Town recommendations- East Glasgow

[Scotslassie1]

Hi

I know it's been asked a lot on here but I'm looking for a nice town with good high street- cafes/ shops, good schools and nurseries and commutable to East End of Glasgow and close to motorway as husband works for Openreach.
I know Lenzie/ Bishopbriggs etc but these just seem to be large housing estate towns. Any with nice cafes etc in town centre? Thinking possibly Dunblane but that might be an hour commute in the morning due to traffic? Does anyone drive Dunblane to Glasgow? Thanks

If starting by 9am, it’s a tricky drive then. Obviously that doesn’t apply right now. Train/drive to Glasgow from Dunblane/Bridge of Allan/Stirling all great options for living, but can’t deny that it’s only ok to drive say 7-730am, or again after 9am. Anything in between can be a nightmare. If flexible working hours I would say all above are options- only takes 35/40 mins easy drive to central Glasgow, so quicker for offices not in centre, on motorway (if no traffic probs) away from peak time.

Thank you, I'm a teacher so really would like to be in around half 8 but some nurseries open at half 7 so sounds like it's do able.
I live 15/ 20 mins away from my school just now so it'd be a lot longer commute but where we live it's just houses really and schools aren't great.

Maybe closer to Stirling would be easier for commuting

Dunblane is lovely but the Keri roundabout can be a nightmare to get through

Keir. My phone changed it

I'm in Bishopbriggs and I'm genuinely scratching my head as to where to recommend- poss. Stepps, out that way?

Coincidentally I also work in the East End and the traffic is a nightmare in the morning. I try to avoid the motorways but pre-Covid found that everywhere was just getting busier and busier.

Cannot imagine commuting from Dunblane, it would be a killer.

Personally, I'd go for the Southside of Glasgow (Shawlands/Strathbungo) & commute along the M74 from there.

Bothwell is lovely - but it all depends on your budget as it's pricey.

I'd agree with Shawlands/Strathbungo/Newlands/parts of Pollokshields as meeting your criteria (good schools although I don't know about nurseries cafe culture, commutable to the East End and accessible to the motorway.

Lovely parks to enjoy as well: Queens Park, Pollok Park, Maxwell Park. And the Burrell Collection should be opening again (think it should've been this year, but I suspect next).

If you're looking for semi-rural, then Eaglesham or Neilston have good secondary schools - by bus or train. Not so much of a cafe culture.

Giffnock has an ok high street - have a look at houses in Orchard Park - but is not semi rural. Same with Clarkston. Mearns has a shopping centre but further out & more of a
Commute.

Lastly, Strathaven might be what you are looking for. Great schools, semi rural & near the M74.

Loads of folk commute from Dunblane, Bridge of Allan and Stirling into Glasgow. Most do it by train though. My DS commutes into uni at Strathclyde and most trains are 30 minutes. If you are not by a station that makes it a bit trickier. I have several friends who commute from Glasgow area to Stirling and when it's good it's under 30 mins but there can be delays with relative frequency. They are not so time constrained as teaching would be. I have a friend who commutes to teach in Glasgow from Denny which does have a village centre but wasn't our kind of place, similarly Bonnybridge etc.

I commute from stirling to Wishaw but leaving v early takes me 40 mins max agree re keir roundabout it’s awful later In the morning. Cambusbarron is lovely easy enough to get on motorway too, or the other side of Glasgow Eaglesham is lovely, great community lovely little village v friendly. Just need to pin down where you want to live really.
Hi to other Stirling/dunblane area locals 👍

Thanks so much everyone, all very valid points. I guess once this is all over I need to take a drive round some places! When I lived in the West End there was such a good community feel which I thinl us what I'm missing now.
I do like the Southside. My auntie recently moved to Cambusbarron and it does seem nice. I think it's because my son will be starting nursery next year and would like him to go to nursery then school in same area but not end of world if he doesn't.

I think getting out and about and looking at places is a good idea. Hopefully not too much longer to wait :)

Seriously I wouldn't worry too much about going to school with nursery pals. Primary 1 will be full of kids from lots of different places, some will have only been at private nursery (maybe closer to a parents work that n their home) or have moved into the area or it might be a 2 intake primary and they end up in a different class anyway.

I'd focus more about being in the right place for starting school which might give you more breathing space.

I agree about not worrying about nursery to school, as Wax says. Lots of kids go to private nurseries and actually because very few nurseries are attached to primaries, there isn't actually that much overlap even with council run nurseries.

Ds went tons excellent council nursery in Nithsdale Road but only one other kid went to Glendale (our catchment primary) and he didn't even know her as she went on the afternoons and he went in the mornings.

We'd used a childminder (more like a mini nursery) for the rest of the time. We were really lucky as it was literally the house next door

In terms of good primaries on the South Side, I'd recommend Glendale (but it feeds Bellshouston which imho is not as good as Shawlands Academy), Shawlands, Langside, Merrylee (although it feeds Kings Park or Hill Park - I always get the two confused ) I think Battlefield is fine too.

Thanks Wax and PrettyBird. You're right and I should probably 'chill' and not panic!
I actually taught in Glendale about five years ago, excellent school. Very strict with behaviour which I like!

It's 8 years since ds was at Glendale - he went from there to Shawlands Academy via a placing request and has just finished his 2nd year at Aberdeen Uni

I am frequently on here waxing lyrical about both Glendale and Shawlands Academy

If you are looking for any info on the Stirling/BofA/Dunblane area (or anywhere in the locale for that matter) then just shout, there are a fair few of us in the area about on here :)

Hi @Kaykay066 :)

....also, if it's 5 years since you were teaching at Glendale, you'll be amazed at the changes in Shawlands. There is now a plethora of coffee shops (in Strathbungo, the roads off Victoria Road, Deanston Drive....), plus fancy bakeries, wee gift shops and great wee restaurants

Once the lockdown is over, I really need to go on a coffee shop/bakery crawl

Uddingston if bothwell is out of your price range, nice main street and good schools, 15 mins on train to central station, handy for both M8 and M74.

Thank you WaxOn and PrettyBird. Guess we need to decide whether we want the country or city life!
Thanks Redyoyo, we looked at a house in Uddingston but the place doesn't really appeal. No particular reason.