Was looking for a bit of feedback from the locals on what Newbury is like as a place to live. Cost/standard of living, the town amenities, traffic etc. Is it "nice" or is it ASBO central?
Have been given the option of a better job, but would require relocation from Ireland to Newbury.
Newbury is not a bad place to live, despite some of the things you may read on here.
A reasonable selection of shops and eating places as well as a new cinema coming towards the end of November.
The cost of living is on a par with most towns and transport services on the whole are more than acceptable.
Newbury does not have too much trouble during the evenings, except from the drunken element of our younger generation which from my experience is less than some other areas.
I've just looked at the website Up my Street because I was going to put a link here but their demographic description doesn't describe the Newbury I know! Newbury is a good place to be, there's a lot happening here to make improvements, some disliked by the locals but, by all accounts, people who move here see it as it really is, a pleasant place to live. You should find it friendly.
Depending where you come from and compare to, property prices can be high but presumably your new salary will take that into consideration. There are areas just outside Newbury which are a little cheaper.
Despite current disruptions, traffic on the whole isn't too bad. Occasional hold ups if there's a particular problem but no more than you would expect. For a town this size the shopping offer is good, trains run regularly and quickly to London, and run to and from areas such as Thatcham/Hungerford. A good selection of eating places and bars, a great Corn Exchange to tickle your cultural side, a racecourse on the doorstep if you like the geegees. From mid November a seven screen cinema including 2 3D screens. A very pleasant park, a beautiful canal .... Is that enough to start you off?
A nice rundown there Factfile and definitely enough to get me thinking. I saw that UpMyStreet write up as well and must admit it didn't tally with my impression of what Newbury is like. Hence, why it's good to get a local's view on the place and I think you've pretty much confirmed what I thought. A town big enough to have all the required amenities [2 young kids so good schools would be important in the future Torchy], but small enough that there is still a feeling of community.
With it being a stone's throw from London, I didn't expect it to be the cheapest place on earth to live, but neither is Ireland so there may not be that much of a difference. Rent looks pretty steep though if you're gonna need a 3-4 bed house!
I currently live about a mile from a racecourse as it is, so would be no change there
I think the Upmystreet profile is spot on for the town centre (when I typed Newbury in it took me to a West Mills postcode). You have to think that most of the nicer/wealthier parts of Newbury are not actually that close to the town centre. It is more likely to be rented accommodation and flats.
Good luck with finding a place Salmon but as with most towns Newbury has it good parts and it is not so nice parts, if I were you I would do as much research as you can. One area to watch is school catchment areas. I know of people who have relocated to Newbury and moved to an area that on paper looks fine but when it came to choosing schools found themselves with one choice (well they could put others on the form but as nobody wanted to go to their catchment school they were slotted in there, even when they didn't put it on the form). Actually there were two other choices move or go private.
Are you sure of this or are you making assumptions ?.
What makes it the worst secondary school in your mind ?
There is normally only one way to base any assumption of how good a school is and that is by using the much maligned league tables. I have had a quick look on the BBC and the GCSE stats (the proportion of pupils attaining five or more good GCSEs and equivalents at the end of Key Stage 4 including English and maths) for Trinity in 2008 was 28% compared to Park House 58% and St Barts 56%. What are your assumptions based on?
I agree, but it wasn't always like that. Trinity used to be a very good school. My daughter and son went there and they both did well. My son went to college and my daughter went to university. It is sad the way it ended up. That happened when Mrs Roscoe left.
There is normally only one way to base any assumption of how good a school is and that is by using the much maligned league tables. I have had a quick look on the BBC and the GCSE stats (the proportion of pupils attaining five or more good GCSEs and equivalents at the end of Key Stage 4 including English and maths) for Trinity in 2008 was 28% compared to Park House 58% and St Barts 56%.
Indeed, my comment was based on the league tables.
What's scary is how easy it is to get a C grade at GCSE level. According to a number of teachers I know (across various disciplines) they've got definitely got easier, even over the 15 years since I took mine. It's worrying to think that over 40% of Barts and PHS pupils still failed to achieve at least five of these.
Any why can't they be honest and call D grades or below FAIL. Everyone knows that only A-Cs are worth anything.
Indeed, my comment was based on the league tables.
What's scary is how easy it is to get a C grade at GCSE level. According to a number of teachers I know (across various disciplines) they've got definitely got easier, even over the 15 years since I took mine. It's worrying to think that over 40% of Barts and PHS pupils still failed to achieve at least five of these.
