Living in Leek

[MissLemon18]

Currently live just outside Stockport and have seen a house in Leek that looks lovely, so considering it as an area. The town centre looks quaint with indie shops and feels a bit arty, but I know appearances can be deceptive.

Looking for honest opinions (West end of Leek) as its a big decision as my parents only live 10 mins up the road from where I currently live, so the move would mean they would be an hour away from us and they're close to their grandson who is nearly 3.

Looking to move out of current area and have been looking at Saddleworth, High Peak, Macclesfield and Bollington. Our money seems to buy more in Leek but its the furthest area away from our comfort zone of search areas.

TIA x

Whilst lovely, Leek can feel quite remote. No train station makes it tricky to get into Manchester as easily as you can now and it can get cut off in a bad winter. Lots of folks have 4x4s for this reason. Macclesfield is much better connected for work and social life, hence the higher prices. Catholic school in Leek is one of the best in Staffordshire, but not many other options.

Leek lost it’s Waitrose but gained an Aldi.

Thanks for your comments so far, keep them coming!

I'd say it'd be good now but a bad idea to be there when your son is older and wants to socialise with mates, a train station is essential then. I lived in a place like Leek, not far away, with no station as a teen and it was a pain.

Thanks, can more Leek locals chip in with what it's like?

@glenhaggis interesting point. 👍 I grew up in a town with no train station, and never really noticed it, just used buses instead.

Hey I'm also in Stockport and have been to leek and thought it looks pretty. But yes very isolated. Depends on where you need to get to though (work?). I would look around the Macc/Bollington area personally. Bollington is expensive but lots of areas of Macc are affordable and nice.

I also like Disley/Whaley bridge area but having to rely on the a6 would be a no-no for me.

Thanks @Frazzled2207, have been looking in Bollington and Macc for last 4 months and the houses in budget are either exactly same size as our current house or smaller (current house is 2 up 2 down, small back garden, small front garden).

Looking for character house with either dining room, true dining kitchen or a conservatory that can fit dining table in there. Garden, not a yard. Flexible on whether it's 2 or 3 bed or 2 bed with loft extension.

Doesn't sound like a big wish list but surprisingly few houses in the areas we're looking in meet the brief.

I'm not in Leek but have family in Endon and have visited there a lot. It is beautiful place. A lot of people I know lived in Cheddleton. My sister in law spends a lot of time shopping in Leek (she is very into arty type shops).

One thing to be aware of is they have the middle school system there. (they do in the area where I live too. Some do travel to Macclesfield for secondary schooling.

It's very different to Stockport (dd used to attend weekly rehearsals in Stockport so I spent a lot of time there)

I agree that Macclesfield would be a halfway house area (I used to work in Macc) but house prices are a lot more expensive there.

What's your budget? I fell in love with this house,

www.prioryproperty.com/properties-for-sale/property/9654890-congleton-road-biddulph

even went for a viewing but it was just out of our budget. (Its been fabulously well maintained). Congleton station is not too far away which takes you direct to Stockport/Manchester.

It's a lovely place. They have a weekend market on the first weekend of the month thats amazing. Home produce and the like.

The only question I'd ask is does the house you like have dedicated parking because Leek streets mostly consist of terraced workers cottages so on street parking can be an utter nightmare.

@Comefromaway that house is stunning, sadly budget nowhere near as beefy as that! Looking up to 230ish mark.

@sistersofpercy, thanks for the information, pretty used to tight on street parking as that's what we have now.

Anything to be aware of in particular with the middle school system?

Congleton is a bit cheaper than Macclesfield and just get the A34 straight into Stockport from there. Happy to give you advice on the nicer areas!

Good schools in Congleton too.

@GoBackToPartyCity and @Comefromaway Yes, been looking in Congleton and Sandbach areas too, just a house in Leek has caught my eye so looking for info on area.

• @glenhaggis interesting point. 👍 I grew up in a town with no train station, and never really noticed it, just used buses instead.*

We had one bus a day which arrived 15 minutes before the return bus left as it was the same bus

Re: the middle school system. My son was at a normal junior & high school until the end of year 8 when we moved him to a school in an area with the middle school system.

Some parents love it, it means 11 year olds arnt suddenly thrown into a massive high school with strapping 6th formers and they have more time to get used to the demands of high school in terms of organisation, workload, they stay younger a bit longer.

However some parents felt that once SATS were over they were killing time for 2 years academically.

I know Leek and really like it but have similar reservations to previous posters about its slight remoteness and lack of a train connection.

Your dc maybe young now but time flies and Macc and Bollington have so much more opportunity for teens to go to Stockport and Manchester for shopping, cinema etc.

My only other issue is that I have encountered some questionable views there which I found really old fashioned, could just be my family though 🤷🏻‍♀️

It's a beautiful part of the world.

Thanks Tami! 😊👍

Any more views from Leek locals or people close by?

TIA?

MissLemon18, did you make a decision in the end? Me and my partner are currently faced with the same dilemma, we live in Macclesfield (actually lived in Cheadle Stockport before moving) and we want to trade up, but can't see anything we really like in our price range so thinking very seriously about Leek... did you end up moving there?

My daughter lived in Leek for several years,she worked in Macclesfield.It is remote and gets a fair bit of snow.She lived in the Town Centre and didn’t like it much.Lots of fights and rowdiness at night.She then moved up the road to Cheddleton and loved it there.I think if you avoid the centre of Leek it is OK.

@TomChris, yes we've moved to Leek and we love it! We're on the West of the town, just outside of the centre.

Really nice sense of community, love the independent shops, markets and the beautiful countryside on the doorstep. Rudyard Lake is only 10 mins away and has been brilliant to have during lockdown as it feels like being on holiday.

Can't comment on any late night rowdiness, as because of Covid, we haven't been able to go out at night yet because my parents are in Manchester lockdown and shielding. That's been the sad bit really as we have plenty of room for people to stay over but can't have anyone to stay yet!

We haven't really experienced any rowdiness where we are. We live close to the recreation ground and sometimes the kids on there are a bit noisy on a Friday night, but I wouldn't say it's a big issue.

I was worried about it feeling remote but I haven't felt that way so far, I've found it to be a really friendly, welcoming place within easy distance of Macc and Stockport.

Can get to Poynton centre in bang on 30 mins and back to my mum and dad in Tameside in an hour. That said, it's because I drive. If you're on public transport, I can definitely see it being an issue. Not had snow yet, so can't comment on that, but if I was to be snowed in anywhere, I'd rather it was here.

You get A LOT of house for your money here - ours is a Victorian town house with 2 reception rooms, dining room, 3 beds plus double attic room, large front garden and fair sized back garden. Was on market for 220k and we bought for 217,500. Budget was 230k max.

There's no way we could have afforded this house anywhere else, if it was in Romiley or Stockport, it would be upwards of 350K.

I feel that the extra drive is worth it and wouldn't want to move back. I love that we're close to lots of other great places too - Rode House is stunning and has a monthly farmer's market and Buxton's lovely too.

If you need any more information on schools or kids' stuff, let me know.

Thanks for such a detailed reply, it sounds like you found exactly what we're looking for! Do you mind me asking what street it's on? We looked at an amazing Victorian terrace (which, as you say, would have been so much more expensive elsewhere) on Spring Gardens but it hardly had a garden.

Leek is awesome! I would disagree with the 'remote' comments. You have all of the benefits of living in the countryside (Peak District and Churnet Valley etc on your doorstep), but living in a town that has most things you need on a day-to-day basis (apart from clothes shops, that's quite limited). If you do need more than Leek has to offer, I wouldn't say a 20 minute drive on good roads to Stoke is 'remote', and if you want big city it's less than an hour to Manchester.

It seems really 'up and coming', really nice local indy shopping/cafe/market scene impriving by the week, Foxlowe has some good music/comedy/art (in normal times), dozens of great pubs. And such value for money housing wise! Do it!

@TomChris Sure, we're on corner of North St/Westwood Road. The garden for ours is a bit of a quirky shape and was definitely the compromise of the house, but we decided that the recc being opposite would more than make up for it.

There's also a cycle track directly to Rudyard Lake on North St and Brough Park (a large park with duck pond, skate park, leisure centre and woodland) just outside of centre. Parking round here can be tight so that's worth knowing.

What's your budget and what are you after?
There's a 1930s semi in Ladderedge, about 5 mins out of Leek centre with a mahoooosive garden and scope to extend. We didn't end up viewing it, but looks good for the money.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84847835.html

If you Google Leek sold prices, our house appears if you want a nosy at the garden etc.

@MissLemon18

We absolutely love that area and we're hoping something decent comes up there. Looks like you got a bargain, that place is massive! We're looking around a very similar budget actually, up to £230000 max though ideally closer to 210.

I think our ideal is a (decent) Victorian terrace with three beds, decent living/dining room (if not separate living room and dining room), and a reasonably garden. We're all over Rightmove several times a day looking for this! Some of the terraces around Leek are a bit pokey or look annoying for parking. We want to be within reasonable walking distance of town so we'd already discounted the Ladderedge one :)

@rbe78 I'd not heard about the Foxlowe before, knowing about it is quite encouraging :)