Stroud vs Frome vs Rye

[Whichonewhichonewhichone]

We have no family or friends connections to any of these places! But love all three. We work from home 100% of the time and have small kids.

London is too expensive and we feel sick of the price of everything there.

Budget about £800k.

Looking for:
-good for kids
-a strong community
-easy to meet people and make friends
-lovely walks nearby

Which would you choose?

What about Lewes? Not far from Hove which you said you liked. Arty and a bit alternative but not too alternative.

Well, I live within a 45-minute drive of both Stroud and Frome, just outside Bath, and used to work in Frome. I wouldn't live there. It's miles from anything, which leads to an insular feel about it. The Asda does have cheap fuel, though.

Corsham or Bradford-on-Avon? Cotswolds feel about them, but less out of the way. Only a 20-minute drive into Bath, too. Lots of lovely walks, particularly in BOA, where you can walk along the canal and take the DC to the canal side playgrounds for a paddle in the river, or to explore the Tithe Barn (nothing in there but a source of fascination for mine when they were small).

I know Corsham schools better than BOA ones, but I have friends in BOA who have no complaints. Corsham ones are good, too.

I grew up in London and moved to Bath as an adult. You might find that going completely to the country is a bit jarring for you when you've been used to having everything on your doorstep. Somewhere with easy access to the motorway or other towns or a mainline station will make the transition easier. We've moved out of Bath now but are still nearby, in a town with great schools and a fab community.

The above suggestion of Keynsham is a good shout, though I'm not sure the town centre has the pretty stone buildings vibe you seem to like. Good amenities, though, easy access to Bristol for your city fix and the Chew Valley for your country one.

Consider whether you want to be your children's taxi as they get older. Especially in places where the bus is once every two hours on a Sunday. For us, it was important to live somewhere where they could become more independent. We have great transport links where we are, so the DC can spread their wings a bit as they get older. DH and I both grew up in cities, so this was important to us.

I live in Stroud a short walk from the centre. I love it here. I was born in Stroud but lived in London suburbs until I was 12 then we moved to Stroud to be nearer grandparents. As a teenager it was great, if you weren't too far from town. Although I have fond memories of walking to house parties through fields and along the canal! We also went out in Cheltenham to clubs occasionally. I wouldn't worry about teenagers being bored they won't be. London's only 1.5 hours away on the train. Your budget would get you something amazing too. I would look in old Stroud near Bisley Road, Slad or Rodborough, they are all not too far from the centre and nice areas. Slad is beautiful. Stroud is a bit run down but I feel like things are being done to improve it, they've improved the shopping centre and they're opening up the canal paths. The farmers market is fab and there's definitely a community feel.

What about cirencester?

Cirencester feels proper country to me when I visit. People wear things that you would never see in a city. It feels like you’d have a lot of conversations about horses.

I have family who live in Stroud and love it, they are definitely of the lentil eating, knitting yoghurt end of the spectrum so it absolutely suits them. There seems to be a real community spirit in a alternative but very middle class way. The kids all did things like woodcraft and they seem to have good friendship groups. The adults seem to be involved in lots of creative activities in the community and love the local pop up pub etc. We only visit occasionally but I like the vibe and some lovely walks.

I agree with others that Frome has a weird vibe. We lived there for a year a few years ago and the place gave us the creeps.
It's very contrived hippy. 60 year olds with nose rings. Lots of pottery classes, crafty things going on. But in contrast to that there is a lot of poverty and crime. Drugs, criminal damage, theft, burglary. I do not understand why it's so popular; we couldn't wait to leave.
You do feel very trapped and isolated there.

We are returning from Canada and looking at the same three towns/areas . Briefly looked at Rye and Frome last year and of the two was drawn more to Rye mainly due to its location. Did you make a decision?

Put it this way Frome schools get contextual offers from universities. Make of that what you will…

Re Rye, there's an outstanding secondary school in Bexhill called St. Richard's- but you need to be Catholic. We live in Hastings/ St. Leonard's, and DS gets the train there - we regularly go to Rye (and Bexhill/ Camber Sands/ basically that whole area.) the beaches are lovely, there are lots of families etc. with young children, and Sussex college (in Hastings) has loads of courses - ceramics/ metalwork/ leather - all sorts of things.

Rye used to be really nice, but Rother Council have neglected it in recent years.🙁

I have a close family member in Rye and stay there a lot.

The Citadel is mostly holiday / second homes / airBnB or wealthy retirees who complain a lot (I have evidence!). There is deprivation in some of the local housing, rural and coastal deprivation is a thing.

Lots of lovely independent shops (but many v expensive and how often do you need to buy objects?) a great bookshop, the arrival of the Kino cinema was great.

But the centre is rammed in holiday times, and the Jempsons supermarket is very expensive. You have to drive for the big affordable supermarkets. Rother council do not seem good, the pool in the leisure centre is closed due to cost.

Personally I wouldn’t move there to live, but love it to visit.

IME almost anywhere can be ‘good for kids’. You need to think ‘good for teens’. Skate park / swimming pool / good public transport to friends or ice rink or teen-friendly shopping and gigs. Scouts, sports, Good secondaries and post-16 options.

The train goes to Cheltenham and bath!

Trains don't go to bath but do go to Cheltenham, Gloucester and London directly.

Buses also go to cheltenham/Glos

You either like the vibe in places like Frome and Stroud or you don't , it doesn't make them a dump- fascinated to know what amazing places you all live in. I like both but do accept for some it might be a bit hippy/alternative. I like Bruton too and Wells is nice (and affordable) if you like Rye you will I'm sure like Wells.

I live in Bath and with that budget I would in all honesty buy here OP- good schools, tons to do -
you won't get as much for your money as Frome or stroud- but would still get something pretty nice depends what you are after- or I would look in the surrounding villages or even Bradford on Avon or Corsham-

Bristol?

😂😂 you should work for the British tourist board @Howeverdoyouneedme

Hi,
I know your post was a few months ago but I was interested (if you didn’t mind sharing) the name of the town you live in? I liked that you said ‘good community spirit & lots going on’. I grew up in on a farm in Oxfordshire but have now lived in London, Wimbledon for 30 years! Both our daughters live in Bristol and we have family near Trowbridge and Swindon so we’re toying with moving down. We love walking, gardening, singing, (badly in my case!). But I love to be involved in whatever’s going on locally, I volunteer in a local primary school and national trust property and am seeking large villages, towns where I’d could hopefully do this. Thanks.

If you have that budget I would come to Bath. We often pop to Frome and Stroud but personally prefer Bath as it's much bigger and way more facilities. When you say cost of everything though do you just mean housing? Bath isn't cheap but bars and restaurants not different in price to be honest to stroud or Frome.. housing is quite a bit different though-but for £700k here you will still get a lovely house. My friend has just sold her beautifully renovated 3 bed semi in decent bit of Bath for just under 600k -

@Whichonewhichonewhichone Not sure what kind of thing you are after but you can get something like this here in Bath - noticed this as it's very close to me and lovely bit of town and handy for the Uni bus too - you can get detached ones too - there's a big range

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133842572#/?channel=RES_BUY

Where did you end up @Whichonewhichonewhichone ?