Moving to Weston Super Mare - thoughts?

[CelestialCandyfloss]

Hello all!
Anyone here live in Weston Super Mare? I'm from Bristol, have lived in my flat in the suburbs in South Bristol for nearly 20 years. I work from home 3 days a week, 2 days in Bristol city centre. I'm a single parent to a 15 year old daughter and indoor cat.

I'm bored of living in the boring sticks outside Bristol!! After 20 years I need a change. I really like it in Weston, and after my daughter has finished her GCSEs I want to move. I would prefer to commute by train to work, so near to a station would be good. I would like 3 bedrooms ideally, a garden, and I'd love 2 bathrooms. Would be good for my daughter to be able to travel to college or VI Form - which are good?

If you live in Weston or surrounding area, what are your thoughts? Where is nice? What's the community like? I will probably have a budget of around £325k. Thanks!

I've visited both Blackpool and Weston multiple times (I lived in Lancashire for 7 years) and Blackpool is really awful compared to Weston. And I am not sure if you are right the town /city centre...Bristol centre is dire apart from the old parts. Do you know which parts of Weston are nice? Have you even been there?

Which part does she live in? I find it very hard to believe that EVERY part of the town and surrounding areas are vile? And I'm not disinterested in hearing negatives but as far as I can tell no one who has replied actually lives in or around the area 😬

I visited in the summer too for the Sea Shanty Festival, it was fab. There are now some really nice cafes and restaurants, it didn't seem tired at all but maybe I was having too much of a good time to notice

I visited in the summer too for the Sea Shanty Festival, it was fab. There are now some really nice cafes and restaurants, it didn't seem tired at all but maybe I was having too much of a good time to notice

Possibly you’ve already done this OP but if you haven’t, I’d recommend spending a good week or two there right in the depths of winter to see if you still feel the same about it before committing to a move. We lived in a seaside town for a while and every year, holiday makers would say to us how lovely it was and how they would like to move there. It was lovely, but absolutely dead (and extremely cold and windy) during winter. They were probably imagining themselves enjoying all the lovely cafes and the buzzy atmosphere but for several months of the year, practically everything shut and the town was extremely quiet, there really wasn’t anything to do and certainly nothing for teenagers. I expect Weston probably has more going on year-round than where we were but I still think it’s a good idea to visit when a place is likely to be at its least appealing so that you can decide if you’ll enjoy living there all year.

It's pretty windy along that part of the estuary (we go camping in nearby Brean Sands), but the beach and nature walks are amazing. You get amazing sunsets over the sea in the autumn and winter. You're right though, it's foolish to have idealised views of seaside places off season, but I actually don't mind the seaside in the winter, sometimes the summer is worse with all the crowds and tourists! In Bristol in the summer you can't move for hen and stag parties every weekend lol

I would say Clevedon, but agree it's expensive. Worle or Uphill are worth a look. I've no great experience of the centre of Weston, but it's a faded resort, cheap hotels- ideal for the councils to use for the homeless etc and will have the same problems with drugs and antisocial behaviour as all towns.

I have to agree with most, the centre of weston has sadly gone hugely downhill & I wouldn’t be comfortable with my teen daughter going round there after dark. Uphill is beautiful, and I know people in Haywood village too but I think it depends if you mind living in an ever growing housing estate as all they are doing is building more and more.
have you thought about yatton, or nailsea & backwell? Nailsea is lovely & there is a secondary school with post 16 education. Also not far on the train if she wanted to go into Bristol for college or weston

I have lived in WSM my whole life and I travel a lot (UK and abroad). It's absolutely fine and much better than other parts of this corner of the country. I would recommend living in Worle so you can be near the train stations you mentioned. I live up that way and rarely go into town unless there's an event on or for a beach day in the summer. Weston is huge now and there is so much to do. Public transport is excellent. My DD is also 15 and will be going on the bus to college next year, you're never far from a bus stop in Worle. I would also recommend checking out Worle high street, it's only small but there's everything you need there: butchers, bakery, fruit and veg, gift shop, charity shops, takeaways, 3 cafes, co op and proper job.
Ignore posters that have only visited the town centre, Weston is more than that. Weston college has several campuses and the education provided is well regarded.

I live in Portishead and know Weston well. I'm also Bristolian born and bred and lived there until I was tired of the dirt, noise, crowds of the city centre.

Yes, Weston has problems and the centre is pretty run down. but, if you are tired of the city and want fresh air and sunsets then Weston is a lovely alternative. I have friends who live on the hill in Worle and I would say it's as nice there as you could possibly want. Handy shops, safe, good housing, green spaces on your doorstep, fresh air, beautiful views, sunsets, a train link, a beautiful beach where you can walk for miles and have a cuppa in cafes along the way.

