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Original poster

How far is too far from amenities?

22 replies

PrivateView · 01/11/2018 17:08

Just out of curiousity - how far do you think is too far from amenities?

We're looking at a house - it's:

10 minute walk from small shop and cafe
20 minute walk to larger shops (supermarkets etc) on a main road. Quiet, boring walk along a main road to get there
25 minute walk to a pub
15 minute walk to large playground, 10 minute walk to small one, 25 minute walk to large park

Is this too far? I think no but then doing it all every day...

We don't drive which is why I'm putting these in walking minutes.

OP posts:
Original poster
PrivateView · 01/11/2018 17:09

Also 3 minute walk to bus stop with a very irregular bus into city centre (20 minutes) or a 12 minute walk to bus stop with lots of buses to city centre (in 15 minutes).

OP posts:
lll77 · 01/11/2018 19:37

for me, that sounds nice and close to everything. You'll no doubt have other responses that say that's far too far from everything and you couldn't possibly walk for 20 minutes every time you went shopping.

How much further are all the amenities from where you live at the moment and how much of a hassle do you find current distances/times?

Wanttomakemincepies · 01/11/2018 19:42

Sounds similar to where I am. I don't drive but husband does. I can walk to most things nearby in 10-20 mins depending on what I want. For me it would be too far out of emergency services took longer than 10-15 mins to arrive.

Asdf12345 · 01/11/2018 19:44

Sounds fine to me.

SuperVeggie · 01/11/2018 19:51

This sounds exactly like where we live and it's fine. Everything is close by but buses on hand if needed. Sounds ideal.

SuperVeggie · 01/11/2018 19:52

Forgot to ask - how far to school if you have DC, or prospective school if they are still babies/toddlers? This is a big consideration as you would presumably do this every day whereas shops/parks/town not necessarily so often.

daisypond · 01/11/2018 19:54

I think that's too far, but then I live in a city and all the things you mentioned are less than a five minute' walk for me, so that's what I'm used to. I think the supermarket would be the major thing - unless you're planning on doing it online and paying for delivery. You're going to have to carry the bags back and that will limit how much you can buy in one go. We don't have a car either, but our supermarket is very close - we take a rucksack.

SnuggyBuggy · 01/11/2018 19:57

That sounds fine to me and I consider myself a townie

Ragwort · 01/11/2018 19:59

What are used to? For many years we lived somewhere with no shop, supermarket, cafe etc within five miles - and a bus once a day Grin. We did get used to it but i now love living within walking distance of (nearly) everything I need. But then I get ridiculously excited if I stay in a city and can walk to a late night cafe or similar ( we don’t have anything like that where I am now).

gamerwidow · 01/11/2018 20:00

That seems reasonable to me we’ve just put a offer in a similarly located property. We do drive but wouldn’t want to be more than 20 minutes walk from a station or shops otherwise you’re tied to the car.

Veronicat · 01/11/2018 20:00

I lived 20 mins from the supermarket in London. I just called a cab (dont drive either) when I'd got my shopping to get home as it was minimum fare. So it is doable.

CatchingBabies · 01/11/2018 20:08

@wanttomakemincepies

You could live next door the hospital and still be lucky to get emergency services to arrive in 10-15 minutes!

MissLingoss · 01/11/2018 20:10

Sounds fine to me. Long enough walks to get some useful exercise, but not too long. I live 20 mins walk from my nearest supermarket, 12 mins from railway station. It's no problem.

The only difficulty might be your supermarket shop, if you're shopping for a family. But you can have the heavy/bulky things delivered, and just buy the oddments yourself. It might make you think about whether you really need stuff, if you have to carry it!

What about things like railway station, library, bank, doctor, pharmacy etc?

Original poster
PrivateView · 01/11/2018 22:08

I am used to everything on my doorstep! So it feels far to me. Never had to walk more than 3 minutes for a shop in my life.

Railway station is about 20 minutes by bus - area is generally v poorly served by rail.

Schools are 15-20 walk, though good secondary at the end of the street. Pharmacy is 10 minutes away, doctors 20.

OP posts:
minipie · 01/11/2018 22:40

What about work? How do you/ OH get to work from there? Perhaps you are sahp or wfh, but is that secure, can you guarantee neither of you will ever need to work elsewhere?

I’ve seen quite a few threads on MN saying “I need to find a job because xyz has happened, but we live rurally and I don’t drive...” you don’t want to be in that position.

Original poster
PrivateView · 01/11/2018 23:05

I cycle to work - husband gets bus. Just to emphasise it's not rural, just suburby in a school city. It feels like it should be better connected than it is!

OP posts:
somewhereovertherain · 02/11/2018 05:23

We live 5 minutes from a small park. 10 minutes walk from a pub.

10 minute drive to a shop and 30-40 minute drive to a supermarket. So yours all sounds good to me.

Twirlbites1 · 02/11/2018 05:56

Wow. I’m super impressed that you are even considering this OP........just shows what different lives we all lead. I grew up in a village with a shop and 2 pubs and a park, (all 5 minutes)nothing else was walking distance (primary school would have taken an hour to walk to along busy road with no pavement.....although come to think of it I think there was a school bus, but we never used it). There was an hourly bus to the nearest big town. Now live in large a village with most things, except a supermarket which would probably take 40 minutes to walk to. As it is we don’t send dcs to the local school, and if I run out of milk I usually jump in the car to the local shop (a 7 minute walk). I obviously don’t know your reasons for not having a car, but I think all that walking would make me super fit/healthierand much more chilled out.....although I’d have to become super organised. And your lifestyle choice is so much better for the environment.

gamerwidow · 02/11/2018 07:30

Railway station is about 20 minutes by bus this would put me off but only because me and DH commute by train daily. Are either of you likely to change jobs, would this limit you? If not then it's not such an issue.

anniehm · 02/11/2018 07:42

Seems close to me, pretty similar to my distances (except bus stops outside, though it's only every 30 mins and only option).

anniehm · 02/11/2018 07:46

Outside of London these are close by - I live in a city, things are spread out because houses are bigger, gardens are bigger, supermarkets are on industrial estates and everyone drives (they have stopped at least 80% of bus services in last 10 years because nobody uses them outside of the school run). Why don't you learn to drive if it worries you, I did once I moved here (London is so different I didn't need to drive there)

newmobile · 02/11/2018 20:11

Looked at houses this distance away from shops etc felt too far away for us. I like a shop up the road a criteria it seems for all my property purchases! Hate to be isolated like you describe wouldn't work for us

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