Anyone live in Yeovil?

[KimL80]

Hi everyone,
After a good few years of thinking about it we're planning to relocate from surrey during the next six months. Having spent time around different towns and villages and taking into account affordability, ease of access to amenities and hubby's travel for work we settled on Yeovil for our search area.... or at least we had until he started to read the replies to these sorts of threads

Is there anyone who can re-assure us that there are just a lot of people with nothing better to do than complain about the place?

Any positive responses will be greatly appreciated!

Hi
I live and work in Yeovil. I'm originally from London but moved 10 years ago to a village then into Yeovil because it was cheaper and had more facilities.

Yeovil is a working town rather than a pretty one. It doesn't have a great reputation but I find the people here to be an interesting mix - there are people like myself who have moved out of cities, lots of people with military connections as there are bases nearby, plus people who have come here for work at Westland etc. It is OK for shopping - H&M opening soon - not as good as Taunton maybe but good enough.

It is cheaper to buy a place here rather than in the villages and there is a lot of house-building going on - at least three modern housing developments in progress that I know of.

There is a lot for families - an NCT branch, cafes, two indoor soft-play gyms, plus the hugely popular Nine Springs Park which has a playground. It's also close enough to the Dorset coast to spend the day there during the summer.

The downside - while there are some very good primary schools locally, the state secondaries are only good. There nearest outstanding is in Sherborne which some children do commute to from Yeovil. The nearest grammar is Colyton which is too far from Yeovil, though some do commute from Ilminster way.

Also plenty of deprivation in the some parts of the town but this is probably the same anywhere.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for the reply LambethWalk, you've pretty much confirmed what our thoughts on the area were. It's a shame that so many people only take the time to highlight the negative stuff!

We did really like Taunton but I think we'd need to have second (and possibly third) jobs to pay for all the shopping I'd end up doing, plus we decided it's a bit far for when my OH needs to come back to London for work.

Our boys haven't even started school yet so we're not too worried about secondaries but it's good the know there are some good primary schools around.

Could you tell me where the areas you'd strongly suggest avoiding are? Will be a great help when the house search gets underway

Thanks again :-)

Hi KimL80
I moved from Italy in Yeovil whit my daughter and my husband just from one week so I cannot give you any particular suggestion but at first sight it seams a pretty city for families. We are now looking for a house to rent, so I would like to ask to LambertWalk if she has any particular suggestions for best zones in the city or for nurseries.
Another question if any of you can help me....how is sanitary assistance for babies in Uk? What shall I do to?
As in Italy we have a specific doctor for babies assigned.
many thanks :-)

Hi Virgola

I am not an expert in nurseries in Yeovil but there are quite a few in the town. A few I know of include: University Centre/College www.yeovil.ac.uk/services-open-to-the-public/nursery.html, Elim Church www.yeovilnursery.co.uk/ and Mama Bear mamabear.co.uk/nurseries/somerset/yeovil-abbey-manor-park

With regard to babies' health needs, that will be dealt with through your family doctor (GP) so you should register with a GP when you move. GPs in Yeovil are here www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/Yeovil/Results/4/-2.633/50.942/4/24768?distance=25. Yeovil Hospital has a maternity unit if you are planning a new baby.

As for areas, the west side of town is quieter and more residential but all areas have nurseries and shops.

Hi KimL80

Sorry to be a bit late replying. The choice of area depends on your budget really - the east side is cheaper but there are some nice streets with Victorian terraces around Victoria Road. Bigger houses on St Michaels Avenue with an infants and junior school at the bottom end near Sherborne Road. It's a mixed area though - I lived there for a while and it was fine.
Avoid Matthews Road and anywhere near Eastland Road if you want a quiet life.

On the west side of town, Abbey Manor is a popular modern estate with the new Brimsmore development at the top end. Mostly quiet with a good primary school - Preston Primary. If you want to get into that school, don't buy too far away as it is very popular.

Going west a bit more is another building development around Houndstone and Brympton. This area is in the catchment for All Saints Primary in Montacute which is lovely and has a school bus route.

Around the Park School and Huish is a nice residential area - I don't know it well but it is leafy and pretty, and central too. The primary is Oaklands which is a modern development - two smaller schools were combined into one larger one.

Also there are two new primaries being built because of pressure on places, one east, one west. Info here www.westerngazette.co.uk/12-million-spent-new-Yeovil-primary-schools/story-25908914-detail/story.html

Oaklands is a lovely school and the Head is amazing. You wouldn't go wrong with that as a choice for primary.

However, if I was moving to Yeovil I would definitely make sure I was far enough West to be in catchment for the Gryphon in Sherborne. I see kids waiting for the bus to the Gryphon at Penn Mill station so that area must be in catchment. There is a new build estate around Penn Mill from which you could walk into Ninesprings. Not sure what the primary schools are like round there but as PP said, there is a new one planned for Wyndham Park.

We live in a village to the south of Yeovil having moved from the South East and we are very happy.

The Gryphon bus also picks up near Asda in Yeovil so it does take children from across the area. I dont know how their catchment - it might be worth checking as it is very good.

Hi did you move to Yeovil? We are moving to Barwick in January I am so nervous. Just wondering how you got on? Thanks x

Hi, Hope you found the move ok and are settling in well!

I've lived in and around Yeovil all my life and I've never once had a problem!

I'd say stick to the western side or town for a generally quieter life but having said that it's like any town and there's good and bad about each area... NO town is perfect and Yeovil has a lot of good going for it!

Loads to do, close links to loads of beaches and cities...the links are fab.

I really hope you settle in quickly ... Ignore the moaners...every town has them.