Considering a move to Bristol...need advice :-)

[sunnyskye]

Hey all,
Thinking about moving to Bristol after Christmas. How's life in Bristol? I always had the impression it's a really creative city with a great music scene and generally quite chill. Is it friendly/easy to meet people there? I've also got 2 little kids a newborn and a 5 year old so just wondering if you reckon it's a good city for kids to grow up like plenty of activities for them? What are some nice places to live...like friendly community/creative vibe but not something snobby/boring/too quiet/expensive...;-)

Glad that you think Bristol would be a great place to live with children and that you are thinking of moving here BUT the bad news is there would probably be problems with your 5 year old getting a school place as there is a shortage of places in KS1 at the moment. To apply for a school place you need an address so unless you are planning to home educate I would look at schools and house prices (or rents) first before planning your move. Perhaps when you have a more realistic view where you can afford to live, people may be able to help a bit more.

From what you have said, and depending on your budget, I would suggest you look at Southville, Bedminster, Greenbank, Windmill Hill, Montpelier, Gloucester Rd area as decent family areas with more of a creative vibe but not too suburban or "snobby/boring/too quiet/expensive". Bristol has a lot going for it for families, but as Crazymum says, school places can be a nightmare, depending on where you are. Also different areas of the city have a very different feel to them, so you need to make sure you find the bits that suit you.