Newbie - Move to Bournemouth

[Am2015]

Hi All

Sorry I’m completely new to this so apologies if I’ve posted to the wrong place.

I really REALLY need some advice on moving to Bournemouth from London. I’ve got three kids under 10. I would like them to go to grammar school or one of the outstanding schools.

We need to find a house but haven’t a clue where to start looking. Which are the best areas for families with good communities?

Look forward to a response - if I’ve done this properly

I didn't realise when I posted that you had such a big budget! If you're moving to Bournemouth for the beaches and can work from home you should definitely look at Southbourne. It's an excellent area with young children. Talbot Woods is lovely but not that exciting.

I am sorry to jump on this thread but there are lots of people from the area on here so just wanted to cheekily ask if people know what baiter park in poole is like? property seems reasonably cheap there and it is right next to the sea! schools wouldnt be an issue as I would be looking to move down that way once my kids have left school, thanks in advance and sorry for the hijack op!

No problem for jumping on at all.

Thank you for all your help guys x

thanks op,.good luck with your move - may see you down there in a few years! would love to know what baiter park is like!

St. Peter's is a Catholic school and has strict entry requirements.

Might be sooner than a few years

I moved to Bournemouth with my kids, but left after 10 years because:
-it’s culturally barren. There is very little in the way of arts. The dance centre is the best in regards to contemporary art, there really isn’t anything else.
-it’s fairky racist. I used to hear colleagues (teachers) talking about our 2 ‘coloured’ students. Others made racist comments and didn’t challenge students for making racist remarks.
-there is very little sense of community
-people are fairly cold and unfriendly by my northern standards.
-there are few job opportunities outside of universities, LV and JP Morgan.

I truly wish you the best of luck if you move there, and you’ll get a massive house for your money, but please do try to stay there for a while first to scope it out.

*fairly
Please excuse any typos, feeding a baby whilst typing!

Thank you so much. Sadly racism is everywhere, Ive never known a city in the UK which hasn't had elements but thank you for sharing an we will bear this in mind. If I hear any racist remarks the person will know about it - any kind of discrimination really pisses me off.

What is LV?

LV is www.lv.com/

We have lots from Bournemouth commuting into the Southampton area. But the OP aren’t going to work locally as they have their own business. I don’t live in Bournemouth but it strikes me as a party student town whenever I visit. I would prefer the New Forest beaches too as someone has already suggested. However I have no idea what are prices like in the Forest. I do know Lymington is expensive!

I grew up in the New Forest and moved to Southbourne/ Bournemouth (now in Christchurch). If I had the choice I'd move back to the New Forest.

I agree with PPs that if it's the beach you want, then Southbourne or nicer areas of Poole. Talbot Woods is lovely, but very expensive - not sure what you'd get for £600k there.

If you go a bit East into the Forest, Highcliffe is nice, but a very large proportion of people are retired. Barton on Sea is nice, but you'd need a car as it's a bit out on its own.

Christchurch is nice in places but completely overrun with traffic and likely to get continually worse.

Congestion, as previously mentioned is a real problem here. The whole conurbation is choc a bloc on a rainy weekday in January, imagine what it's like in the summer when the tourists come to town. In fact that is the main negative I find living here. It's lovely, but we often don't get the benefit as we avoid some areas in the summer when they're overrun.

Definitely a good idea to come down and have a look around now in the winter - but I wouldn't commit to buy until you've also seen it in full flow in the summer.

Thank you really appreciate your messages.

For me, I’m just so nervous about the impact on my eldest (9 year old) but I think it will be ok long term and if we’re going to do it I’d rather do it before secondary school. Also, what if we hate it - how could we regret it, nice beaches, lovely walks, loads of activities and better quality of life.....that’s what I keep telling myself, am I deluded

I would agree with previous posters, I’ve been down here for 6 years as my partner is a local. I hate it, the traffic in the summer isn’t ridiculous everything comes to a standstill as the roads can’t cope. We avoid Bournemouth as much as possible as it’s run down and tatty. We prefer to use cinemas, shops etc in Southampton. The Forest is lovely and we’ve lived there as well but again it gets overrun in the summer and getting around is a nightmare

This is amazing advice guys......I think we need to reconsider location and think ore new forest or Southbourne/Highcliffe x

You guys are awesome x

Echo the traffic chat. It is a big issue. Its impact will be dependent on what you are used to living in London. Also, you will be dependent on your car as I don't think public transport is great (apart from the trains). I grew up there but now live elsewhere and I'm always shocked at the amount of time people spend driving, especially in the summer. But you might be used to that already. Don't want to put you off but while some Big Moves have to be carefully thought out because of schools, a move to the Forest or nearby would be less stressful if you are prepared for the transport issues. The schools are all pretty good I think.

Thank you we’re on rightmove now looking at new forest.

Why isn’t New Milton affluent? Which parts of Forest are? X

In your situation I'd go for Poole over Bournemouth. Better schools, nicer beaches, traffic not as awful and fewer students. Close to the purbecks which are beautiful.

Lower Parkstone and particularly Ashley Cross, Penn Hill and Lilliput are all lovely.

If looking at Bournemouth then Southbourne would be my choice, it's really lovely. Beautiful houses, close to an amazing beach and a really nice community feel. There's some lovely restaurants and bars. Westbourne is nice too but the school options aren't as good.

I'd avoid Queens Park, Iford and Littledown areas because of the horrendous traffic around there and the PP that said Littledown is soulless is right.

Christchurch/Mudeford are lovely too but not as nice as Southbourne.

Btw, I don't live there anymore but everyone knows that Dorset is MUCH better than Hampshire. 😄

Honestly though, with young children there's no way I'd be looking at New Milton or anywhere like that and the closer you get to Southampton, it's really not that nice.

I’d look at Ashley Cross, Lilliput, Canford Cliffs in Poole, as well as Southbourne, Westbourne and Alum Chine way. It’s a lovely place to live. These are the areas I’d move to if I had the budget!

Would love to live in Southbourne near the main high street / Southbourne Grove, between there and the cliff top.

Boscombe town centre is quite rough (although improving) but the area between Boscombe high street and the cliff top has some absolutely stunning old houses.

You could definitely get a nice house in Ashley cross for your budget. There’s shops, restaurants, little library, train station, good bus links, good school catchment, short drive or bus journey down to sandbanks, walk to Poole Park... lived thee growing up and again briefly a few years ago. If I could afford it I’d move there in a heartbeat.

New Milton is affluent compared to much of the UK but has more of a social mix than much of the rest of the area, which is very affluent. It's an ordinary town while much of the rest of the area is very pretty and more rural. And yes, the closer you get to Southampton the more 'ordinary' it gets. The Forest is a very special place and that is reflected in the cost of housing.

I've lived in Dorset all my life, mostly swanage but now in Christchurch (Highcliffe then Burton). I like Bournemouth and we go often as its only 15 mins away but far prefer living in Christchurch, it's lovely and has the beaches and new forest on the doorstep. I have a 9 year old and 2 year old, I've never thought it anti family, quite the opposite. There's always stuff to do

😂 to the people saying Boscombe is rough or to avoid. Really?! There’s much worse around.

Southbourne is lovely, if I had a family I’d ain for there. Alum Chine is really nice too, some beautiful houses and the beach is a bit quieter than the main town centre. Not sure about schools though.

The town centre is rough. I lived there for a while. Big drug issues.

But a few streets away in “Boscombe manor” is like a different world.