Reply to: Family-friendly towns in England

[Joeman]

I know that every time this question pops up, it elicits a deluge of cynicism, but I'd like to get some advice on family-friendly towns in SW England, preferably, between the M3 and M4 corridor. I live in the Continent, but my expecting wife is British. We've thought about relocating to the UK so that my child can get easier access to the grandparents.

My criteria:

-outside London
-IT jobs available
-good public schools
-family-friendly atmosphere
-reasonable house prices <=500K

Any clues?

Sevenoaks...

[Paddy]

That's a rubbish area. Parts of Weeke and Stanmore in Winchester are to be avoided.

"Unlike most Brits, I practice the Germanic habit of saving and not living beyond my means. "

Only trying to help mate.

Ex council house...

[bobspud]

It's at the top of my list if anything comes up at Hinckley Point.

Never depend on working locally down here. The rates are crap. I generally work in London or Reading or up the M5 towards Birmingham. Although that said several of the larger integration firms have work from home rules so I have done my current gig and my new one mostly sat at home. It's all commutable.

[DimPrawn]

Swindon is nice this time of year.

[gingerjedi]

Then you should move to Somerset. Theres no point moving to the aera where you are looking, when you will have no grandparent support for babysitting. You will have the inconvenience of having to drive away from London with everyone else every time there is a bank holiday and your wife wants to see her parents.

I moved my family to Somerset nearly 10 years ago this year. It's the best thing I ever did. You can get into London from Bristol or Bath Spa train stations in an hour and half and have a clear run down the M4 and A303,M3 for the Thames gateway. I am near Bristol airport as well so I can make it to Amsterdam in 50 minutes. It has a bonus of a very nice style of life when you are home at the weekends and there are nice places in your price range down here.

Sshhh don't tell everyone.

On the downside the SW can be a more expensive place to live than London as good contract rates are few and far between.

[wobbegong]

Somerset. So everything in a 100 mile radius would be OK for the weekend-odd family visit: Bristol, Swindon, Portsmouth, SOuthampton, Reading.

I went to Exeter last summer and I liked it a lot.

If you like where you currently live, why not spend the money buying somewhere nearby to house the grandparents?

[KaiserWilly]

Warwick is good if you are happy with M40 corridor. If that is too small, then Leamington Spa might suit, which has good train links to London, Birmingham (and airport) and Reading.

House prices cheaper than South and some IT industry. Schools good in Warwick.

That's 125m to my inlaws. A bit far away, IMO. I'll stick to Bristol or Bath. Bath is awesome (sorry, lovely), but house prices are high.

[Old Greg]

Warwick is good if you are happy with M40 corridor. If that is too small, then Leamington Spa might suit, which has good train links to London, Birmingham (and airport) and Reading.

House prices cheaper than South and some IT industry. Schools good in Warwick.

[KimberleyChris]

I thought you were Kaiser's willy?

Es tut mir leid, aber ich verstehe nicht......

[DodgyAgent]

Yep, just looked up the renting rates for Taunton. Pretty reasonable by Southern standards, two airports and the seaside not far away for the kids. M5 might be a bit of a drag during the holiday season, but anything nearer to London is a drag ALL the time.

It's at the top of my list if anything comes up at Hinckley Point.

I thought you were Kaiser's willy?

[KimberleyChris]

Yep, just looked up the renting rates for Taunton. Pretty reasonable by Southern standards, two airports and the seaside not far away for the kids. M5 might be a bit of a drag during the holiday season, but anything nearer to London is a drag ALL the time.

It's at the top of my list if anything comes up at Hinckley Point.

[DodgyAgent]

Wales for £250K easy!

FTFY

[psychocandy]

4 bed detached in Wales for £250K easy!

[DodgyAgent]

A quick search gave this for 237K

3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Westman Road, Winchester, SO22

OK. Not Buckingham Palace, but modest enough for a family.

Unlike most Brits, I'm a practice the Germanic habit of saving and not living beyond my means.

Boring prick

[d000hg]

You won't find much for 250K in nice areas, 400K is more like it.

In the south, definitely (which is what he wanted). If you try the north, or Scotland, you'd have a fighting chance.