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.

They're further west but I like Ledbury and Malvern...they are on the railway too but quite a while to get to London. Cheltenham is actually pretty slow to London because the line goes round in a big loop before you get there, otherwise I'd be quite happy there, lovely architecture, plenty going on, good shopping.

I live rurally. Public transport is sporadic and doesn’t go where you want when you want. You need to drive. Most of the elderly do. Or they have friends who do. Everyone helps each other so getting to know people matters. Often villages are better for this. If you want a station and many more amenities, it has to be a town. Wherever you go, you won’t be living near a hospital unless it’s a big town like Cheltenham. For me, it really wouldn’t matter. Make sure you keep driving,

I am a bit confused by everyone suggesting Cheltenham. It's a brilliant place to go for the day or a night out - great shopping, cinema, tons of restaurants, loads of nightclubs, big events and festivals, etc. It also has some beautiful architecture and some gorgeous big parks. It's a really lovely place with loads to see and do.

But there's not really any sense of community and it's much, much bigger than all of the places OP lists. Cheltenham has a population of around 120,000 - bearing in mind the large centre with all the shops, clubs, bars, and restaurants. Most of the places that OP has been considering have a population of around 4000-6000. Even Evesham only has a population of 27,000.

Also, as there's such a thriving and large centre in Cheltenham, the population density is much higher than the other places OP mentions which should be another consideration if you're looking for a village-style community.

Cheltenham is absolutely a great place to live with tons to do. But if you're looking for a Cotswold vibe with a local community as the OP says, Cheltenham definitely isn't it!

There are lots of little places surrounding Cheltenham which are more villagey/community type locations and you can nip in when you want. We're about 10-15 minutes outside Cheltenham and it's the best of both worlds.

I'm a Londoner who moved out here to Gloucestershire in 2001 and I've lived in a few different places close to Cheltenham since I've been here. However, while Cheltenham has a lot to offer, it doesn't massively appeal to me because I was looking for something similar to the OP. I think it's because Cheltenham reminds me so much of London, just a smaller version. The architecture, the boutiques, the big green parks (because there are plenty of Cheltenham houses with smaller/courtyard gardens) - for me, having coming from London, I wanted to feel as if I was in Gloucestershire, not a mini-me version of where I'd just left!

I visited Evesham recently and expected a pleasant enough town. What I found was an abandoned high street with so many empty shops ( much more than the average UK town centre).
There is a walk by the river but it doesn't compensate for a town centre that seems to be entirely dedicated to supermarkets and traffic.

@SpidersAreShitheads You are not really looking at the fact that Cheltenham has “village” areas within the bigger town. They have lovely shops and things going on. It’s not a town with identical neighbourhoods. There are choices within the town. A few areas are grand like Pittville but others are much more homely. Like everywhere it’s a case of choosing wisely.

Yes, possibly. But maybe that's because I'm local - here, all the areas we would describe as Cheltenham very definitely fit the criteria I describe. Places like Charlton Kings, for example, we wouldn't call Cheltenham - we'd call it Charlton Kings.

Even in the smaller suburbs of Cheltenham itself, I don't think you'd get that sense of community that OP describes, even if there are things going on. If OP is looking for a village-type community, you'd be hard-pushed to find that in or around Cheltenham.

I still think there are a lot of other places which much more closely fit with what the OP describes.

Yes I can see that and I was not thinking of Carlton Kings. There are neighbourhoods within Cheltenham which have separate identities though. It depends how much the op values transport and a hospital! Plus a theatre on the doorstep. Villages don’t have lots of independent shops, transport, restaurants (you are lucky if the pub is still open) and quiet without tourists! As we all go on holiday we seem to hate others doing the same near us! As I said, an elderly relative has just moved to Bourton in the Water. They aren’t in the main river area but absolutely love it. They lived nearer to Winchcombe previously but very isolated. This village has everything they need. Others are big enough to have everything but people visiting cannot be avoided. It does stop a village dying.

I agree it depends where in Cheltenham you live. I’ve lived here 20 years now and have friends dotted all over town but the areas all have their own feel and are often like little communities. I’m thinking of Prestbury, Tivoli, Shurdington, Leckhampton, and to a lesser extent Hatherley.
The problem we’ve got is that our hospitals here used to be highly regarded, but have gone down the pan in the last 15 years. I know austerity measures were mainly to blame, but also sadly incompetence at Trust management level.

@MissyB1 Is that not the same everywhere? My DM has spent weeks in her local hospital and it’s dire. It’s not just money either. Staff quality and attitude towards the elderly is atrocious.

