Would you live in Warwick, Leamington Spa or Rugby?

[soonbesailing]

Hi all, we may need to relocate to this area and I do not know them at all, any information would be useful.
I have posted in education as well as we have 2 DCs who would need to go to secondary school, probably state, we do not have grammer schools where I live so would be looking at non-selective.
So come and enlighten me, the good, bad and the ugly : )
Thanks

in laws around there so know it quite well
henley in arden nice
warwick lovely
kenilworth nice
leamington seems pleasant

check out villages too
but i do not know about schools at all as all my in laws use private schools (richer than us)
loads to do, canals, countryside, nice pubs, castles, NT ouses, Brum is good for shoppig theatre and sealife (and cadbury world!)
I'd move there in a trice if we could get jobs there

Leamington is the town of choice for many students from Warwick uni, which is a good or bad thing depending on your point of view. It does mean there are some less salubrious areas in the town so pick carefully.

I grew up around there. Overthemill is right, Henley is nice, Warwick is small but lovely. Leamington has some lovely areas, but also some that are a bit, umm, grim, so choose carefully. Don't know Kenilworth or Rugby - from the other end of the county.

I went to school in Warwick, not state, but as far as I know the state schools there are pretty good. My niece and nephew attend one and seem very happy.

They are all OK - you'll possibly get more /nicer area for your money in Rugby. Villages are nice too. (I grew up in a village near Rugby)

Thank you all, very interesting, I was thinking Rugby as (if this move happens) DS would need to go to junction 5 on the M6 which looks like a shorter drive than from Warwick or Leamington.
I was also thinking villages partly because we really want to get a dog, although am slightly concerned about teenage DS1 as we live in a nice bit of London and I don't know if village life may be tricky for him.
The state schools look as big as the ones here which has surprised me, don't know why but I thought they would be smaller.
Is Rugby a nice town or not?
Anyone know anything bout Ashlawn school?
Thanks

In order of increasing attractiveness and therefore probably price: Rugby, Warwick, Leamington Spa.

Relatives of ours (high achieving types) chose to live in Leamington Spa & sent their DC's to Kenilworth school.

I should think any of those places would have a choice of reasonable schools though, certainly Warwick or Leamington. It's a great part of the country to live in.

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The thing is you could very easily be on the outskirts of a town that size and walk your dog in fields or a park, it's not all or nothing between urban sprawl and tiny hamlets.

I'm sure Rugby is fine but I don't think it's the sort of place people go to as an attraction (like Warwick or Leamington).

Are you seriously looking at commuting to Castle Brom (M6 J5?) That is a grim substantial commute from any of those places, even longer than my twice daily 25-mile battle with the M42. How about Sutton Coldfield?

I live in Leamington Spa, been here for 11 years now.

Leamington is a beautiful Spa town with lots of period properties. There is a bit of a North/South divide - the North being more desirable (and more expensive) and probably better for schools (North Leam is a better school than Campion). Shopping is best in Leamington of the three.

Warwick is slightly cheaper, nice but prob less shopping/things to do although some nice restaurants and pubs etc. Has its dodgy areas too. Leamington and Warwick are actually conjoined so most people who live in Warwick would shop in Leamington etc. The schools are better on the East side of Warwick (Myton) than the West (Aylesford).

Rugby is much cheaper but not nearly as nice in my opinion, although you get more for your money.

We are selling up at the moment and looking to move to a bigger place so been scoping out all around the areas and are pretty settled on North East side of Leamington. Central Leam is beautiful if you want a period property and don't mind a small garden. All depends on budget you have and size of house etc you need.

But feel free to PM me and I can answer any specific questions you have.

In order of increasing preferences I would say Rugby, Warwick, Leamington (in order of what I could afford, the exact opposite!)

I would say though that I commute from near M6 J5 to just a little way past Kenilworth and it takes me 45m on the A452. Further than than and the traffic gets a little mental and going the other way likely to be worse. And the M6 is always a risk IMO!

Interesting food for thought here - greenlotus do you really think it's too far?
It would be DH, not me on the daily commute.
Its so hard to judge, at the moment we live in a nice suburb of London (about 6 miles out of central London) it takes DH 45 mins at least with walk, bus, tube, so he thought up to 1 hour in a car would be ok?
I did think about Sutton Coldfield, but it looks a bit urban and I am looking for a bit of a lifestyle change, been in London for a long time (about 25 years) but I grew up in the country and wanted a bit of that for my DCs.
Ladygonegaga Sounds like Rugby isn't as nice as Leamington, but I do think I would rather live in a village so perhaps its not that much of a problem especially if they are close enough to shop in?
So much to consider, we find out next week if DH is offered the job

Where would you be working, Soonbesailing? Can advise on the commute then too. Warwick/Leamington best for M40 access, Rugby best for M1. Rugby is a faster train line into London, Leamington and Warwick both have decent stations though.

Agree with LGG - why aren't you thinking of somewhere closer to M6 J5? Sutton Coldfield has some lovely areas and great secondary schools - also massive park for dog walking. Alternatively how about Lichfield? - small historical city close to nice walks, enough going on for teenagers but also has a nice community feel?

