Page 2 | Should we move to Swindon?

swindonmove · 2023-08-23T15:07:51+00:00

Hi, we currently live in London but are thinking of moving to Swindon, as it is cheaper. We have two DC, both 7 years old. Is it a nice place, I don't really know much about it. Thank you

Sidge · 23/08/2023 17:20

Swindon no, but the surrounding areas in north Wiltshire are lovely.

AddictedtoCrunchies · 23/08/2023 17:28

I live in Swindon and it's not as bad as people are making out. Its not a hipster, modern town but there are worse places to live.

Town centre is a shit hole and they should flatten it and start again but there are lots of areas of the town that are ok. Sadly people are getting stabbed everywhere not just Swindon.

Old Town has some nice bars and restaurants plus there's the outlet, Steam museum and two retail parks.

Last weekend I went to Bath on Saturday (30 mins on the train) and London on Sunday (coach directly to Victoria) so it has great transport links too. I'm out for afternoon tea locally on Friday and seeing a show at the theatre next week so stuff to do locally too.

LlynTegid · 23/08/2023 17:30

No way would I move to somewhere of such bad architecture as Swindon. Yes there are worse places to live, but I would not choose there.

NotTheSlugandLettuce · 23/08/2023 17:30

Think you have scared the OP off

CuteCillian · 23/08/2023 17:34

There are many worse places than Swindon. That sounds a low bar but it is fine and the residents are generally a solid type of person.
Have you considered Marlborough?

AddictedtoCrunchies · 23/08/2023 17:34

Kezhoust2586 · 23/08/2023 17:04

I left Swindon in 2015, and I would never look back. Especially now I'm down by the coast.

My family are all in Swindon, and they all say how bad it has become. I'm still joined on the Swindon Fb groups and nearly everyday there is another stabbing or an incident where a young person has died.
The schools are awful
The town centre has really degraded over the years.
If you go on YouTube there is a young boy who walks you through the town centre and its not great.

Wooten Bassett is absolutely lovely, if I was you I would research surrounding areas .
Unfortunately from me Swindon is a bit NO

That's ridiculous. I dont know what Swindon facebook pages you follow but there aren't daily occurrences of death at all!! Total bs.

And the schools aren't 'shit' either. Yes there aren't grammar schools but it's hardly inner city!

Royal Wootton Bassett has its issues too - they have their fair share of assaults as well.

mintich · 23/08/2023 18:16

There aren't teen deaths every day, that's ridiculous!

Iclyn · 23/08/2023 18:25

Kezhoust2586 · Today 17:04

I left Swindon in 2015, and I would never look back. Especially now I'm down by the coast.

My family are all in Swindon, and they all say how bad it has become. I'm still joined on the Swindon Fb groups and nearly everyday there is another stabbing or an incident where a young person has died.
The schools are awful
The town centre has really degraded over the years.
If you go on YouTube there is a young boy who walks you through the town centre and its not great.

Wooten Bassett is absolutely lovely, if I was you I would research surrounding areas .
Unfortunately from me Swindon is a bit NO.

Sorry but , you are wrong .

Not saying Swindon is fab , but it has quite a few good points and is no worse than many large towns .

mintich · 23/08/2023 19:00

Exactly, it's much like most towns in the UK.
I don't live there anymore but my parents do so I'm there often.
Admittedly they live in one of the nicest parts so our experience may be different to someone who lives in one of the not so nice areas. I still have friends there who have kids at primary and they are perfectly happy.

lilypadsimilar · 23/08/2023 19:44

You couldn't pay me to live in Swindon.

Haveallthesongsbeenwritten · 23/08/2023 19:45

LittleGreenDuck · 23/08/2023 16:21

"Should we move to Swindon?"

No.

Hope that helps.

😂😂😂

move to Yorkshire instead!!!

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 23/08/2023 19:53

Sorry if it seems like joining in but I was born in Swindon and only left to go to Uni. Most of my family are still there and I visit regularly. I would never go back there to live.

It could be amazing but money has been spent on commuter new builds at the edge and old Swindon has been left to rot. The schools are not great and I am a teacher with friends who teach there. They work so hard but are fighting underfunding.

Can I just say that yes you do learn about Brunel but that is also fading which is a shame as there is so much history that could be celebrated including white horses, Avebury, railway works etc.

There are lovely places around Swindon but it is not somewhere I would choose.

