Page 2 | Moving to Bicester v's Reading / MK or Eastleigh

Alexis26 · 2021-05-04T21:22:45+00:00

Moving to a new area to start afresh and find a partner. Would like somewhere with plenty to do, bars, shopping, restaurants etc, good transport links and not downmarket but not posh or expensive either. Any advice or info would be very much appreciated 🙏

PeachandBee · 05/05/2021 15:22

I lived in Reading and surrounding areas for 8 years and currently have been living in MK for the last 11 years. I'm also in my mid 30s, moved here single with no children now married with 3!

Both have bonuses and drawbacks;
Roads so much better in MK, Reading is very congested and I hate driving in it when I go back. However Reading buses are far better, MKs buses are atrocious. MK requires a car to get around really, where as Reading was easy to walk around and use public transport. Both under half an hour into London via train, though MK goes to Euston and Reading can go to Paddington. Easier train connections to the west country from Reading too.

Reading has more nightlife and culture but the shops are more standard and is busier and chaotic of a Saturday night due to it being a Uni town. MK hasn't got a clubbing scene but is absolutely incredible for independent shops and restaurants (we also get all the American imports like Taco Bell and Tim Hortons) and we have new things opening all the time (Film and SciFi museum with a retro arcade this month! Can't wait!)

I think MK is cheaper than Reading to rent or buy, and if you aren't planning children there are some bargains to be had that are only cheap because of a disappointing local school! Crime wise, we have our trouble but I dont think its any better or worse than Reading personally.

I'm happy to wax lyrical on either town, feel free to message me :)

GoddessKali · 05/05/2021 15:32

I’ve lived in Bicester for 5 years, previously have lived closer to Oxford & London.

Bicester’s great! It’s small enough that you’ll bump into people you know and meet regulars, especially on a Friday for Market day.
We have some great initiatives such as Bicester Green & Bicester Fridge (free food!).

Easy train journey direct to Oxford, Birmingham & London. Great car links.
Bicester Village is nice for a wander and restaurants.

I love it here!

GoddessKali · 05/05/2021 15:33

Oh and we do have some decent bars and restaurants popping up all the time, the night life is definitely improving with live music, comedy nights, pop up food vans etc

CheeseCakeSunflowers · 05/05/2021 15:51

Bicester is a small market town which is rapidly growing. It does have a few bars and restaurants one cinema but no theatre. Oxford is 15 mins away by train. In peak times the car journey to Oxford is congested but in the evenings not so bad, there is also a good bus service. Bicester does have good transport links with rail links to London, Birmingham and Oxford which goes on to the west country and Wales also the East/West link is also being built at the moment which will link the town to MK and eventually on to Cambridge. Bus links are fairly good too. The M40 is also close.
Shopping is not great, there are plenty of supermarkets but many shops in the centre of town have closed recently, there are some out of town areas, the main one being Bicester Village which is good if designer labels is your thing but that's mainly all there is there. Locals tend to go to Oxford, MK or Banbury for more variety with shopping.

MrsJamin · 05/05/2021 16:26

@Alarae Your comment made me actually laugh out loud, we have a thriving independent cafe/restaurant scene in Reading and I actually feel sorry for you if you haven't found them yet! There are so many fabulous places to eat, I never go to chains. Independent shops are definitely harder to come by but compared to a lot of high streets, Reading is still buzzing. Reading's traffic is pretty bad, I won't lie, I won't convince you to come here and park in the town centre if you live within a bus journey away - Reading's bus company wins national awards, they put on a very good and frequent service from all residental areas. I've never park in the town centre for this reason - its cheaper, quicker and more convenient to travel by bus.

Original poster

Alexis26 · 05/05/2021 17:21

@CheeseCakeSunflowers

Bicester is a small market town which is rapidly growing. It does have a few bars and restaurants one cinema but no theatre. Oxford is 15 mins away by train. In peak times the car journey to Oxford is congested but in the evenings not so bad, there is also a good bus service. Bicester does have good transport links with rail links to London, Birmingham and Oxford which goes on to the west country and Wales also the East/West link is also being built at the moment which will link the town to MK and eventually on to Cambridge. Bus links are fairly good too. The M40 is also close. Shopping is not great, there are plenty of supermarkets but many shops in the centre of town have closed recently, there are some out of town areas, the main one being Bicester Village which is good if designer labels is your thing but that's mainly all there is there. Locals tend to go to Oxford, MK or Banbury for more variety with shopping.

I heard there was another shopping outlet near Bicester village with more normal brands? I actually drove from Oxford City Center to Bicester a couple of weekends ago. I wasn't planning to go to Bicester, I was just getting on the motorway to go back to Gatwick but it said Bicester 3 miles or something and I couldn't believe it was that close - did I imagine that? There was literally no traffic on a Saturday evening!

