moving to Bristol

[witt999]

Am hoping to relocate to Bristol next year and doing a bit of advance planning.
Can anyone help with areas to live - am keen to be in a reasonably quiet family-friendly area that's still convenient/not too isolated. Not sure where I'll be working so a bit in the dark but priority to live in a good area even if it means longer commute. Def don't want to be in a studenty area. Budget is around £325,000.
Would consider Bath and commuting from there - what is that like? Not sure if the budget can stretch to it though...

We ve just moved,to henleaze and it's lovely with very good primary and secondary schools and close to lots of amenities. It's near Gloucester,road, which is quite studenty and is more family friendly and quieter. Your budget won't stretch as far as a result and you would,probably get a two bed semi or three bed terraced for that budget.

South Glos - halfway between Bath and Bristol. Can use the park and ride to get into central Bristol. More house for your money and semi-rural.

I'd second north Bristol too - Henleaze is nice. Westbury-on-Trym is also nice, affordable on your budget and a bit cheaper than Henleaze. Primary schools are good but issues with state secondary schools there though (a few private ones nearby) . Also easy access to central Bristol and also to Cribbs Causeway/M5 for shops. Some parts of Bedminster are ok but not others, was quite a "chavvy" area back in the 80s/90s when I was growing up.

And Bath is nice (excellent schools - secondary ones are even better than the primary ones) and the commute isn't too bad if you're working in South Bristol - I.e it's close but very busy at rush hour. (Though commuting through Bristol can also be a nightmare). Weston, Newbridge or Oldfield Park are on the Bristol side and are nice areas at about your budget-ish. Also the "bad" areas in Bath are nowhere near as bad as the "bad" areas in Bristol.

Yes, agreed North Bristol is nice. I have friends in Horfield and Bishopston. Gloucester Rd is lovely. I didn't think your budget would stretch that far, but I'm obviously wrong about that.

Thanks so much for all the input, can't believe how much I've learned so quickly!
One thing I didn't ask is if its a nice place to be?
I'm itching to get further South to be near old friends. Can't really afford Oxford and there aren't many jobs going there so Bristol is a bit of a pin in the map - access to countryside + South England + employment opportunities + not as big as Manchester + reasonably cultured (could be wrong there?!)
Does it make sense? Thoughts or ideas welcome...
ZolaBuddleia - are you moving from Manch?

Weatherwise I'd rather be in Bristol than in Dundee or on the eastern side. It's quite mild in Bristol cos it's close to the sea.

Socially - lots of stuff going on. Balloon festival, Harbour festival, Festival of ideas etc

The natives are friendly

Sounds like secondary school quite a major issue and presumably affects people staying long term. Have to admit it puts me off a bit - is that silly?

South Glos sounds good - what sort of places does that include? Sorry to be a bit ignorant. Couldn't cope w anything too isolated but semi-rural w good access might work.

South Glos secondaries are generally considered better a lot better than Bristol.

South Glos is the area north and east of Bristol but it also extends down to dip between Bath and Bristol. People that live in the dip can also send their kids to secondaries in bath and NE Somerset - some of which are outstanding.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Gloucestershire

No, not moving from Manchester. We're considering a large area from Stroud in the north to Frome in the south and Exeter in the west. Like you though, I think Bristol will offer most in the way of employment, so focussing there a bit more.

Our DD is 3, so secondaries aren't an issue yet, but don't want to move again.

I'm from the friendly north and have never felt more welcome than I did when we moved to the South Cotswolds.
Stroud and the surrounding area is lovely, and we found the prices similar to the north (which I never expected).

I went to secondary school in south glos - and unless it's improved a lot in 15yrs - I'd avoid Patchway high school :)

I'd say Bristol is lovely. Def lots of culture stuff going on, and a nice place to bring up a family. Didn't know about the secondary school issue, although when us kids were that age I know my (teacher) mum wasn't too impressed at the offerings. Cotham used to be good - is it not now? Was a grammar school back then too...

For what you want OP, I'd say Bristol is a good bet.

Op, Bristol is definitely a nice place, no question! Weather is mild, locals quite friendly if a bit reserved, very beautiful houses in nice areas but also dramatic countryside/harbour views (green hills!). Harbour is really nice and fun - lots of museums for kids (interactive and very modern), old city museum very good too, festivals, also many festivals (books, music) in nearby Bath. Shopping is good too (centre, Cribbs). To me the one minus is that it's a bit too far from London and trains are shockingly expensive.It's much more chilled/relaxed than Manch!

