Moving to Woking advice please

[nzmummyinblighty]

Hi all
We have decided to move from Redhill to Woking. Reason for move is better rail connections for my husband into London and closer to friends.
We are looking to rent a property no more than 1 mile from the Woking station. This is so my husband can walk to and from the train (hope to get rid of second car) and I can walk into town to look around the shops. We visited Woking for the first time on Sunday to have a look at the town centre. It is very much like Redhill - shops ok, pedestrian friendly for children to walk around. Have read other forums (some a few years old) and they make to town centre sound a bit miserable. Is it really like this? We will make a couple more visits (during the week), to get a petty feel for the place, before we move.

I have 2 DD (2yrs 10mths and 15mths) and baby #3 due December 31st. I would need to find a pre-school for eldest DD - can anyone recommend any? Extremely pleased with the one she is in at present (Kiwi's Meadvale), so feeling a bit sad she will need to leave. Also want to take younger DD to toddler group - recommendations?
Also what other sorts of activities are there to do with youngsters.

mamamea - you might want to watch the racism a little there. What if the OP was a Pakistani?

We were vaguely talking about meeting up at the leisure centre park one weekend. Perhaps we should set a definite date?

Racism? I don't think so.

You might want to have a look at for instance:

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/faith-and-unreason-the-headteacher-hounded-from-her-job -1663187.html

'Around 90 per cent of New Monument's pupils, including children of Pakistani, Saudi and Omani descent, speak English as a second language. Around 80 per cent are Muslim. "We were never full," says Connor, "because in Surrey it's not an attractive proposition for many white, middle-class parents. "'

I can't imagine that many people would choose to send their child to a school where the overwhelming majority of the other pupils don't speak English.

Or, here's the Guardian on the area: www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/jan/23/britishidentity.features112

"All attempts to speak to Pakistani women have met with polite failure. (A lady shopkeeper, for instance, looked very nervous and mumbled, just about plausibly, that she didn't speak English.) "

Not I think what the OP is looking for, and certainly not racist to say so.

Oh come on, you say that the dodgy areas include the one mainly populated by Pakistanis and don't think it's racist?!

i like the shopping at woking, and i am taking my kids to the lightbox tomorrow, in all probability, so will report back on that

A report would be lovely Lou, as the Lightbox on my list of Things to Do. Hope you have a lovely day out....

it looks good, i will definitely update

Hi to all the lovely ladies who offered their ideas and advice. We are no longer moving to Woking. We have decided to stay in our current house. Thanks again for your help