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Original poster

moving lock stock and barrel to somerset or suffolk? which to choose?

113 replies

overthemill · 03/02/2010 20:03

For various reasons we had to move 2 years ago, changing counties, new house, new schools everything. It was really tough and we have just about got settled. But the truth is that although the place we live in is really nice, we know it isn't our forever place. We'd like to live in big village, very small town with a really community - so preferably gp surgery, shop or 2, pub and schools (though does not have to be a secondary school).

I love somerset and am from the south west and my feelings are to go there. But at the weekend we went for a night away to suffolk and really really loved where we were. we had booked randomly but ended up in a perfect village. it had everything we wanted and it has fired us up again. it completely felt like 'home' and had a great mixture of stuff going on, we felt we'd fit in really well.
there is no right time to move, we have 3 kids and it would be very complcated to move at all but i am keen to get there before our youngest gets to yr 9 (she is in yr 6 now). By then one would be at uni and one just about to start a levels.
so,decision is complex on lots of levels but which is 'best' - i know its entirely subjective but would love the collective MN wisdom to help me think about it.
thanks!

OP posts:
grenadine · 04/02/2010 19:40

what's wrong with yeovil?..I don't know it but had always imagined it would be a nice town..

MrsFlittersnoop · 04/02/2010 19:52

Bath is NOT multicultural - apart from the overseas students (more than 20% of the population are students) and the tourists.

DS (13) is still suffering from major culture shock after moving from North London to Bath 6 months ago - he can't get over the fact that 99% of the pupils at his new school are White and think it's OK to make unpleasant remarks about Muslims . His last school in London had 65% Black or Asian pupils.

When I was growing up here in the 70's, Bath had a very "alternative" vibe, man, it was charming and laid-back but also scruffy and down-at-heel. Bath has been gentrified out of all recognition over the last 30 years.

Main advantages are (apart from being a spectacularly gorgeous city) good schools, shops, restaurants, lots of cultural shite activities and proximity to the M4 plus a 1.5. hour direct train service to the Smoke.

It is v. expensive within the city boundaries, but you don't have to move that far out of the city to find affordable housing in nice rural locations. Mr RetiredGoth posted here recently on the subject. (waves at RG - where are you? Have you moved yet?)

dawntigga · 04/02/2010 19:58

Erm, I take it fuck off you've got my life wasn't the answer you were looking for?

Then Somerset, somewhere along the river Piddle. For the comedy value

HasVeryBadPMSAsIWantedToGiveYouOneOfMySpecialSanitaryProductsTiggaxx

MrsFlittersnoop · 04/02/2010 20:02

Tigga - I think Chew Magna or Nempnett Thrubwell would be good for comedy address value !

Chew Valley is actually v. pretty if you don't mind proximity to the cheese factory .

Original poster
overthemill · 04/02/2010 20:12

ooh you keep making me change my mind! I was all definite for suffolk then you latest lot make me think longingly of somerset. I was a student in bath in 70's but hated college and couldnt really afford to enjoy it. we have friends just outside bristol and where they live is lovely but no shop or skl!

OP posts:
Original poster
overthemill · 04/02/2010 20:18

oh and i wanted to add, when i finished a levels in 1976 i went to london for a night. Got on a bus at waterloo station and was totally shocked that me and my boyfriend were the only white people on it. Real culture shock. But once i'd used to living in london i loved the mix of people. Growing up i honestly think the only black people were a boy adopted by the vocar and an east african asian family chucked by idi amin! I didnt have a chinese until i was 18! I do want my kids to continue knowing a mix of people.

OP posts:
MrsFlittersnoop · 04/02/2010 20:38

Overthehill - [nosy emoticon] where were you studying? I did my 'A'levels at school in Bath in '79, so we are near-contemporaries.

I have probably been a tad unkind to the place 'cos I'm still culture-shocked myself coming back to live here after 25 years in London. It is a far more polarised city than I remember, lots of hidden poverty here now .

zanz1bar · 04/02/2010 20:51

Suffolk

But I am typing from the perfect village with pub/butcher/baker and candle stick supplier.
Plus a good primary and high school.
1 1/2 hours commute to london.
30 mins to fantastic coast.

