HELP! need info on an area

[spite]

Hi everyone,
Please could you help me make a decision on an area of cambridge. We have a possible swap to Dittons field and i would like to know what the area is like and also what is around the local area etc. I dont drive so it would be crucial to have at least a primary school and some shops nearby. From what i can make of it, its not the best area, but would like a good few opinions before i make a decision as i have no idea! Thanks very much :)

There is The Fields primary school with a great preschool/nursery attached, Tesco on Newmarket Road is walking distance, with Sainsburys on Barnwell Rd a little further away but still walkable. There's a Spar and a One-Stop even closer. You've also got the Abbey Pool nearby. So facilities-wise, it's pretty good. It terms of the area... it's not the best, but i don't think it's the worst. I think it used to be pretty bad and some of that reputation is still hanging about. There was a map that the police did where you could look at an area and see what sort of crimes had been reported and how many, but I can't find it now... I'd expect anti-social stuff (i.e. graffiti, drunk shouty people wandering through after closing time) to be higher than some other Cambridge areas.

I'd agree, it used to have a really bad reputation - I worked there for four years with teenagers and it was all a bit grim. I think, though, it has got better now - still perhaps not the best but have a look at this:crime map for the area Coleridge is rhe secondary school for the area and that has improved beyond recognition - so much so that when I was the youth worker there, I was moved out after it began to change as the kids weren't bad enough !!

I live in the area. It's certainly not the most leafy area of Cambridge but I really like it. Quite a lot of facilities round here (though it's a step to the Spar if all you want is a pint of milk). My children both went to the Fields which is a wonderful nursery/pre-school, and now go to Abbey Meadows, which we're very happy with. They are happy at school and making excellent progress academically.

The area's a bit more mixed than it used to be, and although there are some people who behave anti-socially it's quite a close-knit community. I can certainly think of lots worse places to live. (Re shouty drunk people wandering around after closing time, there were many more of these when I lived off Mill Road.)

Also meant to mention there is a library and 3 churches. If you have very small children there are loads of activities in the area. There is also Beavers/Cubs in the area, dance and karate at East Barnwell community centre. Lots of things happen here!

Thanx very much all of you for your input, i will check out the area, although i did do a google search myself and found quite a few news articles about ppl in the area and it didnt sound too good! also i came across some paperwork from a local mp about motorbikes being driven up and down the area in 2009 and it didnt show any sign of stopping, is this still the case? the area we are in now is lovely and quiet and i would hate to change that for the worse! i have 4 children, 2 currently at nursery, one is 3 and one is 4, and 2 others in juniors, aged 8 and 10, so schooling is very important to me aswell. roughly how long does it take to walk to the school niminy? x

Well, I haven't heard any motorbikes recently. AFAIK the police have been on the case and I certainly see the local PCSO around quite a lot. A lot can happen in three years!

It takes us 15mins to walk to school. We're very happy with the school (despite recent ofsted) and the Fields nursery is lovely.

You could visit and have a look around, get a feel for the area. It might not be for you, or you might feel that it's somewhere you could feel at home.

hth

Thankyou for your opinons, i will take them all on board and have a good think, its nice to hear the area is looking up anyway! I have read the ofstead reports but i know a good school is not just based on a good ofstead report so i will be giving it some serious thought! As for visiting im not too sure we will be able to do that atm but if i can i will def try! thanks for your help niminy! :)