NetZeroZealot · 23/08/2023 20:04

Swindon is geographically very well located.

Great train and road connections (M4), also easy to commute to London from there by train. Cotswolds and Bath in easy reach.

Also good for employment opportunities, especially in the tech sector.

It's got some beautiful countryside on its doorstep - the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty - and charming villages within easy reach.

However as pps have said, the town centre is a dump. But I wouldn't rule it out on those grounds alone. It has a couple of decent museums, a theatre, several cinemas, parks, an outlet mall(!), and some lovely country pubs a short drive away. I'm sure there are some reasonable areas to buy property if you do your homework.

IhearyouClemFandango · 23/08/2023 20:32

We have family in Putting, just outside, which seems nice. They like it, quite rural but relatively easy access. I haven't been in to main town, but have had a few trips to the 'designer' outlet.

IhearyouClemFandango · 23/08/2023 20:32

They chose it because of access to the M4 for work, and good train connections.

lissie123 · 23/08/2023 20:33

Absolutely not.

Kezhoust2586 · 24/08/2023 20:32

Iclyn · 23/08/2023 18:25

Kezhoust2586 · Today 17:04

I left Swindon in 2015, and I would never look back. Especially now I'm down by the coast.

My family are all in Swindon, and they all say how bad it has become. I'm still joined on the Swindon Fb groups and nearly everyday there is another stabbing or an incident where a young person has died.
The schools are awful
The town centre has really degraded over the years.
If you go on YouTube there is a young boy who walks you through the town centre and its not great.

Wooten Bassett is absolutely lovely, if I was you I would research surrounding areas .
Unfortunately from me Swindon is a bit NO.

Sorry but , you are wrong .

Not saying Swindon is fab , but it has quite a few good points and is no worse than many large towns .

From someone who lived there 28 years , I'm absolutely NOT wrong 🤣

Crikeyalmighty · 24/08/2023 20:37

If you want similar money I would go to Chippenham - it's not amazing but I prefer it to Swindon and it's only 12 mins on train to Bath (we live in Bath) and only 12 minutes further on train than Swindon (same line)

Depending how much you need to commute and whether you need a train at all on doorstep- I would also suggest out this way Corsham, Frome, Devizes or Salisbury . Will all be similar money to Swindon but much nicer

Crikeyalmighty · 24/08/2023 20:47

I will say though whilst I wouldn't pick it, it's really well connected- same goes for Reading ( which I would pick over Swindon)

Ypsilanti · 24/08/2023 22:07

I was born/grew up in Swindon and I ran for the hills as soon as I turned 18. It’s better than it was in the 80s and 90s but you still couldn’t pay me to go back. Still a bit of a cultural black hole, probably due to its proximity to Bath, Bristol, Oxford etc.

Countryside around is really nice though, and I take issue with PPs saying everyone there is awful. Patently untrue and just snobbery. But you will have a lot of things to compromise on in all likelihood.

If you’ve been used to London, Swindon will be a shock in many ways. I wouldn’t move without doing lots of research and spending serious time there.

Ypsilanti · 24/08/2023 22:09

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 23/08/2023 19:53

Sorry if it seems like joining in but I was born in Swindon and only left to go to Uni. Most of my family are still there and I visit regularly. I would never go back there to live.

It could be amazing but money has been spent on commuter new builds at the edge and old Swindon has been left to rot. The schools are not great and I am a teacher with friends who teach there. They work so hard but are fighting underfunding.

Can I just say that yes you do learn about Brunel but that is also fading which is a shame as there is so much history that could be celebrated including white horses, Avebury, railway works etc.

There are lovely places around Swindon but it is not somewhere I would choose.

Snap, totally agree

EffortlessDesmond · 24/08/2023 22:10

Devizes is lovely, but no station @Crikeyalmighty . It's 25/30 minutes drive, outside rush hour.

EconomyClassRockstar · 24/08/2023 22:21

This might be the funniest thread I've seen in a while. "Should we move to Swindon"? Apparently not 😂

Crikeyalmighty · 24/08/2023 23:29

@EffortlessDesmond yes- which is why in my post straight after I mentioned it depends if train is important- same applies to corsham too- lovely but not on train , you need to go to bath or Chippenham -

Whatsthepoint1234 · 24/08/2023 23:30

No. It’s a shithole.