Places to live near Gloucester / Cheltenham
Discussion
Mrs 2BTOO and I are making plans. The C19 lockdown has made me realise that I really don't want to live in London for evermore and if we don't start to think about moving out then it's never going to happen. We have family commitments in Southampton and just outside Shrewsbury and the mid-point of the line between the two is pretty much Gloucester. Neither Mrs 2BTOO nor I know this area at all (neither of us have ever been to Gloucester that we can remember) and hence this is a significant unknown.
We're both mid-40's, no kids, have been in London for the last 25 years or more and want more space and some peace and quiet. We're neither very gregarious and would choose a decent local pub for a good dinner over a night out on the town. We're solvent enough not to have to worry too much about jobs immediately and I'll probably bring my business with me but don't want to be too far from a reasonable-sized town or city.
Finding a good local church is going to be the first step (yes, we're Christians - uncool on PH) but whereabouts in this general vicinity would fit the following requirements?
- Village or small town
- Fairly easy access to main roads to get to Southampton/Shrewsbury/shops etc
- Good community feel. We like to know the people whom we live amongst
- 3-bed houses with a bit of garden and a large double garage (essential) plus some parking space for £600k or so
- Good local countryside to walk and cycle in
(Our starting point is the notion from Mrs 2BTOO that 'Gloucester is rough. And Stroud is very rough', although she admits she doesn't know where she got this notion from and can't vouch in any way for it's accuracy or not. Having said that, moving from the East End of London means that anything will probably look very salubrious by comparison.)
I know this is probably very vague but some ideas of areas to look in would be helpful - thanks.
Mods: Please move this so the suitable 'regional' section if you have to although the 'South West' section (which would seem to cover it) seems very quiet. Having it where it will gain as many views as possible would be great - thanks!
We're both mid-40's, no kids, have been in London for the last 25 years or more and want more space and some peace and quiet. We're neither very gregarious and would choose a decent local pub for a good dinner over a night out on the town. We're solvent enough not to have to worry too much about jobs immediately and I'll probably bring my business with me but don't want to be too far from a reasonable-sized town or city.
Finding a good local church is going to be the first step (yes, we're Christians - uncool on PH) but whereabouts in this general vicinity would fit the following requirements?
- Village or small town
- Fairly easy access to main roads to get to Southampton/Shrewsbury/shops etc
- Good community feel. We like to know the people whom we live amongst
- 3-bed houses with a bit of garden and a large double garage (essential) plus some parking space for £600k or so
- Good local countryside to walk and cycle in
(Our starting point is the notion from Mrs 2BTOO that 'Gloucester is rough. And Stroud is very rough', although she admits she doesn't know where she got this notion from and can't vouch in any way for it's accuracy or not. Having said that, moving from the East End of London means that anything will probably look very salubrious by comparison.)
I know this is probably very vague but some ideas of areas to look in would be helpful - thanks.
Mods: Please move this so the suitable 'regional' section if you have to although the 'South West' section (which would seem to cover it) seems very quiet. Having it where it will gain as many views as possible would be great - thanks!
As with almost everywhere there are good and bad parts, Cheltenham is very nice in parts, particularly some of the 'outskirts'.
I've lived in Cirencester and really liked it, I'd like to move back as it was really nice. For me it was a perfect balance of out in the country (even if you live in the town you can be in the countryside in 2 minutes) but also the town has a 24 hour tescos and some other decent diy shops etc so you don't have to travel out of town to get what you need. It's half way between the M4 (by swindon) and the M5 (by Glos/Chelt) so great for access.
If you want to be more in the sticks (and therefore more part of the community) then there are lots of nice villages around Cirencester to choose from!
I've lived in Cirencester and really liked it, I'd like to move back as it was really nice. For me it was a perfect balance of out in the country (even if you live in the town you can be in the countryside in 2 minutes) but also the town has a 24 hour tescos and some other decent diy shops etc so you don't have to travel out of town to get what you need. It's half way between the M4 (by swindon) and the M5 (by Glos/Chelt) so great for access.
If you want to be more in the sticks (and therefore more part of the community) then there are lots of nice villages around Cirencester to choose from!
I was born and raised in Cheltenham / Glos, studied and lived for a while (and more recently worked) in Southampton, and have since lived near Shrewsbury for 13 years, so it’s a travel corridor I know extremely well.
The Salopian end is definitely my favourite, and I get down to Cheltenham, Swindon, Southampton regularly without much hassle. You could save yourself some money and base yourself more in this direction and accept the greater travel times to the south.
Otherwise aim for somewhere right near the M5 or A419. Definitely Cheltenham over Gloucester. Worcester or Tewksbury areas would be worth a look too.
The Salopian end is definitely my favourite, and I get down to Cheltenham, Swindon, Southampton regularly without much hassle. You could save yourself some money and base yourself more in this direction and accept the greater travel times to the south.
