Knutsford

[Guillemot01]

Good morning!

I'm a first-time poster and just managed to delete my first post so please bear with me!

We're looking at moving to Knutsford from Buxton this summer - plan was Wilmslow but too pricey. I'm returning to work in Manchester. I have a couple of questions that I hope you wise folk might be able to help with.

My first question is commuting: my commute from Buxton was soul-destroying (minging slow noisy trains). Having looked into Knutsford it seems that they have these same trains but only hourly at peak times - don't know if I can face it all again! Do locals have a better way of getting into town (bus to wilmslow or tram stop for instance) or should I just suck it up and get a car? Have seen that there are buses but wondered what the reality was.

My second question is probably more difficult to answer - we are a mixed race family and I find Buxton quite backwards with regard to some things. Until recently some shops sold golliwogs and none of the NCTers I hung around with seemed to think this was a big deal...also I keep getting mistaken for the only other Asian girl in the town! We liked Wilmslow for this reason, seemed a bit more mixed, easy to get to town for international food shops etc. Knutsford looks beautiful but I am wondering whether there will be that rural market town mentality there, just don't want to bring my daughter up in the same environment that I grew up in in the 80s....I'm really sorry if this post offends anyone!

Thanks for reading and sorry it's so long.

Bexton and Egerton Primary schools are both very good - check out the catchment areas though because they are over subscribed. Have one friend with a child in Year 1 at Egerton and another friend with children in Yr 5 and 6 at Bexton. Manor Ave is the not-so-nice part of Knutsford (you really need to go and visit) and I don't know anything about that school, only that Friend 1 moved house to be in the catchment of Egerton rather than Manor Ave.

Personally speaking I would do quite a lot of day trips, spend time in the locations you're considering. I would even maybe get your DH to do a night in a Travelodge or similar from the preferred location just to see how the commute is. See the places at different times of day.

Obviously it depends very much on your lender and the early repayment charges but I would certainly rent - a house purchase is a big expense to get wrong.

I live in Knutsford, if you want to PM me I'd be happy to give you a residents POV.

PM me if you want Manchester info. Lots of decent areas to live and great schools

The only thing I'd add is that if there are some health issues at the moment - which might continue to play apart - being somewhere where there's a good GP service and the nearby clinics/hospitals have a good reputation might be worth thinking about too.

Good luck!

I've commuted into the City Centre from High Peak and Macc/Bramhall. Not really much difference-the fast train from High Peak is the line from Chinley, Buxton trains are slow. The trains from Piccadilly to Bramhall, Poynton, Prestbury only run hourly, with an extra one at rush hour, although you can drive to Parrs Wood and pick up the metrolink or a bus from there.

Knutsford is lovely, but you do have the airport noise and have to get across to Wilmslow or Macc for the direct trains to London. I actually prefer Buxton to any of the other locations that you are looking at.

Poynton is nice and the best compromise - have a good walk round, you have direct access to open countryside, a Waitrose, very good schools and a real community feel. Seriously worth reconsidering. South Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall also, especially if you are looking at private schools. Marple Bridge is very nice,and slightly cheaper house prices, but rush hour traffic to the M60 can be horrendous.

Manor park is not good. Certainly discount the combination of knutsford living, sgs school and Manchester work. Unless you only need to be in work at 10am and love slow commutes.

Look at the Ofsted reports for prestbury primary, pownall green in bramhall and lower peover for examples of rave write ups for some of the state primaries.

Hello again, been sorting out more house issues then fell asleep :-)

Another glut of really helpful posts - thank you so much!

I think the house we are looking at might be on the "wrong" side of Knutsford. Can anyone tell me how bad it is (drugs, burglaries etc) or is that just in relation to the posh part? If anyone knows Buxton, is it like Fairfield?

SGS will not be an option if we end up living here. We will probably go for one of these good state primaries (if we can get in) but I also really like the look of the Grange school so maybe that could be another option.

Dustdragon I had thought about trying to get the Hope Line when still living in Buxton but still an arse to drive to Chinley. Thanks for the tip about Parrs Wood!

Ferris and April thanks very much for your offers of PMs. I'll follow up shortly!

Guillemot

I know you are trying to avoid suburbia but i cannot recommend Timperley and Altrincham highly enough. I love Hale but find it too pricey (although i see what Zampa is saying ). You should certainly be able to get your family home for under £300k and the commute into Manchester is a breeze with the tramline.

And it is very culturally diverse so you wont have to worry about settling in.

Timperley and Alti have fantastic state schools but there is also Forest Private School if you want to go down that route. You also have to consider secondaries - Wellington Comp has an excellent reputation and there are the glut of Grammar Schools in Alti.

I dont envy you as you have lot to think about, although i would urge you to consider the flight path issue - it really is bloody noisy, my friend lives in a beautiful house in Knutsford but you cant sit in her garden in the summer as you have to keep ducking!!

Hi Martha

I hear you about altrincham, maybe worth another drive around there.

We're hoping DD can learn more about her mixed heritage and from what I can see there are lots of opportunities to do that in Altrincham/Stockport as there are language, music classes etc.

I've got a few viewings in Knutsford on Saturday, so going to loiter around and see what these planes are all about.

I have taken on board all the really helpful advice given here and hope to be back in a few weeks with an update.

Thank you again lovely Mumsnetters!

Guillemot

I thought I would post an update for those of you that are interested...thanks so much for all your very useful advice!

I went back to Knutsford several times with DD on the train while DH at work and just hung around for the day in the parks, Waterstones etc...saw lots of houses and watched a few planes!

We really like it there, haven't found the planes a problem and have found it much more affordable. We are going to make an offer on a house that is in the catchment for Bexton school if the offer on our Buxton house comes through (now that's a whole other thread!).

I got the train from Stockport several times and the train was bearable (it is one of the ones that are like converted trams that don't spew out warm smelly air). I think the train journey to Manchester will be ok for the time being. Knutsford seems like it has a bit more character than some of the other Cheshire towns we visited but doesn't have the weirdness of Buxton (sorry if that offends anyone).

Thanks for all your advice!

Guillemot xx

Good luck for the future!

Hi Guillemot
I am aware this thread was from a super long time ago, but I have come across it when researching into Knutsford as a place to move to. I wondered if you did make the move, Guillemot? And if so how do you find living there? Schools? General community?

Thank you in advance if you see this message! :)