Is there a place like Headingley or Meanwood in the Winchester, Southampton, Eastleigh area?

[Samothrace]

Hi, we are moving south in the next year or so and I'm looking for a place with a great community feel within 5 miles of a big city but walking distance to some lovely pubs, restaurants and a supermarket? All the nice areas I've looked at so far are either too rural or are basically housing estates with no pubs or restaurants close by.
We currently live between Headingley and Meanwood which is 2-3 miles north of Leeds. The place has a lovely small village community feel but we are also spoilt for choice with many pubs and restaurants right on our doorstep. Would love to move to somewhere similar in the South. Is there such a place? Thanks very much

Alresford, just north of Winchester is nice; I have freinds there. There's lots of walking out to village pubs, or pubs and resteraunts in the town. A little Co-op and Tesco, or a big tesco a 10 min drive. It's a nice community with lots happening for all ages.

Was also going to suggest Alresford.

Romsey is lovely. Bitterne Park and Shirley in Southampton are worth considering.

Or Winchester itself.

Stockbridge is also really pretty and near Winchester and Andover.

Market towns of Bishops waltham or Romsey would fit. Romsey is bigger and has a train station. They are both pretty pricey though! Wickham or Stockbridge are big villages with shops and restaurants but no supermarket. Also pricey.

Are you going to need access to schools? Alresford is a good call if you do, Stockbridge less so.

I’m going to be honest, neither of those places are, erm, “vibrant”, although that may not be what you are looking for. I would have probably shot myself if I had lived there as a teen. More appeal as you get older!

Thanks, great advice. Yes I should have mentioned that we will need a good secondary school near as my son will be starting year 7 when we move. Thanks very much

Just to mention that rural transport here is pretty dire. Romsey has good bus and train links to Southampton (plus a half hourly bus to Winchester) and good schools. But finding a house there is less easy.

We currently live between Headingley and Meanwood which is 2-3 miles north of Leeds.

Eh? Headingley and Meanwood are both IN Leeds. Neither of them is even semi-rural.

What you're looking for is a suburb that has its own community feel with shops / bars etc. Anybody who doesn't know Leeds would think from what you've posted that you're looking for a village, or similar semi-rural location.

i.e. you are looking for city living if you want to move to another Headingley / Meanwood, not rural!

Headingley / Meanwood area has a lot of nightlife options (due to the student population), naice shops and restaurants (it's an affluent bit of the city), excellent public transport (because it's in the city)....

It's fairly near the university so has all the 'vibrancy' that goes with having a very young 'cool' demographic. You're not going to replicate that in a village or small market town.

I haven't been to Leeds but also thought Headingly was urban, hence suggesting Bitterne Park or Shirley. A friend moved from Leeds, and specifically chose BP so as not to be Hampshire rural.

Sorry, I obviously didn't explain myself properly. Yes, you are right, I'm after a village suburb feeling. Are there any similar vibrant suburbs in the Southampton, Eastleigh, Winchester area? I've looked at alot of the suburbs and they all seem to be housing estates with nothing going on. Thats why I thought maybe a village might be better. Thank you

I think some of the above posters (not the suggestions in Southampton, but the small villages) may not have realised that you currently live in a particularly busy/vibrant part of a large city.

I used to live in Headingley (years ago), now live in a fairly lively village that has a reasonable amount going on, and it's like chalk and cheese. If that's what you want, that's great, but I wouldn't expect a village to come close to your current location in terms of social and cultural opportunities.

I didn't realise either. I thought neither Romsey or Bishops Waltham are rural. They are market towns. If it's 5 miles from a big city similar to Leeds, I think you are basically looking within Southampton itself. Then Bitterne, Highfield or Shirley will fit the bill. However, all the Southampton secondaries are not great unless you go private.

Winchester could work too but it's less vibrant and less multicultural. If you want something naicer, then find somewhere within 5 miles of Winchester city center. All the state secondaries are good however.

Eastleigh is like tumble weed compared to Southampton and Winchester.

Everywhere else, it'll be suburban. There usually are local pubs, a local shop or two but not much else. You can drive into Southampton or Winchester easily.

@Samothrace a PP mentioned Stockbridge. It has a secondary school at one end of the high at and a primary at the other end. I've heard amazing things about the new Headteacher there. Amazing high St, restaurants, pubs, good dog walking. No transport though, although there is a bus to the sixth form college. 15 mins drive to Winchester for station and shops etc

Just to give you a comparison, Winchester doesn't have a cinema. The closest will be the one in Eastleigh. It has a theatre however, and lots of lovely restaurants. There are a few night clubs too.

Winchester does have a cinema. The Everyman on Southgate street.

OP, with your criteria I'd choose Winchester itself. I have no idea about where you currently live I'm afraid but Winchester has great restaurants and pubs, shops and a theatre. There is a fabulous new leisure centre which has just opened, and the schools are almost all brilliant.

You're an hour on the train from London so can pop up for theatre, galleries, shopping etc.

Honestly, I love it here and wouldn't ever live anywhere else!

@Wintonian happy to be corrected about the cinema. I've never been to that one though I drive past it often.

I like Winchester too. But I'm not sure if it's vibrant enough for the OP given she says she likes Leeds because of the student population. That would point to Southampton itself.

Yes, that's a fair point. They do have very different vibes. I don't actually know Southampton very well, apart from the city centre shops and occasional visits to the Mayflower.

Is there a chance you could look round Southampton and Winchester OP?

It's not true that there are no good schools in Southampton. Bitterne Park High School is very good and friends rate Cantell and Upper Shirley High now. There are also the catholic schools. St Anne's is outstanding.

Does it have to be southampton or winchester? Southsea in Portsmouth has a vibrant vibe and community feel. Not brilliant secondaries though unless you go private. But in my opinion, I wouldn't choose any of the southampton secondaries either- perhaps St Anne's but that's girls. Winchester secondaries are the best 'city ' schools IMO in Hampshire.

St Cross is a "village" virtually in Winchester. Close enough to Winchester for the "vibrancy" (And Winchester has a university).

I would also recomnend Alresford as mentioned above. It's lovely - and the bus service to Winchester is good.

I know this an old thread but I could've wrote it myself and wondered whether you ever found anywhere OP? I would love to know!

I love living in Headingley/Meanwood and really want to find somewhere similar in the south but finding the search difficult so far.

Fingers crossed found you somewhere and see this