Which part of Bristol to rent in /avoid?

[strict machine]

Sadly most Bristol schools don't even match that 31%
Both Henbury and Portway where I taught for 5 yrs put kids in for GCSE substitute exams to falsely raise their status from 20% upwards and disguise the fact that most kids (by definition) do not achieve there. There will always be exceptions, but I still wouldn't risk putting my kids in that situation. We moved.
Better go - got to teach!

 

[BlackArab]

However, my friend went to school in Bristol and she is now a head teacher.

What a heartwarming story, must have been a fantastic school

 

[BlackArab]

Lived in East Bristol half my life (26 years) - cheap and cheerful and the Bristol to Bath path is Bristol's best park - once the little'uns are riding their own bikes. In fact, these days, proximity to that would decide where I lived.

http://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml

As said, if it's shops, eateries, pubs and nightlife you want, then it's Horfield / Bishopston - but you pay a hefty premium - and it gives me an excuse to get on my bike.

Public transport in Bristol is uniformly shite and expensive because it's near enough to being suburban to have the highest per capita car ownership in the UK - or at least it did. The hills are routinely dragged out as an excuse, but I find it empowering to cycle up them - though I chickened out of doing Steve Loughran's two-wheeled celebration of them. :-

http://bristolbybike.blogspot.com/2009/11/bastard-hills-of-north-bristol.html

Glos Rd is accessible from Stapleton Road Station via the Severn beach line. Five mins to Montpelier Stn, another five minutes walk down and your at the Arches. If you can't be arsed there's your St Marks Rd eateries with BYO options so more money saved.

 

[Geri]

What a heartwarming story, must have been a fantastic school

I think you know who I mean

 

[JE:5]

I'm going to have to recommend east Bristol too, I live in Easton slap bang between Eastville Park and St Georges park so I have two really nice places to take the dog for walks plus a stones throw from the cycle path. Plenty of local amenities and not really that far from town, takes me 25 minutes to walk down M32/Newfoundland Way and reach the centre. Lived here 3 years now and wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[kalidarkone]

I'm going to have to recommend east Bristol too, I live in Easton slap bang between Eastville Park and St Georges park so I have two really nice places to take the dog for walks plus a stones throw from the cycle path.

Me too except I do not have a dog. I wonder if I have seen you at the spar shop?

 

[JE:5]

Me too except I do not have a dog. I wonder if I have seen you at the spar shop?

Quite possibly! I tend to spend more money in Jims across the road though

 

[kalidarkone]

Quite possibly! I tend to spend more money in Jims across the road though

Actually I do not go in to the spar anymore as they are small minded bigots -they treated an Eastern Europeon woman shockingly, throwing her change at her and giving her filthy looks,so I said something about it and they said that she had stolen from the shop. I then asked why they let her in at all if that was the case


Sorry for the derail......

 

[floyd6]

Actually I do not go in to the spar anymore as they are small minded bigots -they treated an Eastern Europeon woman shockingly, throwing her change at her and giving her filthy looks,so I said something about it and they said that she had stolen from the shop. I then asked why they let her in at all if that was the case


Sorry for the derail......

Yep, Spar seems to represent many of the things I don't like about life...

As for schools: my son should be starting pre-school in September. Do I need to apply directly to a school/schools, or are places assigned in some other way? Thanks.

 

[Thora]

If your child is 3 before September, I think you need to register for school nurseries/children's centres by May directly with them. For private nurseries and pre-schools you'd need to contact them directly to see if they have spaces.

 

[fizzerbird]

Avoid, Southmead, Hartcliffe, Knowle West and Withywood...all socioeconomic deprived areas. They have great community feel but only if you've been born and bred there or are originally from another area of Bristol and have past lengthy initiation rituals

Totterdown, Southville, Bedminster, Redcliffe are quite cool places to live with small children, plenty of parks and easy walk/cycle into town.

Happy home hunting

Missing my home town like mad!

 

[hermitical]

I'm going to have to recommend east Bristol too, I live in Easton slap bang between Eastville Park and St Georges park so I have two really nice places to take the dog for walks plus a stones throw from the cycle path. Plenty of local amenities and not really that far from town, takes me 25 minutes to walk down M32/Newfoundland Way and reach the centre. Lived here 3 years now and wouldn't have it any other way.

maybe seen you in Eastville Park, what dog you got?

 

[JE:5]

maybe seen you in Eastville Park, what dog you got?

This cheeky beggar

 

[hermitical]

cute!

If you spot these two come say hello

 

[strung out]

.

 

[fizzerbird]

.

