Page 4 | 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

MaryEarpsTongue · 25/08/2023 12:22

crossstitchingnana · 23/08/2023 16:31

I visited for the first time recently. Horrendous. It was Friday lunchtime and there were no workers about. Just the elderly and unemployed. A strip club, loads of Wetherspoons. No culture or interesting features. Completely obsessed with Isambard Brunel because he invented a railway nearby.

Are you sure you were in the right town? I'd no idea there was a strip club or more than one Weatherspoons! (Unless you're in the town centre, in which case there could be a themepark and a zoo for all I know as I can't remember the last time I was there... But if you were in the town centre, why would you expect there to be workers about? There's very few offices in the town centre, and many people work from home (Friday being one of the most popular wfh days for hybrid workers). And how did you know that the people you saw that weren't elderly were unemployed? Or do you just mean 'not wearing suits'?

Anyway, as others have said, Swindon is fine. Its an average town. With good transport links to lots of other lovely places. There is lots of green space in and around Swindon (photo above is where I'm about to go for a lunchtime walk - THAT is where the workers are, out enjoying the nice bits of town, not trudging through the centre!). There are great communities. Plenty of perfectly good schools (despite what some people have claimed. Yes, there are some not so great schools too - but I think that would apply to pretty much anywhere!)
The town centre is not great. Like so many other towns, it has struggled. But tbh, I haven't needed to visit for a long time. There are plenty of out of town shopping centres that have everything we need. And the Outlet if mooching around loads of shops is your thing.

It does really depend on what you want. If you want somewhere with a cafe culture and a vibrant busy town centre, Swindon probably isn't for you.

Crikeyalmighty · 25/08/2023 13:10

To give you an idea in Chippenham for instance- this attractive 4 bed detached is £440k - and is I would say typical. As I said whilst Chippenham not got an amazing town centre (but ok) it's as convenient as Swindon for train and M4 and other places like Bath (13 minutes on train) Bristol , Cardiff, oxford , Cotswolds etc - personally I find it more pleasant but smaller.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/135550133#/?channel=RES_BUY

Handsnotwands · 25/08/2023 13:24

i don't live in swindon but have worked there on and off for 20 years. it's not a bad place, it's got very low unemployment, is relatively green and very low rise (old town gardens, queens park, lydiard, coate water, stratton are all lovely). lots of my colleagues do live there and all seem very happy, their kids are doing well at school and haven't stabbed anyone yet. there are two well regarded colleges offering a HUGE variety of courses and further education options.

STEAM museum hosts lots of events. and as others have said there are cinemas, bowling, and excellent indoor climbing scene, a Victorian swimming baths (RIP the Oasis :( )

Both English Heritage / Historic England and the National Trust have their headquarters there, as do lots of tech companies, Zurich, Nationwide and UKRI, just to give an example of the variety of local employers. it's not all industrial / warehousing.

it;s true it used to be used as a test case for lots of new initiatives as it was bang on average in every way.

Wichelstowe / East Wichel are really nice areas, as are the suburbs to the north. I've never been all that enamored with Old Town, although there are some lovely victorian houses and some nice bars and restaurants.

the previous poster who complained simultaneously of having no culture but also banging on about Brunel - the rise (and fall) of the railway in Swindon is fascinating from a historic perspective - birthplace of the NHS dontchaknow

NetZeroZealot · 25/08/2023 18:51

Chippenham has gone downhill I reckon.

Nowadays the town centre is mostly vape shops and tattoo parlours. The train service to London isn't as good as it is from Swindon.

berksandbeyond · 25/08/2023 21:38

Devon132 · 25/08/2023 12:05

You will get a 5 bed detached in a fantastic area with a garage and driveway for that in Swindon

Show quote history

Yeah but I’d have to live in Swindon and more importantly, raise my child there. I’d rather not…

Soothsayer01 · 28/09/2023 05:10

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)

Reading is absolutely horrible! Rows and rows of ugly terraces, horrible congested roads full of potholes, and I never feel safe walking around. The town centre is rough anywhere outside of the shopping centre and everywhere is just so compact with little greenery unless you live somewhere like Early

Soothsayer01 · 28/09/2023 05:12

continentallentil · 24/08/2023 23:47

Old town is alright, but overall it’s a soulless place - very little cultural life, a dying town centre and miles of rabbit hutch houses to the west with no amenities or paths. The schools are poor.

You’d be better in Reading or Slough and neither of those are all that. Or go up to Birmingham, or further West to Bristol or Cardiff.

Wiltshire is lovely mind you, but look at Salisbury - or at Devizes or Marlborough if you want market town life (I’d rent for a year to see if you really do, mind you.)

