moving to Leamington spa, warwick area - any tips? where to live? what do do? will I make friends......?

[millie865]

We (DH, DD15 months and I) are moving in July for DH's job at Warwick Uni. I'm trying to get ideas about where we should look to live - Leamington spa? Warwick? Kenilworth seemed nice round the park but wasn't sure if there was much going on. Having said that its not like we get out much these days anyway!

I suppose I'm looking for somewhere I can make friends more than anything else - so probably somewhere with lots of parent and toddler activities. Not that I only make friends with people with toddlers - just that as I'm combining SAHMing with a couple of days freelancing from home I'm probably most likely to meet people at play groups.

I'm feeling a bit anxious about the whole thing to be honest - I always try to make new faces welcome at play groups here - but I've made friends who said they found it really hard once people have already found their group of friends from ante natal classes and don't talk to anyone else. I've started to realise how much I depend on the other mums I've met to get through the day and have got horrible thoughts of trudging round play groups as Ms Billynomates trying desperately to find somone to talk to....

Sorry, just re-read that - sounds a bit more self pitying than I thought! I just wanted to post a message asking for suggestions of places to live and nice groups to go to.... I'm obviously finding this harder than I realised!

Meant to add the bus services are all great for getting into Leam which is quite handy.

Am very I would love to move back but couldn't cope with being that close to IL's!!

Hve you considered Rugby? Cheaper than Leamington, but not too far from Warwick Uni.

Leamington is lovely i'd move there tomorrow if I could.

Thanks for all the replies. Still don't know what to think - we've had so much different advice from people but it all helps!

We've found a house in Kenilworth that we like and seen one in Leamington that looks promising. Going back this weekend to try to make a decision.

Thanks again

how did the weekend go? have you found a house yet? I moved back to Cov five months ago from down south and I work in warwick but cover whole of warwickshire county. For warwick university you need to be in Coventry, Kenilworth or leamington. Warwick itself is a bit far away and quite small.
Leamington is very popluar good for bars and cafes and shops but does have dodgy areas, Cov is obviously a city so more going on and more bad areas BUT its alot bigger so you can get away from them and live in a nicer part, most parts over warwick uniersity side are good, Allesley,Coundon, Easten Green Earlsdon, Finham are all good and all have nice primary schools. You will know the shit parts by house prices and school ofsteds.
mumsnet, netmums and local Chilrweasn information service are all good for making friends and meeting people, I am still doing that myself as only moved here in jan, good luck