Anyone familiar with Worcester?

[Frenby6]

Asking for a friend.

Single, 30s, no DC seeking a house (approx £200k to £240k range). Wants a nice, safe, quietsh area. Not seeking nightlife but a train station and some nature would be good, but not essential. Where might they live in Worcester?

Wants to avoid student land. Anywhere else in the Worcester area they should avoid?

Anyone?

Potentially Warndon? Not student-y, although the area is very vast, so you'll get better places than other in there, but it has great M5 links (J6)

I wouldn't write off St John's (area near the uni) as you do get more house for your money on that side of the river.

That budget will buy a small terrace anywhere in the city close enough to walk to either of the stations. Might get something a bit bigger further out in one of the 1980's estates (St Peters and Warndon Villages).

Areas I would avoid are Tolladine, Brickfields and Dines Green.

Worcester is great, I wish I could move back there! Battenhall area is great, walking distance to town, plenty of green space, and its not to far to walk to either shrub hill or foregate St Station. Battenhall road is all big houses but there are some streets of smaller victorian terraces that could be in budget. Or you could look at Diglis, which is a really nice area near the canal and river, its mainly flats but there are some houses too.
You could also look at Barbourne which is really handy for town and it's good for foregate st station and nice cafes / bars along the main road out of town there, or the Ombersley road area towards Claines if you don't mind being a bit further out.
St John's is student land but I have friends living in St John's with families and the students are rarely a problem. You might get a bit more for your money there. If you want new builds there are new build estates towards the outskirts of St John's that are nice enough, but its a bit far out of town.
The only places to avoid are the big council estates in Warndon / Tolladine road area, or Rainbow Hill area is a bit scruffy.

St Johns is fine. It's quite near to the University but a lot of students are on campus.

I can second the comments above, St Peter’s is nice as is Warndon Villages, battenhall, Barbourne, Claines. Lower Wick is ok. St John’s parts are lovely but there is a lot of student accommodation in some parts.

I wouldn't go back if you paid me. I was so depressed living there. Only place I've ever been mugged, they didn't get anything as I had nothing on me but he did scare me as when he realised I had nothing he clenched his fists and I thought he was going to punch me.

Does your friend have to live in Worcester? Lots of nice towns in commuting distance.

I forgot to add a pharmacist told me depression rates were high in Worcester, above average for England. It definitely made me depressed.

Do they want to be close to the city centre for work? Warndon villages estate is massive but a bit of a trek from the centre and traffic can be a pain. That said, it’s close to open countryside/villages and the M5.

😂 OP, I wouldn’t take one random pharmacist’s word for it. Worcester doesn’t seem to feature in any of the research done on this. It’s a perfectly ordinary small city with good and bad features like absolutely everywhere else. Avoid Tolladine Road!

Have a Google, it's in NHS figures.

I'm sorry you had a bad time in Worcester, but other than being mugged (which can happen anywhere) what was it about Worcester in particular that was so depressing?
Its a nice medium sized city, lovely architecture, plenty of decent shops and restaurants etc, ok public transport, crime rates not to high, loads of green space, waterside walks, people from all walks of life living there, house prices not too crazy. There are many worse places! I loved it there but I had loads of friends there and its where I met my husband so I admit I'm a bit biased!

I just felt very down there, I'm not alone as if you google you can see the NHS stats show it has above average levels of depression which is odd as on paper it has all the positives you list. My husband always reckons it is places where there have been big battles that affect me. I think there were big battles in Worcester in the Civil War, battles of Powick Bridge and Worcester. I think thousands died so maybe he's right and I'm sensitive to that.

I feel very similar in Exeter which was also the site of many battles but I've never lived there. It doesn't work with WWII places so cities like Coventry that were terribly bombed or London don't have the same affect. Maybe it is the hand to hand combat?

I'll have to leave it as it is depressing me thinking about it.

Leaving a placemark because Worcester is on our list of retirement places. I'm told it's lovely but I'm looking forward to visiting in person.

This is all great useful info - thanks.