Frome and surrounds

[Ineedthesunshine]

Hi all, HELP - we need to move within 30 mins of Bath for schooling and TBH Ive eventually realised central Bath is just way, way too expensive for us. So I have started looking at Frome and Beckington even Bradford on Avon on rightmove and it is more reasonable and a school bus runs from there. Also DH needs to go to London 2/3 days a week so can't be too far from Westbury I guess.

Please could I have some honest opinions about the towns as I have never even ventured to that neck of the wood (we live in the pretty north Cotswolds in a vibrant market town).

Bradford on Avon is lovely. Are you looking for schools? Trowbridge is a functional county town but a bit dull, not much character. Westbury is dire. Warminster is a bit dead, full of oaps or military families which means the shops are a bit limited. Bradford on Avon would be my choice, good services to bath, on the train line, lovely shops and buildings, st Lawrence is a good school although John of gaunts is good in trowbridge. Chippenham is also good but takes you off the westbury line into Waterloo and onto the Paddington line from bath I think.

By chance, I saw some nice pictures on Facebook just the other day, pictures about "Protecting fields in Frome", or similar. I looks like a nice enough place. I can only guess that Frome might well be one of the best options out of the ones you mention here, but I really don't know much about it - just what I've read on Facebook.

My sister lives in Frome and loves it. Great for families. Near enough to Bath and Bristol for major facilities, lovely local independent shops, beautiful countryside. It does have a bit of a 'hippy' feel though. BIL uses the train to get to London when he needs to.

You mention within 30 mins of Bath for schooling so guessing you have schools sorted. Lots of Bath school children live in Bradford on Avon and it's fab! Really not far either along A36 or up and over via Brassknocker Hill. Frome pretty far in terms of school run. The only person I know who does it manages it via a combo of bus/drive/lift share AND critically she only has one child so doesn't have the whole kids finishing at different times thing. Plus once they are in year 10+ and study leave comes into it I think it would be hard to manage Bath schools from Frome especially with more than one dc.
Other areas to consider. Not Trowbridge. In Bath itself Larkhall is fab and offers better value than the town centre. Weston on the other side of Bath also worth a look. If your dh needs the station then Oldfield Park excellent as close to town and station but better value primarily because the housing stock is Victorian and Edwardian rather than sweeping Georgian crescents. Just beware that some roads in Olfield Park are student central. It has good local shops too - Moorland Road. Good luck! PM me if you want any specific information regarding schools/areas.

Do you want a town or village? Frome and Bradford on Avon are vibrant towns, Beckington is much smaller. Frome is 'vintage fair' and Bradford on Avon is 'antique shops'.

I personally wouldn't go near Frome but then I grew up nearby so local rivalries influence my thinking (everyone from Somerset is definitely inbred so it's wise to stick to Wiltshire )

Thank you for all thew fantastic advice. I don't think Chippie would be for us - too big and a bit too down an heel. Bradford on Avon looks lovely I must say but don't see a whole lot of houses come up there. Also people told me it was a bust commute to Bath - is this true? Thanks also for the Bath advice, I don't know it at all really - I have two kids at an independent school in town so we have to be able to reach it. But I hadn't figured with the high prices around the school - which is very central. For some reason too I thought Oldfield Park was a bad area but clearly I have this wrong.

Also I hadn't thought about study leave etc so maybe being a bit closer would be sensible. Anyone have any thoughts about Limpley Stoke or Freshford (that kind of area)?

Finally, lovecreameggs is it just the inbred people in Frome or are there some other issues there?? I was thinking of driving down to look at it but maybe not.....

Another vote for Bradford on Avon! A lovely little friendly town and only about 25 min drive into Bath. Freshford is lovely but very expensive and houses rarely come up there. Limpley Stoke is all crammed around the main road and not very pretty. Other villages you might want to look at are Norton St Philip and Hinton Charterhouse.
Oh and I echo concerns about Frome!!!

Chippenham is not great but the commute to Paddington is 1hr15 and 15 mins to Bath. There are lots of great villages between Chippenham and Bath- Kington St Michael, Biddestone, Yatton Keynell, Castle Combe Marshfield etc

The thing about Bath is the traffic and getting across town. The Royal High and Kingswood are on the north side of the City so more affordable areas the right side = Larkhall, Fairfield Park, Weston or villages on that side such as Marshfield.

