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Rural living

Looking to relocate to the countryside? Find advice in our Rural Living forum.

Original poster

Moving to Spalding

29 replies

MummaKC · 01/07/2020 15:36

Hi,
Wondering if anyone out there can help me? Husband is being relocated for work and we're looking at properties in Spalding. Family members have mixed reviews on Spalding. What is it really like? We have two small children. Schools look really good on Ofsted?!
Thanks in advance :)

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 01/07/2020 15:39

I’m spalding!!

Well west pinchbeck now but I still travel to spalding every day for work

It’s not that bad a town. Really.

And the schools are pretty good. Which one as you thinking of?

My two attended St Johns but had to transfer to St Barts in West Pinchbeck and I whilst I like this school, I do miss St Johns

Soubriquet · 01/07/2020 15:45

With things like shops, you have the main town centre and all it’s stores

If you travel just outside spalding you also have springfields garden centre

It can be hit and miss with it’s bargains but it’s a lovely place to visit in the summer especially since they have the new activity park there

Original poster
MummaKC · 01/07/2020 15:57

Ah thank you so much for responding!
Our closest primary would be Spalding Parish Church of England day school.
When you say 'not that bad a town, really' does it have its problems? Silly question I know everywhere has its problems but does Spalding have many? X

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 01/07/2020 16:00

Well, at the moment there is a potential murder case being investigated and we have had two major murder cases that I can immediately recall.

But no, really, for a town it’s nice. I like living here.

Parish is an ok school. I know people who’s kids go there and they always sing it’s praises. It’s recently been modernised too

321Backintheroom · 01/07/2020 16:00

I lived in spalding , I stayed 6 months . It was awful ,however I do have friends there that live on some of the newer estates and enjoy living there .
I would look to other Villages close by , Deeping , stamford etc

Original poster
MummaKC · 01/07/2020 16:07

Can I ask why you say it was awful! I'm a bit worried now ! It's looks so beautiful in the photos x

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 01/07/2020 16:08

It really isn’t as awful as people make out

If you want quiet, then a village is ideal. There are plenty dotted around.

If you want loud and busy, live in a city

squiffyseesaw · 01/07/2020 16:10

I find the place utterly soulless and depressing but each to their own I guess. It's an absolutely awful place to be an older child/teenager.

Gizlotsmum · 01/07/2020 16:13

We live near Holbeach. Regularly go to Spalding. It's fine. Daughter is at the grammar and loves it. Lots of good areas as far as I can make out.

BurtsBeesKnees · 01/07/2020 16:16

My dh lived in Spalding when I met him. I didn't like it at all. The town centre is awful imo. Lots of houses of multiple occupancy as there are lots of young Eastern European's working in the area. Rurally it's very flat and farming land. All brown and yuk in the winter with mud all over the roads.

My dh was working in the area so moved there and he couldn't wait to get out.

Some of the surrounding villages are nice

Original poster
MummaKC · 01/07/2020 16:20

Oh dear,
Not getting the best vibe here!
Think I'll carry on the Rightmove search. Maybe check out the surrounding villages. Such a shame found such a beautiful house on London road! Looks like something from a magazine but going to trust the locals on this one. Thanks everyone

OP posts:
Magicbabywaves · 01/07/2020 16:24

I grew up in Bourne down the road. I nearly didn’t say anything after a pp said they liked it, but it’s honestly one of the most depressing towns in Lincolnshire. (Low bar). I continued to visit it regularly as an adult with my grandmother and I found it soulless and depressing. Where are you now? Stamford is much better.

BurtsBeesKnees · 01/07/2020 16:27

Stamford and Bourne are much nicer, but that's reflected in the house prices I'm afraid

Cupcakegirl13 · 01/07/2020 16:32

It’s quite a deprived town on the edge of Fenland , I don’t like the town centre as it is very dilapidated in places.
Springfield’s is nice.
Also worth considering is the roads to access it are pretty slow , the A15 is mainly single carriageway with lots of farm vehicles on it.

lljkk · 01/07/2020 16:38

Deep UKIP support there. ... lots of older locals who don't like the lots of young Europeans that have kept any kind of economy going in the town. Spalding is the sort of depressed rural East Anglia town that other depressed rural East Anglia towns like to look down on.

It's a notch up from Wisbech, if that is any consolation -- Spalding gets to look down on Wisbech.

Soubriquet · 01/07/2020 16:41

It's a notch up from Wisbech, if that is any consolation -- Spalding gets to look down on Wisbech

Yeah we do GrinGrin

Saying that, I went to college in Wisbech

Magicbabywaves · 01/07/2020 17:24

That totally happens in the Fens. Stanford looks down on Bourne, Bourne on Spalding, Spalding on Wisbeach.

NeverSurrender · 01/07/2020 17:43

I wouldn't say it's deprived. I'm happy bringing up my dc here, there's plenty of parks and green space. The schools are all decent, and you have a very high chance of getting into the one you choose. Secondary schools are good, although there is a grammar system I've heard good things about the local academy. The grammar schools are some of the best in the country. London Road is a lot quieter now the bypass to Peterborough has been built. I think I know the house you mean- it's beautiful! Your nearest school would be St Johns, which is a really fab school.

Parkandride · 01/07/2020 18:00

I lived there briefly as a graduate for work it was ok... town centre had everything you need, people I got to know rated the grammar school system, nice weather.

For me at that time it was very far from more interesting places, I tended to go to London a lot to escape as its not far from Peterborough. The roads are just awful, you spent your life sat behind lorries. No motorways for hours. For me it was fine for a year but not at stage of life for any longer.

Thinking about it a previous poster is right there have been been some high profile awful crimes haven't there. I imagine they're anomalies though.

squiffyseesaw · 01/07/2020 19:10

I wouldn't raise my kids there. Yes there's lots of space and clean air but there's also a shit tonne of rural deprivation, low aspirations and crime. Literally nothing to do for any kid age 10+. And nothing ten miles in any direction either. Massive cultural vacuum. Peterborough is the nearest big town and it's an absolute shit hole, but you would end up going there loads with your kids because there's fuck all to do.

Original poster
MummaKC · 01/07/2020 19:18

Any thoughts on Moulton ?

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 01/07/2020 19:46

Not a lot there to be honest, so you would end up driving to Spalding, Peterborough or King's Lynn to do anything. Always quiet when I have driven through.

Magicbabywaves · 01/07/2020 22:41

Where is your partner’s new job?

MummySharkDoodoododoo · 19/09/2021 21:22

Hello! I just wondered if you ever moved to Spalding? We are considering the same move and found this thread when searching for what the area is like on Google!
I have children aged 7-14. Currently we have a little terrace house. In Spalding we can get a big detached house with land and outbuildings for the price of our house. We have Autistic kids who are incredibly loud so looking to move somewhere without immediate neighbours so we dont have to worry!

Bluesheep8 · 27/09/2021 10:19

I find the place utterly soulless and depressing

I agree with this, I'm afraid.
I regularly had to go there for work and I couldn't get away from it quick enough each time.
Stamford would be a much better bet.

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