Anyone live in Basingstoke?
Discussion
Everyone here will tell you it's utter s
t.
It's not that bad, but some of the people that live here are.
The station (as most stations are) is a high crime area, it has it's share of fights, muggings etc. I honestly dont think it's worse than any other commuter towns (affordable ones anyway).
The yellow and blue flats by the station are notoriously crap, full of illegals and social tennants, the white ones next to it are apparently a bit better, (they are still finishing them off though).
The ones a 5-10 minute walk away to the west of the station are also not bad.
There's no shortage of terraced houses in and around town, close enough to the station, for renting, probably a bit more expensive than a flat though.
Night life if below average, the one night club is a dive, town is ok till about 11pm, gets a bit fighty after that. I dont really go out in town.
lots of shops, facilities, etc.
In short, fine as a place to live in order to make a commute easy, ( a means to an end) not really place to want to put down roots.
I've been here 10 years for the easy commute (I live a two minute walk from the station) but I'll be moving to the countryside soon! yay!
t.It's not that bad, but some of the people that live here are.
The station (as most stations are) is a high crime area, it has it's share of fights, muggings etc. I honestly dont think it's worse than any other commuter towns (affordable ones anyway).
The yellow and blue flats by the station are notoriously crap, full of illegals and social tennants, the white ones next to it are apparently a bit better, (they are still finishing them off though).
The ones a 5-10 minute walk away to the west of the station are also not bad.
There's no shortage of terraced houses in and around town, close enough to the station, for renting, probably a bit more expensive than a flat though.
Night life if below average, the one night club is a dive, town is ok till about 11pm, gets a bit fighty after that. I dont really go out in town.
lots of shops, facilities, etc.
In short, fine as a place to live in order to make a commute easy, ( a means to an end) not really place to want to put down roots.
I've been here 10 years for the easy commute (I live a two minute walk from the station) but I'll be moving to the countryside soon! yay!
Edited by davido140 on Wednesday 13th October 17:58
where do you comute to out of interest- there are smaller stations around Basingstoke that be preferable (Bramley Maybe)?
We live about 10 mins north of Amazingstoke (so good they named it twice) and to be honest its really not that bad- no different to any other town really- countryside around it is quite nice in places though- and if you can get outside of Basingstoke and drive to the station then you could have a nice pad for not too much money!
We live about 10 mins north of Amazingstoke (so good they named it twice) and to be honest its really not that bad- no different to any other town really- countryside around it is quite nice in places though- and if you can get outside of Basingstoke and drive to the station then you could have a nice pad for not too much money!
Just to add, if it's one of the block of flats right by the station you're looking at the higer up the better!! There is a steady stream of screaming, shouting pissheads from town to the estates north of the station from about 10:30pm to about 3:30am most weekends, but especially so in the summer.
Sharing details of where you would need to commute to might help us give some other recommendations (not that I have a nice 2 bed, modern mid terrace, with 3 parking spaces, modern decor, within 1/2 mile of a mainline station available for immediate let in Surrey, approx 35 mins drive from basingstoke) 
Edited by 007singh on Wednesday 13th October 18:44
pugwash4x4 said:
where do you comute to out of interest- there are smaller stations around Basingstoke that be preferable (Bramley Maybe)?
We live about 10 mins north of Amazingstoke (so good they named it twice) and to be honest its really not that bad- no different to any other town really- countryside around it is quite nice in places though- and if you can get outside of Basingstoke and drive to the station then you could have a nice pad for not too much money!
According to your profile Somerset is 10 mins north of Basingrad!We live about 10 mins north of Amazingstoke (so good they named it twice) and to be honest its really not that bad- no different to any other town really- countryside around it is quite nice in places though- and if you can get outside of Basingstoke and drive to the station then you could have a nice pad for not too much money!
(hello from Tadley Borders)
Basinggrad, Blazingsmoke, whatever you want...
It's the butt of a lot of local jokes and there are some PROPERLY scummy areas, so pick carefully. In fairness, some are quite nice and there is no shortage of facilities in the locality, plus you've got the A339 which leads out to the South is GREAT fun!
