Areas around Southampton to move to

[InFreeFall]

We are in our 60s and looking to buy somewhere that is near-ish to places to drive to for days out, as well as decent transport links to London, with local shops and facilities within walking distance. The internet suggested Southampton as a contender.

We've looked at Shirley, and am looking online at Bitterne and Bevoir Valley.

Does anyone have any intel on these or other nearby places?

Upper Shirley is quite nice.
Does it have to be quite so close to Southampton?
If not, look at Romsey.

Southampton is my nearest city. The Boat Show and large John Lewis store are the only reasons I go there - usually under duress. (That's my opinion and no offence intended to the many who live in the city.)

A lot depends on your budget, really. I have relatives who live at Brockenhurst in the New Forest, which has an excellent train service to London and access to many places to visit for days out. There are local shops within in the village, and larger shops (e.g., Waitrose and an M&S Food Hall) a short drive away in Lymington.

Hythe?

The trains between Southampton central and London are abysmal . I cannot remember the last time I had an on time smooth service and be particularly aware that if you are trying to get back from a day out in London you will often be tipped out at Havant or Fratton .

I would definitely give Bevois Valley a miss - it’s run down and is full of students and HMO’s. Shirley, Shirley High Street (known locally as ‘mutant mile’) and Shirley Warren are also bad news!

Look at Romsey - midway between Southampton and Salisbury. So it gives another potential route to London (Clapham and Waterloo) via Salisbury. To add to pp Southampton is also good for gigs and cruises.

Thanks all for the feedback, will have a look at Romsey

Romsey is lovely as an historic small market town but a pain for London as not on direct train line for it.
Lots of nice cafes, lots of community events. If you want shopping need to out of town.

What’s your budget? I agree with others. If your budget stretches I’d either go north east to Chandlers Ford or Winchester, or I’d go South West into one of the towns in the new forest. But all of these places are ££££. Southampton is still a nice enough place to live with access to the above places for significantly less, if budget is tighter.

As nice as it is if links to London is a must I’d avoid Romsey.

Southampton was a ChatGBT suggestion when i input all of the things we were looking for, and then realised it is a big University town with student HMOs.

Romsey is more expensive than Southampton on average.
Winchester is more expensive again. £££.

Well yeah, some bits are, like every large town and city in the UK. It’s a great city for accessing other places, primarily the outdoors - if countryside/forests/the coast/sailing/open water swimming etc are your thing…but you still want to have shops and restaurants on hand you really won’t go wrong with it.

But is it a pretty city like Bath or Cambridge? No. And does it have the same volume of choice re: food/culture/night life as Manchester or Liverpool? Also no. I wouldn’t move to Southampton for a ‘city’ experience to be honest. But a smallish, friendly city that has affordable housing and great access to loads of beautiful or culturally outstanding places (without the price tag) - it’s a good choice.

Eastleigh-Allbrook, Boyatt Wood, or Bishopstoke (some parts) are all of those things, Romsey, Chandlers Ford, like others have said budget dependant.

I lived in the area for 20years would would say avoid Millbrook/Shirley/Thornhill. I would go over the Waterside. Hythe, Dibden Perlieu, maybe Calmore or West Totton.

That's not my experience of trains between Southampton Central and London Waterloo. I do that journey every few weeks and it's mostly fine. Yes there's occasional issues with late trains, or signalling problems, or sometimes engineering works, but it's generally ok. I'm not sure why you'd end up being chucked out at Fratton or Havant as they're on the London - Portsmouth line, not the London - Southampton line. Very very occasionally the train has run that route if there are engineering works, it's very much not the normal route from London.

I'd avoid Shirley Warren, but Upper Shirley, especially towards Hill Lane and nearer to Winchester Road than Shirley Road is pretty nice. A mix of semis and detached houses, a tennis club and a bowls club, a few shops on St James Road (including convenience store, cafe, chippy, launderette), though I'd avoid living on St James road itself as it's a bit of a rat run.

The High Street isn't amazing but it's alright and not somewhere I'd desperately avoid.

Lymington is lovely. Busy high street, some lovely old pubs, near sea and new forest.10 min drive to Brockenhurst for train to London.

We visited Hill Head recently which was lovely and not too far from Southampton. Property seems fairly expensive.

If you want sailing and New Forest then Lymington is fine and a nice place.
But it is a long way from almost anywhere.

Hillhead is lovely, (I take the dog along the front there occasionally), but the roads around the area can be a nightmare, there isn't a station nearby and the nearest shops of any substance aren't within easy walking distance.

What’s your budget and your expectations in a property?
I agree with WelshGirl2 about the trains. The only reasons for going near Fratton is during engineering works or if you fell asleep on the last train and ended up in the depot. There are regularly incidents and engineering works on the line west of Southampton.

If you’re not wedded to being close to the coast, I’d be more inclined to look at a slightly smaller town such as Salisbury?

If you’re going to look at Salisbury you might like Wilton. Salisbury is good for getting into London but the ring road can be a nightmare, as can Southampton Road.

Can you explain a bit more about your circumstances such as your budget, what sort of home you want, where you like now (for comparison), the sort of things you like and dislike?
As others have mentioned, Southampton is not an attractive place (it was heavily bombed during WW2), nor a city with great amenities or food choices. In the area, Salisbury and Romsey are a lot more attractive and have a stations. The New Forest has many lovely, small towns and villages, a pleasant coast and lots of lovely countryside. However, there are so many other places in the UK with decent connections to London and shops within walking distance too.
Can you be more specific about what you want?

Bevois Valley is student night life area. Southampton isn't a pretty city as pp have said. Winchester or Romsey would be preferable to me. What is your budget?