Moving to Bristol

[Vertig0]

Hi all

I am considering moving to Bristol, as I've heard good things about it and also because I am considering studying at the university in the future. However, I am mostly unfamiliar with anything but the city centre, and was wondering if you could provide advice on areas that meet the following criteria:

-safe area/contiguous with other safe areas
-fairly affluent/middle class (take that as you will)
-easy access to the city centre (if not the same area)
-fairly vibrant restaurant/cafe scene

My budget is in the £650 - £850 pm region, and I am hoping for a 2 bedroom flat or house that allows pets.

I'm open to areas within the city centre as well. Unlike many of you, I don't have a family to move with; just moving with my flatmate/friend and our shared moggy. I mainly intend to move for work, potentially in the banking area, but I'm also thinking of doing a course at the university as stated above.

Agency names would also be useful, particularly ones that are more open to pets, though I'm aware this tends to be more reliant on the landlord/lady than the agency.

As an additional question - as my friend is on PIP - would this pose an issue for rental agencies, or would they not be concerned if I were the only person on the agreement liable for the rental payments?

I'm also interested in how people find public transport in Bristol. I may limit my search range closer to the city centre for obvious reasons, as I don't drive.

Thanks.

I can't help with agency questions, I'm afraid, but some areas for you to start looking at...

• Bishopston/Horfield meet the criteria of being close to restaurants and shops. About 2 miles from city centre but easy cycle route or buses about as good as they get (public transport in Bristol known for being rubbish).

• Clifton/Redland/Cotham are definitely "middle class" and all close to nice shops, restaurants and cafés. Slightly more expensive rents the Bishopston and Horfield. Some local train services to Temple Meads and reasonable bus services (particularly Clifton).

• Bedminster/Southville are cheaper areas than those above and very popular with young professionals, particularly close to vibrant North Street. Walking distance to town centre.

• Baltic Wharf, St Nicholas Street, Old Market and Hotwells are the most central areas where you might find a flat in your budget range.

Hope this helps!

That is already plenty helpful, so thanks. I think I've heard of all these places on estate agent fluff pieces as well, so it's nice to get some confirmation that they live up to their reputations. Are all these areas (particularly the last two sets) fairly safe and away from rougher areas? I don't mean to be a snob about it but I've lived in or near rather unsafe areas before and don't want to repeat it.

Other areas that you may wish to consider are Totterdown (close to city centre/Temple Meads). Should be within your budget.
Slightly further out but may be suitable as middle class: Henleaze, Westbury Park, Westbury on Trym, Stoke Bishop.
I don't mean to be a snob about it but I've lived in or near rather unsafe areas before and don't want to repeat it.
Bristol is a fairly small city so it's difficult to be too far away from unsafe/rough areas and still be somewhere affordable. You really need to visit and make up your own mind about where you would feel safe / what it is that makes you feel unsafe but it does make you sound snobbish and may limit responses.

Ok, I'll answer the safe v unsafe because I know what you mean...

The previous poster was correct: Bristol is small and there are great and lousy bits to most places. You'll hear people say to stay away from St Pauls or Stokes Croft, but I lived in Stokes Croft for my first 9 months and I felt very, very safe there because it was busy; though less so in the depths of St Pauls (though I'm not sure there was any actual reason for me to feel that way, but that's the way it was!).

So here's my advice for 'snobs' :-) :

You're going to want to say you live in Redland/Clifton/Cotham/Westbury-On-Trym/St Andrews/Bishopston, and the nice bits of Montpelier, but you may only be able to afford to live on the end of St Andrews/Bishopstone on your budget.

You will be happy enough living (and saying you live in) in Totterdown, Henleaze, Long Ashton, Downend, top end of Fishponds/bottom end of Staple Hill and near Blaise Castle.

And you're going to want to stay from Brislington, Bedminster, St Pauls, Stokes Croft, Shirehampton, Eastville, St George, Easton. And to be clear there is NOTHING wrong with these places but I don't think they are places you'd prefer to live.

*For the record my postcode is Downend though I'm closer to Staple Hill high street and my friends direct others to 'the top of Fishponds'. Not posh at all, but I love it, and it feels safe. :-)

Re agencies and pets. I'd advise seeing if you can bypass agencies. Gumtree and Spareroom (you can select 'whole property' instead of room) are used a lot here and are usually landlord managed so it's much easier to have the pet/PIP conversation on the phone.

Great, thanks for all the advice.