Just a word of warning about Pershore. I live very near and IMO it's in a decline. The high street shops are slowly but surely closing. They either get boarded up or converted to charity shops or awful kebab/takeaway shops. Beggers in the street during the day and full of drunk people walking around in the evening. It's NOTHING like it used to be.

Oh god that’s so sad to hear. I used to live very nearby .

I guess it shows its all in perception. The only shop to close and be replaced by a charity shop is M&Co which you can't blame on the town, and theres been the same kebab shop for years and years. And one bloke playing his penny whistle.
As for the drunks, thats the over 70s piling out....
But honestly, the high street is really good and active and although some shops come and go, people seem to move in pretty quickly again. The market closing is a pity, but everyone apart from the fruit and veg have got new places in Pershore. Having a proper greengrocer, baker, fishmonger, butcher in a small town is pretty impressive

But not in the Cotswolds. It’s squarely in farmy Wiltshire but the wrong side of Swindon for the Cotswolds.

And full of men in red trousers called Jeremy….

But to be more helpful I really like Cirencester and would definitely consider it if I was moving back home.

Moreton if you are set on actual Cotswold, station, supermarket etc. but honestly, for transport links, community, culture etc. head from there to Stratford direction. The large villages, Wellesbourne, Kineton etc. have access to great schools, including grammars, pubs, theatres as well as M40/stations 10 minutes away. Also really friendly.

We moved to Cheltenham 3 years ago from the home counties, brilliant schools, sooo much to do, great restaurants/ cafes, jazz festival, music festivals, science festival, literature festival, cricket, horses, shopping. Honestly never looked back, like a mini London with the facilities but greener. In all seriousness it needs to get on your list!

Hello

Have you looked at Northleach. Just north of Cirencester, just south of Bourton on the Water, just east of Cheltenham. Fantastic market town with facilities, fab community, lovely and caring school and catchment for The Cotswold School. Perfect x

Was just coming on here to say Northleach. Three nice pubs/winebars to eat / drink. A Posh sandwich shop, not so posh sandwich shop, local store, post office, doctors, dentist and very active church and local community cafe.
Less than 20 mins to Cheltenham, Cirencester and Burford.

Winchcombe would also fit the bill. Lovely village with lots going on & great for eating out (Wesley house 😋) and generally avoids the tourists who all go through it to get to Broadway or spend most of the day at Sudeley Castle rather than in the village itself.

Broadway, Stow, Bourton - all nightmares in summer as over run with tourists

Morton in Marsh is better but still quite touristy but has a couple of nice hotels, good shops, post office and restaurants. Better train links too.

Am mystified by the dislike of Tetbury? I think it’s lovely and a good size to have a village feel but with enough to do. Quite expensive to go out due to some fairly posh hotels - Snooty Fox and The Close - and recent addition of Lola & Co restaurant (delicious but pricey!!). Tetbury Goods shed is a fun little live arts venue.

Not the Cotswolds but the town I think has it all is across the border in Hertfordshire - Ledbury. Fabulous little art galleries & local art scene. Fantastic book shops, cafes and pubs and restaurants. Great community. Love it there

Oh dear, @IthinkIamAnAlien, that poor chap! Chiswick is very like that these days, there are still supermarkets, but otherwise all of the actual useful shops have long gone and been replaced by eye wateringly expensive cafes (I mean, Gails is now the cheap option!), impractical and expensive clothes shops (think ‘boutiques’ selling £200 cashmere hand wash only baby gros..), and the regular (but again, stonkingly expensive) markets. He must have been so disappointed to realise he’d spent a load of money to end up in the same type of place, just in the countryside, and without the advantages of at least having London on his doorstep!

@givenup123 The best restaurant in Winchcombe is No 5 North Street! I think it’s a great place to live. Moreton in Marsh has everything in my view and Blockley is a large village that’s not touristy.

Hi all. Have a look at the website I just created to help answer this question! I'm not a web developer but just taught myself how to create websites using this as my first example.
I know I'm late to the party on this question but hope it's useful. There are no advertising or cookies on the site! www.greatvillages.co.uk Message me if it is useful.

Great website!

An older relative moved to Dursley not all that long ago and has thrown herself into all sorts of things there. And there is a station nearby (in Cam) - on the line between Bristol and Gloucester (and Gloucester hospital is right behind Gloucester station so that's potentially handy)

Marlborough is a lovely place to visit BUT an hour’s drive in any direction to get to a city for decent activities or shopping (Bath, Bristol, Reading, Oxford, Salisbury) Plus no mainline train station.