North Somerset is a lovely place to live. Access, the country and town on your doorstep, sea swimming, bike tracks through the country, history and pubs. A good community feeling too with all kinds of groups, teams, classes and sports.

As for being bleak in winter, well yes, all seaside is a bit, but, if that quiet, empty, peace is for you then you can definitely get it at Weston. Give me Weston over Bristol any day.

I live about an hour from Weston super mare and similar to the Dorset coast. I have only been to Weston twice in the 21 years we’ve lived here because Dorset is a million times nicer. But then people hate where I live and think it’s shit so I guess you need to live where feels right for you.

Where WSM has the edge over Nailsea, Yatton and Backwell is that they are not right on the sea. If you want that endless beach, the sea and the big skies thing WSM has it.

Have you ever watched The Cafe with Ralf Little OP? It's a lovely little series, very funny and a bit of a warts and all love letter to WSM.

I live in WSM op, also moved from Bristol. I much prefer Weston. You can get loads more house for your money. There are some beautiful properties in Weston. I have panoramic sea views (live on the hillside). It's breathtaking scenery. The sunsets are better than anywhere I have been in the world. Yes the town centre is grim and we have our share of addicts but you don't need to live in the centre. Uphill and the hillside are lovely. I wouldn't live in Worle because I want to be near the sea.

Also it doesn't close down in winter, most restaurants are open all year round.

I live in St George’s, on the edge of Weston - I do love living here. I’ve got easy access to the M5, 15 mins walk to Worle station, 10 mins to the bus and all routes are regular stops, none of this two buses a day.
I’ve got lovely fields a 5 mins walk from my house so I can walk my dog, it feels like the country with the town so close.
I don’t love the town centre, but don’t often need to use it anyway, the Mall is a 25 mins drive up the motorway. We’ve got the cinema, a clip and climb centre, bowling, swimming pools and lots of shops.
There are three beach areas which are all appealing in their own ways. Sand Bay is beautiful any time of year and more of a local beach. The woods are also great for walking.
I think any place can be “bleak and run down”, but we’ve got everything we need and my family is happy here.

We live in Bath but I do know Weston reasonably well and have a friend who lives in worle - we lived in Bristol too for several years, I’m biased as I am not keen on Bristol but it honestly depends what you are after - If you want value and affordability house wise I personally would rather live in Chippenham than WSM -however if you want the sea and coastal views then it may suit you - we are all different .

Thanks, yes I agree, I mean I don't currently live in a really bad part of Bristol but I am near shitty areas. I also like faded seaside towns 😊 we are in the suburbs and there is literally nothing to do for teenager, even the local cinema has closed. My daughter has seen plenty of 'druggies ' as people have so nicely put it in Bristol. It's a bit frustrating with people commenting who have never lived there or even visited.

Thanks for your thoughts. I don't know Chippenham really but I will investigate. I do love the beach at Weston, the walks to Sand Bay and Brean Down and I was thinking about possibly Milton

Fab, thank you for your thoughts. I have actually looked at a few houses online in St Georges, it looks very nice. Yes we have camped in Sand Bay a few times a while ago it was beautiful (but very windy!). To be honest, most of the UK is 'bleak' in the depths of winter on a rainy foul day lol.

I don't get that impression at all, I feel there's lots going on, but I could be wrong? It's only a short train ride to Bristol for entertainment and she'll potentially be off to uni in a few years. It would be good to hear from some locals rather than just random opinions.

Weston College is excellent and sought after by pupils from the surrounding areas, where there is a good choice of sixth forms for them already.
Sand Bay and Uphill are lovely. Knightstone Island has gorgeous views and as a pp said, sunsets.
Weston is down at heel in the centre but there is actually a thriving cultural scene and plenty to do. Good restaurants, cinema, bowling etc. great transport links. People are friendly.
I grew up near WSM and go back to visit regularly. It’s fun.

I have family that live round there. Weston itself is an absolute dump and the town is dying by the day. Local villages are all nice enough, but very small and inaccessible without a car.

"Weston itself is an absolute dump and the town is dying by the day. "

This absolutely isn't true. The town centre is run down, like many town centres, but Weston is a town of many parts and is thriving. Lots of new building, excellent transport and connections and bustling retail and business areas.

Surely you are close enough to WSM to be able to check it out thoroughly by visiting different areas of the town at different times of year?

Hmm what about burnham? I grew up around Weston/burnham and I do tend to agree Weston itself is a bit sad. But there are lots of nice areas surrounding. I guess you’d want to look along the train line. I don’t know Yatton but people seem to like it.