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Where to live if I work in Rugeley?

M

mazwaz

New Member
I am about to start working in Rugeley and will very soon move to the UK.
I would like to know what are the best areas to live in with the following criteria :
- Good nightlife
- Good shopping
- Safe
- Good public transport links to Birmingham (not too far)
- Fairly ok driving distance to Rugeley (max around 30-40min)
- etc...

Obviously I am not expecting to meet all the criteria perfectly but at least to have a good balance.
So far I have narrowed down the options to 2 areas: Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield with a clear preference for Sutton Coldfield
It would be great to get some more options and/or a confirmation of my first impression.

Cheers
 
I don't think Sutton or Lichfield have much in the way of nightlife, so compare their connections into Birmingham and Wolverhampton which definitely do.
Sutton has a good, regular train service into Birmingham, I don't know but I bet it's better connected than Lichfield is.
 
BigTom said:
I don't think Sutton or Lichfield have much in the way of nightlife, so compare their connections into Birmingham and Wolverhampton which definitely do.
Sutton has a good, regular train service into Birmingham, I don't know but I bet it's better connected than Lichfield is.
Click to expand...

The train which goes to Lichfield also goes through Sutton but bus links are better from Sutton.
 
I also considered Walsall or Tamworth as 2 other options but Sutton seems more enjoyable and it is faster to commute from there to Rugeley.
 
BigTom said:
I don't think Sutton or Lichfield have much in the way of nightlife, so compare their connections into Birmingham and Wolverhampton which definitely do.
Click to expand...

There's next to no nightlife in Wolverhampton these days.
It's been a whie since I've been to Sutton Coldfield or Lichfield, but personally I prefered Lichfield. It's more historic and has more character whereas Sutton is just a posh part of Birmingham. Public transport wise, Sutton would be best though as it's in the West Midlands it's will be a lot cheaper to get around and get into Brum.
I've got a friend who lives in Lichfield and one that comes from Sutton Coldfield, I'll try and get their opinions for you :)
 
My friend who lives in Lichfield says

There is no night life here really, but some nice enough real ales pubs. Good for families, quite a lot of culture if you like middle class middle Britain. We have festivals and stuff in the park.
Tamworth has got a decent retail park. Lichfield needs to sort its shit out. We need to be full of little boutiques etc, as the conservative ethos stopped any sort of retail development. We have a cathedral with 3 spires so depend heavily on tourism and tea cakes. All needs shaking up!

She's dosed up on morphine after an op at the moment, which probably explains the last paragraph :)
 
It depends on what your after really, but you could check out the west side of Wolverhampton (Tettenhall, Tettenhall Wood, Compton... or even Wightwick if you have the budget)
I know I said that Wolves has died a death recently, but I suppose there's no reason why it won't pick up again. There's still plenty of gigs on at the Civic & Wulfrun Halls, a few decent pubs about (although most are out of the center) there's a popular theatre if that's your thing and it's only a 20 minute train ride to Brum.
 
mr steev said:
It depends on what your after really, but you could check out the west side of Wolverhampton (Tettenhall, Tettenhall Wood, Compton... or even Wightwick if you have the budget)
I know I said that Wolves has died a death recently, but I suppose there's no reason why it won't pick up again. There's still plenty of gigs on at the Civic & Wulfrun Halls, a few decent pubs about (although most are out of the center) there's a popular theatre if that's your thing and it's only a 20 minute train ride to Brum.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I was thinking of when I was thinking of Wolverhampton nightlife tbf, still lots of bands play Wolves instead of Birmingham. Wolverhampton Art Gallery isn't bad either. I just looked where Rugeley actually is and it's not where I thought it was, I reckon West Wolves is a good shout, though I've never lived anywhere near there (nor Lichfield or Sutton either tbf). Looks to be a similar distance to Rugeley as Sutton and I've generally heard good things about the west side of Wolves. Trains between Birmingham and Wolverhampton are ace and cheap in the evening.
 
Thanks guys I will look at the west side of Wolve as well. I am not looking for a crazy nightlife but mainly some cool pubs, restaurants and not too far from Birmingham where I could go out at night if needed.

I am mainly looking for pleasant pedestrian streets with shopping etc..., a safe place and some activities easily accessible (cinema, gym, tennis, ...)

