Advice please !! Relocating to Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire

[clownfish1971]

We are moving down to Derbyshire /Nottinghamshire as soon as our house has sold here in Berkshire. Could anyone advise of nice places and places to avoid. We have been looking at Matlock, Chesterfield, Duffield, Alfreton, Belper and then in North Nottinghamshire Retford snd Worksop . It’s quite a wide area but we are open to suggestions as don’t really know the areas at all! We really need good schools and a good sixth form for my kids and good transport links to somewhere fun for teenagers and hoping not to be in a place that’s too built up
Thanks in advance Claire

What is your budget?

Beeston is near the university & on the tram line - I'd start looking there.

Matlock is the most rural and least built up of the places you mention. Probably the least easy for transport links. But I’d be there like a flash if the stars aligned. Is there somewhere you need to commute to frequently?

Looking at up to £550,000
Working from home so commuting isn't a problem 😊

Alfreton is very different to Duffield and Belper, much more of a working class town.

Darlene Abbey. Duffield, Allestree all that end of Derby.

Bramcote, Attenborough, Chilwell in Nottinghamshire.

Ecclesbourne school is very good.

Which is nicest Alfreton or Duffield or Belper ? I was hoping for somewhere with a bit of life for the kids.
I was also looking at Retford and Worksop further up are they nice ?

Darley Abbey is into Derby more but a very nice area indeed Breadsall Village and Quarndon are lovely. All three of these are an easy bus or short drive into derby city centre which is good. At that end of Derby there is also an out of town retail place with cinema etc. further out there are villages like Horsley Woodhouse and Kilburn, all again on a main route back into Derby.

If I had my pick of that lot, I’d pick Breadsall Village.

Duffield is a nice area but expensive (but you could easily afford it with your budget).Alfreton is close to nice countryside but the town centre is a bit run down. Don't have any direct experience of Retford or Worksop but Worksop is widely known as a dump, I would avoid this (no offence to any locals, I am sure there are nice parts of it).
If you want to go to Notts, Beeston would probably be a good move, there always sounds to be lots going on there.
In Chesterfield, you could look at Holymoorside for a nice area close to the Peak District, or Matlock and Bakewell are nice small market towns, Matlock probably better for teens.

Belper is a town, and Duffield is a village so I would guess Belper has more going on for your children. There are regular buses into the city centre, and it does have its own 'high street' as well. It is very pretty, and if you like Matlock, it's a good base to explore further north. One of the main problems Matlock (and Matlock Bath) has is they can be a bottleneck.

Duffield has Ecclesbourne School (which has a sixth form), which is a good school, although I do know of someone who went there who felt they put a lot of pressure on them to get good grades. This was a few years ago now though, so take it with a pinch of salt.

Alfreton isn't really like Duffield or Belper, I don't know as I would recommend it if you like the other two. I don't think the secondary school there is brilliant.

I don't know so much about Nottingham, sorry.

Duffiekd would be good as Ecclesbourne School is Ofsted outstanding and very highly rated too. You need to be in the village itself or very near (not Belper) to get in for KS3 or Ks4. But if it's just sixth form then you can be out of catchment.

It's a village not a town but a short bus ride to Derby.

Belper is a lovely town with lots to like - nice small shops, indie cinema - but the school is not perhaps the best thought of. Also further from teen things (ie city).

Alfreton is quite rundown and perhaps not a great choice. Chesterfield has lots going for it too and schools are good, plus you are close to Sheffield for teen fun.

Matlock is lovely but a bit out of the way, transport to a city is an issue.

I don't know Retford but I believe it is nice. Worksop, not such a great rep but I don't know it well.

£550 will buy you four beds tho not luxury in Duffiekd, more in Belper or Chesterfield.

I grew up in Derbyshire. Alfreton is a small, fairly dull working class town which is dominated by the large industrial estates which surround it. Ripley, a few miles to the south, is larger and a bit nicer than Alfreton but it’s also very blue-collar. Heanor is another unattractive working class town, a step down from Ripley.

Belper is much nicer, with a fascinating history, beautiful old buildings, lovely surroundings in the Derwent valley and a thriving, award-winning town centre with lots of independent shops. A great place to live.