Otherwise aim for somewhere right near the M5 or A419. Definitely Cheltenham over Gloucester. Worcester or Tewksbury areas would be worth a look too.
Edited by theboss on Sunday 12th April 19:50
Good stuff, thanks. Keep it coming. Names of places are being looked up on Google Maps and are very helpful.
Theboss, we have a set of parents in both Church Stretton and Southampton and would like to be as close as possible to both of them. Great to know that travel between them is easy. Yes, I can see the appeal of the more northerly areas (money goes further, better scenery). However I think that more central is probably a better idea.
(I'm originally from Kidderminster and once upon a time I went to school in Worcester and knew it quite well. I'm amused to see it feature on your list!)
Theboss, we have a set of parents in both Church Stretton and Southampton and would like to be as close as possible to both of them. Great to know that travel between them is easy. Yes, I can see the appeal of the more northerly areas (money goes further, better scenery). However I think that more central is probably a better idea.
(I'm originally from Kidderminster and once upon a time I went to school in Worcester and knew it quite well. I'm amused to see it feature on your list!)
mikees said:
Want choc box? Bourton, chipping Camden, painswick. Stroud not that rough. Dursley is ok. Nailsworth also ok. Minchinhampton posh ish esp golf course.
Stroud is a dump (or it was when I was growing up there 30 years ago) but has a reasonable selection of shops and there's some lovely areas along the top of the Cotswold escarpment overlooking the Stroud valleys. Minch is (or was, it seems to have grown rather a lot recently) a nice village and is only about 20 minutes from the A417. Edited by kambites on Sunday 12th April 19:56
2Btoo said:
Good stuff, thanks. Keep it coming. Names of places are being looked up on Google Maps and are very helpful.
Theboss, we have a set of parents in both Church Stretton and Southampton and would like to be as close as possible to both of them. Great to know that travel between them is easy. Yes, I can see the appeal of the more northerly areas (money goes further, better scenery). However I think that more central is probably a better idea.
Tell the Southampton ones to sell up and move up here Theboss, we have a set of parents in both Church Stretton and Southampton and would like to be as close as possible to both of them. Great to know that travel between them is easy. Yes, I can see the appeal of the more northerly areas (money goes further, better scenery). However I think that more central is probably a better idea.
that’s actually what my ex-in-laws did.The travel times are sensitive... rush hour it’s a disaster... dead of night I’ve got from Much Wenlock to Southampton airport in under 2 hours...
I know most of the surrounding country fairly well and if I were relocating all over again I would be looking just off the beaten track. I use the A49 / A449 quite a lot for a South Wales and Bristol so now the bridge tolls have gone I wouldn’t rule out the Monmouthshire / Wye Valley / FoD area either, it’s not on the usual track but it’s not much of a deviation either now.
I love Cheltenham and surrounding areas but it’s expensive and probably not what I remember.
Edited by theboss on Sunday 12th April 19:59
I’d have gone with around Dursley as fitting for location. Gloucester is *generally* pretty rough, Cheltenham side nicer.
I’m just to the North of Bristol and it suits me perfectly.. this sort of thing in the area:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...
For a city boy it feels like the countryside to me with decent walks etc locally, but the advantage of being a few minutes from the M4/M5/Bristol.
I’m just to the North of Bristol and it suits me perfectly.. this sort of thing in the area:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...
For a city boy it feels like the countryside to me with decent walks etc locally, but the advantage of being a few minutes from the M4/M5/Bristol.
Not sure why people give 30 year old advice. Like most parts of London, I'm sure 30 years ago Stroud was horrible
Stroud is far from rough and I would take it in a heartbeat over dursley. Head for the hills around selsley or rodborough and you're living in what seems like the middle of nowhere, but a town in 5mins drive away. It's also 1hr 30 to London, and just off the m5.
The other side of Stroud is painswick which is also very nice.
In general the area has all the amenities of town living which I think would soften the blow of leaving London, but you're in an AONB with absolutely epic scenery around.
Random first image off Google, but this particular spot is 5mins from the town, Waitrose, b&q etc, or 25mins from Cirencester and Cheltenham.
Stroud is far from rough and I would take it in a heartbeat over dursley. Head for the hills around selsley or rodborough and you're living in what seems like the middle of nowhere, but a town in 5mins drive away. It's also 1hr 30 to London, and just off the m5.
The other side of Stroud is painswick which is also very nice.
In general the area has all the amenities of town living which I think would soften the blow of leaving London, but you're in an AONB with absolutely epic scenery around.
Random first image off Google, but this particular spot is 5mins from the town, Waitrose, b&q etc, or 25mins from Cirencester and Cheltenham.
Edited by egroeg on Sunday 12th April 20:43
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff