Towns near Stoke

[Emarosa]

Hi everyone,

My husband has accepted a new job, which is beside the railway station in Stoke.

We have been extensively researching the area for places to buy - we have a good (800k) budget, but would prefer to be in walking distance of shops and cafes, and we want a short drive or good train commute to Stoke.

We recently visited Eccleshall, which we loved! However no suitable houses have come up there. Are there any towns like it that we can expand our search to?

Leek? Market town with a bit of a buzz. Macclesfield if you want somewhere bigger?

Have you looked at Nantwich? I love it now.

I love it there sorry!

Newport, just over the border in Shropshire?

I agree with the suggestion of Leek too. Not too far to travel and a nice selection of independent cafes etc

Stone, Barlaston, Eccleshall, Biddulph, Sandbach.
Knutsford.
Alsager
Holmes Chapel

Betley
Nice bits around Newcastle
Sandbach
Congleton
Stone

Buxton, Ashbourne, Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith.

@Battleofwhocouldcareless

Buxton, Ashbourne, Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith.

I don’t think think any of those suggestions could be described as an easy commute to Stoke especially in the winter!

I was thinking even Leek can be a tricky in bad weather!

@MrsDeaconClaybourne

I was thinking even Leek can be a tricky in bad weather!

Definitely!!

Thanks so much everyone! Some really helpful suggestions that will keep us busy on Rightmove today.

Eccleshall is nice but expensive.You might want to check out the local GPs. You have no choice there to use any others.
Villages close to Eccleshall and Stafford shops and the M6 like Great Bridgeford, Seighford, Ranton, Chebsey etc are fine but no shops of their own.
You could check out the Stafford Forum.
Stone likes to think it's posh, (and TBH is quite nice).
Stafford town centre is a bit on the skids IMO. But has its points.
Nantwich seemed nice to me on the few times I have been there.
Uttoxeter is okay, and has a nice racecourse too.

Stone, stafford, uttoxeter, Newcastle under Lyme, Barlastston, eccleshall like you say - not much comes up there

Avoid the Newcastle Borough at the moment because of the awful stink from the Whalleys Quarry, house prices are low there so you might spot something that looks like a real bargain but it's all down to the Quarry and it's potential impact on health.

Stoke and the immediate surrounding areas are not great but there are nicer places not too far away. Look at Trentham, Stone, Barlaston etc for a relatively easy commute. The countryside around Stoke is nicer than the towns around Stoke unfortunately, so you might struggle to find what you're looking for close by.

@MrsDeaconClaybourne

I was thinking even Leek can be a tricky in bad weather!

There has actually been very little snow (of any significance) over the last few years. The main road from Leek to Stoke is very very rarely impassable as the main depot for the snow ploughs is off that road. I'd say maybe affected one day over the last five years or so? (Although obviously traffic is worse and journeys slower when there is snow.)

That’s great to know! Thank you!
We definitely like the look of Leek

Thank you for flagging this. Are any places around Newcastle affected too? That’s really awful. I saw about it on the news and hope something is done about it for residents.

With your budget I’d go into Cheshire eg Sandbach.

Blythe bridge, Caverswall, Fulford, Meir Heath, hilderstone, Rough Close

@yorkshirepudgf

Blythe bridge, Caverswall, Fulford, Meir Heath, hilderstone, Rough Close

Not many cafes and shops within walking distance in those villages though

I would go into Cheshire too, but to be honest I would go for a smaller village (eg Betley, Woore, Baldwins Gate etc) and drive into the towns for cafes etc. Nantwich, Sandbach, Congleton, Alsager etc are all lovely but they're being built all around with new estates, traffic is getting worse and worse etc etc. Have you spent time in the area getting to visit? I know you said you'd visited Eccleshall but have you visited anywhere else?

Thanks! I have some family in Biddulph, Congleton and Bramhall, so I know the area a little but not very well. My husband is from Cambridge and doesn’t know the area at all.
We’re planning on staying for the weekend next week to be able to visit more places.

I think my husband would prefer to be to the South of Stoke for an easier drive to his family, but I think Cheshire would meet our requirements better.

We are a mixed race couple, so we would like to live somewhere where we feel comfortable (though our experiences in Staffordshire have been good so far). I quite like Burton Upon Trent, but it’s a bit too long of a commute…

I was going to recommend Leek too, it seems to be getting more arty/trendy. However the area is not in the least diverse and very Leave so I'm glad that OP has had good experience of Staffs so far. But with that budget you could easily afford somewhere nice in Cheshire as well.

That's a really good point about Whalley's Quarry. It's a dreadful situation. I was thinking of Maderley - not sure whether it's affected or not.

Audley has some really nice bits and a centre with cafe, some shops etc.

Also, you don't mention DCs but it's worth knowing that some places have a '3 tier' school system - so first, middle and high instead of primary and secondary. Could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your pov. Or might be irrelevant!