moving to Bristol

[witt999]

Am hoping to relocate to Bristol next year and doing a bit of advance planning.
Can anyone help with areas to live - am keen to be in a reasonably quiet family-friendly area that's still convenient/not too isolated. Not sure where I'll be working so a bit in the dark but priority to live in a good area even if it means longer commute. Def don't want to be in a studenty area. Budget is around £325,000.
Would consider Bath and commuting from there - what is that like? Not sure if the budget can stretch to it though...

[TallulahBetty]

I am familiar with the north of Bristol. Areas to look at are Downend, Mangotsfield, Emersons Green, parts of Kingswood.

[TallulahBetty]

Meant to add that the above are very close to the M5, M4 and the Almondsbury interchange which connects the two.

[TallulahBetty]

And avoid Fishponds if you don't want students.

[VBisme]

Could you stretch as far north as the south Cotswolds, Stroud is lovely.

[allaflutter]

what sort of property are you looking for with this budget? do you want an upmarket area or just convenient and not rough (even if dull)?

[witt999]

Thanks - will start browsing rightmove.
Am I right in thinking north Bristol generally preferable to South?
Reasonably open-minded about the property and willing to shop around to find the right compromise, so please do include all possibilities. Doesn't need to be upmarket (although it would be nice) just decent and safe (have been living in Manchester for a while and need a change of lifestyle). Two bedrooms and reasonably low maintenance are the main criteria. Although last time I got tempted into a big renovation but not sure I can cope with it this time. Going to come down for a drive round but may not be able to get time off until later in the year so will have to be pretty efficient about it with the shorter days.
Would consider further out and I love the Cotswolds. How big is Stroud? Don't want to feel too isolated after Manch, but this is about a lifestyle change...
Its tricky not knowing where I'll be working but really helpful to get an idea of housing options before starting to apply - I'm a GP so jobs are all over and want to know I can get housing without a mega commute.
What is the traffic like around Bristol? There's a job being advertised in Bedminster at the minute (not that i'm ready to apply yet) but would it be feasible to commute to practices in the South from the north suburbs or even further afield. There's a job in Yate too which I think would be against the traffic. Is it worth considering posts in S Glos and potentially commuting out of Bristol?

[witt999]

By the way, the areas you mention near M4 and M5 - is that a good thing for travel or a bad thing for traffic noise?

[witt999]

Is there any chance of getting closer into Bristol on my price range?

[harryhausen]

I know Bedminster and Southville well. The area of Bedminster surrounding North St and Southville is really nice and a lovely area for children. It has a great community feel, mostly very MC, a little bit Eco-hippy but not in a crazy way. Very arty. Schools are very oversubscribed but they are extending one of the schools massively and also building a new one.

You could get a lovely house for your budget. It's a high density area, with street parking that can get difficult but no worse than you would get in Bath.

[TallulahBetty]

I meant that the areas are good for travel. They're not so close that noise and traffic in those areas are a problem

[formicadinosaur]

Wotton under edge. Direct trains from cam/Dursly train station. Buses. Top state school. Great primary's. Active community. Fair trade town. Safe. Small cinema. Outdoor pool with inside pool close by in nearby town.

[formicadinosaur]

Stroud has a direct train to Bristol. Naff secondary schools but good grammar.

[formicadinosaur]

Cirencester? Too far?

[formicadinosaur]

If you are a GP you will probably be driving in to Bristol when the roads are quiet anyway.

Cirencester has lovely highly though of schools. All the facilities you need but is quite horsey unlike Stroud which is more alternative but also a bit down at the heels in the town centre. Lovely countryside surrounding the town though.

[ZolaBuddleia]

I'm considering the exact same, but with a much smaller budget!

Bedminster houses seem to be much cheaper than Southville on Rightmove, do you know why that is, harryhausen?

Wotton-under-Edge sounds exactly what we're looking for! What is housing like there formica? On Rightmove everything looks newish, do older houses come up much?

What's Cirencester's vibe?

Also, I've read a few times on here that Bristol schools are awful, is that true?

Hoping I'm not hijacking, OP, hoping we might have similar questions.

[carlajean]

I'd agree with formicadinasaur about Wotton (local to me) but the railway station at Cam Dursley is about 30 minutes drive away, a bit far IMO.
Housing is limited, as the terrain means not many more houses can be built. Parklands is nice, also Coo be and Ellerncroft.