Monkton, Prior Park and King Edward's are all the other side of the river so then Freshford, Sharpstone, Limpley Stoke, Midford, Bradford on Avon all lovely if you want to be out of Bath. Bathampton, v near the school, is a lovely village too. The Combe Down area of Bath would be perfect for these schools, as would Bathwick, Widcombe etc. Bear Flat area, Englishcombe and Oldfield Park probably offer better value but as above some parts of Oldfield Park are exceptionally student filled. Within Bath don't go for Odd Down, Southdown, Twerton.

Sorry, Bathampton v near King Edward's, Combe Down v near Monkton and Prior

Agree Biddestone, Yatton Keynell and Castle Combe gorgeous but daily school run some with 2 dcs would finish you off.

Thank you, I'm going to get the map out and have a look. I'm think maybe BoAvon is where I should focus. I like Bathampton but a 4 bed house seems to be about £1.2 million :( what is Batheaston like?

Keynsham? It's 30 minutes into Bath by car and 10 minutes by train. (Also 20 minutes into Bristol by car). It's on the main Bristol to Paddington railway line. 30 minutes across country to the airport.

It has 2 secondary schools and 4 primary schools.

I agree that Frome to Bath school, run = nightmare, as is central Bath traffic, it can be worse than London, seriously! Could you consider central Bristol, near the station? It's only 12 minutes on the train between the two and puts you in central Bath.

What's your budget? We'll find you somewhere nice!

Hi. Have you definitely ruled out living closer to school? We are pretty central in Bath as our kids are at school in Bath. All our friends, and I mean ALL, who live out of town want to move in because of commuting in and out. We have definitely sacrificed house for convenience but EVERY single one of our friends who live out of town are trying to move in. Is there any way you would feel comfortable in telling us which school you are aiming for then we can give some specific advice. Another poster on here is right that getting across town can be tough. And just be aware some have spilt sites: e.g. KES is both north and south of the river. However there are lots of buses to help! Housing market is tough in Bath. Full of people who want to sell but can't until they find somewhere to move to, And if you are not "proceedable" i.e. Cash buyer or ready to exchange on your own property it's a tough market as supply is low so anyone more proceedable gets priority. I have all the estate agents on speed dial! But it is doable and a fantastic place to bring up kids! Welcome to the neighbourhood😀

I second that what Indaba says, over the years living nearer to the school will save you time and money and when they are teenagers they will be able to get around without you having to ferry them. Have you looked at the new developments?

If your DC schools are on the North/West side of Bath, go for Keynsham, Saltford or surrounding villages. As other PP have said, driving through/across Bath is a nightmare, and they would also put you within easy reach of Bristol and all its facilities.

Everything Indaba said. (Not Keynsham - sorry!). Batheaston ok BUT getting into Bath from there means fighting down the London Road or paying to cross toll bridge (70p each way but people get weekly or monthly passes as even on a normal day you might cross it 4 times). Same applies to Bathford, Kingsdown and Box.
Yes King Edward's is split site but the school provides shuttle buses. Nursery to year 2 are in Weston and Year 3 upwards are Bathwick. If you have a year 2 child and year 4 you take both to Weston and the year 4 goes over on the bus. Not ideal but people say it works fine. Works the other direction too if you live on Bathwick side.

Oh yes and as Indaba said, welcome to Bath! You'll love it!

Why the hatred for Trowbridge? My sister lives just outside of Trowbridge and I don't see what the problem is. There are loads of facilities. She often has to go to Westbury for the London bound train and finds it really convenient. Also, Bath and Bristol are easily accessible. I liked Bradford upon Avon though.

Ah but do her kids go to school in Bath? It's a bit of a way in terms of school run anyway.

Her children are older and have left school.

So... the DCs are going to join KES Senior - which is south Bath I guess. So that's why I have been looking at South and East of this zone.

In terms of our budget - £975k is it until I get a job and TBH less would be better as that is stretching it. We are currently very rural with a nice big detached place and a few acres and I'm not sure how the kids would adapt to a semi with a patio out back! Prices are very much lower that Bath than where we are currently. As I say DH needs to get to London so being near a mainline station to Paddington is a must.

I think Bristol is the wrong side really. BoA looks good geographically and maybe ticks the boxes for a town, places like Box also look possible. What's Corsham like?

I'd picked Frome because it is a market town but it doesn't sound so good from everyones reaction!