Moving to Gloucester

[LittleDyn1982]

Hi. DH has a job opportunity in Gloucester but we don't know the area at all (we currently live in Surrey)
Is it a nice place to live? And by that I mean is it relatively safe? Are there good schools? Is there plenty of things to do with kids? (Kids are 3 and 1) Nice churches? Which are the recommended areas to live and any that should be avoided? We're obviously planning on visiting to get a feel, but any information about Gloucester would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

A few years ago now but I used to live in the Kingsholm area and loved it. Walking distance to town but still felt nice and suburban - there are some lovely old buildings.

What kind of church are you after? Might be able to help you more there...

Don't do it! Move to cheltenham and dh can commute the 15 minutes! Where will his work be and what are you after and what's your budget?

By what are you after, I mean are you happy in a village?

Cheltenham is more expensive but for a reason!

I work in Gloucester and commute in from the next county and have never lived in Gloucester but as I work in the community here's where I'd avoid:

Matson
Podsmead
Tredworth
Saintbridge
Coney Hill
Anywhere in Longlevens with 'leaze' in the address and the vicinity

My colleagues say Tuffley is okay but I wouldn't live there!

Quedgeley and Kingsway are just characterless new estates (esp Kingsway) but okay. Brockworth the same.

Abbeydale and Abbeymead also newish estates mostly but more character!

To be honest most of my colleagues commute in from Stroud or Cheltenham. A couple live in Stonehouse which is nice.

The most popular place people live who commute in that's not Cheltenham is Churchdown. I've not visited for work but have been to see colleagues at home and it seems like a nice place. Big village really. It's under Tewkesbury council so apparently cheaper council tax! V close to Gloucester though.

Personally if it was me moving I would never live in Gloucester. The city centre is a dump, the Quays outlet is nice but not reason to move to the city... the surrounding areas are just so much nicer. Depending on budget obviously and how long DH wants to commute but I'd be looking at Stroud, Stonehouse, some parts of Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Highnam, or surrounding villages. Ledbury is lovely but into Herefordshire etc.

I can't comment on schools I'm afraid.

As for stuff with the kids - it's a rural county and if you like the outdoors you'll be sorted!

I wouldn't want to live in Gloucester itself. Lovely places around it though. We moved from Surrey/Hants border. Now live between Glos and Bristol. Love where we are.

Gloucester itself isn't very nice. The shopping centre isn't that nice either (the quays is ok). If you can afford it live in Cheltenham or Ledbury. I love 30min outside Gloucester as I don't like the city that much but love the surrounding countryside. I'm the Hereford side of Ledbury.

Also, from a church pov..Bishops cleeve st Michael's church is fantastic (and I'm not really a church goer but family are) very child centric and a wonderful vicar.
My school church is really good too but I haven't been to a normal Sunday service obit school services

One of my BILs live in Abbeymead, the other lives in Churchdown, having lived in Longleavens when the kids were small. Both have been very happy there (PIL live in Stroud). The only issue was the grammar school system - BIL1s oldest 2 got into grammar, 3rd boy didn't and ended up having to bus to Newent school which didn't go so well.

Lots of snobbery about Gloucester on here! It's not that bad! I live in Abbeymead and it's fine. Churchdown ok but a bit pricey, there is a good lively Anglican church there too.

Gloucester has become a mecca for the £1 shopper over the last 10 years. It's a very very poor area, and whilst the Cathedral is lovely and the Docks, that is sadly it. There are no decent shops, the whole area is very grubby and run down and I avoid it like the plague tbh. The Quays is crap for shopping as it is all outlets (think jumble sale) but the restaurants and bars are good and it's the only place that is relatively safe to go out at night. We live 6 miles away, but usually go shopping and out in Cheltenham which is much much lovelier. It's generally more affluent and appealing.
Schools are pretty poor unless you go private although having said that there are a very good selection of Grammar Schools. You'd probably be better off looking at the surrounding villages - towards Ross you get Churcham, Minsterworth, Huntley. Towards Tewkesbury you get Maisemore, Hartpury, Staunton. Or Churchdown is in between Gloucester and Cheltenham - but look in the older part of the village for nice school and properties.

I would say do your research well, and try lots of the outlying areas - as a rule of thumb I'd say avoid anywhere within 4 miles of the City centre. I'm embarassed to say I live near it .

Gloucester cheltenham divide! Can't be helped

It's all said with affection (from me)

Sorry million not meaning to be snobby but I guess I probably was. I'm basing on home visits.

Never visited a place in Abbeydale or Abbeymead that made me want to shower immediately though!

I lived in Gloucester but moved to Cheltenham as soon as I could afford to! There are nice villages though and they tend to have the better schools. Cheltenham is lovely and has some great schools but it's pricey.
Some of the Villages I would recommend:
Any in the Stroud area
Painswick
Shurdington
Bishops Cleeve
Woodmancote
Witcombe

We live 10 miles south of Gloucester in a quiet rural village. We love it, but I also like the fact that a 15 minute zip along the A38 takes me to all the trading estates outside Gloucester with all the big name stores in them. I rarely need to shop in the centre of Gloucester, but I do like the indoor market. Gloucester is improving all the time. The docks are wonderful. We also used to have a narrowboat and spent many happy times moored in Gloucester Docks. It's a city so it's going to be busy with traffic, noise and people just like anywhere else, but the surrounding villages are lovely in all directions, although anything towards Cheltenham will be more expensive.Personally I think Cheltenham is overrated. Tewkesbury is beautiful. You can also get good value for money to the north and west of Gloucester. Sorry,no idea about schools or churches.