It's the butt of a lot of local jokes and there are some PROPERLY scummy areas, so pick carefully. In fairness, some are quite nice and there is no shortage of facilities in the locality, plus you've got the A339 which leads out to the South is GREAT fun!
Waugh-terfall said:
Basinggrad, Blazingsmoke, whatever you want...
It's the butt of a lot of local jokes and there are some PROPERLY scummy areas, so pick carefully. In fairness, some are quite nice and there is no shortage of facilities in the locality, plus you've got the A339 which leads out to the South is GREAT fun!
some of the surrounding Villages are nice It's the butt of a lot of local jokes and there are some PROPERLY scummy areas, so pick carefully. In fairness, some are quite nice and there is no shortage of facilities in the locality, plus you've got the A339 which leads out to the South is GREAT fun!
Waugh-terfall said:
Basinggrad, Blazingsmoke, whatever you want...
It's the butt of a lot of local jokes and there are some PROPERLY scummy areas, so pick carefully.
You see this always confuses me a bit, yes it got some crappy bits but the worst of the worst doesnt compare to the scum and villany you can find in many areas in and around London (peckham? brixton? bit out of touch, not sure where the really bad bits in London are now) croydon springs to mind too, More local to here Aldershot, Reading, Slough, Bracknell all have far worse estates and scummers and Reading in particular. Compared to Coventry where my GF is from it's positively lovely! yet Basingstoke still seems to get a really bad reputation.It's the butt of a lot of local jokes and there are some PROPERLY scummy areas, so pick carefully.
yet having said that all of them still have nice bits.
Edited by davido140 on Wednesday 13th October 19:03
Puggit said:
pugwash4x4 said:
where do you comute to out of interest- there are smaller stations around Basingstoke that be preferable (Bramley Maybe)?
We live about 10 mins north of Amazingstoke (so good they named it twice) and to be honest its really not that bad- no different to any other town really- countryside around it is quite nice in places though- and if you can get outside of Basingstoke and drive to the station then you could have a nice pad for not too much money!
According to your profile Somerset is 10 mins north of Basingrad!We live about 10 mins north of Amazingstoke (so good they named it twice) and to be honest its really not that bad- no different to any other town really- countryside around it is quite nice in places though- and if you can get outside of Basingstoke and drive to the station then you could have a nice pad for not too much money!
(hello from Tadley Borders)
Thanks for the replies so far, really helpful.
davido140: Quite surprised to hear the blue and yellow apartments (Crown Heights?) are crap, I quite liked the look of those. But the aim of the game is definitely for a quiet life (or at least as quiet as possible) so I'll give them a miss. The apartments to the west you mention, I assume you mean winterthur way. That's where we're looking, seems like there's a fair bit of choice and as long as it's the opposite side from the railway it shouldn't be too bad. Despite only being 23 we're not too concerned with night life, as long as there's a few decent pubs/bars.
Pugwash/007Singh: I will be commuting to Aldershot, and my gf works in Southampton. Not ideal, driving for me will be about 30mins (forgetting about traffic) or an hour with a change of trains. The train to Southampton is only about 30-40mins though so better for her. Unfortunately Basingstoke seems to be our only choice for a reasonable commute each. To be honest we'd both like to live within walking distance of the station, we'll be leaving at different times so we'd have to take two cars everyday if not.
I think you'll always be able to find someone who doesn't like a place. I quite liked living in Guildford but it can be a bit chav central in town there, although living up a steep hill did work to keep them away from my house
davido140: Quite surprised to hear the blue and yellow apartments (Crown Heights?) are crap, I quite liked the look of those. But the aim of the game is definitely for a quiet life (or at least as quiet as possible) so I'll give them a miss. The apartments to the west you mention, I assume you mean winterthur way. That's where we're looking, seems like there's a fair bit of choice and as long as it's the opposite side from the railway it shouldn't be too bad. Despite only being 23 we're not too concerned with night life, as long as there's a few decent pubs/bars.
