Chelmsford v's Didcot v's Newbury

[Samara26]

Does anyone have any knowledge of these areas and how good the amenities are in terms of gyms, shopping, cinemas, bars, restaurants?

I'm also working in IT so looking for an area with lots of jobs around like business parks etc as I'm a contractor.

I'll be buying a house- ideally a 3 bed semi with driveway, so cost is a factor.

Any information is very appreciated!!

Hi,
I live near Chelmsford and also have family in Newbury, so know the first well and the second less so.
I absolutely love Chelmsford. Buzzy, but safe feeling. Everyman cinema and lots of restaurants- mainly chains though.
In terms of jobs, you should have many options. Although, Newbury also good with many big business parks off the M4. Microsoft etc.
House prices on par I would say. Here for what you want, depending on area you are looking at 300k - 500k.
Do you need schools?

I live in Newbury. It's nice enough, quite a few restaurants, gyms, a couple of cinemas, theatres and countryside on your doorsteps. Vodafone is the big employer here; it's quite well placed for tech work. It's a pretty town centre with a canal and river. But it has a couple of big A roads around it, so not completely idyllic. It's not very multi cultural and quite Conservative I would say. It has quite a few markets and events in the town centre, plus a race course. It's just a tad limited and doesn't exactly have a "buzz" imo. My own experience is that Didcot is a little less pretty but has the huge advantage of being 10 minutes on the train from Oxford, where there is much more going on. We have no direct public transport there from Newbury, you have to go via Reading. Given my time again I would have a look at Didcot for that reason.

@Hastina

I live in Newbury. It's nice enough, quite a few restaurants, gyms, a couple of cinemas, theatres and countryside on your doorsteps. Vodafone is the big employer here; it's quite well placed for tech work. It's a pretty town centre with a canal and river. But it has a couple of big A roads around it, so not completely idyllic. It's not very multi cultural and quite Conservative I would say. It has quite a few markets and events in the town centre, plus a race course. It's just a tad limited and doesn't exactly have a "buzz" imo. My own experience is that Didcot is a little less pretty but has the huge advantage of being 10 minutes on the train from Oxford, where there is much more going on. We have no direct public transport there from Newbury, you have to go via Reading. Given my time again I would have a look at Didcot for that reason.

Thank you, I have been looking at Didcot as the rail links are very convenient, although I love to drive, I hate traffic. I heard Didcot is a little depressing in terms of the look and feel of it which worries me, as I think it may get u down over time? I guess going out, and work will always mean a train ride and another walk the other end somewhere.. do you know Cambridge at all? It's pretty and seems to also have lots of tech work.

No sorry, have only been to Cambridge a couple of times, a long time ago. Much bigger than Newbury or Didcot though. Yes I suppose that's the downside of Didcot but I hear it's improving. They have this nuclear fusion facility coming.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/most-average-town-england-didcot-25707773

I live in Newbury and grew up in Cambridge.
Cambridge is a medium size city and has all that you would expect in a university city, but it is expensive and driving can be bad.
Newbury is a market town, comparing my clientele now and 20 years ago it is far more multicultural and less conservative that it was my daughter had 13 nationalities represented in her class of 18 a few years ago. For a market town it has quite a bit going on 3 theatres, a cinema and a strong arts scene.
It has good transport links making travel to Thames Valley park for Oracle or Microsoft popular, but also 53 mins to Paddington.
A three bed house in a good area is going to set you back about 400K.
There is currently a lot of investment in the town particularly in the station area and there are several medium sized housing projects coming. Schools were tight, but with the new primary having opened in September and one of the senior schools getting an extension that should ease.

Didcot is good as you're easily in London or reading for contracts(or Bristol or Bath or Swindon).
But Chelmsford has excellent trains into London and far better facilities and a lot less depressing.

Just depends if you usually work with the vendor or end client.

I wouldn't move to Chelmsford if you're going to have to travel for work, pretty much every time you go anywhere
you'll have to go on the m25.

We’re in a lovely village about 5 miles from Didcot. We chose it because it’s so easy to get into London. (35 mins on the fast train) Both DH and DD1 are IT contractors. DH’s contract is in Reading. DD is in London and before COVID would commute in everyday.

Didcot is ok. It’s had a lot of money pumped into it recently as it’s a designated area for growth. There’s a new shopping centre, secondary school, multi-story car park for the station, lots of new housing estates. The area by the station has all been ear-marked for improvement and the work is just starting. Overall it’s nothing special but has vastly improved over the last ten years.