Cotswolds. Planning on moving there but where?

[mumma24]

looking To move to a town or village that has amenities in the Cotswolds.
Don’t really want any of the more touristy parts or anywhere the majority of house are 2nd homes/holiday homes. Happy to move just outside the Cotswolds (15 miles) . Any suggestions please?
So far looking at Evesham, Tetbury, Cirencester, fairfford, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Banbury etc Would like a nice community place.

The "Cotswolds" (as opposed to Cotswold District) is a pretty big area.

Technically Malmesbury in the east or Chipping Norton in the west are not part of the "Cotswolds " but most people would definitely say they are.

Could you narrow down your search for example on where you need to work, budget, schools, airports, city / town/ village or the sticks?

@1dayatatime thank you, my husband works from home at the moment. I’m in my 50s, he’s 60’s. Our 4 children are adults now. Ideally a town or a larger village. Nothing remote as we want to meet people and be part of a community. Love somewhere with good pubs, cafes and independent shops and good walks

I would say that Stroud fits what you are looking for. In Oxfordshire Deddington is a lovely small town/village. Banbury is a bit run down.

I knew someone would say Stroud. Please no, it's full of what gets called London money and the Saturday market is 'marvellous' if you can afford it. The rest of the week, it's run down, empty at 5pm, all the decent stores have left and been replaced by endless cafes.
I met someone only the other day who had moved from Chiswick to Tetbury, big mistake he said, lamenting the cost of moving twice and ending up in Chelltenham where at least there was lots going on!
Think about whatever image it is you have of the Cotswolds and think hard about reality in 21st century Britain!

Marlborough is lovely

Last time I was out in Tetbury everyone was a bit too coke'd up for my liking. Otherwise a lovely place.

Pershore. Its 3 miles outside the Cotswolds boundary (which is frankly a weird line which makes no sense on the north edge). Small, but has facilities, great sense of community. Also Chipping Camden (which I know less well)

If this move is where you will settle for your retirement years, I would also factor in where your nearest hospital is, what services it has, ease of access to/from your home to your nearest shops, availability of delivery services (groceries etc) and so on

And, if you have a good relationship with them, how easy it is to get to your children and vice versa

We've visited nearly all areas in the Cotswolds and we've always said we really wouldn't want to live in a village. They're very picturesque, lovely to visit but not to live in. If moving it would be Cirencester or Witney, we're the same age as you so plenty of life in us to enjoy the area. Good luck on your move, it's a beautiful area.

Absolutely this with bells on!! Not Stroud!

Yes do factor in healthcare access. Cirencester might be a good bet, good community hospital with a minor injuries and illness unit, no A&E though. Nice town centre with enough going on, and there will be clubs and activities for you to join. Villages can be tricky as often the resources to make friends and take part in activities just aren’t there.
That said there is a nice village called Gotherington a couple of miles away from Bishops Cleeve, so far enough out to be quiet but close enough to access all Cleeve’s facilities - a big healthcare centre and lots of shops. Gotherington itself has an active village hall and an old chapel which also has activities and clubs. It’s pretty and the steam train has a stop there.

We are about to put our house on the market in Witney funnily enough. Doubt it’s quite what the OP is after though.

Where are you moving from?
If its from a city its important to bear in mind that unless there is a train station there is likely to be not much public transport. Or at least it often doesn't go where you want, when you want it to.

I have known many people who are apparently shocked that there are no buses and nothing happening of an evening. Well no, what did you think was happening in villages after the pub closed? 😆

@persisted thank you, moving from a town which doesn’t have a station. Oh really I’m surprised about the buses, thinking Cirencester or tetbury so hoping there will be public transport or things going on evenings

I think

Read this article about public transport in the Cotswolds
https://explorethecotswolds.com/cotswolds-by-public-transport/

esp. services usually finishing by 6pm so no, no use for evenings out!

Some of the places yoi have listed aren't Cotswolds so it depends on whether you are beholden to Cotswolds per se or the broad area. I wouldn't do Stroud to be honest for all the reasons covered above but there are plenty of lovely villages around it. However they are not so great places to grow old, very hilly and support services can be challenging to get hold of. I have several elderly relatives in the area who have struggled to maintain independence so you may find you would need to move again.

Marlborough is lovely, but is North Wiltshire not Cotswolds and has a very active over-50s vibe. Again lots of lovely villages too and all more or less of the flat and good access to services etc. Cirencester equally as lovely but some massive housing estates going up on the outskirts.

But like a previous poster said - buses etc in all of these places are tricky beasts at the best of times so be aware you will be more reliant on cars.

Woodstock? V close to train stations, buses to Oxford, Witney etc v regularly. Has good community spirit, plenty of restaurants for evenings

Not Stroud definitely not ! Not Tetbury either malmesbury or Nailsworth maybe I do live here and I’m looking at moving g to London it’s a bit dull

Cheltenham. Not exactly the Cotswolds but near enough. Plenty going on. Station. Lots of amenities. Lovely houses

Unless you're somewhere with a train station then public transport is not something to rely on. We used to have one bus a day into Swindon, that was 30 years ago! I'm not sure there's even a bus through the village these days.

Sorry one more thing to consider too... Internet. If you are working from home you need to check what it is like, especially in the villages. We are still a bit of a backwater in places.

I completed the Cotswold way walk recently (which is a 100 mile walk) with the view of looking for a place to retire to. Stroud was high up in my list until I actually got there. Wierd place. No taxis or public transport in the evenings.
Cirencester, again slightly wierd place…

I don’t know… the Cotswolds was somewhere I thought I wanted to retire to too, but it’s not for me.

Marlborough is lovely, although quite some way from the Cotswolds.
Cirencester and Royal Wootton Bassett also nice, as are Devizes, Tetbury, Malmesbury, Stow, Lechlade,