Im thinking about moving to Aberystwyth - Can anyone advice me?????????

[busybusybee]

My dh has just announced his desire to leave me. We will both need to move home and job (because of the nature of where we live and work)

Im thinking about moving to Aberystwyth - What do you think? Is it a good place to live.

Surely there must be at least one MNetter in Aberystwyth..................

Nobody?????????????

Iam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We upped sticks from guildford,surrey in 2001 and never been back!!!!

As its a University town (thats why we are here) there is actually atuff to do.
Fab place for kids,beaches,mountains!!!
and very very safe.You will not worry about your children.Its England in the old days.

BUT if you want to shop at Gap,Hobbs,Marks and Spencers,Next,French COnnection..... list is endless THEN its NOT the place for you.

I am available for questions-like the name?!!!!
And i will be very honest.

2 fab examples of Aberystwyth ;

Go to clothes shop,cant try anything on as have a 3month old ds in a sling,assistant says would you like to take some pairs of trousers home to try on?!!!!
Go to Butchers for pint of milk,only got a £10 pound note,oh never mind love,pay us when you are next passing.

Sorry,Are you Welsh? Im not although i had ds in Aberystwyth.

Notasheep - that is just what I wanted to hear!

I love shopping but im not really into big enormous shops. Im certainly not into fashion. I like bargain hunting, charity shops, etc. Its true i love the odd trip to a retail park, borders books, hobby craft etc but I can get all that on the rare occaisions I visit my parents

I have chosen it because its a uni town - Im guessing that means a fairly vibrant feel, employnment in the university, plays, music etc.

I really want to live in a market town/community.

No Im not welsh, Im an imposter!
Im learning Welsh. Ds is 4 and currently attends a first language school, something I would like to continue.

Is Aberystwyth very Welsh or Does it feel more like an English town in wales - the town where we live now is actually very English. I would prefer to have more opportunities to learn Welsh

The Arts Centre is fantastic for live events,music,dance,childrens stuff....

Lots of good cafes,individual small shops,a bit of an alternative feel to the place! Home births are quite popular around here.

And the mums I have met at school gate are from all over.

Its great to go into town and see and talk to soooooo many people i know-that NEVER happened in the Southeast(i have also lived in OXFORD)

Regarding the English/Welsh slant.
It depends which way you look at it.

There is a Welsh book shop,all signs/posters are bilingual.
There are a number of Welsh Schools and lots of Eistedfodds,welsh celebrations etc....

However,I do not feel in a minority as an English person.Also Aberystwyth is a wealthier area than some other parts of Wales.

But the way of life and safety i think is very Welsh

So Aberystwyth is a good idea then iyho

What about council/ housing association accomodation. I have no money and will need to apply. I am living in Carmarthenshire ATM so not even local to Aberystwyth.

I would dearly love a 2 or 3 bed semidetached house with a garden. Preferably not on a huge estate (been there done that). A few adjacent roads of council accom would be fine.

Any reccomendations?

Perhaps I could CAT you Notasheep?

Notasheep - the more you say the more I am loving my idea of moving to Aberystwyth!!!!!!!!!!!

I havent yet learnt to drive - Do you think bus links etc are good enough? For me to get to and from the supermarket, town centre shops, hospital etc. I need to be self sufficient

Well,funnily enough I work for Social Services as a Family Support Worker! so know all about the housing around here.
There are Council and Housing Association properties in various areas.
Mid Wales Housing; 01686 627476-phone them for application form and get on list now!
Ditto Cantref/Council 01970 639900

My e mail is [email protected]

Notasheep - You are a true wonder, I cant thankyou enough!!!!!!!!!

Pity today is Friday as I will have to wait til after the weekend to phone for forms. An email to you is on its way :o

Well,funnily enough I work for Social Services as a Family Support Worker! so know all about the housing around here.
There are Council and Housing Association properties in various areas.
Mid Wales Housing; 01686 627476-phone them for application form and get on list now!
Ditto Cantref/Council 01970 639900

My e mail is [email protected]

oops

I went to university in Aberystwyth. Almost 15 years ago now, and I've only visited again once since then, so most of my experiences will be way way way out of date. But the two things that I noticed most are probably still true now. Firstly it is a friendly place where you can easily walk from one side to the other in half an hour or so. Secondly it is a long long way to anywhere else, and there is not a huge amount there (this is almost certainly out of date, but I remember that the only supermarket was Somerfield, and the only nightclub closed at 12!). I think the two are really related! I don't know if it is still true now, but the relationship between the university and the town seemed generally much better than in other student towns. Good luck with you decision Busybusybee - I certainly have some great memories of Aberystwyth, but I wouldn't want to live there again (but I am a London girl, so cities appeal to me)

We went to Aberystwyth yesterday. Ds1 has been offered a place at Uni so we went on a Visiting Day. I really liked it - had a nice feel to it, loads of students, friendly, lots of Welsh speaking going on. It was lovely and sunny too - though I don't suppose it's always like that . Bit of a bugger to get to from Stoke though. I think ds rather liked the idea of that!

Actually it was Wednesday - not yesterday - where has the week gone?!

Thankyou for your replies

Its true Aberystwyth is a long way away from elsewhere but I rather like that tbh. Anyway its only an hour and a half from where I am now.

clubs and pubs arent my thing so that isnt an issue.
There seems to be most of the shops I would want in the centre, and a morrisons near where I could maybe live.

So far so good - Now I need to see if I can get somewhere to live there

I really really really want a garden to grow flowers in - have never really had a garden before

I do miss the sea! There is a great pebbly beach where dh & I used to walk the dog and have long heart to hearts. Not quite the same in the middle of South London!

I also went to uni in Aber. I loved it - it's a beautiful and friendly little place and I did once entertain thoughts of moving back there.

It's certainly isolated but that means it has a very strong community feel, imo. Being a university town does mean there's lots more going on than in your average small seaside town - it had a good arts scene, very strong on sports, etc. Shopping was certainly not its strong point then but I'm sure it's a bit better than 10+ years ago! It's a great place if your partial to knitting your own muesli, iyswim

And there's the sea, and the beaches, and the mountains, and the sunsets, of course...

omg - you're partial not your partial

Im getting to like the sound of Aberystwyth more and more :)

Snafu - in a knitting your own muesli sense - do you mean health food shops and alternative thinking types? washable nappies and recycling etc??????????