Google earth and street map are great for having a look at the area before you actually do iykwim !

I'm looking at relocating in this area too so am interested in all the views soo fat. thanks.

Leamington is the home to the most amazing dog training club, purpose built by the KC, it had the most fantastic facillities.

I realize this is not a big selling point to many, but would be to me as I regularly do a 60 mile round trip to train there.

Something to think about.

Must admit that was not on my list of 'must haves' or even 'would like' but seeing I have a wild cocker spaniel then maybe its a decision maker.

Thanks wtwtw

I used to live in Rugby but looked at Warwick/ Leamington/ Stratford as preferred those areas. However, they were just too pricey so we opted for Rugby. Rugby has 2 state grammars - one for girls one for boys (great if your children can get in) but the rest of the secondary schools really aren't that great in terms of results. As a town though, it has all you need and other places such as Coventry, Birmingham etc with larger shops aren't far away. There are some nice areas of Rugby or you could live on the outskirts in a village such as Kilsby, Harborough Magna etc. You can get a lot for say £200K there

Just in case you need it for your wild cocker LDTC

[Grin] Good luck with your move.

Just moved from a village between Warwick and Stratford and it is lovely there, but yes - the M40/M42 interchange can be nightmarish (it's the Junction 3a you hear so much about on the traffic reports!).

There are some lovely places further north - even places as 'urban' sounding as Solihull have lovely patches of rural (Knowle was perfect for me - walk to shops but feels like a real village).

I'd really suggest going and having a drive around aimlessly in the area - you can find some lovely places by getting lost. Have a look at Napton or Stockton much cheaper than Warwick/Leamington but be careful that you check if it's on the route for the HighSpeed 2 rail link.

Well I moved out here from East Dulwich. In London I had a horrid 50 minutes of squeezing and squashing on the tube/trains to work. I thought, a quiet 40 minutes on the motorway in my private car listenting to the radio's got to be better. But I have the longest commute of almost anyone in my office. Many of them live near enough to cycle to work. Also the environmental/transport cost of 250 miles a week in your car, the lack of car share or public transport alternatives when you live so far out... I like it where we are but it is the one downside. You just have to drive so far, all the time.

It's difficult because if you are used to a chi-chi part of London, a place like Rugby will feel like the Dark ages, you will find more of the quality of shops and "society" you are used to in somewhere like Leamington, as well as the nice period houses.

Yes the middle of Sutton Coldfield or Solihull are a bit urban but they have good parks, good schools, and some nice villages/suburbs on the edges - Walmley? I think you get to some nice areas if you head up the A452 as evidenced by increasing golf clubs on google maps.

I cannot recommend my nearest town because it featured heavily on the "crappest town in Britain" thread a few days ago, we do live in a village but I pine for the deli's of Lordship Lane from time to time!

yy to Dark ages having also moved to Warks from London.

Sadly nice period houses in Leamington come with nice big price tags and woe betide you if you are trying to get into Leamington/Warwick when the weather is really bad - it gets totally gridlocked.

On the other hand, there is a lovely Sainsburys in Leam, a Waitrose in Kenilworth and there are some fantastic shops. There are quite a few grammar schools around here as well as loads of private schools and in the south of the county it is quite wealthy. Beautiful countryside too.

(missing all this now in deep dark suburban Australia).

Sorry cross posted on the M6 thing. I hear Sutton Coldfield is really nice and can vouch for Knowle as a beautiful large village with plenty going on (although you do risk DC's growing up with Brummie accents . Lots of nice villages around too but I know less about that side.

I second having a weekend away up here and driving around looking at places. You could team it with a visit to Stratford and both Leam and Warwick attractions in their own right too.

You can live in Stockton I here for 20 years and still be that odd ball that moved there from London It is a good drive out and back and that is why Napton on the hill and Stockton are much cheaper - Southam just got a tesco so will be more attractive.

Warwick and Leamington have decent state schools, you can apply for stratford grammer and there are a lot of girls on the bus in the mornings from Leamington and Warwick.

Kenilworth has an older feel to it, there are a considerable amount of more mature people living there.

What do you want from a place - walking to shops and school or driving everywhere? What type of house, new, old, regency, cotage, modern village house. Be aware most of the villages are lovely- but deathly in the week as they are commuters and no-one is around.

Whereas W&L will be easier to make friends have coffee, join play groups, gyms, golf, swimming - two municipal pools, two main parks and several smaller parks. College for further education/night school stuff e.g silvermaking, cookery etc.

None of the secondary schools are bad anymore and choice is more relevant and where you live for access to schools is going to change anyway.

Junior schools the best two I know are Leek Wootton and Coten End

waves to others in Warwick and wave back if you know me!

I went to Rugby for the day last year and thought it was really grim in the town centre.

Unfortunately Rugby is a grim, sorry people that live in Rugby. I know people that live in rugby and also think it is grim but have little choice of moving either.