How much is this information worth as it took me 2 years to find it.

Radished · 04/02/2010 21:43

zanzibar i need to know where you live because I think I live there too

bourboncreme · 04/02/2010 21:55

Zanzibar think I might live there as well!I love living in suffolk,we're on the East but love BSE as well.

Radished · 04/02/2010 22:03

Ahhh. It took me a while to realise you didn't mean mad cow disease then

This thread is making me twitch, I might know some of you I need village names...

frogetyfrog · 04/02/2010 22:04

What on the earth do you love about living in Suffolk? Genuine question.

Tortoise · 04/02/2010 22:17

This thread is bringing back childhood memories!
I used to live in Suffolk, lived in Kedington, shopped in Haverhill and Dad worked in Clare. Mums friend lives in Wickhambrook!

Then we moved to castle Cary in Somerset when i was 8 and i have been here since then! (Now 31!)

I don't remember much about Suffolk but i do love Somerset. Although i would like to move Devon way!

Radished · 04/02/2010 22:56

Loads of good things about Suffolk. Lovely countryside, good beaches, unspoilt, pretty villages, low crime. I like the timewarp feel to a lot of it. Must admit to not liking Ipswich much but love the area I live in.

OrmRenewed · 05/02/2010 08:08

mrsf - agree about Bath. Used to be the place to go for pstchouli oil and weird clothes. Not now.

MaryBS · 05/02/2010 08:24

I live in Cambs, and DH works in Bury St Edmunds. I would pick Somerset though. We love Devon and Cornwall, and it would be so much easier to get there!

lottiejenkins · 05/02/2010 08:36

Suffolk!! The primary school where i work got the top SATS results for the county and an outstanding OFSTED report!!

Original poster
overthemill · 05/02/2010 09:10

mrsflittersnoop (fab name!) i was at newton park teacher training, did first year then dropped out. Didnt like kids, but tbf, was only 18 and totally dozy!

I loved the shop called shepherds purse, really smelly hippy shop and they did cappucino which was my first but it was expensive, at 50p so only went occasionally. Aahh! They had lovely itchy inca hats and boots that laced up at the front and had crepe soles and long cheeseclth skirts. And dont even get me started on the laura ashley shop, i made so many patchwork skirts (think sienna miller only on imelda stauton...). my sister was there too (so parents approved) and she had flat in the Circus which was lovely. Oh yes i loved it.

But to get back to subject in hand, i need names of the place with everythingnd high school please, still umming and ahhing. But finding this pleasuarable dilemna

OP posts:
Original poster
overthemill · 05/02/2010 09:11

mrsflittersnoop (fab name!) i was at newton park teacher training, did first year then dropped out. Didnt like kids, but tbf, was only 18 and totally dozy!

I loved the shop called shepherds purse, really smelly hippy shop and they did cappucino which was my first but it was expensive, at 50p so only went occasionally. Aahh! They had lovely itchy inca hats and boots that laced up at the front and had crepe soles and long cheeseclth skirts. And dont even get me started on the laura ashley shop, i made so many patchwork skirts (think sienna miller only on imelda stauton...). my sister was there too (so parents approved) and she had flat in the Circus which was lovely. Oh yes i loved it.

But to get back to subject in hand, i need names of the place with everythingnd high school please, still umming and ahhing. But finding this pleasuarable dilemna

OP posts:
Radished · 05/02/2010 09:33

Lottie does it begin with M?

lottiejenkins · 05/02/2010 09:33

Framlingham is good and so is the high school! Has a supermarket, bakers, travel agents, two banks, dry cleaner, chemist, doctors surgery, primary school, and lots more that i have forgotten!!

lottiejenkins · 05/02/2010 09:34

No but the letter is very close!!

Radished · 05/02/2010 09:40

Hmmmm. N?

I agree about Framlingham, I went to 6th form there and the school is good and it's a nice town.

lottiejenkins · 05/02/2010 09:44

Going the wrong way!! I went to 6th form too there. I left in 1986.

BethNoireNewNameForPeachy · 05/02/2010 09:50

''Bath is NOT multicultural - apart from the overseas students ' To be fair,comapred to where I grew up that is pretty multicultural.

And these days Li ama student so the student pop. is what I see and experience.