Glos, Wilts and Oxon - where to live!?

[Sassyk]

Advice from people living in the area. Due to recent (jacked in my job) change in circumstances we have to move to be close to DH's job in Swindon. We live in London now and I'm scared shitless about this move. Ideally want to be in a town where there are shops, cafes and restuarants, reasonable housing cost (renting) and good schools. We don't have to worry about getting a place in a school yet but will need nursery etc. I've identified Cirencester, Stroud, Witney (which I know well), any others we should consider? DH isn't in Swindon every day so we don't have to be very close. Any advice would be appreciated!

Cirencester is lovely.
I live in Witney. I know you know it well but if I can help with anything please shout.

how about cheltenham?also depends what you mean by affordable? not much rental stock in Cirencester

Thanks for the responses.

I don't know Cheltenham very well. Prepared to pay up to £1100 pcm for a 2 or 3 bed house, is that reasonable?

Preggers, I know Witney reasonably well as I grew up in a surrounding village but a long time ago! What areas would you recommend we look at? Thanks

Nailsworth, Tetbury, Malmesbury?

Stroud has good nurseries, good schools and really doesn't have the same pressure on school places as somewhere like London.

Will he be driving or going by train?

If using the train then Bristol and Bath are easy for travelling,

Cirencester has good schools and is very cotswold. Quick to get to Swindon also

I live near Witney too, we moved here many years ago to be between Oxford and Swindon. It has changed a lot over recent years (mainly for the better IMO). New shopping centre, loads of coffee shops and restaurants and quite a lot of arts and cultural groups. Excellent primary schools and both secondary schools are regarded highly locally.

Your budget for Witney sounds about fine.

It's obviously not going to be as vibrant as London, but (although horrendous traffic issues on the A40) you are not far from Oxford.

People also speak highly of Stroud and Cheltenham too.

Your budget would get you some of Cheltenham - Up Hatherley would be my pick, find a spot not too far from town with reasonable access to the roads that'll get you out to Swindon.

Plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants - some think it's chainy, but they need to get off the High Street!

All the primary schools are currently rated good or outstanding. You can read a lot into the catchments, whether they're academies or not, their historic Ofsted ratings etc, but they're all currently ticking the right boxes.

Plenty of nurseries. A festival of some description every other week.

I like both Stroud and Ciren to visit and by reputation but haven't lived in either.

What sort of environment are you drawn to.

Cheltenham a rambling mixed city with an attractive regency centre. I couldn't live here as it's too built up and takes and time to drive through. If you're quite towny, this might suit.

Cirencester is a town with great walks on the doorstep. It's got everything from banks to pools to gyms to to hospital to cafés. It's beautiful with lots of Cotswold stone and services rural communities/farmers.

Stroud is down at the heals in parts but is unique and alternative. Nice areas are a mile outside - rodborough for example

The stroud valleys are stunning by the way. The undiscovered Cotswolds with hills, woodland, views

I was brought up in Stroud and then moved to Cheltenham when I was 16, then moved to Bristol about 12 years ago (but just moved to London). Bristol is a great city. There are lots of things to do, great restaurants, pubs. Enough greenery to make it the country but has a nice city buzz about it too. You'll get a 2 bed in a nice area for £1000pcm.

I knew lots of people who commuted from Swindon to Bristol for work.

I grew up in a village called Randwick in Stroud. Beautiful and great Lottie schools but Stroud will be fairly quiet.

Not so keen on Cheltenham anymore.

Nice areas in Witney (in no particular order);

Cogges
Madeley Park
Deer Park
Thorney Leys
Church Green area
Wood Green area

You could get something like this here www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-35531313.html

Sorry Madley Park.

There is lots going on here. Very active children's centre, paid activities, new splash park, nice parks, Cotswolds on doorstep, London just over an hour from Oxford or slightly longer from village station but still direct to Paddington.

Most schools are good if not outstanding. Quite a few nurseries to choose from if needed and v v easy to get to Swindon from here either via the back roads or down the A420.

Work in Cirencester but live in small village outside stroud. I'm 30 min from Bristol, 15 in from gloucester and 40 min from Cirencester and it's fantastic. I'm on the middle of the countryside but still only 2.5 hours from London, I will never move!

Have you looked in the Forest of Dean? Very cheap to rent here and only 30 mins/an hour from Bristol, Cardiff, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Hereford and Monmouth.

I miss randwick

Monmouth is nice.

cirencester and Stroud are nice but if you're used to London you might find them a bit claustrophobic. that's a decent budget and the poster above is right if you live on the up hatherley side of cheltenham you can get to Swindon in 30 - 40 minutes. you're also in the area for great nurseries and all the schools are great.

Also, plenty of job opportunities for you if you wanted to go back to work. .which you might not have in ciren/ Stroud.

pm me if you want anymore local info

pm if you want any dither

Also another Witney area resident here, it's a great place :-)

Another vote for Cheltenham.

I live in Cheltenham and teach on the outskirts. 3 of my colleagues live in Swindon and commute daily - it can't be too bad.

We moved here from London 11 years ago. It took a bit of time to adjust to the slower pace of life but I really love it here.

Wow! Fantastic lots of advice.

DH drives to work or will get the train if he has to go to London.

Will read the replies properly when I get a child free moment. I grew up in the country but I think I'm a bit of a townie at heart! I like being close to the countryside as we have a horse (who I might have to leave behind).

I'm feeling slightly better about having given up my stressful job now....thanks so much!

I used to live on Wilts/Glos border and loved it. Ciren and Stroud have very different feels - Ciren is very naice but very little cultural diversity, Stroud is a bit edgier (for the area anyway) but agree with pp a bit down at heel. I'd have thought the commute from Stroud would be longer too.
Cheltenham would be a good choice if you want something closer to city size.

Lots of SAHM (and some dads) in the areas if that's your plan now. So lots of activities for toddlers during the week.

King of the stupids - when did you live in Randwick? I miss the wap!

I was there from 1980-1999. I loved the wap , the number of helium balloons I lost on the way home afterwards . And the cheese rolling!