Help please- anyone know nottingham?

[Nottsmove16]

We are hoping to move to Nottingham with baby and 3 yr old and don't know it at all. Would appreciate help with any of the following questions please...

The villages around NE nott, particularly Woodborough and OXton etc look lovely but are there any toddler groups or activities etc to make friends at?

Is the commute to nottingham girls high ok? ( will miss application deadlines for Woodborough woods etc and get the impression they are over subscribed as excellent schools?) . Hate driving and dont want to spend life in the car.

Where would one go for a coffee shop/ wander/ chat with people ?

With a young family is it better to live on west Bridgeford side if I want to make friends?
Would the commute from villages on WB side eg Plumtree be a nightmare?

Thanks !

Well.. There are a lot of of options in the area that are "child/family friendly". IMHO, Oxton is a bit far out from High School, but any of the "nicer areas" around the city would be ok.

As far as commuting goes, the easier areas are

West Bridgford (lots of alpha mummies, think wall to wall bugaboos and hummus)
Woodborough (Very "Villagey", but dont know it that well to comment)
Southwell (a bit far out, but lovely and villagey)
Gedling ( a little less "upmarket", but great schools and nice area)
Woodthorpe (GREAT schools, affordable and lots of shopping/parks)

Remember that the High school is kinda slightly north of the city centre, so commuting from south (like WB), means effectively crossing town twice each trip. Not a MASSIVE problem, but if you hate the car.... However, it IS also on the Tram Route from City-Hucknall, so that could be an option. Im guessing that you know that the girls school is private and (imho) pricey!

The commutes from Plumtree, WB, Wilford etc are all much of a muchness, but you WILL have to get into the city and out again. OR... You get to a tram station and wing it from there.

The commute from North/NE of city would be easier (sherwood/arnold/woodthorpe/redhill), but properties & facilities vary massively (all depends on budget really tbh)

In WB and surrounding, you will be knee deep in coffee mornings and kids facilities, but its just a bit TOO much for us (personal opinion). The same IS available everywhere else too, just maybe not the level of choice.

Thanks Dukesy,

I realise my posting was a bit vague- I am just torn between village living and coffee shop culture! Sadly have been a bit spoiled in current market town with wonderful shops and cafes and toddler activities in walking distance and open countryside 5 mins at the end of the road!

We have I think decided on nottingham high school so that sort of limits us to half an hour out from there.

Woodborough etc seems like the perfect village in the long term but then I worry that I will get bored and find it hard to make friends/ miss being able to stroll to a coffee shop in the short term. Perhaps Southwell has that 10 mins down the road?

Not sure I can afford the big garden for the kids that I would like in west Bridgeford though!

Probably need to compromise somewhere! ;)

From the description you have given, i also would give serious consideration to Woodthorpe.

Defintely a suburb, but has a large villagey feel. Right side of town for girls school, (10-15 mins drive in rush hour). It adjoins Mapperley Top, which has local shops, coffee bars, usual facilities, and also has its own facilities.

"big" sainburys, Aldi, all within ten minute drive (Arnold), lots of smaller shops if you prefer.

Massive park on town side with Par 3 golf course, football pitches, coffee shop, kids play area etc.

Still a relatively quiet area, property is reasonable but not too cheap. You might even get a Garden ! (Rightmove is showing a load of props in the NG5 4** region)

Thanks- will add that to our list for when we visit and drive around!

Anyone from North East notts around ?

Can't imagine there are many young families in Woodborough or Oxton. I'd love to live in either place but I'm not sure they'll be what you are after.

Is there a reason you're looking at NE Notts in particular, what about Lowdham/Bingham area?

Thanks 2be.
Hoping to work Sherwood/ woodthorpe area, liked the look of the villages and thought Southwell might be a nice place to mooch around and the Nott high school is sort of North of the centre but not based on more than that!

There is a gorgeous house on rightmove near Bestwood Village but am not sure about the surrounding area.

Haven't looked at Lowdham but think Bingham might be slightly too far from work,

Prob depends which direction from Bestwood Village it is, close to Bestwood Village could be quite nice or v. dodgy

That's the impression I got from reading about Bestwood area! Would certainly do research if went for a house near there.