[carlajean]

There are older houses, but sometimes parking is problematical

[UC]

Hi,

Bedminster houses are cheaper than Southville because Southville is more gentrified. Parts of Bedminster are quite run down. It depends what kind of area you want.

Have you considered anywhere outside? The schools in Bristol do not have very good reputations, and I know quite a few people who have either moved or educated privately. However, there are excellent state schools very near to Bristol in places like Backwell, Portishead, Nailsea - all south of Bristol - and Thornbury - north of Bristol.

[harryhausen]

Zola is right about Southville being more gentrified than Bedminster. Parts of Bedminster have 'blurred' into Southville. Streets around Chessel St - Pearl St, Ruby St, Aubrey Rd etc are very nice (estate agents will call this The Chessels). It's possible you were looking at Bedminster Down, which although is not an utter dive - is not what I would class as very 'mc'. The houses in Southville are bigger Victorian terrace houses with small gardens. Many Bedminster houses are smaller with backyards.

Historically the gentry lived in North Bristol (Clifton, Redland etc) and the 'workers' (shipworkers, minors, tobacco factory workers) lived in the smaller terraces South of the river. There is a small left over snobbery about this. However the now elected Bristol Mayor George Ferguson helped to regenerate the area around the old Tobacco Factory (North St). It benefitted from the property boom of the early 2000's where young professionals from Clifton etc realised they could get a large family home near to the city centre relatively cheaply. North St now has bars, 2 theaters, restaurants, independent shops, bakeries and a Deli etc. It will never have the grandeur of Clifton but its got a nice community.

My Dh moved to Bristol 25 years and has lived all over. He said if money was no object he would choose a large Victorian Villa in Redland. I've only ever lived in the South.

Have a look at Long Ashton. I know plenty of people there. A more village feel but a spit throw from Bristol. Traffic is v congested in the morning though.

Re schools - Bristol has no grammar school system so historically anyone that could would go private. Therefore the state schools declined badly. They used to languish at the very bottom of the tables. However, they are getting much better and the percentage of parents going out of county or private is declining slightly (according to last years local paper!). We've yet to decide on senior school yet, it's very possible I'll go local - possibly Ashton Park or Chew Valley. However, many people I know still send into Bath and N Somerset. It's not unusual.

On the whole I love living in Bristol. It's a great city. Yes, you can drive easily from North to South .....rush hour depending.

Let us know how you get on x

[tallulah]

Traffic in Bristol is diabolical, depending on where you are going and what day/time. What should be a 10 minute journey you need to allow 30 - 45 minutes. Do take that into account. "Rush hour" lasts from 3.30 to about 7pm on the ring road.

[kinelle]

Thornbury is lovely. A market town to the north of Bristol. The 4th best town to live in the UK according to The Sunday Times! Easy to get to Bristol and all it's amenities, but on the edge of lovely countryside; also nice and close to M5 and M4. ( but not close enough to hear them!). Very good schools, low crime, v naice all round.

[Misty9]

That's a healthy budget in my opinion. I'm Bristol born and bred - but left over 10yrs ago. My family however still live there, and my brother with his young family are buying a house in horfield, off the Gloucester road. £310k for a three bed semi with potential to extend etc. They his wife are VERY fussy about where they live, so it must be a family friendly area and I think it's in catchment for Ashley down junior school (where we went).

Gloucester road from muller road junction downwards is lovely with a bohemian feel to it and getting more pricey as you head into town via St. Andrews and bishopston. I grew up in the latter, and loved it. St. Andrews park is fantastic.

We live at the other end of the country (widthways) and threads like this make me sad I don't live in Bristol :(

[Misty9]

Just had a quick look and this is in a decent location, as an example.

[formicadinosaur]

Isn't cam Dursley station about 15 mins away? Wotton under edge has lots of old homes built around an old town centre. plus some newer estates. It's a great town and the secondary school is fab with top results. My Bristol friends are very jealous. Look up Katherine lady Berkeley ofsted. Very family orientated town and a great sense of community and lots of nice countryside to hand. The drive into Bristol is fine out of rush hour.
Thornbury isn't my cup of tea for some reason.

Cirencester is quite flat itself but in the middle of the lovely Cotswolds. Great schools/leisure facilities, lots of agriculture, quite conservative. A safe small town but maybe a bit bland? I'm sure someone will tell me otherwise.

Bristol secondary schools are generally quite ropey. Many people leave the city because of the education.