Good areas to live in England.
Jul 27th 2008, 3:12 am
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,610
Re: Good areas to live in England.
[QUOTE=crystal23;6614574]Sorry TT but Watford - you have to be insane to want to put down roots there.
The traffic is dire especially round the one way system around the shops and there are loads of speed cameras in the area now.
My best friend has just moved from Watford to a nicer area outside of Watford.
If you want me to pm you with how bad Watford really is let me know. I love the UK for sure but happily admit that some areas are just YUK - Watford being one of them.
Dorset or Watford - hmm - no brainer IMHO of course
[/QUOT
No I'm not moving to Watford just visiting my sister who lives there. just wanted to know how bad the area is and what the traffic will be like. Dont think I will tell my OH if its really bad.
The traffic is dire especially round the one way system around the shops and there are loads of speed cameras in the area now.
My best friend has just moved from Watford to a nicer area outside of Watford.
If you want me to pm you with how bad Watford really is let me know. I love the UK for sure but happily admit that some areas are just YUK - Watford being one of them.
Dorset or Watford - hmm - no brainer IMHO of course
[/QUOTNo I'm not moving to Watford just visiting my sister who lives there. just wanted to know how bad the area is and what the traffic will be like. Dont think I will tell my OH if its really bad.
Jul 27th 2008, 4:31 am
#32
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 723
Re: Good areas to live in England.
[QUOTE=trottytrue;6614671]
Thank god for that.
When I went home for my trip in April I met my best friend in Watford and I thought it had changed for the worse in a year. Traffic was horrendous into The Harlequin Centre around the one way system and if you weren't there before about 10am on a weekday forget a parking space.
Also the traffic down the dual carriageway that leads to Asda was chokka because of the college and mosque traffic as well as the Asda and Sainsbury traffic. Nrth Watford - again nightmare for traffic - speed cameras every few yards and the junk shops pretending to be antique shops are still trading with their crap all over the pavement.
Lots of new wine bars at the top (chavvy) end of the High Street (near ex Paradise Lost club ) mixed in with charity shops and building societies.
The Collessium club in the town hall isn't allowed to operate anymore so that has cut down alot of the trouble that happened there.
Having said all that the Harlequin Centre is good for your UK fix of great shops.
Watford isn't my cup of tea at all and a few hours there was enough for me.
But that is just my opinion - others may love it
Thank god for that.
When I went home for my trip in April I met my best friend in Watford and I thought it had changed for the worse in a year. Traffic was horrendous into The Harlequin Centre around the one way system and if you weren't there before about 10am on a weekday forget a parking space.
Also the traffic down the dual carriageway that leads to Asda was chokka because of the college and mosque traffic as well as the Asda and Sainsbury traffic. Nrth Watford - again nightmare for traffic - speed cameras every few yards and the junk shops pretending to be antique shops are still trading with their crap all over the pavement.
Lots of new wine bars at the top (chavvy) end of the High Street (near ex Paradise Lost club ) mixed in with charity shops and building societies.
The Collessium club in the town hall isn't allowed to operate anymore so that has cut down alot of the trouble that happened there.
Having said all that the Harlequin Centre is good for your UK fix of great shops.
Watford isn't my cup of tea at all and a few hours there was enough for me.
But that is just my opinion - others may love it
Jul 27th 2008, 8:18 am
#33
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 32
Re: Good areas to live in England.
Re: Good areas to live in England.
mmmmm this is a TOUGH one !!
mmmmm this is a TOUGH one !!
Jul 27th 2008, 12:15 pm
#34
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,397
Re: Good areas to live in England.
[QUOTE=crystal23;6614728]
Thank god for that.
When I went home for my trip in April I met my best friend in Watford and I thought it had changed for the worse in a year. Traffic was horrendous into The Harlequin Centre around the one way system and if you weren't there before about 10am on a weekday forget a parking space.
Also the traffic down the dual carriageway that leads to Asda was chokka because of the college and mosque traffic as well as the Asda and Sainsbury traffic. Nrth Watford - again nightmare for traffic - speed cameras every few yards and the junk shops pretending to be antique shops are still trading with their crap all over the pavement.
Lots of new wine bars at the top (chavvy) end of the High Street (near ex Paradise Lost club ) mixed in with charity shops and building societies.
The Collessium club in the town hall isn't allowed to operate anymore so that has cut down alot of the trouble that happened there.
Having said all that the Harlequin Centre is good for your UK fix of great shops.
Watford isn't my cup of tea at all and a few hours there was enough for me.
But that is just my opinion - others may love it
LOL, I dont think its quite that bad .. but its certainly not somehwhere you'd choose to live. It's basically a big shopping centre and retail park. North out of Watford up the A41 is still industrial, the printers are still there as well as a fair few fabric manufacturers etc etc. A long time ago I lived in near Hemel and worked in Harrow so the A41 commute route was a daily routine and yes, its a busy one.
Full of small old terrace housing, and of course Vicarage Road side is dominated by Watford football club and the hospital complex. Dont go on match days! The ring road at rush hour sucks anyday, outside of rush hour and saturdays its not too bad. I know the rat runs however. I just left one of the worst traffic hell holes of the world though, so perhaps my perspectives a bit off
I shop up there semi regularly though, be it in the Harlequin, Tesco Extra or any one of the 4 or 5 retail parks. Petrol's always cheaper there and I very rarely come back without want I needed.
I've not been up there at night since the Coliseum used to do 70's and Pardise Lost was Paradise Lost either. Watford Junction is great for cutting the price and hassle of rail travel out of London and I'd although certianly never move there or that close, I think its actually great to have nearby.
Thank god for that.
When I went home for my trip in April I met my best friend in Watford and I thought it had changed for the worse in a year. Traffic was horrendous into The Harlequin Centre around the one way system and if you weren't there before about 10am on a weekday forget a parking space.
Also the traffic down the dual carriageway that leads to Asda was chokka because of the college and mosque traffic as well as the Asda and Sainsbury traffic. Nrth Watford - again nightmare for traffic - speed cameras every few yards and the junk shops pretending to be antique shops are still trading with their crap all over the pavement.
Lots of new wine bars at the top (chavvy) end of the High Street (near ex Paradise Lost club ) mixed in with charity shops and building societies.
The Collessium club in the town hall isn't allowed to operate anymore so that has cut down alot of the trouble that happened there.
Having said all that the Harlequin Centre is good for your UK fix of great shops.
Watford isn't my cup of tea at all and a few hours there was enough for me.
But that is just my opinion - others may love it
Full of small old terrace housing, and of course Vicarage Road side is dominated by Watford football club and the hospital complex. Dont go on match days! The ring road at rush hour sucks anyday, outside of rush hour and saturdays its not too bad. I know the rat runs however. I just left one of the worst traffic hell holes of the world though, so perhaps my perspectives a bit off
I shop up there semi regularly though, be it in the Harlequin, Tesco Extra or any one of the 4 or 5 retail parks. Petrol's always cheaper there and I very rarely come back without want I needed.
I've not been up there at night since the Coliseum used to do 70's and Pardise Lost was Paradise Lost either. Watford Junction is great for cutting the price and hassle of rail travel out of London and I'd although certianly never move there or that close, I think its actually great to have nearby.
Last edited by Tootsie Frickensprinkles; Jul 27th 2008 at 12:17 pm.
Jul 28th 2008, 12:26 pm
#35
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 73
Re: Good areas to live in England.
Hey there,
I first starting reading you post and thought - Cheshire. Northwich type place. Then I read on, a bit warmer, which brought me to South Coast Bournemouthy type area (lots of restaurants, clubs, beaches, countryside(my known territory)), but then i read on some more and you said mall type shopping. Bournemouth doesnt have much of that but then Southampton and Portsmouth does. Portsmouth is not great imo, but there are areas surrounding that are nice and not too pricey. Good transport links, rail, air, sea, motorways, good shopping malls........
but then there are loads of ther areas that i am positive are fine I just dont know them - i'll be reading with interest in case we return.
good luck
Janine
I first starting reading you post and thought - Cheshire. Northwich type place. Then I read on, a bit warmer, which brought me to South Coast Bournemouthy type area (lots of restaurants, clubs, beaches, countryside(my known territory)), but then i read on some more and you said mall type shopping. Bournemouth doesnt have much of that but then Southampton and Portsmouth does. Portsmouth is not great imo, but there are areas surrounding that are nice and not too pricey. Good transport links, rail, air, sea, motorways, good shopping malls........
but then there are loads of ther areas that i am positive are fine I just dont know them - i'll be reading with interest in case we return.
good luck
Janine
Jul 28th 2008, 12:54 pm
#36
lush
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Maine - the "Deep South" of the Northeast
Posts: 5,004
Re: Good areas to live in England.
...ahhh memories
I really love the south east coast near Worthing. Little villages like Ferring and Goring. Quiet and safe, but near to Worthing for shopping, and Brighton's just a half hour train ride
Jul 28th 2008, 3:41 pm
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 55
Re: Good areas to live in England.
East Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
Cornwall
Devon
My recommendation.
I lived in Adelaide too - ......found it very boring....very relieved to be back in England, no regrets.......
North Yorkshire
Cornwall
Devon
My recommendation.
I lived in Adelaide too - ......found it very boring....very relieved to be back in England, no regrets.......
Jul 28th 2008, 8:25 pm
#38
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 20
Re: Good areas to live in England.
Shropshire is a very beautiful and little known county, not much industry and very rural. We lived there for several years and it's an area I would seriously consider going back to. Property prices very reasonable, lovely little towns such as Wem, Whitchurch, Ludlow and of course Shrewsbury. Warm summers but cold winters. I notice that someone suggested Northwich area which I also like. These places aren't a million miles from Manchester assuming you have family there.