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CheeseCakeSunflowers · 05/05/2021 18:29

Alexis26 Yes it is that close to the M40 junction. There are a couple of small out of town shopping areas, Bicester Avenue has a garden centre with lots of extra depts and there are a few other well known chains there too and there is a new area as well which has a Next, M&S Food and Boots. If you travelled from the M40 as far as Bicester village then you went by them but they are not very big and easy to miss.

Mumdiva99 · 06/05/2021 10:42

"Do u mind me asking what type of things you like to do that MK couldn't offer you? I'm really just a bars, eating out and shopping type gal 🙈. Love a bit of horse-riding and gym, cinema etc but not very cultured I'm afraid"

Mk has lots of shopping, gyms and stables....plenty of bars - I'm not so sure what the evening scene is like these days (as I'm past that and a night out is a rare trip)- but in the centre of town it focus's around 12th Street - Revolution De Cuba, The Hub - Slug and Lettuce, a couple of cocktail bars and the Xscape - Wetherspoons. But again you might prefer Newport or Stony as they have pubs on the high street.

Original poster

Alexis26 · 07/08/2021 03:47

@Mumdiva99

"Do u mind me asking what type of things you like to do that MK couldn't offer you? I'm really just a bars, eating out and shopping type gal 🙈. Love a bit of horse-riding and gym, cinema etc but not very cultured I'm afraid"

Mk has lots of shopping, gyms and stables....plenty of bars - I'm not so sure what the evening scene is like these days (as I'm past that and a night out is a rare trip)- but in the centre of town it focus's around 12th Street - Revolution De Cuba, The Hub - Slug and Lettuce, a couple of cocktail bars and the Xscape - Wetherspoons. But again you might prefer Newport or Stony as they have pubs on the high street.

Thanks. I think I'll go for Reading, as everyone says Milton Keynes is pretty soulless! I also didn't get a great feel off the place when I looked around. I'll probably have to pay around 25k more for a house in Reading though or live in an unsafe area 🤔. House prices innReading are mental!

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Original poster

Alexis26 · 07/08/2021 03:55

@PeachandBee

I lived in Reading and surrounding areas for 8 years and currently have been living in MK for the last 11 years. I'm also in my mid 30s, moved here single with no children now married with 3!

Both have bonuses and drawbacks;
Roads so much better in MK, Reading is very congested and I hate driving in it when I go back. However Reading buses are far better, MKs buses are atrocious. MK requires a car to get around really, where as Reading was easy to walk around and use public transport. Both under half an hour into London via train, though MK goes to Euston and Reading can go to Paddington. Easier train connections to the west country from Reading too.

Reading has more nightlife and culture but the shops are more standard and is busier and chaotic of a Saturday night due to it being a Uni town. MK hasn't got a clubbing scene but is absolutely incredible for independent shops and restaurants (we also get all the American imports like Taco Bell and Tim Hortons) and we have new things opening all the time (Film and SciFi museum with a retro arcade this month! Can't wait!)

I think MK is cheaper than Reading to rent or buy, and if you aren't planning children there are some bargains to be had that are only cheap because of a disappointing local school! Crime wise, we have our trouble but I dont think its any better or worse than Reading personally.

I'm happy to wax lyrical on either town, feel free to message me :)

Hello, I don't know how to DM on here, I'm Quite new to it! I think I'm going to try for Reading as it's a bit closer, although looks like houses are about 25k more to live in an ok area like Calcot or perhaps Tilehurst- apparently these 2 are most convenient for motorway access?

Can I ask why u moved from Reading to MK? Do I think it was easier to meet a partner in MK? I've heard to have to work much harder to meet people there as everything is so spread out and there is no cafe culture or obvious center?

I could have been mistaken, but when I visited MK I felt like there was quite a lot of poverty, particularly around the shopping Center and I went to the retail park where the Costa and £1 shop are and also xcape. I wanted to go to lake willen but didn't have time. Was I wrong about this? Do U find MK a bit soulless? I'm still not sure what people mean by this lol!

I know I could find my perfect house in MK for 350k but sadly bit in Reading anymore ☹️

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nixnjj · 07/08/2021 04:34

Check out Banbury train 25 mins Bicester 15 min Leamington London and Birmingham about an hour. Good public transport and load of independent shops eateries pubs and clubs gyms and plenty of retail parks.

Original poster

Alexis26 · 07/08/2021 18:48

@nixnjj

Check out Banbury train 25 mins Bicester 15 min Leamington London and Birmingham about an hour. Good public transport and load of independent shops eateries pubs and clubs gyms and plenty of retail parks.

I definitely would but the whole area is built on Radeon gas

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