I am kind of a city person but would be willing to live in a quiet place to be safe.

Cheers
 
Sutton Coldfield, or the district if you will, is actually pretty big and varies quite a lot re price/safety. For buses/trains to Brum though, it's pretty handy... And Sutton Park is a nice place if you want a bit of greenery.
 
DaRealSpoon said:
Sutton Coldfield, or the district if you will, is actually pretty big and varies quite a lot re price/safety. For buses/trains to Brum though, it's pretty handy... And Sutton Park is a nice place if you want a bit of greenery.
Click to expand...
What would be the nicest parts of sutton?
 
Four Oaks is pretty nice (hexpeeensive), little Aston - same. Some of the roads near the train station are quite nice, old victorian houses and stuff. Then you're walking distance to the public transport and from the Sutton 'nightlife'. Though theres nowt beyond a few good pubs... And even then depends what you define as a 'good pub'.
 
My friend from Sutton Coldfield said she hated it when she was growing up there and felt quite isolated, but appreciates the greenery now she's older. She couldn't comment on the nightlife as the places she used to frequent don't exist anymore

mazwaz said:
I am kind of a city person but would be willing to live in a quiet place to be safe.
Click to expand...

The west of wolves is good for that. Doesn't feel like a city. Tettenhall used to be a village and still has that feel to it, but it's only a couple of miles away from the center.

mazwaz said:
I am mainly looking for pleasant pedestrian streets with shopping etc..., a safe place and some activities easily accessible (cinema, gym, tennis, ...)
Click to expand...

Shops have suffered in most towns around here tbh, with a lot closed down and empty. There are a few big shopping centers which haven't suffered so badly though, like Merry Hill near Dudley or Birmingham. There's a tennis club in Newbridge (which is next to Tettenhall and not too bad an area neither) and several courts in West Park (which is a lovely park) :)
 
It sounds great Steev.
I have checked google map and Tettenhall for instance is 18miles away from my workplace but will need 55min! Sutton is 16miles away but need 33min!

Rugeley seems too far away from any fairly sized city centre :(
 
mazwaz said:
It sounds great Steev.
I have checked google map and Tettenhall for instance is 18miles away from my workplace but will need 55min! Sutton is 16miles away but need 33min!
Click to expand...

:hmm:
I used to drive to Abbots Bromley quite often and that only took 40 minutes and that's further than Rugeley. Although this was not in rush hour.
 
Have you considered Stafford?
I work in Rugeley and some of my workmates come from Stafford and we have occasional evenings out around Stafford town centre.

Rugeley itself is a horrid place to live IMO.

Wolverhampton to Rugeley in 25 minutes if you use the A449 to the outskirts of penkridge then shoot across Cannock chase.
 
I might need to go there and try this out!
Stafford has also good train connection to Birmingham which could be interesting

So the options that I will need to check out once there are:
Stafford
Lichfield
Sutton Coldfield (Four Oaks or Mere Green)
Wolverhampton (West side)
Walsall (East side close to the uni) advantage is a direct train to rugeley but won't need it

They all have good train connections to Birmingham and are within 30-40min drive from Rugeley
The list of options is increasing!!! lol

How would you rank them?
 
What are your circs? Single, partner, family? Buying or renting? Budget?

Lichfield has got some lovely pubs if that's your idea of a night out, but if you go to Birmingham you're stuck with the last train home at 11ish, a taxi would cost the earth. Taxi isn't cheap to Sutton but it's at least doable.
 
Zapp Brannigan said:
What are your circs? Single, partner, family? Buying or renting? Budget?

Lichfield has got some lovely pubs if that's your idea of a night out, but if you go to Birmingham you're stuck with the last train home at 11ish, a taxi would cost the earth. Taxi isn't cheap to Sutton but it's at least doable.
Click to expand...

Tks Zapp,
We are a couple in our early 30s no kids yet
I will be looking to rent a 2 or 3 bedrooms house or flat with a 600-800£ pcm budget

I will have a car so for a late night out it could do with it.
The good public transport needed is mainly for my wife or during the week end
 
Is Rugeley the place some twat took a picture of a woman breastfeeding her baby, posted it on FB and described her as a tramp?:mad: Sounds delightful
 
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