I'd go for Redland or Westbury Park if you are really happy with 2/3 beds (maisonette with garden maybe - or does it have to be a house?). The flats in Redland/Westbury park are GRAND and you will get a 3 bed for this. Then you are near the Downs - lots of space for kids/dogs. walking, and Clifton not far for the upmarket bit. Or if you like more down to eartgh - theb around Gloucester rd (Bishopston or St.Andrew's) where you get get a house for that (2-3 beds but reasonable size). I wouldnb;t go further out North (i.e. Horfield) as it's dull and suburban (sorry!), esp after Manchester.

Some people commute from South Glos to N.bristol (no, south is too far in rush hour!), if you could take a really small-town feel.
Keymsham maybe worth considering (between Bath anmd Bristol) if you want a bigger place.

Keynsham

Is Bristol commutable from Stroud? I keep hearing lovely things about it.

Another vote for North Bristol. And in terms of secondary schools if that is worrying you: a new school has been running in Redland (Redland Green) for a few years now. A free School (which has just had a first ofsted) opened about 2 years ago - obviously no exam results yet but it's very popular. A lot less people are going private now (and two private Schools, Colston Girls and the Cathedral School have become state schools. Primary Schools are largely extremely good, so don't let schools put you off!

South Glos not bad for secondary schools - decent secondaries in Thornbury, Winterbourne, Bradley Stoke, and you can live on the outskirts of north Bristol and go to these. Almondsbury is a nice village with great primary, good access to Bristol and motorways and catchment for Marlwood secondary.

Direct train from Bristol to Stroud. There's a grammar, poor comp and also a great comp near by in chalford. It's a bumpy popular alternative area but the town centre itself is mixed.

I wouldn't advise commuting from Stroud - direct trsin but slow and not very ferquent, but also take into account journey from the main station to work place in bristol - it can take ages as buses take round about routes. There is a connectin local train to clifton/redland etc but again it's another wait. Overall can take 1.5hrs! Driving is better but not in middle of rush hour - maybe 1hr. I think if you live in Stroud, best to work in Cirencester or even Cheltenham, not bristol.

agree with gnoomi - several school choices in redland/border with clifton. Op, you have to visit - you may be charmed. Visit clifton village too by the famous bridge!

Thank you everyone! Especially for reassuring me about Bristol, was beginning to feel a bit negative. Relocation is seriously hard!!!
Def time for a trip down.
I think North Bristol, not too suburban is prob the way forward else it could all be a bit of a culture shock. Will be renting initially so can keep exploring tho keen to buy a place before too long. Want to make sure I don't saddle myself with a job that involves a big commute - so will keep my eye out for stg North Bristol. Cld work well if a job came up in S Glos so cld commute against the traffic and potentially move that way in the future if it felt right.

I would say it depends where in horfield you live as to whether it feels a bit too suburban. Stay close to Gloucester road and you'd be fine.

Also, I'd be very surprised if your budget bought you a house in bishopston or St. Andrews. Prices are a bit crazy in Bristol. It's mad because my parents sold our bishopston four bed Victorian semi for £97k in 1999 which would now probably be worth over £400k!

Good luck!

Bristol north is suburban really. There are loads of cities apart from Bristol in the south west. Cardiff, Cheltenham, bath, Gloucester etc ..

Misty 9, missed your rightmove link earlier in the week - thank you so much, really nice to get an idea of what your money can get.
Am going to arrange a visit and see if I am charmed (which was very well put allaflutter). The desire to get out of Manchester is pretty strong but don't want to go frying pan to fire. It will be job driven in the end so going to keep my eyes peeled on the job ads and might widen the net to Cheltenham. Must confess Bath would be a dream but its a closed job scene, dead man's shoes and all that...

OP did say she wanted 'not too urban' after having enough of living in Manchester. Clifton/Redland is nothing like suburban as further north Horfield or Filton etc. (apart from right nextto Gl.Rd.), hthere is lively cafe culture and lots of shops - a lot like parts of london, and also Westbury park as it's veyr easy access to centre/Uni area.
I like Bath but it's small and not varied like Bristol, more snobby element too, but it's worth a look to see what you prefer.

x-post!