Please advise a friend on the best areas (Hinckley, Grantham, Wellingborough or Newark)

TunnelOfGoats · 20/01/2022 23:44

I can only comment personally on Wellingborough, and it is really an awful town. I would not recommend anyone move there, or any of the Northamptonshire towns in fact. I'm from there and have moved far away to another part of the UK

JaniceBattersby · 20/01/2022 23:47

There are loads of Caribbean families in Wellingborough and it’s got some relatively cheap but nice housing. Rail links to the capital have been cut recently and the trains running on that line are a bit shit (they have changed the type of carriages they use). Driving would be a bit of a headache depending which part of London she’s commuting to. I wouldn’t drive tbh..

The town centre is not great but Rushden Lakes is nearby which is fab. Most work is warehouse work although Northampton an MK are easily within commuting distance.

There are also big issues with young black boys disproportionately being dragged into organised crime and county lines in Wellingborough. I speak from first hand experience. I’d be very careful about which estate I chose to live on (completely avoid Hemingwell and Queensway areas) and would try to live in one of the nearby villages if possible. Earls Barton is nice, for example.

ShesThunderstorms · 20/01/2022 23:48

Market Harborough isn't too far from these places and is much nicer imo.

stilldumdedumming · 20/01/2022 23:54

The county lines thing is very real. My dd's friendship group is all black and it's very hard to find a teen lad not involved - even tho they're nice lads on a personal level it's like poison (it sounds mad but we are and have for a long time been disproportionately affected here). Northants is also on a downward turn. I'm hoping to move away within the next year.

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 06:56

@TunnelOfGoats

I can only comment personally on Wellingborough, and it is really an awful town. I would not recommend anyone move there, or any of the Northamptonshire towns in fact. I'm from there and have moved far away to another part of the UK

Oh wow- this is interesting. Isn't it funny how we always think that the grass is greener on the other side? Thanks for sharing your view

OP posts:

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 06:58

@JaniceBattersby

There are loads of Caribbean families in Wellingborough and it’s got some relatively cheap but nice housing. Rail links to the capital have been cut recently and the trains running on that line are a bit shit (they have changed the type of carriages they use). Driving would be a bit of a headache depending which part of London she’s commuting to. I wouldn’t drive tbh..

The town centre is not great but Rushden Lakes is nearby which is fab. Most work is warehouse work although Northampton an MK are easily within commuting distance.

There are also big issues with young black boys disproportionately being dragged into organised crime and county lines in Wellingborough. I speak from first hand experience. I’d be very careful about which estate I chose to live on (completely avoid Hemingwell and Queensway areas) and would try to live in one of the nearby villages if possible. Earls Barton is nice, for example.

Thanks a lot. This is very helpful and I am very happy I posted this on her behalf because when I asked her questions about crime, she said that she didn't know about crime being an issue. Thanks again

OP posts:

AndItDoesntSeemToMatter · 21/01/2022 07:00

Hinckley, Leicestershire? There's literally nothing there town centre wise. Or at least there wasn't a few years ago. It was all discount shops and empty buildings.

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 07:13

@AndItDoesntSeemToMatter

Hinckley, Leicestershire? There's literally nothing there town centre wise. Or at least there wasn't a few years ago. It was all discount shops and empty buildings.

This is interesting. I am soo glad I posted here. I guess she will start all over again

OP posts:

CovidCorvid · 21/01/2022 07:22

Newark town centre is getting increasingly run down. Not a very ethnically diverse town. Secondary schools don’t have the best reputation as far as I’m aware. Good train links to London and East Midlands.

Grantham town a bit better. Has a grammar school system. Will be more expensive than Newark.

ForensicFlossy · 21/01/2022 07:32

Newark Town centre has a lot of empty units but I don't think there is a Town in the country that is much different. The schools are fine (some better than others) a lot of kids used to go out of Town for school but this is definitely changing.

It isn't massively diverse but there are no particular issues in that regard. It is a strange Town as it has a mix of high and low income families, some beautiful areas and some not so good but in general its pretty safe.

Great transport links to London.

gogohm · 21/01/2022 07:42

I would suggest they look in Leicestershire, most cosmopolitan than Northamptonshire if that's a concern. Leicester has a Caribbean carnival

LondonWolf · 21/01/2022 07:46

@AndItDoesntSeemToMatter

Hinckley, Leicestershire? There's literally nothing there town centre wise. Or at least there wasn't a few years ago. It was all discount shops and empty buildings.

It's being regenerated. There's now a shopping centre with a cinema, restaurants, better shopping etc. Just up the M69 is Fosse Park and also Nuneaton which has good shopping. You're right near the M1 too so can get on there quickly up to Leicester or even Nottingham.

Think you could do at lot worse than Hinckley tbh.

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 07:51

@Eve1989

Hey lovely people

I was speaking to a colleague today who told me that she wants to move out of London like me and like soooooo many Londoners, since the pandemic.

She has two kinds, of primary school age and she is Caribbean while her partner is mixed heritage.

She told me that they viewed properties in Wellingborough and Newark and she liked both properties. Her partner though seems to like Grantham and Hinckley where he has visited previously but has no current connections there. He does not mind however to live where ever she settles with.

What are your thoughts? Their budget is £275k which is likely to purchase in any of these areas. She is more concerned about not living somewhere where her kids will feel too different.

These are not the areas I have considered myself and therefore have no info to share with her. So, I told her that I will ask you guys.

PS: she works from home a lot but she may need to commute once per week to London. She is also thinking of getting a job closer to home, if need be.

Please share your views.

Thanks as always

Would anyone recommend Tamworth? I just told her some of the comments on here thus far, she is shocked but glad to know peoples views because she does not know these areas.