Any why can't they be honest and call D grades or below FAIL. Everyone knows that only A-Cs are worth anything.
The whole thing about this pointless examination grading, whatever it is called, is to enable the school leaver to go on to the proliferation of mediocre universities, colleges and the like and get further dubious qualifications. Why is this ? It keeps the out of work statistics down so that consecutive governments can claim low numbers for the monthly unemployment statistics that get trotted out. The parents enjoy their crowing and boasting about their precious offspring going on to university when a fair proportion of the young people are just wasting taxpayers money. Modern day apprenticeships are a joke and local colleges turn them out with their "qualification" when some of them can hardly write their name let alone string a sentence together. We are degrading from a nation of innovators to a nation of scroungers and ne'er do wells looking for the next handout from the council, either a new house or flat that they, the rent free occupants, allow to degrade but of course, they need their benefits because they can't work and have been signed off and the price of fags has gone through the roof and their new mobile phone contracts are getting too expensive. Don't let that stop you coming to Newbury by the way. I like the town and I'm sure you will as well, this sort of behaviour is less obvious here than in other larger towns where employment opportunities really are a problem.
I think the Upmystreet profile is spot on for the town centre (when I typed Newbury in it took me to a West Mills postcode) ...
Yes West Mills is a better profile but the profile for a location within a 2 minute walk of West Mills gives a totally different impression. People like Salmon who don't know the area at all, are likely to view these profiles, pick the less complimentary one and think it applies to all of Newbury.
Yes West Mills is a better profile but the profile for a location within a 2 minute walk of West Mills gives a totally different impression. People like Salmon who don't know the area at all, are likely to view these profiles, pick the less complimentary one and think it applies to all of Newbury.
I did try and put my post code in and it wouldn't accept it, in that respect I totally agree with that the site can be misleading.
Newbury is a good place to live, less crime than a lot of places, overall good schools, rental accommodation getting cheaper, reasonable range of shops and lovely countryside BUT...
traffic is abysmal even without the current disruption and we have high levels of nitrogen dioxide at some junctions. Beer prices in most pubs are higher than London. As for public transport - good train into Paddington; Thatcham Station not within walking distance of Thatcham centre; bus drivers have been laid off, services have been cut, the info centre has closed down and it costs £1.50 for three stops.
Slightly snarled at rush hour, but nothing like it used to be pre-bypass. Residents of a great many towns would be delighted to have as little traffic conjestion as Newbury.
I'd be moving from a place where it can take me over an hour to drive the 25 miles to work, 15 of which usually takes 15 minutes, so "abysmal traffic" is all relative. And, unfortunately, a fact of working life these days. If I can live closer to work and cut that commute in half then that is an increase in quality of life in my eyes.
With 2 small kids the price of a pint usually doesn't concern me but on the rare occasion I get the chance, a pint of the black stuff here is around €4. My guess is that is no different from a standard price of pint over there.
It's all good info though guys and thanks for taking the time to air your opinions.
No - NWN News today says West Berks dearest place to drink with local average of £3.04 against national average of £2.68.
That's doesn't sound right to me. I seem to remember a pint of beer costing about £2.40 at the LSB, compared to about £3.00 in a comparable (non-Wetherspoon) London pub. Maybe things are different with lager...
That's doesn't sound right to me. I seem to remember a pint of beer costing about £2.40 at the LSB, compared to about £3.00 in a comparable (non-Wetherspoon) London pub. Maybe things are different with lager...
It has been a long time since a pint of beer (or lager) could be had for £2.40 in the LSB (which is one of the most expensive pubs in Newbury). Starting price in there is around £3.00.
Don't worry the road half closed for the cinema build will ease that problem when it re-opens for two way traffic . It's going to be a bit later than we were promised but it should be back to two way in time for the cinema to open its doors to the paying customers. I'm sure FF will confirm that.
Hi was wondering if anyone had a two bedroom house to rent from the middle of august as moving from london as five year old son has autism and there are currently no special needs school places available in my borough we have been offered a school place in donnington for him to start september as he needs a better quality of life,we are looking to rent long term thanks
Hi was wondering if anyone had a two bedroom house to rent from the middle of august as moving from london as five year old son has autism and there are currently no special needs school places available in my borough we have been offered a school place in donnington for him to start september as he needs a better quality of life,we are looking to rent long term thanks
Dont know anybody but this link takes you to the online local paper where they advertise. Good look and hope your move goes well. http://www.newburyhomesearch.co.uk/
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