Where in Surrey do you live? Moving to Gloucester would be a massive culture shock (and you'd get loads of faces when you told people what you'd done).
Cheltenham is also rough in parts but does have attractive areas and some shops but still quite limited. Stonehouse is grim. Stroud villages are pretty but you have to be prepared to drive everywhere, even for a pint of milk. Locals love Painswick; it does have a lot of retired colonel types, but there is a shop and a couple of pubs. Stroud is nice enough - again, small.
Things to do: as others have said, it's a rural county so there's not much more to do at weekends than attempting to drag the kids out for a walk.

There's a waterways museum at the docks, also the soldier museum, several coffee shops and um not sure what else.

Well I've lived in Tuffley for 20 years and think it's a great place to live! Lots of schools and shops, good bus service and close to the motorway.

I would agree with the comment above re a culture shock. The schools are not good unless you are within the grammar or private system in my view. Some lovely houses in some areas that are much cheaper than Cheltenham but I wouldn't choose to live there. The downside of choosing the surrounding villages is that when your children are older they will be choosing to meet teenage friends in Gloucester. If you are concerned about safety I would suggest that isn't ideal.

Glad to see the Cheltenham Gloucester divide is still going strong. And with the same sneering from one direction.

I was bought up in Tuffley. Was a great place to live. My parents are still there.

Nothing wrong with Tuffley, Quedgeley, Hardwicke, Hucclecote, Churchdown, Innsworth, Brockworth, Longlevens, Robinswood, All within 5 miles of town centre (which is nothing special but nothing awful either).

Good secondary schools - Grammar - Ribston for Girls and Crypt or Thomas Riches for boys. Comprehensive - St Peters, Severn Vale, Churchdown.

St Barnabas Church by Robinswood is well regarded and well attended - lots of family events, as is St Georges in Tuffley.

Most of my huge family still live in Gloucester and are out and about most weekends - town centre is still safe and much like any other town centre on a Saturday night. Yeah there are definitely places to avoid, but the same could be said of any city/town in the world.

(And to even up the Cheltenham/Gloucester bias a bit - here's an extract from 'knowhere' which made me snort: Cheltenham has finally become a suburb of London, identical to Croydon / Surbition etc etc. An eclectic mix of middle-class blow-ins from London and Gloucestershire in-breds. Miserable retired people who know what a nice place it was and brainless lads and ladettes who get simple pleasures by trashing the place and pretending they are still in London. So much money that its got an uncontrollable crime and drugs problem whilst Gloucestershire Constabulory watch passively like witnessing a nasty car crash. Pathetic public transport which caters mainly for OAPs in the daytime so the place is jammed solid with traffic and blighted by cars. The greed of Developers and the Council (ie the same thing) have brought such amenties as the 'Inner Ring Road', overbearing 'shopping' developments and poxy housing for the masses. Ghettoes for the really wealthy and the nouveax riche blow ins. There are a few nice green spots and a few nice pubs but they are going fast. Who would EVER want to live here? Even Gloucester is better these days

I live in the Forest of Dean and commute to Gloucester city centre for work - about 30 minutes drive. Moved here 6 years ago from London, would never go back.

Bishops Cleeve is a lovely village (getting big now though with more new builds popping up). And the vast majority if Cheltenham is lovely (still a few rough bits mind). It's a beautiful area round there wherever you live. Gorgeous countryside with Cotswolds/Forest of Dean/Malverns on your doorstep. I wish I still lived round there!

Hereford is lovely, as is Ledbury. My partner commutes to Gloucester from Hereford.

Mrsfluff - hello from another Tuffley resident.

There are plenty of good things about Gloucester. I admit that at first I didn't like it at all, coming from London. It was a huge shock but with time I learnt to like it.
I moved to Tuffley about 9 years ago and I quite like it there. Yes there are parts of it which aren't as nice but there are areas which are great, especially upper Tuffley. We have just bought our new house in Tuffley again.
Well located for grammar schools and there is always St. Peter's High School for a good comprehensive option.
It sits basically on the feet of Robinshood Hill, which is a fantastic spot for walks and nice views.

Yes Gloucester needs some money injected into it but over the last few years there were some improvements made. The high street is tired but there are wonderful places with historical significance too!

There are plenty of wonderful little vilages and nice areas to live in and around Gloucester. Perhaps rent a place for some time in order to find out whether you like it or not. That's what most people I know have done.

The problem with the schools is that the child needs to pass the test to get in the Grammar schools and competition is fierce with lots of tutoring. St Peters is a good school (my eldest went there) but its Catholic and I dont know if the admission process has changed but I had to show his baptism certificate.

I often think about moving out of Cheltenham towards Worcestershire or Malvern to get better value for money.