Slough is really really awful, don't go to Slough! Reading isn't much better, unless you have money and can afford a really nice part!

Soothsayer01 · 28/09/2023 05:18

Devon132 · 25/08/2023 12:03

I lived there for 17 years. I thought it was a shithole when I moved there and expected to be there less than 3 years.

It's a hard place to leave because everything is so convenient and it has everything. It's very cheap compared to the rest of the M4 corridor, plenty of money around, has theatre, multiple cinemas, plenty of out of town shopping, huge hospital, fairly easy to get around, amazing transport links to everywhere. North Swindon has lovely property. The people there are nice. Every type of supermarket, great restaurants.

As others have said it isn't pretty in the centre. Once you live there this doesn't matter.

I know this is an old post but does anyone know what Stratton is like in north Swindon, near the secondary school? I've heard north Swindon is good, but it doesn't seem so nice in this part?

fearfuloffluff · 28/09/2023 05:29

Why are you thinking of living there if you've never been, op?

Soothsayer01 · 28/09/2023 05:37

fearfuloffluff · 28/09/2023 05:29

Why are you thinking of living there if you've never been, op?

I have been there 3 times. Just not from around there. Affordable housing a transport links are the reason plus proximity to london

coodawoodashooda · 28/09/2023 05:40

Timeforabiscuit · 23/08/2023 16:47

Swindon is very cheap, low crime all things considered, and old town is lovely. Work is easy to get and it's 50 mins to London, short trip to Bristol or Cardiff and Oxford is doable. Its also got the cotswolds in easy reach.

It's served me and my family brilliantly, I can afford to live here on a public sector salary and family is close by.

The schools aren't stellar, but the kids are happy and we can afford extra curriculars.

The town centre is not great, it's being hollowed out and transitioning over to housing and a much smaller shopping area by the looks of things, marks and spencers is moving out of the centre, but there are lots of out of town shopping like the orbital and greenbridge (car convenient). However the designer outlet is good for shopping and feels very safe (as long as you don't fall foul of the bus lane penalty).

I would be asking why Swindon specifically? Is it purely budget driven?

Edited

I think that is a really sensible post.

Devon132 · 28/09/2023 06:47

Stratton is a decent area some very nice houses in the backstreets it's an older part of town so more elderly people there. Couple of decent pubs there.

RudsyFarmer · 28/09/2023 06:59

Errrrr nope. Try again.

fearfuloffluff · 28/09/2023 08:14

Ah right op. Would you be commuting to London? I often think people who want to leave London because of schools, house sizes etc would be better off going for an entirely different city like Leeds or something - London just dominates so much of the south and those communities are the worse for it. I'm not a fan of commuter towns!

I'm from quite near Swindon. As pp said, the city centre is horrible but there are pockets of niceness and loads of convenience. It depends what you value about where you live currently and what you're looking to change in a new place. Eg is multiculturalism important to you, cultural events, etc?

Soothsayer01 · 28/09/2023 10:08

fearfuloffluff · 28/09/2023 08:14

Ah right op. Would you be commuting to London? I often think people who want to leave London because of schools, house sizes etc would be better off going for an entirely different city like Leeds or something - London just dominates so much of the south and those communities are the worse for it. I'm not a fan of commuter towns!

I'm from quite near Swindon. As pp said, the city centre is horrible but there are pockets of niceness and loads of convenience. It depends what you value about where you live currently and what you're looking to change in a new place. Eg is multiculturalism important to you, cultural events, etc?

I'm not from London but I just need access into london up to twice a week in case of future hybrid working. At present I am 109% working from home. But things can change.

I like convenience, but I don't want to be right in the centre of town - I like a suburban modern feel, with a little space around. It also makes me feel safer. I'd also like to be about 5-10 minutes drive from a gym. I love shopping and would like to get back into horse- riding. I am also single 30s so would like options to meet like minded professionals.

I saw a couple of houses of the b4006 Ermin street, but there were between 10-15 cars a minute going past most of the day and the houses seemed a little exposed to everyone walking past, which made me worry about security.

Crikeyalmighty · 28/09/2023 10:22

@Soothsayer01 I would also look at Chippenham- it's cheapish like Swindon, lots of modern developments, some on edge of countryside. 12 minutes further on and like Swindon a 'not great' centre- but only 13 minutes on train (20 minutes drive) into Bath for nicer shopping and theatres, meals out, music venues etc . The other option is corsham, again lots of modern developments but a pretty large village centre and only 10 minutes (pretty) drive to Chippenham.

Train is every 30 minutes from Chippenham - Swindon slightly more than that. If Swindon doesn't bother you I suggest you look at Chippenham and surrounds too