Pugwash/007Singh: I will be commuting to Aldershot, and my gf works in Southampton. Not ideal, driving for me will be about 30mins (forgetting about traffic) or an hour with a change of trains. The train to Southampton is only about 30-40mins though so better for her. Unfortunately Basingstoke seems to be our only choice for a reasonable commute each. To be honest we'd both like to live within walking distance of the station, we'll be leaving at different times so we'd have to take two cars everyday if not.
I think you'll always be able to find someone who doesn't like a place. I quite liked living in Guildford but it can be a bit chav central in town there, although living up a steep hill did work to keep them away from my house
I work in old basing in Basingstoke. It's about 5 minutes drive from the train station and is a really nice area. Like any town there will be bad and good areas. Where I work is nice, and the houses are lovely.
I work off park lane btw if you wanted to check it out just chuck it into google
earth.
I work off park lane btw if you wanted to check it out just chuck it into google
earth.
Edited by Cas_P on Wednesday 13th October 21:43
Alex97 said:
Thanks for the replies so far, really helpful.
davido140: Quite surprised to hear the blue and yellow apartments (Crown Heights?) are crap, I quite liked the look of those. But the aim of the game is definitely for a quiet life (or at least as quiet as possible) so I'll give them a miss. The apartments to the west you mention, I assume you mean winterthur way. That's where we're looking, seems like there's a fair bit of choice and as long as it's the opposite side from the railway it shouldn't be too bad. Despite only being 23 we're not too concerned with night life, as long as there's a few decent pubs/bars.
Pugwash/007Singh: I will be commuting to Aldershot, and my gf works in Southampton. Not ideal, driving for me will be about 30mins (forgetting about traffic) or an hour with a change of trains. The train to Southampton is only about 30-40mins though so better for her. Unfortunately Basingstoke seems to be our only choice for a reasonable commute each. To be honest we'd both like to live within walking distance of the station, we'll be leaving at different times so we'd have to take two cars everyday if not.
I think you'll always be able to find someone who doesn't like a place. I quite liked living in Guildford but it can be a bit chav central in town there, although living up a steep hill did work to keep them away from my house
I havent lived there it's just "what I heard", I also heard the penthouse apartments are very nice, but I also heard one was a brother for a while too.davido140: Quite surprised to hear the blue and yellow apartments (Crown Heights?) are crap, I quite liked the look of those. But the aim of the game is definitely for a quiet life (or at least as quiet as possible) so I'll give them a miss. The apartments to the west you mention, I assume you mean winterthur way. That's where we're looking, seems like there's a fair bit of choice and as long as it's the opposite side from the railway it shouldn't be too bad. Despite only being 23 we're not too concerned with night life, as long as there's a few decent pubs/bars.
Pugwash/007Singh: I will be commuting to Aldershot, and my gf works in Southampton. Not ideal, driving for me will be about 30mins (forgetting about traffic) or an hour with a change of trains. The train to Southampton is only about 30-40mins though so better for her. Unfortunately Basingstoke seems to be our only choice for a reasonable commute each. To be honest we'd both like to live within walking distance of the station, we'll be leaving at different times so we'd have to take two cars everyday if not.
I think you'll always be able to find someone who doesn't like a place. I quite liked living in Guildford but it can be a bit chav central in town there, although living up a steep hill did work to keep them away from my house
The courtyard area in the centre of those flats was supposed to be gyms, coffee shops and restaurants, except its now just a bunch of boarded up units and had been since the day it was built (except the doctors surgery). It's also an echo generating volume amplifying hole for all the pissed morons walking back from town (it's on the direct path on the foot bridge walking back from town) mostly piss stained and vomit covered, they removed the fountain from the centre of it, probably because it was regularly full of drunken people!
I wouldnt even consider them if I were you.
Winterthur is the one I was thinking of, been where I am now for 10 years and 3 more in other areas of Basingstoke and I still dont know any road names!
davido140 said:
rednotdead said:
What about the Cliddesden Road side? What's the consensus on that area near QM College? Looking at an apartment in that area on Sat - yay or nay?
yay, it's quite nice around there.Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff