DH offered a job in IPSWICH. If you live there or know it well, Please tell me all the negatives and positives. He has to accept by tonight!

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We've 2 children aged 5 and 2. DH has been offered a HoD job at a private school in Ipswich.

Where are the nice places to live? We'd probably have appx £230,000 for a house. We'd prefer a house with not too small a garden but other than that we're not fussed. Could we afford a house in a catchment area for a good primary school? Would we have any hope of getting our 5 year old into a good school joining in Year 1? We'd rather not send them to DH's school at primary level.

What are the good things to do in Ipswich. We like cycling, walking, being outdoors, supporting local events. Are people friendly, welcoming in Ipswich? Are there lots of incomers?

Will the whole area be flooded in 10 years time?!?

What else should I know? We'd be moving from the South.

Thank you anyone who can answer this.

Can't help you on all points but didn't want to leave you waiting too long for a response!

We live about 10 miles from Ipswich, and there are some really nice villages around the town itself. I don't know Ipswich itself that well nor the schools (DD only 1yr) but I would say people are friendly and welcoming.

You will be near the coast, and near to Alton Water (big reservoir, lovely place for sailing, windsurfing, has 8 mile cycle path around it etc) for outdoors stuff.

People around here commute to London or work locally. Lots of toddler groups and local events all the time.

I am a Scot living in Norwich (about 40 mins on the train from Ipswich) we went for a day trip in the summer and I must say I was quite impressed by it.

There is a gorgeous park right in the centre of town - Christchurch I think it is called and from discussions on here before I think the houses round about it were good.

I know there has been threads about Ipswich before - will try to find links.

here

and another!

Thank you.

I had quite thorough look at Ofsted reports this morning and got a little worried as most of the decent schools appear to be CofE. I'd be looking for a good non-denominational school.

I live inbetween Norwich and Ipswich. I've worked in Norwich, dh currently works in Ipswich. I prefer Norwich (bigger place, better shops) but Ipswich is nice enough there are lots of small towns and villages surrounding Ipswich which would be commutable and offer a lovely rural way of life, if that's what you're looking for. Ipswich is about 60 mins outside of Liverpool St which is a bonus imho.

Hi, I live in Kesgrave just outside Ipswich, and have lived in Ipswich previously. I'd say it is quite a good place to live. The shopping and cultural stuff is better in Norwich, but you get most of the general shops you would expect in Ipswich (except Waitrose, the nearest one is Bury St. Edmunds. It is a vey safe place to live,generally - the crime rate is very low. I would say the best areas of Ipswich itself are the North and East areas. You would probably get at least a 3 bed house for £230k.

I realy like Kesgrave - the old part was largely built in the 1920's with a lot of bungalows, but there has been a large modern development (Grange Farm) which is the bit that I live in. Our catchment primary school (Cedarwood) is fantastic (my ds is 7, and loves it there). However, I know that year 2 is currently full, so you would have to go on the waiting list, although occasionally children do leave from time to time. The two adjacent primary schools are perfectly OK, and may have places, but not (IMO) as good as Cedarwood.

In Ipswich itself the most sought after primary schools seem to be the church ones (e.g. St. John's, St. Margarets, C of E, and St Mary's catholic) but you would have to be a regular church attenderto stand any chance of getting in to one of those.

The best state secondary schools are Northgate (Ipswich), St. Albans (catholic, Ipswich) and Kesgrave High (Kesgrave).

I think a lot depends on the lifestyle you want to lead. I would say Ipswich (and Kesgrave in particular) are good for family life, but I know that my sister (who has no children) would find it wouldn't offer enough culturally etc. for her.

There are some nice areas of countryside around. Ipswich isn't far from the coast, Felixstowe is the nearest, but you can drive up the coast to Aldeburgh, Southwold etc (about 40 minutes or so away). There are some nice little villages around too, but seeing as I don't drive and am reliant on public transport, I have never considered living in any of them.

My own view is that I am very happy here, and wouldn't want to move.I hope this is helpful. If you have any other questions please ask!

Do any of these small villages have train stations or easy cycling access into Ipswich?

Sorry, meant to say year 1 in our school is full (although year 2 is too!)

Thank you.