If you're looking at houses in countryside near Bestwood Village they'll be fairly isolated, no pavement to walk to anywhere and def. no coffee shop culture in nearby places. The speed bumps through Bestwood Village to work might drive you mad also!

Ravenshead might be somewhere to explore too, although reasonably expensive but fairly easy journey into north side of Nottingham from there, better than trying to come from south of the river across town at any rate.

I'd seriously consider west Bridgford / Gamston area

West Bridgford High is a fab school
So is Rushcliff

With a three year old is he thinking more in terms of primary schools rather than secondary

Lowdham is very near Oxton and also big enough for a primary, so there are young families around. I think it's expensive for what's there. Lovely book shop, but no coffee shops, I think.
You could look at Burton Joyce - slightly closer to town, bigger village but still very much a village feel.

I don't know about the commutes to the high school, but I really would look closely at WestB.

I agree with those who say it's wall to walk bugaboos and hummus! But it's really set up for families. The library is new and huge and fab, a great park, loads of events. The thing that would swing it for me though, are there are loads of sports clubs (and other clubs) around. It has marketed itself so effectively as a family location, that it seems full of kids, and the clubs and events follow that. My friend there can get all sorts of activities for her child within walking distance. I'm in a smaller village and can't.

If looking at WestB, try Lady Bay side which is a little bit cheaper (not much!) but still part of WestB.

I would not touch lady bay as it can get soggy. the roads and houses were built up on mounds and back gardens are lower can get wet. (nothing like jumping off the terrace and sinking in the lawn)

lowdham flooded recently.

burton joyce is more hilly

what is your budget?

Thanks, hadn't considered Ravenshead. Will add to the list.

So many people recommend West Bridgeford that it must be excellent!
Makes me think I am mad for considering anywhere else!

I am sort of thinking about the longer term too though as will be a limited number of years I have a toddler to occupy and am keen on NottinghamHighGirls for secondary at least. Will also miss applications for the very oversubscribed state primaries so have no delusions would get a west Bridgeford primary place initially either.

Am a bit aware that will be paying twice if live in WB and go private - the house price premium as well as education. And it comes down a bit to the size of the garden again.

Thanks all for the info, the more research I can do the easier it will be to narrow down an area.

I think West Bridgford (no E!) is overrated and it's a pain to get to a lot of places from there too because of it's position south of the river.

It's worth bearing in mind that bus routes into Nottingham all go into the centre. So any journey that involves going somewhere that is not between you and the centre requires a walk/change in the city centre. So a trip to Sherwood would involve 2 buses.

Minimum 4 bed. Large garden. ? 500K. Our forever house!

Seems like that gets a v nice house in the villages but can't find a house that ticks all the boxes in WB.

Although move is likely to be 6m+ away so possibly jumping the gun - just starting to track house prices and look at areas. Is so daunting moving to a new area, thinking about schools, nurseries, work and houses all at the same time. Difficult to know where to start!

Perhaps I should consider that the bulk of the time the daily grind will be school runs and work commutes and if I wanted to go once or twice a week into west Bridgford (no E this time ;) ) I could venture South then. ( so 2-4 journeys across town rather than 4 crossings a day. )

With that budget I'd buy this

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-47184599.html

Very nice! I've heard papplewick is a lovely village. Lots of beautiful properties all around nottingham. Have a fantasy list on rightmove ;)

Going to sleep now - thanks for all the advice. Will read any more in the am!

West Bridgford is very naice (used to live there) but then I worked slap bang in the middle of town and could bus or cycle it. Life is too short to spend it all struggling across town.

DH good with maps, suggests rent for 6 months and suss out the city and the commuting. If you aren't committed to schools yet would that be an option?

I'm going to be incredibly cheeky (sorry NottsMove) but can anyone recommend areas in South Nottingham (up to 30 mins from university) for moving our family to? I've heard of West Bridgford but is £225k too little for a 3 bed in decent area here? We have a 5 year old so is there no chance of getting her into a good school?

Are you excited about the move Notsmove? I'm about 50/50 on excited and terrified (I'll be starting new job too and haven't moved moved at all since we had kids)

I'd prob look west - beeston/chilwell/long eaton if by university you mean uni of Nottingham rather than Trent.

The tram might actually be finished soon too!