Where’s best to live for a young family, Bristol or Leamington Spa?

[Nic1188]

Hi everyone, my first Mumsnet post after getting all my advice from here for years now! Hope you can help as we’re planning a house move in the next year but we can’t decide between Bristol or Leamington Spa. We will have family near both so that’s not the issue, but I’d love to know opinions of what the areas are like to bring up a family? I know they are quite different size wise but I don’t know either very well. Currently have 1 boy just over a year old, so need to think about schools/green space/clubs job prospects in creative fields/hospitality management and also where feels safe!

I would love opinions from those who know the areas. Thanks in advance x

Can't speak for LS but Bristol is massive and I'd say the experience will be very postcode dependant. Where I am is very green, riverside walks, easy access to the countryside, lovely schools. Lots of people seem to stay here their whole lives. I am 10 minutes cycle from Bristol centre but see kingfishers and herons every day, hear owls most nights and have even seen an otter close by once or twice. There are some wonderful local events run by the community for the community, there's a community orchard, the allotments have open days with music and games. It feels kinda villagey. People who work in my son's school were pupils there themselves back in the day, and we have kids in the class who are children and grandchildren of ex pupils too. However there's also been a lot of high profile crime in the area recently, national news worthy incidents. It can be very loud with traffic noise, or random raves, there's always rubbish everywhere, increasing homeless people around which is tough to see, let alone explain and talk about with kids. Stuff that is sadly all too standard with life in a big city. I kinda wanna split to a smaller town where I'd be able to let my kids play out in the street, pop to the shop with mates and cycle themselves to school in the next few years, but am not sure if actually we have it really good here and anywhere we move would have similar issues these days.

@Beansandneedles thanks for this, really good to know about your experience and all the wildlife! It sounds like it has a good balance of the two with some city issues but enough of a community feel. I know what you mean about the idea of the idyllic place to bring up kids but still with enough to do for everyone…I’m in a small town now but it still has its problems! They’ll always be something but it’s hard to get the balance right it seems!

I'd be interested to hear your small town experiences, might help sway us as we're currently leaning that way.

Though I say this with sat by the window listening to a tawny owl in my neighbours garden, when last night I was enjoying drinks with friends in town only a short cycle away. It's not the worst place to be.