Where in Bristol for MIL?

[sawseesaw]

I posted in the local thread but there seems to be more traffic here.
My MIL is moving to Bristol to be near(ish) to us. We haven't been here long, so don't know the areas that well. We're in Redland area and she would like to be fairly close, but prefers more suburban areas.
She still drives, so we are thinking North or West of Redland so we don't have to get through town to visit each other.
Which areas have larger numbers of older people? She is in her 80s. She likes to attend church weekly, so preferably somewhere with a popular local church.
Many thanks!

Henleaze? Nice shops, Waitrose, cinema. The URC church seems to be lively and often has concerts. Also near The Downs.

Just came on to also recommend Henleaze! Close to the downs, good shopping street, buses direct to the mall and city centre. My PIL's live there and the churches seem pretty active.
Westbury-on-Trym is nice too, but bit further out.

...and a nice library

It really depends on her budget. Henleaze, Westbury On Trym, Stoke Bishop and Sneyd Park are lovely if you are fairly comfortably off, but there are other options a little further out in the same direction which are more affordable, while still close enough to Redland by bus (Coombe Dingle and the norhern outskirts of W-o-T before Henbury), or local train (Sea Mills and Shirehampton). The drive from any of these would be a doddle too.

Surely it depends how close you want her?

Thanks for the replies!!
Her budget is about £450,000.
We'd like to be as close as poss, but she wants a 3 bed house with off street parking and a garage!!

Westbury springs to mind - nice villagey feel though it's really a suburb. Don't, however, stray over the border into Southmead, which is a very different area!

Is that Westbury Park or Westbury On Trym and where does Southmead start? They're very close.
Thanks!

Bumping in case anyone else knows.

Rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64029628.html

Something like that?

sorry!

Sorry - should have specified Westbury-on-Trym, though there's nothing wrong with Westbury Park.

With regards to where Southmead starts, these things can be a little vague and my local knowledge has faded over the years, but you will know as soon as you're in Southmead (Streetview is enough to tell you; it's largely a big inter- and post-war council estate) but I wouldn't live on Greystoke Avenue, for instance.

This looks nice, if she doesn't mind being on a main road www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63741529.html

Brilliant location in Westbury village www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71706569.html

If an over 60s development would be acceptable to her... www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71511425.html

One thing I would say is that given her age, consider accessibility matters and how the property would be adapted if need be. Having been through the stress of trying to adapt a 4 storey property so someone in their 90s can continue to live there independently... avoid that scenario if you can we have the world's longest stairlift. With that in mind, the over 60s ground floor flat would be an appealing option.

Just remembered - if you think she's likely to need care in the foreseeable future (she's in her 80s so....) consider this retirement village on the outskirts of Westbury, which is meant to be very nice www.stmonicatrust.org.uk/villages/westbury-fields

I tried to suggest a retirement village and I got an ice face and she changed the subject. She feels that they take away your ability to live independently. I'm hoping a bungalow might come up. She hates them though not for any rational reason. You are right about planning ahead.

Abbeyfield on Redland Rd might be worth looking into.

Thanks for all of the links.