Home and area for retirement... your thoughts please

[XingMing]

We are 64 and will be retiring in a year or two. We want to move from where we live now (Cornwall) to an area which doesn't involve several hours on the M5 in summer. Where might one look for a decent high street, with a butcher, baker, deli and greengrocer, and a supermarket for staples? We're in good health, so we don't need to be next door to a big hospital. We walk, we enjoy eating out, and the odd movie or cultural event, and most of our close friends and family live in the Midlands or between Cardiff and London. We're planning weekends away to look at nice market towns in pleasant country for information. Schools are no longer relevant. Please wise ones, where should we be looking?

Shropshire, Shrewsbury especially.

You say you are in good health so no need to be next door to a big hospital but if this is your actual retirement home, you can't guarantee you will both stay in good health right to the end. Few people manage that, so I would factor in a biggish hospital within an hour's drive at maximum.

I'm sure you have also thought of this, but if not a bungalow, at least a house with a downstairs bedroom or a room that could become a downstairs bedroom, and not only a downstairs and upstairs toilet but also a place to put in a downstairs shower room. Those things future proof your home and allow you to stay at home far far longer and with ease.

@Darkestseasonofall

Abegavenny? It pretty much ticks all of your boxes

It's lovely there, although Crickhowell is absolutely darling. Monmouth is lovely too.

Towns near Bristol? We have chosen somewhere that fits your criteria, a little but younger. Though the m5 still causes issues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, thank goodness the schools are back (we can avoid generally thankfully)

Wye Valley?

Ledbury? Ludlow?

Topsham, just outside Exeter
Easy access to M5 to visit friends
Lovely little high street and restaurants, open air pool, great walks and close to Exeter for cinema, theatre, hospital etc

I live in a small market town near Worcester (as mentioned by Reedwarbler weirdly enough), and it is very popular for people to retire to as it has a leisure centre, community theatre/cinema, community hospital, fishmonger, butchers, bakers, greengrocers etc etc - and is flat/small enough that you can get everywhere on a mobility scooter if necessary.

I think Malvern is a bit marmite, I know people who love it but I find it depressing. Have you looked at Droitwich? I haven't been for years but had some friends who lived there and they loved it.

So £300-£400 - how many bedrooms do you want?

In your position, I would move close to your family. Otherwise you may end up moving again. We’re just persuading our extended family to move to our area. Suddenly, after Covid, they realise how much they need us and how much easier it is, if we are all in the same place. Happy times ahead, I hope, with less travelling and stress. We would move to them, but they’re coming here, so we’re lucky. And we were only 90 minutes away, but that becomes a hell of a round trip, if you’re doing it several times a week, to look after loved ones.

I love Pershore too Reedwarbler. DP went to Pershore High School and my in-laws still live there. We were there on Sunday actually, sitting in Broad Street having a coffee

Although if you ask my son he will tell you that the best thing about Pershore is Jimmy Pickles restaurant

We're thinking of retiring to Pershore, Malvern or somewhere in between when the time comes. Gorgeous part of the world.

I would consider the Southbourne area of Bournemouth - fantastic high street, real community feel and fantastic beaches.

Ludlow
Knighton
Montgomery
Worcester

We’re in the same position. We’re looking at Rutland. Both Oakham and Stamford are lovely. We’ve drawn a line between them and are looking within ten miles north and south of that line.

@ShanghaiDiva While I adore Topsham and we did once plan to move there, it's not really far enough from here to cut much time off any travel we do.

We are thinking about the counties to the west of the M5 north of Bristol, and apart from driving through the Cotswolds on the way to my DM, sister and niece (all near Oxford) my knowledge of that part is fairly sketchy.

We love the North Wiltshire Downs' landscape, and know/like the towns and villages along the canal through Devizes to Pewsey and Marlborough because we spent several weekends there canoeing.

Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire are all possibilities. Pershore is sounding interesting.

While Bournemouth is okay, the traffic is appalling and we don't want to live in a major tourist area. I saw the pictures of Bournemouth beach, and no thanks. That's partly why we're planning to escape from Cornwall, where I've lived more than half of my life. DH is really not keen on Kent and Sussex where he grew up, but still has a few cousins. DMIL is very ancient and unwell so unlikely to be a consideration for many more years.

DS is only just starting university, but his course could lead anywhere.

We'd want two bedrooms, biggish kitchen-diner and spacious living area, plus a manageable garden, and are open to the idea of building or converting to get what we want. A good view would be the icing on the cake, as we are leaving one behind!

We are thinking about the counties to the west of the M5 north of Bristol
I would say, as a rule of thumb, that areas to the west of the Severn are cheaper than those on the east. Probably truer the further down river you go (as the river becomes a bigger and bigger obstacle).

Where did you end up @XingMing ? I find the southeast incredibly expensive everywhere and think North is too far/rainy for liking. Read this thread with interest but never heard of all these places - any insights from your search?

I don't wish to put a downer on things but as you get older the need for medical care is almost certain to increase. I'm 67 and have always thought of myself as a fit person, however in the past couple of years I been taken to hospital twice by ambulance and have had several emergency treatments. Fortunately I'm fine and nothing required admission but the 50 minute ambulance trip was quite scary. I live in Wiltshire, almost exactly halfway between Bath and Salisbury hospitals. I love where I live but I'd certainly prefer to be closer to a hospital these days.

God another bloody zombie thread I've pointlessly replied to. Note to self, check thread date and recent posts.

It's beyond frustrating when you don't realise it's a zombie thread @fussychica but thank you for your thoughts regardless. We are the same age as you, and healthcare is obviously something we all need to consider carefully as we get older. Our healthcare provider/local hospital is not highly regarded but they seem to do a very fair job for us, and DH has a file a foot thick so we are cautious on this point.

Update for @SigmaBead, we haven't moved anywhere yet! We like Shropshire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, but DH is still working. Although he would like to sell the business and retire, it's a very niche technical business and the decision has to be in the best interests of our staff and customers.

The ageing parents are no longer a consideration, which is sad but liberating. Cash is being handed to DC in the hope that we shall survive another seven years. We might take some 90-day breaks in warmer countries. But a downsize is still going to happen.... all our friends are doing it!

Thanks for the update.
Regarding the 90 day breaks, we use most of our entitlement most of the time. However, we tend to limit our long trips to 60 days these days for house/travel insurance reasons plus it gives you some flexibility if you fancy an unplanned city break or other holiday in Schengen.
We lived abroad and downsized when we came back. We hope our bungalow is fairly future proof (hospitals aside) and small enough to feel comfortable about leaving when we go away for weeks at a time. Currently in the Canaries😎