RE: Tell me about your town/area
i live in a small market town called alton, in hampshire. average price for a 3 bed semi around £215k. it's brilliantly positioned for getting anywhere - london 1 hour, coast 40 mins, birmingham 2 hours, exeter 21/2 hrs. we are surrounded by the most beautiful countryside, have a vibrant little town and a great live music scene. very low crime, excellent schools, great kids. more of an ethnic mix than you'd expect and everyone very friendly. one of the best thai restaurants in the south, also a lot of alternative therapists!
RE: Tell me about your town/area
I live in a smallish coastal town called Bude in North Cornwall.
Its a ghost town from November - March, and a busy tourist town during the school holidays.
There is very little planned entertainment for young people, the cinema is 20 min drive (no public transport), the nearest shopping places / train station / airports are an hour / hour and a half away in a car. The kids cant sit in groups around the town centre past 7pm now due to Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO) - what are they to do?
We dont have much public transport, a few local busses and a couple of coaches to the city / larger towns monday - saturday.
Its very hard to rent a property year round as they are used for holiday accommodation in the summer, and you cant buy a decent 1 bed flat for less than £150,000. A 2 bed house is more than £225,000. Council Tax Band A (the cheapest) is just under £1000.
In my oppinion, Bude has become a victim of its own success. Many Hotels and larger B&B's have been turned into luxury flats - now most of the accommodation is £20 per night B&B or £600 week self catering, which doesnt bring the town much revenue.
Many of our essential shops have been turned into Estate Agents or Restaurants, which is great for the tourists, but when you have to travel 40 miles to go shopping for something other than bucket and spades or fudge its a pain.
The night life isnt great, we had 2 night clubs, but one is being turned into more luxury flats, a few pubs, many are very "local" and being the local "gay witch wierdo" doesnt make me too popular in them! I wouldnt mind, but im not even a witch lol.
Most of the employment is based around the tourist Industry and care for the elderly.
Saying that, the countryside, sea and beaches are absolutely fantastic. I can see the breakwater, canal, 2 beaches from my window, and lundy island on a good day - priceless! I can walk to the beach in under 3 minutes.
Bude is very Caucasian, apart from the staff / owners of the 2 chinese restaurants and 3 indian restaurants there are very very few people from ethic minority groups. Im not sure why really, perhaps it will get more diverse in the future.
Oh yeah, and there are loads of Brummies down here! (I'm one my self lol), it always makes me laugh when I buy a cornish clotted cream icecream and get served from a lady with the broadest brummy accent ever!
Anyway, how can I sell Bude as a place to live...
Clean Sea and beaches, Countryside Views from your window, clotted cream and scones with a pot of tea, BBQ's on the beach, a walk along the Canal, Moorland and beautiful woodlands. Oh, and my favourite when im here in the winter, taking the dog for a walk on the beach when the sea is rough and the wind turns sea spray into iced scrapnel!.
Ive lived in Birmingham, Cardiff, India and Bude. Will I stay?
RE: Tell me about your town/area
Lorraine, I always get lost in Falkirk!!! We travel through there to get to Stirling and nearly always have an impromtu tour around Falkirk centre.
Oh I know... it's a bugger to get from A to B. Which route do you take?
Lorraine
RE: Tell me about your town/area
Errrrr?!!! Sorry I don't know road names. I think we pass the big park on the left if thats a help! (probably not!)
RE: Tell me about your town/area
I live in West Kent between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. It's a lovely part of the world with beautiful countryside, and good transport (trains that is - forget buses!!!). 40 mins from Tonbridge to Charing Cross. I have lived here for years now and feel comfortable here. House prices can be obscene though! Terraced houses go for £270,000 and detached with land can be £400,000 upwards![:-] Council tax is high and as we live in a village, we have to pay extra in parish rates as well.
June, the only downside to moving from your part of the world would be that if you located further away to a cheaper property, it would be very difficult to go back towards London if you really missed it as prices would be getting prohibitive.
Love