Swindon / Oxford thoughts?

[Puddy_Tat]

I am at the 'contemplating applying' stage for a couple of jobs, one in Swindon, one in Oxford.

I am pussed off with the current job in SW London, the organisation and the commute (getting on for 2 hours each way - I'm currently somewhere insignificant near Reading)

Both seem to be commutable in about an hour from here which is an improvement, although longer term I'd be thinking about moving as I'm fed up with the whole commuting thing.

Have been to both places for a few things and neither seems that alarming.

The Oxford job is marginally more me, but the place looks bloody expensive (and if 'morse' is anything to go by, the murder rate is a bit alarming)

Any thoughts on either as a place to live / work?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

No advice on the two locations, but good luck with your applications and hope you find a better work-life balance with the commute.

 

[weltweit]

Swindon might be quite dull, it is a pretty small place I think, main claim to fame being the Honda plant. I would have thought Oxford would be a more interesting place, but as you note, perhaps a good bit more expensive.

 

[Thora]

Oxford is certainly more attractive, though old town in Swindon is nice.

 

[mx wcfc]

If you live near Reading then either is easily commutable I'd have thought- if the Oxford job is more you then take that, commute and worry about the cost of living there if it works out. Oxford is much nicer than Swindon, but, consequently is a lot more expensive to live in.

 

[Riklet]

Worth living in Swindon if you want to save money. Youre a hour or less from tons of interesting places and countryside all round, at least. It gets a lot of shit but there are a fair few jobs and it's hardly the grimmest town ever.

Oxford is well expensive but not far from Swindon if you do love it, you could do trips every fortnight.

 

[William of Walworth]

Oxford is definitely more interesting, but I'm a Swindon-hating biased person

 

[William of Walworth]

Puddy_Tat : Would you be commuting to Oxford (or Swindon) from London?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Puddy_Tat : Would you be commuting to Oxford (or Swindon) from London?

Thanks (to you and others who posted) for the thoughts, but neither of them is going to happen.

Decided against Swindon - I can't really move further away from mum-tat (who's in SE London) and the Oxford one was in an awkward place to get to from Oxford Station, and (as well as the mum-tat factor) Oxford is about as expensive for housing as London.

Meh.

 

[William of Walworth]

Oh well, these options are always worth thinking about anyway
You're right though about Oxford being very pricey now, not just for property, but for everything**. My friends, who've lived for years and love it, are always commenting negatively about costs

**pub prices are what I notice when I go -- London levels, almost!

 

[Sue]

Oh well, these options are always worth thinking about anyway
You're right though about Oxford being very pricey now, not just for property, but for everything**. My friends, who've lived for years and love it, are always commenting negatively about costs

**pub prices are what I notice when I go -- London levels, almost!

I lived in Oxford for quite a long time and am now back living in London. Oxford's expensive though not as bad as London.

The problem is that wages are generally pretty low which is why this isn't a huge surprise:

Oxford once again tops list of UK's least affordable places to live

 

[William of Walworth]

Good point. One of my Oxford mates is quite well paid, but the other isn't and he's more representative I reckon.

 

[davesgcr]

Swindon has a micro-climate , cold and as high as Nelsons Column above sea level.

Apart from Croydon - it was my most unfavoured place for meetings (ever) ..

 

[ska invita]

but I'm a Swindon-hating biased person

any particular reason?

 

[Pickman's model]

Swindon has a micro-climate , cold and as high as Nelsons Column above sea level.

Apart from Croydon - it was my most unfavoured place for meetings (ever) ..

On the other hand, it won't sink under rising sea levels

 

[Numbers]

any particular reason?

Football probably.

 

[William of Walworth]

Football probably.

It's pretty much compulsory, and certainly traditional, for Oxford United fans such as me to sing the 'We hate Swindon ... ' song at every match, even against irrelevant opponents

 

[mx wcfc]

As a Reading fan, i can only wholeheartedly agree. In fact, "we hate Swindon more than you". Although we also sing "We hate O*ford".

Big night tonight eh?

 

[hash tag]

For Puddy_Tat I would have said Swindon for this STEAM & this The Railway Cottage Museum Swindon - Born Again Swindonian
and theres none of that Town n Gown stuff which does make Oxford very expensive

 

[kebabking]

I think that Oxford would probably be a pretty crap place to live actually....

Expensive, absolutely rammed, the shopping/eating isn't that brilliant - I'd say it compares unfavourably with Leamington, or Gloucester or Cheltenham - pleasant enough I imagine if you're on a very good salary, no kids, living in North Oxford, with a thing for books, classical music and cycling, but other than that...

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Cheltenham

For all we know Puddy_Tat works at GCHQ and is really looking for a shorter commute.

 

[kebabking]

For all we know Puddy_Tat works at GCHQ and is really looking for a shorter commute.

I used to work next door - Cheltenham is very nice, much less touristy than Oxford, much cheaper to live...