Funky town to live within about an hour from Reading

[hannahbarbera]

Hello mums
We are moving back to the UK from a lovely place where kids are idolised, food is fresh and strangers are friendly and open minded. Is it an impossible dream to find something similar within about an hour's (probably train) commute from Reading, where DH will be working? We would probably like lots of organic food, a community minded place where different lifestyle choices are accepted, low crime and kid friendly. If it could be arty and with good schools too, so much the better. So far I have come up with Stroud. Am I right about Stroud? Is there anywhere else in any direction from Reading? We have a budget of around 400-550k for a 3-4 bedroom house, preferably nearer 400!
Thank you so much!

LOL thanks 2 margarines and others!

avoid those ghastly provincial towns and head for London or Brighton at a push.

burberry, I've been longing to say that except not even the Brighton bit but haven't had the guts! Respeck.

yikes I've been trying not to think that :( Are they really that bad??

Take me with a pinch of salt, OP! I'm a girl from a one-horse town (not even a town) turned Londoner who LOVES the big city. Small places and suburbia give me the fear. That's just me though (well, me and burberry)

am with you there ladyclarice (bitter bitter experience!)

trust me OP there is nothing 'funky' about anywhere outside the M25

Oh well I was just about to come on this thread to suggest Salisbury (as I noticed Winchester was mentioned earlier on & the 2 places are 40mins apart) but I see that margarine has totally slated it already!!

I moved from Bristol to Salisbury and now happily live in the city having had 3 children here in the past 5 years - yes its not bristol or london or brighton, but it is very friendly, a beautiful city, bit white-middle class compared to bristol but its fine, good twice weekly market with farmers market too, a fab arts centre, annual arts festival plus lots of lovely parks. The most crime that happens is a cat getting stuck up a tree, or someone knicking a mobility scooter!

And I havent had any problem making friends at all - I have loads of fab friends who all do different jobs / have moved out of london to have kids / move back towards family etc. Its really worth considering, despite what others might say!

Also, FWIW, my sister lives on the Chalford side of Stroud and is considering a move down to Salisbury because her & her partner love it here so much when they visit.

See, I think we are all projecting our own preferences on the OP. I don't think her 'funky' means cutting edge/trendy/inner city. Mainly she wants community minded, friendly, open minded. I don't think that's impossible to find outside the M25 my any means! Conversely, all the towns and villages that various posters on here love may not be entirely to her taste either...

I still think that they are more likely to have a nice life if she chooses something nice (safe, family-oriented, convenient) on or very close to the train line to Reading and look for like-minded people wherever. There's a real danger that by chasing the perfect town a good hour away from central Reading that it's not all you expect AND there is a miserable commute.

Reading to Salisbury is well over an hour just for the train journey. Then you've got to get to and from the station at both ends. Why would you do that unless you've got some very strong connection to Salisbury? Same for Bristol, except worse because the journey is a bit longer and you are likely to take longer to get to the station. Crazy. Stick to Caversham in Reading, Oxford if you really want a small artsy city, or one of the lovely villages inbetween if you fancy that lifestyle.

Sorry icravecheese I also live in Salisbury and don't view it the same way, but glad you are happy here. Horses for courses and all that!

dont worry margarine - if I'm entirely honest, I cried my eyes out when I first moved down from Bristol, thought what the f* have I done?!!!!

Moved to be with boyfriend...we're now happily married with 3 small children so it turned out fine, but it was a BIG culture shock compared to Bristol

Yeah, Newbury is quite naice, don't get me wrong, I work in the town centre, but funky? No.

I would also recommend Oxford, but not Newbury.

Have lived in both these places, and think Oxford is much closer to the description you give. I also think Newbury is vastly overrated. Whilst we were happy living there, there's an awful lot of concrete in Newbury and the canal aside, its not that pretty. Schools are better in Newbury compared to Oxford though (on the whole).

It's 20 years since I lived in Reading but I remember it as far more bohemian and community minded than the snobby little villages and towns around it. Windsor is probably the vilest place I have been to in my entire life.
Seriously OP, check out the nicest bits of Reading; commuting is a horrible thing to endure every day.

I don't really know it, but the part of Reading near the Uni might be worth looking at too? I think it is a bit cheaper than Caversham and may have a younger, more bohemian feel.

I think that if you are willing to, then you'll find the 'vibe' that you're looking for in/around Reading. (Although I agree that you should avoid Lower Earley, 'tis a soulless places that I get lost driving around!)

Newbury is lovely. DH commutes Reading to Newbury which takes about 30 minutes on the train plus walking time.

Train tickets from Reading to London can be cripplingly expensive during rush hour, so I assume it's the same London to Reading.

OP I live in Oxford and its v expensive and your budget will not go far. There are funky bits I guess but fundamentally it's relatively conservative and I find it quite straight laced and dull. Schools competitive to get into and unless you pay for a pricey house in a good area you are resigned to not so great schools but ok schools. It's a bit of a town of have and havenots....

If I were you I'd check out the villages in S oxfordshire or even Thame which is pretty, has a lovely high street with independent shops and everyone I know who lives around there really likes it. Good transport links into London too.

Cheltenham doesn't have the most frequent of trains but damn it's lovely. I'd go in a flash.

Sorry OP I sounded a bit too negative about Oxford. It does have good theatre, loads of museums and lots for kids. I'm just not crazy about it as I moved from a big city and finding it hard to adjust.

And for me I still feel like it has quite a white, conservative vibe. Even the Oxford University students seem to struggle with funky a bit. 19 year old boys in tweed jackets and brogues scare me...!

One more thing, I've heard a lot of families raving about Wallingford which is just 30 mins north of reading in the south tip of oxfordshire.

Good schools. Lots of family friendly stuff. Pretty town. Lots of residents active in the community. Not sure if I'd call it artsy but glorious countryside around there and some pretty reasonable property £.

Have a look. Nearest station is didcot 20 mins to Reading. Easy peasy.

Henley we live about 5 miles from Henley in the oxfordshire countryside and it is a great town to be close to. There is always something on and the views rowers are stunning!

Thame is nice, but not an easy drive to Reading.
Wallingford always feels similar to Thame to me, but closer (still no train)

Cross post with Williamina!

Henley is one of the most expensive places to live in the country.

Oxford would work if you are relatively near the station. Jericho would be perfect but a bit too expensive. Maybe New Hinksey/Grandpont or Botley (not sure how funky it is, though).
Oxford is very international (in a nice way) , lots of people come and go so it is easier to fit in if you come from abroad.

Bristol is lovely, I live close to stroud which is lovely but would much prefer to be in Clifton village Bristol.

You can always go to the farmers market in stroud on a Saturday morning.