Tell me about Woodbridge

[800msprint]

I do actually know it well to visit but I don’t live in the area. Considering moving to be closer to ageing parents. I do like being close to London and obviously there is no big city near to Woodbridge. I know Ipswich is close but so many people are so negative about there. I love being able to access art galleries and museums and also see friends. And just I like London. But I do also love being close to the sea and I like the idea of an arty less frantic liberal small place to live and bring the kids up in. Is this Woodbridge? Or would I find it stuffy and conservative? Is there a good community feel or does everyone keep to themselves? Is it Brexit land? I don’t mind different values fine but I don’t want to live somewhere which is out and out proud does that make sense? I need to also fit in. Are there lots of families or is it mainly elderly retirees? I definitely love visiting but it’s whether it’s the right place to actually move to. Is it right the train line is still change at Ipswich to London. Will this ever change again? We will need to commute in 1-2 week maybe less. I also know Woodbridge and Ipswich schools are v good. If I ever have any chance of getting into state primaries which are the better ones? And finally do many people live rural to Woodbridge and manage the commute irregularly or is that madness? As I’m also aware of how £££ the place is!!! Thanking you so much

Very quaint, pretty, nice walk by river, very posh though, high street nice , schools good, very expensive. You would probably travel to Ipswich for supermarket , John Lewis ( homeward only ) and such

Ipswich train service to London is good. The Woodbridge trains to Ipswich less frequent and less reliable

Have you considered east Ipswich & kesgrave areas? Good areas, much Easier links to Ipswich station, good schools, and generally more normal people.

We stayed there a few years back, if you like London you will feel at home, lots of second home owners from London. Woodbridge has a lot going for it, but we didn’t find it particularly friendly if I am honest, we stayed during school summer hols though, perhaps the locals get fed up with tourists. We wouldn’t go back. Although I thought we would love it on first impressions. Good luck with your move.

I live very close by, feel free to pm me. Not so sure about the commuting aspect but I am sure there are people who commute to London from Woodbridge(maybe not so much now though). Woodbridge has a supermarket but 5 minutes away is Tesco and M&S food hall. Schools are great. What is your budget?

The supermarket in Woodbridge is small and pricy...some good little shops though

5 mins to Tesco's ....very traffic dependent !

Thanks for the feedback. Are there many families there and things going on? My mum thinks it would be too quiet and oap for me. I’m just trying to get a feel for the place. Interesting @Roselilly36 you didn’t find it friendly. I have heard very mixed things about Suffolk really but I suppose everyone is different and has different experiences. I think in all honesty it might be too quiet for me even though I really want to want that life with my kids. More input welcome!

Suffolk locals are not terribly welcoming imo. I have lived here 30 years, but my friends are also in-comers in the main. If the neighbour talks to you, ask where they are from originally.

Culture...bury, Norwich, Cambridge ..all easy to get to, as is London. The new Wolsey theatre in Ipswich is excellent , I really hope it survives. I'd take their productions over a London show.

Friends have been there for 25 years. They love it. They live in Melton which is definitely a family area.

They go to church and DC went to a C of E Primary. Followed by Farlingaye school. They couldn’t have been happier with both schools. DC enjoyed sailing clubs and plenty of things going on in the area.

However, we find it quiet. Our friends rejoice in this though. They love the slower pace. They love the High Street and seem to know shopkeepers. They certainly know their neighbours and it’s quite a chatty close of houses.

I think most places are what you make of them and I don’t notice it being full of retirees but our friends would not have friends in that age range. I’m not a fan of Ipswich and definitely prefer Woodbridge.

How are you getting on with your decision OP? We are planning to move from London to near Woodbridge this summer and I'm keen to hear if there are more families moving into the area. My parents are nearby which is our reason for moving but we've lived in London for 20 years and quite daunted by the change of pace and diversity for the children who will be in the final years of primary when we move.

@Celesteville still umming and arring. Have you moved now? We need to make a decision soon. The commute is an issue really as you have to change trains and we don’t want to be in Ipswich. Nor Colchester way as parents coastal Suffolk. The lack of big city nearby is making me unsure too as I like being near one. But it is completely idyllic there. Sigh.

@donaldbump We are moving in August- looking at schools in April. Agree on all your points, the commute can be cut down if you're able to drive to Manningtree for example- we have quite often done that (it's a bit of a drive to get there but it cuts down the train time by a lot). There also used to be commuter trains going straight through from Woodbridge to Liverpool Street, I'm hoping that they might reinstate that at some point. We are going for it and working remotely for as much as we can.

I live in Ipswich and aside from a few select areas it is nowhere near as bad a people make it out to be. There's loads of community stuff going on, an amazing theatre etc.

Woodbridge is nice but yes it's very posh and a bit snooty and lacking in diversity, lovely high street but it's very expensive.

I would suggest Kesgrave just out to the east of Ipswich between Ip and Woodbridge as a great middle ground. Leafy, good schools and a bit quieter than Ipswich, but without as much of a price premium than Woodbridge.

As a price example I have a nice good size 3 bed semi with garage in a nice part of Ipswich worth about 220k. In Woodbridge that would probably cost 270k plus. Kesgrave probably somewhere in the middle

I would echo what others have said Woodbridge is lovely but a bit posh, Ipswich is OK, there is some good stuff happening here, there are some not so nice bits like any town but it's fine. Kesgrave and Martlesham are between the 2 and very family friendly.

I’d pay the extra £50,000 for Woodbridge. It’s just nicer!

Posh? Have you ever been to Gerrards Cross or the Surrey Hills? Woodbridge isn’t posh. It’s a nice town with lots going on. Fewer holiday lets than elsewhere up the coast. So it’s pretty normal in my view.

Woodbridge isn't posh really. Maybe wannabe posh! Its a nice place to live and us locals only get annoyed with holiday home buyers gazumping local buyers just trying to find a home :)

Farlingaye is a.wonderful school. Melton is still catchment as is tunstall etc

Hey @Celesteville and @donaldbump @800msprint - did you both move? How are you finding it if so? We are thinking about making the move from SE London over the next couple of months. I echoed lots of your orginal thoughts... I have a lovely bunch of friends in London, love the exposure to culture/theatre/restaurants etc but also want to bring my kids up outside of London now and move closer to family. If any of you moved how are you finding it? I am coming up shortly to look at schools - primary for youngest and secondary for eldest.

Hi yes we did move, and the kids have settled well into their primary and secondary schools in Woodbridge- it's a great place to be, lots of cultural things happening in Woodbridge and the wider area. Wishing you luck for the visit and possible move too!

You seem to want to move out of London but only want London in the place you move to. You quote that you don’t want a place to be proud! Of what? Being proud to be itself. You don’t want Brexit even though the country voted for it.
you want art galleries and museums You haven’t embraced one aspect of Woodbridge. I think you best stay in London.
You must look at how you come across.
Very opinionated and superior that your views are the best.
And before some of you get oh so triggered….I have lived in London for 25 years and I know this type. I also am from Norfolk and go home to see how Londoners behave there. Pretty appalling and Norfolk folk can’t stand them. And I agree.
Your post is typical of the pretending to be liberal types when actually you should be fitting into a new place not trying to make them London.
London is increasingly dangerous unfriendly triggered woke and awful to live in. I can see why you want to bring your family out but why do you want to bring your London values with you. They’re not as superior as you seem to think.