A few have train stations, e.g. Woodbridge (but house prices are v high there), Trimley (near Felixstowe) Westerfield. But train services on those lines are not very frequent (no more than one an hour, and wouldn't run late in the evening). We have a very good bus service (superoute 66) which runs to Kesgrave and Martlesham Heath, it goes every 15 mins during the day, half hourly in the evening, then hourly overnight most nights. But Martlesham Heath and Kesgrave are more modern housing developments rather than traditional little villages IYSWIM. So it depends on what sort of housing/location you are looking for.

Thank you.

I don't know. I like the idea of living in an old house again. I quite like the idea of being in the town.

At the moment we live in a village and DH commutes by train and I suffer because he leaves so early. It would be easier if we live a few miles cycling distance to the school where he will work. Then he can help take the children to school/nursery and it makes it easier for me to work.

The nicest (old type) houses in the town are the ones near Christchurch Park, but they are very expensive - I don't think £230k would buy you much there. There are some nice older style houses in the East of Ipswich. Some of them would be in the catchment for Northgate secondary school, but not sure what the primary schools there are like (most of my friends who live in the East of Ipswich have children at one of the church schools).

I live in Diss which on the main trainline to Ipswich. Dh takes the train every day, the train journey is about 25 mins, door to door about 40 mins. Stowmarket is one the same line and closer to Ipswich but I've no idea what it's like.

We live 28 miles from Ipswich in a little village called Kelvedon - why not move to one of the villages - probably get a lot more for your money and lot more open countryside - one of my friends lives right near Christchurch Park in Ipswich - is mega expensive - think both of her boys are at CofE schools - mind you DD is in our village CofE school but there is a non denominational school in Feering the next village - trains run frequently too!

Few friends live on new estates in Kesgrave which are more reasonable!

Do you have to live in Ipswich or would he be able to commute?

Do you go to work?

OK - we'll forget about trains. What about places that are cycleable (is that a word?)

I live in suffolk and it's nice, lovely countryside, beautiful coast. Parts of Ipswich are ok - christchurch park bit, but some of it is a bit grim.

The most important thing is that Johnnie Depp is moving here, or has moved here already, he hasn't let me know. He's been spotted in the pub in the next village and wondering around generally. I think that is an important point and proves that it is a very nice place to move to.

Johnny Depp lives round the corner from me in Bath, Bocs.

He's a tart and he's playing us both

He must have moved from Bath now, he gave it a shot and it didn't work out. Move on. He's in in my manor now.

I moved to Ipswich in September, and I have to say that I really don't like it. Not much culture, crap shops and restaurants. But I moved from London, so maybe I'm a bit spoiled.
Suffolk, as everyone says, is lovely, especially if you like the outdoors. Great villages, beaches, rivers, farms and farmshops. But Ipswich itself isn't great. There's one nice bit (Christchurch) but the rest isn't. If you can afford Woodbridge, try there (schools are apparently excellent) - it's lovely. And Norwich is lovely too.

on the upside, my DD (2) is at a great nursery, and there are loads of new childrens centres being built.

There are a couple of hills in Ipswich, so won't get flooded. I can't say that people have been that friendly - some are, most aren't. A lot of silent types...
The council seems to be trying hard to make it a commuter town, and have built lots of swanky riverside flats, but I think most are empty and apparently there's one or two repossessions a week. So not quite the flash image it was hoping for.

i live in the centre of ipswich and i love it! there is a very multicultural feel to the place these days, lots of independent foriegn dellis etc. all the usual shops, some nice restaurants for all budgets, the waterfront is really taking off and is becoming quite 'up-market'.

if you do decide to look at villages Brantham is very nice, a good primary school with a lovely community feel and is a feeder school for east bergholt high, which has a good rep., it's also handy for manningtree station which means you are only an hour from london.

we have found since we moved our business here that some real investment is happening in the area which is always a good thing. the surrounding counrtyside is beautiful, wild coast lines, dedham vale, historic lavenham, generally something for everyone!

No, Boco, he told me I'm his only.

He's obv a cheating wankola.

How could this happen?

sagitta - where on earth are you going to eat out!, there are some lovely place to eat!

i love the salthouse, the galley, the bistro on the quay, il punto and some of the thai and indian places are great.