relocating to clevedon or portishead - do you live there whats it like?

[givemeaclue]

currently live in central bristol, have found a good house in clevedon and also in portishead. moving due to schools issues where we are.

what is it like in clevedon or portishead - for families with young children but also thinking ahead to when they are older?

Also is there anything to do for adults - I'm concerned portishead may be a bit too quiet?

thanks for your help

We have lived in Portishead since November. I like it, it is very nice, plenty to do, but because the town is expanding so rapidly, public services (GP and it is predicted, school places) are overstreched.

The only pub we go to is the Royal looking out to sea. This is a great location and along with the curry house, that is about it for as adults in the evening.

Plenty to do for kids. I must admit, we moved here and then started going for little trips out to Clevedon and of course, I started thinking, "oh, I wish we'd moved to Clevedon". But Portishead is very well served by buses for trips into Bristol. We live in the village Quarter which feels very safe and cushioned and is lovely, but (and it is quite a big "but" for me), there is very little diverity: lots of white middle class Tory types with families. Not many other different people.

HTH and if you decide to move around and about, drop us a line and I will take you to get pissed at The Royal.

I live in Portishead too
More for kids in Portishead, but I think better pubs in Clevedon.

Bobbly's roght about the Royal - fab pub with great views and (most importantly) within staggering distance of my house

There's also Jacks - bar/foody type place - has mixed reviews but I like it. Oh and Phoenix Bar which is the wierdest pub you will ever go in. It's like sitting in someones living room.

Also I think schools are better in Portishead.

We have lived in Portished since 2007, I had my first daughter in 2009 and just had second in May this year. I honestly couldnt think of a nicer place to live with especially with Children. Not sure how old yours are but from a mum of two under 3's i find it great. We live in village quarter (most recent housing development) and its just easy to get everywhere by foot. You can walk to the high st in 20 mins, there are in process of finishing new build on the local youth centre which is great for kids all ages to have something nice and new to socially enjoy, the library has just opened in last couple months, there are still talks on a Sainsburys coming here which is going to be my preferred option to Waitrose and Coop. There are also plans for train line to come back. I cant say much about Clevedon iv never needed to venture that way as i trip to the Mall when need anything thats not Newlook or Peacocks. Bottelions opened last year and i think is great we go there alot. And not forgetting the lake grounds, they run free activities there every thursday in the summer hols the open air pool is there and this weeks local paper are talking of skate park or something. all in all i think there is plenty to keep whole family happy all ages included.

No, no, no.... you need to move to CLAVERHAM!!!

I live in Portishead. I moved to Pill 6 years ago and then moved to Portishead last year because my children are at school here.

I like the location as it is very easy/quick to get to Southville/clifton/Cribbs etc whereas Clevedon is that much further out.

With regards to things to do, it depends what your interests are. There is a lifeboat station and sailing school here, a choir/am dram groups, pool/sports centre with zumba/karate/step etc classes. There are lots of things for kids to do with the youth club/childrens centres/army cadets etc.

We did consider moving the kids schools again and moving to Clevedon as we do go there a lot but settled on Portishead because of Gordano School and looked longer term as we had already moved 3 times in the last 10 years.

One good thing about Portishead for newcomers is that Village Quarter development which as drawn in lots of new familes and so on the whole people are friendly as everyone is in the same boat.

Op what did you decide? You would be one of four Mumsnetters here in Portishead if you moved .

I have made two good friends here already and I am quite antisocial and would rather be on my own than with other parents just because they are parents, so I can say this place is a good place.

Ok, apologies to hijack, but would and of the MNetters on here be interested in a book group? I have ideas.....

I wanted to do a book group a while back but my marriage broke up and so it never happened. I am starting college next week and grading for karate at the end of the month so can't commit to anything, sorry!

I'm a bit like that, re being friends with other parents, I tried to embrace the whole being friends with everyone from my antenatal class thing but eventually birds of a feather flock together and you find your 'real friends'.

I live in Portishead and would be really interested in a Book Club! We moved here 2 years ago and really like it.

Hey Ladeez, - we've arrived! Yes we've gorn and done it and upped sticks to P'Head (solely on your recommendations of course!). Still got approx 40 boxes to unpack - but Rome was not built (nor unpacked) in a day.

Now I need to meet some lovely locals and so my kiddiwinks. They are at nursery in Bristol as we decided not to move them and DH has to drive past there every day anyway. They start school next year and I'd love them to meet some local children before then. I've tried a number of groups as follows:

-gymnastics - full with massive waiting list
-ballet - clashes with the swimming lesson we already do/me being at work
-stagecoach = ££££

Is there anything else for 4 year olds thats a regular group pref on a sat morn - any recommendations- I think they are a bit old for toddler groups now sadly -am keen that they meet some other locals without having to wait a whole year to start school.

I am a yes to the book group/drinking at the royal/anything else.

NB P'Head mnetters are bobbly-gussetted, hairy arsed folk - I will fit right in

These comments have been a great help for me as I'm looking to relocate from north bristol to either pill or portishead!!! I think to look at new developers in portishead is a must ASAP

"We live in the village Quarter which feels very safe and cushioned and is lovely, but (and it is quite a big "but" for me), there is very little diverity: lots of white middle class Tory types with families"

• that's probably why it feels safe!