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Original poster

Anyone live in/been to Yeovil? Would you reccomend it to family with toddlers...?

75 replies

sushistar · 09/03/2010 16:04

We are thinking of moving from London to Somerset to be near my family. Yeovil seems like an option - affordable housing, and big enough that it has good facilities (couldn't face a village - too much of a culture shock after the big smoke!). But I'm suddenly getting cold feet - will there be good toddler groups to go to? Parks? Libraries and cafes that DS would enjoy? I have a 2 yr old and 2 month old ds at home full time and we really rely on toddler groups during the week. And I keep wondering if we'll make friends - we're lefty eco guardian reader types and i wonder if we will be the only ones like that as i keep reading how conservative (small c) and military-linked yeovil is...
do you live there? can you reassure me?
sorry typing 1 handed while bfeeding

OP posts:
wastwinsetandpearls · 09/03/2010 20:51

Stur Newton is also very cheap property wise, we have seen a few things there but it is just a little far out for work.

crankytwanky · 09/03/2010 21:02

It's ok. There was an Oasis.

Dorchester is lovely. Thomas Hardye school was excellent a while ago.

Bridport bangin'!

wastwinsetandpearls · 09/03/2010 21:07

I keep going to Bridport thinking it must be my mind of place but I am not getting it.

I do like Dorchester and the schools are good.

SuSylvester · 09/03/2010 21:08

GOD NO NO NO
DO NOT DO IT

it shuts at 4

JollyPirate · 09/03/2010 21:09

Yeovil is okay - lots of family orientated stuff there.

I used to live in Crewkerne and ex DH still lives there. The senior school (which only covers the last two years) went into special measures a few years ago - not sure how it is at present but you could google it (Wadham School).

There are a few villages near to Yeovil too which are nice.

When I first moved to Somerset we lived in this cottage. In a village called Shepton Beauchamp which has a good pub in staggering distance. Only 20 mins from Yeovil......

Tortoise · 09/03/2010 21:15

I personally would avoid Yeovil. Agree with Snig(Knew I recognised that name! Hello!). There are good facilities like pool, cinema, bowling, theatre. But I have heard the area is pretty rough. Castle Cary is a nice small town and not far from Yeovil.

poshtottie · 09/03/2010 21:16

Lol at "shuts at 4"

Its just the same in West Dorset.

Original poster
sushistar · 09/03/2010 22:08

Hmm. Looked at Dorchester houses online - not much in our price bracket, and the town is small - do you find enough to do? With 2 little ones at home I need nice shops, cafes, toddler groups, library, playgrounds, maybe a museum or something - enough to occupy us 5 days a week, within walking distance. That's why a little village is out - I would be very isolated I thing, as I can't drive. In yeovil not driving won't be too much of a prob as we could afford something centralish.

Sturminster Newton a bit pricey for us :0( want 4 beds for 300kish - and I so have my heart set on an older house, like the one we have now, rather than a newbuild.

OP posts:
Original poster
sushistar · 09/03/2010 22:09

I think Dorset is out because of price - will have to be somerset.

OP posts:
Original poster
sushistar · 09/03/2010 22:10

Will look at Crewkerne again - anyone live there? Any facilities for families?

OP posts:
wastwinsetandpearls · 09/03/2010 22:11

Dorchester feels like a big town to me! I do understand the isolated thing. From our house it is almost impossible to get anywhere on foot. Certainly no shops, I don't drive and find it very limiting.

poshtottie · 09/03/2010 22:16

I'm not sure what nice shops Yeovil has but we have a few boutiques, many cafes. A soft play centre has just opened. and there is a leisure centre with swimming pool.

There are loads of toddler groups and activities such as Kindermusik, Colourstrings, Jumpstart etc. I have a ds 3.6 and I have always found enough to entertain him.

You are right about houses though. Not many around in your budget unless you want a new build.

Original poster
sushistar · 09/03/2010 22:17

That would drive me mad Wastinsetandpearls - I mean that literally! Here I can walk to asda, a big park, a bigger park, the river, 2 museums, and a lovely community cafe, the library...
I could not live somewhere where I couldn't take the boys out easily to go to interesting places. It would be mental health suicide!!

OP posts:
Original poster
sushistar · 09/03/2010 22:19

It's possible our budget could be higher poshtottie, depends what we get for this place! I have deliberatly been conservative in working out what we could spend.

OP posts:
poshtottie · 09/03/2010 22:20

What about Wells or Taunton?

poshtottie · 09/03/2010 22:22

There are some lovely older houses in Dorchester but few come on the market.

wastwinsetandpearls · 09/03/2010 22:38

I can walk to a hill, another hill, a farm, another farm and a village.

Our buying budget is similar and we have seen things we can buy in Dorset but we do not need the 4th bedroom.

wastwinsetandpearls · 09/03/2010 22:39

It did drive me mad over the summer - literally I am learning to drive.

mywayisbest · 09/03/2010 22:39

We have just moved to back to Yeovil after almost twenty years away.

Ninesprings is lovely and the villages around it are nice but Yeovil itself is a dump.

Taunton seems nice but my vote would be for Sherborne. We go there as often as poss and we are kicking ourselves for not going there instead of Yeovil.

JoeyBettany · 10/03/2010 08:14

Gosh twinset- I wouldn't like to live this far in the sticks without driving!

grovebuster · 10/03/2010 08:27

Sherborne! I know you've said you can't afford Dorset but it's worth a look? It's really close to Yeovil if you want the bigger shops/parks, but it really does have everything. Lots of mother and toddler groups - gymboree for instance, music and movement. There are two family friendly swimming pools, a library, 3 parks, 2 big supermarkets, as well as plenty of independent bakeries and butchers. I could go on! I live here and wouldn't live anywhere else. It, of course, has 'rough bits' but doesn't everywhere? If you look at Lenthay Close or Ridgeway (areas in Sherborne) they are full of family houses, and nice community. Also Granvilles Way (My sister lives there, can recommend!). If you want any more info just let me know if I can help.

grovebuster · 10/03/2010 08:27

Oh and an abundance of cafes!!

poshtottie · 10/03/2010 08:39

Grovebuster, what is the local schools like?

poshtottie · 10/03/2010 08:40

Sorry that should read "What are the local schools like"

grovebuster · 10/03/2010 08:50

Local schools are all good - although there are quite a few private schools, the comprehensive ones are excellent. There are two primary schools and 4 nurseries! and the main secondary school is an amalgamation of 3 previous schools, into the Gryphon. The Abbey Primary is the best primary. There are lots of outlying village schools that lots of friends children go to as well.