].

Yes lots of victorian terraces around here and some very affordable ones too. Some a OTT on the price but pretty good overall.

As I said to mistress I'd love to live in Winchester but DS is sooooo settled and happy in his school that I wouldn't dream of moving him. It's not going anywhere though, so there's always a few years time Wink

Original poster
raspberrysundae · 03/03/2011 14:57

Thanks everyone for your comments. I really appreciate them.

We're coming to stay in the area for a week so going to have a proper look around both Winchester, its villages and Chandlers Ford.

When we came before I liked New Alresford, anyone live there? Any experience of the schools? As you can tell the schools are a major factor in this move. We were thinking we may have to go private for secondary schooling so the added bonus of this area is the schools have such good results. But whatever the results I think the school has to be suitable for the child!

Thanks

OP posts:
halfcaff · 03/03/2011 16:08

Perrins is the school in Alresford and also has great reports

Swipe left for the next trending thread