Matlock is also a nice market town, but it’s quite touristy in summer. The local roads get clogged up with OAPs ‘out for a drive’ at 20mph. Matlock Bath, a village just south of the town, is a bizarre seaside resort type place in the middle of the countryside. It’s full of chippies & amusement arcades and bikers in summer.

Duffield is a middle class village popular with people who commute into Derby. Ecclesbourne school in the village is known as one of the best state schools in the East Midlands. House prices reflect this.

Belper is lovely and so is Matlock. Have you looked at Ashbourne? I’d live in any of those three.

I relocated to Matlock two years ago and love it. We came from the South-East because we love the Peak District and have links to Yorkshire (family).

True what someone said upthread about it being touristy in the summer, but tbh, I love that I live somewhere so popular. (Maybe that's just my ego though!). And we don't tend to head into town for entertainment when it's the summer holidays but out into the Peaks instead.

For me it has the perfect mix of - small town (with schools, amenities, etc.) and being the gateway to the Peak District. Within just ten minutes' drive we're in the proper countryside and we've absolutely loved exploring.

They're currently building a cinema in the centre of town, which is cool. And the old 'Spoons building is currently being changed to a cafe and bar place. This is on top of nice cafes, bars, and restaurants on the Dale Road. There's a large Sainsbury's, medium Co-op, and an M&S Foodhall, as well as an Iceland and some butchers and bakeries.

The town secondary school (Highfields) is ok. I've heard Lay Manners in Bakewell is very good, and some teenagers from Matlock go there instead. Ours are in primary so we'll look into that decision nearer the time.

I know PPs said we're far from a city, and it's true that it's an hour to Sheffield or 35 mins to Derby (not in rush hour though). But we're 20 mins drive to Chesterfield, so that's where we tend to go for 'big' things - the retail parks (B&Qs, Dunelms of this world, etc.).

Thank you so much everyone you've been so helpful we are going to look at places in Retford, Belper and Duffield this weekend 😊 we will stop and have a wander around. I love the thought of Matlock but it's too expensive. I think Retford maybe too far out but will have a look !

oooh @clownfish1971do let us know what you honk, and where you end up 😀

ffs what you think

stupid ipad

I will !! My head hurts just thinking about it because there are so many boxes that need ticking mostly for the kids! If they are happy I'm sure I will be too but it's a big move and I know location is everything so will keep an open mind

I live in North East Derbyshire around Dronfield. This is a lovely area schools are good very close to the Peak District. If money is no option other lovely areas are around Ashover and Buxton. Chesterfield is a very mixed bag some good areas sone not so good.

We can be in Sheffield in 35 minutes Chesterfield in 15 and the Peak District in 30 to 40 it's perfect.

That sounds so perfect! I've never been to Sheffield are there any good colleges there for A levels ? My daughter is adamant she wants a college and not a sixth form !! The schools in that area are amazing !
I think we will do a trip to Sheffield/Dronfield at the weekend and see. Loved Nottingham is Sheffield much like that? Also is there much in Dronfield itself ? Final question I promise is Meadowhall far?

I would avoid Worksop, Alfreton and Chesterfield personally. Bakewell is nice and has a good school but it's not a particularly big place so depends what amenities you want.

Darley Abbey and Duffield are nice and closer to a city (Derby) but I don't know about schools. Dronfield is also nice and I believe the school is good.

There are a lot of run down areas in north Nottinghamshire and I wouldn't want Chesterfield to be my closest major town, I'd rather have a decent city to go to.

I would say Nottingham and Sheffield are quite similar. Sheffield is a bit more sprawling and built on hills, so not quite as walking friendly as Nottingham but still not bad.

They've both taken a bit of a hit from
covid and have quite a few empty shop units but still have good restaurants and cultural scenes etc.

I've lived in both cities and on balance would choose Nottingham but would be happy with either. Nottingham still has a John Lewis too!

I'd advise you to avoid Alfreton. Matlock is lovely but very touristy. Belper is small but lovely and has some good schools and links to secondary schools. Avoid Ripley. Cromford is not far from Matlock and is really nice. Good luck with the move!

Belper or Duffield in Derbyshire - easy access to Derby and the Peaks. Belper has a nice feel to it. Have you consider West Bridgford in Nottingham - has a really vibrant high street and 10 mins away from Nottingham city centre. Wish I could afford to live there! Beeston is also a good option.