She then mentioned Tamworth or I think Wilnecote. She obviously does not want to make obvious mistakes.

She is happy to consider other areas. Crime is also a big issue for her.

Unfortunately I only know more about Yorkshire and it looks like she wants to be as close to London as possible.

Thanks a lot

OP posts:

Bobbybobbins · 21/01/2022 19:58

The transport links to London on the east coast main line are great but I'm not sure I'd recommend either Grantham or Newark as diverse. I work in inner city Derby and I love the diversity compared to where I grew up (equidistant between Grantham and Newark).

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 19:59

@Bobbybobbins

The transport links to London on the east coast main line are great but I'm not sure I'd recommend either Grantham or Newark as diverse. I work in inner city Derby and I love the diversity compared to where I grew up (equidistant between Grantham and Newark).

Thank you. This is very helpful.

OP posts:

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/01/2022 20:02

We lived in Grantham for a couple of years. It wasn't very diverse. Plus side is the two grammar schools... but if you don't get in the alternatives vary from Failing to reasonably good.

IbizaNamechanger · 21/01/2022 20:03

Definitely worth looking into leicestershire closer.
Hinckley has lovely town centre now its been developed lots of nice restaurants and shops.
Market Harborough good shout too.
If budget allows then I'd say look at Lutterworth and Narborough good transport link, shops and schooling.

7Worfs · 21/01/2022 20:11

Grantham used to be great, but has been on the downturn for decades. No investment at all - greedy councillors approve new builds and local hospital is being stripped of services every year. Would be a nightmare to find an NHS dentist.
Lots of traffic too… high street is chicken shops and barbers pretty much, quite depressing.
That said, house prices have risen dramatically in the last two years. 275k would not be getting them into a nice area/quiet cul de sac, and those are the parts that make living in Grantham bearable.

statetrooperstacey · 21/01/2022 22:25

275k would absolutely get you a nice house in a nice area in Grantham. Lots of commuters there, The rail links are good to London and Nottingham. Schools are decent and plenty to choose from including single sex grammars.Pp is correct about the high st , but there are several retail parks . Most people head to Lincoln or notts for leisure shopping. There’s a big leisure centre, cinema, gyms, golf courses, several parks, lots of restaurants trampoline place, belton house and adventure playground (top visitor attraction ) lots of open countryside, horse riding , Rutland water is close with lots of water sports , a fair bit really. Plenty of jobs and you can walk home alone at night fairly confidently. I would avoid Newark, like a very small cobbled knackered rougher version of Grantham .

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 22:47

@7Worfs

Grantham used to be great, but has been on the downturn for decades. No investment at all - greedy councillors approve new builds and local hospital is being stripped of services every year. Would be a nightmare to find an NHS dentist. Lots of traffic too… high street is chicken shops and barbers pretty much, quite depressing. That said, house prices have risen dramatically in the last two years. 275k would not be getting them into a nice area/quiet cul de sac, and those are the parts that make living in Grantham bearable.

I have not read one positive thing about Grantham of recent. I wonder why house prices are increasing there

OP posts:

Original poster

Eve1989 · 21/01/2022 22:49

@statetrooperstacey

275k would absolutely get you a nice house in a nice area in Grantham. Lots of commuters there, The rail links are good to London and Nottingham. Schools are decent and plenty to choose from including single sex grammars.Pp is correct about the high st , but there are several retail parks . Most people head to Lincoln or notts for leisure shopping. There’s a big leisure centre, cinema, gyms, golf courses, several parks, lots of restaurants trampoline place, belton house and adventure playground (top visitor attraction ) lots of open countryside, horse riding , Rutland water is close with lots of water sports , a fair bit really. Plenty of jobs and you can walk home alone at night fairly confidently. I would avoid Newark, like a very small cobbled knackered rougher version of Grantham .

Thank you- your post has cast some positives on Grantham. I will let her know so that she can visit and decide for herself.

OP posts:

user1493494961 · 21/01/2022 22:53

She could look at Rugby, great transport links to London.

Original poster

Eve1989 · 23/01/2022 15:45

@Eve1989

Hey lovely people

I was speaking to a colleague today who told me that she wants to move out of London like me and like soooooo many Londoners, since the pandemic.

She has two kinds, of primary school age and she is Caribbean while her partner is mixed heritage.

She told me that they viewed properties in Wellingborough and Newark and she liked both properties. Her partner though seems to like Grantham and Hinckley where he has visited previously but has no current connections there. He does not mind however to live where ever she settles with.

What are your thoughts? Their budget is £275k which is likely to purchase in any of these areas. She is more concerned about not living somewhere where her kids will feel too different.

These are not the areas I have considered myself and therefore have no info to share with her. So, I told her that I will ask you guys.

PS: she works from home a lot but she may need to commute once per week to London. She is also thinking of getting a job closer to home, if need be.

Please share your views.

Thanks as always

So the lady went and viewed a new build property in Barrowby Grantham yesterday and she said she liked the house itself but she is not sure about the area yet.

She thinks she will consider Peterborough, just because they drove past Cambridgeshire yesterday and she became interested in the area and she thinks it's closer to London.
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts so far

OP posts:

Original poster

Eve1989 · 23/01/2022 16:58

@user1493494961

She could look at Rugby, great transport links to London.

She visited rugby previously. I was with her on the day but she couldn't see what she really liked. Thanks

OP posts:

lastqueenofscotland · 23/01/2022 18:34

Wellingborough is awful! Id avoid. Some of the villages near it are nice - Wollaston/Grendon/Finedon but transport won’t be as good