thinking of moving to Norwich (NR3) anyone know the area?

[SweetBeadieRussell]

We're looking to move from the sticks to the city next year, to be closer to the amenities/ schools/ pubs/ etc. I think Norwich is great, generally speaking, (we tend to go there mainly for shopping etc at the moment) but have no idea what its like to live in.

After consulting Rightmove, NR3 seems to be our best bet; lots of smallish terraced houses within our budget/ walking distance to the city, some good primary schools nearby. Reminds me a bit of the area I grew up in, so I'm hoping it'll be the right place to raise our growing brood!

In fact it seems so right for us i'm wondering what the catch is. Anyone around who can fill me in on what it's really like round there? Is it very studenty? Are lots of the houses empty, cos I'm hoping to get away from that (we live in a very touristy, second homey bit of Norfolk) is it the kind of place young families tend to settle, or is it very transient? cos we're hoping to find somewhere with a bit of community spirit really...

I am thinking of moving to Thorpe St Andrew because it seems to have a good secondary school - is it a nice place to live?

I have extremely fond memories of living in NR3 - the Whale Bone pub, a little flint library with a huge common/heath behind, Waterloo Park. I loved walking into the city centre (took about 15-20mins) along Magdalen Road, there was a great Chinese shop that sold huge bunches of fresh corriander and shed loads of cloves for tuppance, lots of second hand pine shops, the Indian resturants, an art gallery and a fab. pub just before the bridge over the river (where we always checked out the pair of pants in the willow tree that were slowly disintigrating over a number of years). Or up Elm Hill with Old Town clothes shop and its grumpy owners. The flint cinema/cafe somewhere near there. But Hectors House became a Russian styled vodka bar, and it was time to leave. Ironically to a whole town and its people styled on Anglia Square and Trisha guests. But I love it here too, so I might just be easily pleased.

I've a friend who is a teacher at Aylsham. I'm going to ask her about the gangs.

Walked down your potential street, it looks nice enough. 3 or 4 for sale along there. Strangely quiet though and loads of parking which is odd so close to the city.

Unless it is permit parking only (doh) I didn't think to look.

Also a really nice one on Spencer St. it's with Gilson Bailey (No 21 I think).

Fatty we are moving to Thorpe, the high school does look great (and the primaries too). Not exactly the centre of the city but really wherever you are in Norwich you're only a few minutes' drive from the centre. TSA itself seems to have quite a few community things going on, scarecrow festival, Xmas lights, concerts etc...

Helpful DH sent me a link to this site where you can check local crime stats. He said that it would really depend where you were in NR3 ("You want to stay away from Mile Cross like the plague" were his exact words iirc!)

FW - thanks for snooping on my behalf - i can't do strangely quiet anymore, the quiet where i am now drives me up the wall. I yearn to hear annoying music from neighbouring houses and cars outside, a few Aylsham gang members puking in the bushes even...

MegBusset - have heard Mile Cross is rough, and for some reason in my head I always get it confused with 8 Mile, which is where Eminem is from in Detroit, I think (which only adds to the picture)

Ooh Meg that's exciting! Why are you moving?

Just wanted to say Hello. I live in a village about 20 miles NW from city centre but recognise all the places you are mentioning.

We've been mulling the idea of moving out of London for a few years but finally decided it was now or never as DS1 starts school next year. Picked Norwich as DH comes from there, we know and like the city, and you get a lot more for your money than down here. Plus a lot of good schools.

The other good point is it will save DH two hours' driving up the M11 every week when something else goes wrong with MIL's television

Hey, I am so homesick for Norwich right now! I have briefly lived on Magdalen Road and opposite the Waterfront.... loved it. And I would have said Magdalen Road was a bit rough, then I moved to the East Midlands and realised that Norwich/Norfolk was incredibly lovely, even the not so nice bits.

I have also lived in Ingham (anyone?? near Stalham), Cromer, and my favourite, Mundesley.

I want to move back ......IMO all of Norfolk is incomparably lovely compared to everywhere else. sniffles in a homesick way

I know Ingham!

Was chuckling at this yesterday, remembering the time we had A Drug Addict living in the village. He was terribly polite though. My mother used to get updates on how his rehab was going at her daily trips to the village shop.

My dp is from Wirral and grew up going out in Birkenhead. First time he visited me at my parents' he was so freaked out by the lack of street lamps he insisted on walking down the middle of the road at night, in case someone leapt out from the fields at us. Found this very amusing - he was far more likely to be mown down by a high speed Landrover than jumped by muggers!

I know Ingham . The Swan is lovely now.

Yeah! The Swan in Ingham has really changed hasnt it? one of my horses was on loan to someone in Sutton and I popped in to The Swan and nearly fell over at how nice it was - it was very erm... local... before. But they did used to be very nice when tied the horses up outside and popped in for a pint.

IMO the nicest bit of Norwich is the roads behind Newmarket Road with the big lovely old houses but the cheaper terraces near The Artichoke pub are nice too, I have friends with small children who live round there. Sprowston always seems really safe and family orientated to me and its got good buses into Norwich.

I know Ingham too