Take it you have nothing to add then hun

 

[floyd6]

This one is in Hanham:
http://www.houseandco.co.uk/letting-details.php?id=10666_000001287

if anyone d like to share their thoughts (the area etc)...
Cheers

 

[Thora]

I don't know Hanham and don't know anyone who lives there I'm afraid

 

[gentlegreen]

I spent my first 18 years a few hundred yards away from there.

It's comfortable suburbia. A bit hilly to get anywhere ... but that's Bristol.
My parents complain about Tesco not building their shop - there's a Coop near there - and a Lidl at the other end of the high street. Asda a couple of miles down the road ...

Very annoyingly Conham hill is closed to traffic at the moment so cycling that way to town is problematic,

 

[floyd6]

That sounds good enough, thanks.
I wonder if anyone on this forum would be so kind as to view this house for us some time tomorrow - I'll pay for the taxi/petrol/trouble once I'm in Bristol (in cash and in beer/cider, or via Paypal now). I can imagine it's a big favour to ask, I'd be most obliged.
(You can email or text me on +353 851 227 747, I'll call back)

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm afraid I'm tied-up at work, but it looks OK to me - not sure what they'd make of me ...

It's a tad shabby I suppose but infinitely nicer than my slum.

Thereafter as per usual it's whether the neighbours are into noisy BBQs and parties - you'll find a mix of people around there.. mostly fairly well-off.

Streetview seems to have missed that particular pair of houses. As I said, the area's very decent

 

[dervish]

Don't know about Hanham I'm afraid, but House and co are customers of mine (we look after their phone systems) and they are really nice people to deal with... For estate agents!

 

[floyd6]

Don't know about Hanham I'm afraid, but House and co are customers of mine (we look after their phone systems) and they are really nice people to deal with... For estate agents!

Yep, I've had the same impression so far (tho can't ever make out which one of them two I'm talking to on the phone, so I half expect they'll look the same as well )
A friend is viewing the place for us later today, we'll see how it goes.

 

[Geri]

This one is in Hanham:
http://www.houseandco.co.uk/letting-details.php?id=10678_000001287

if anyone d like to share their thoughts (the area etc)...
Cheers

Hanham is a little further out than I would live, but it's a nice area, with some great riverside pubs (The Old Lock & Weir and Chequers, which are next door to each other). In summer you can get a little rowing boat ferry over to Beeses Tea Gardens on the other side, which is another great place for summer daytime drinking.

It seems like the road is named after Hanging Judge Jefferies.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/2038388068/

 

[gentlegreen]

Murder in Dublin

I do not know why, but we read of him going to Ireland in 1704 and for some reason or other he fought with the Attorney General. The fight took place in the Church of St. Andrew, Dublin, and the Attorney General received a severe wound from Creswicke's sword and this brought him another nine years in prison. Release came at last and so back to Hanham once again, but now old and poor. His creditors began to press him and at last he was put in prison for debt. After many years he was again released and passed the rest of his days very quietly at his old home. Sooner or later old Father Time calls us all, and on the 18th January, 1732 at the age of 89 this hardy and adventurous old veteran was called to his Father and was buried in Bitton Churchyard.

Blimey. I grew up there - walked up Creswicke Avenue all the time and knew none of that. !

It's a crying shame about Conham hill - I hope they get it finished this year - in that case there's potentially a decent route into town - though Feeder road will demand good lights in the winter and an assertive riding style - though there will doubtless be side street routes ... thence via temple Meads / Victoria Street - lots of shared paths ...

.. otherwise there is a back road that at least avoids Bryant's Hill all the way to the Kingsway - I don't know if you can cycle across Troopers Hill ... probably not as it's a nature reserve ...

My brother cycles from a couple of streets up from there all the way to Airbus at Filton- unfortunately I haven't spoken to him in years so I don't know his route - probably Kingsway - Lodge Causeway - UWE then Ringroad path ...

 

[floyd6]

It's a crying shame about Conham hill - I hope they get it finished this year - in that case there's potentially a decent route into town - though Feeder road will demand good lights in the winter and an assertive riding style - though there will doubtless be side street routes ... thence via temple Meads / Victoria Street - lots of shared paths ...

.. otherwise there is a back road that at least avoids Bryant's Hill all the way to the Kingsway - I don't know if you can cycle across Troopers Hill ... probably not as it's a nature reserve ...

My brother cycles from a couple of streets up from there all the way to Airbus at Filton- unfortunately I haven't spoken to him in years so I don't know his route - probably Kingsway - Lodge Causeway - UWE then Ringroad path ...

It looks like I'll have a chance to try out all these, as we'll be moving in in 2 weeks' time! And our decision wouldn't be half as informed without you guys, thanks everyone for your tips and advice.