Swindon - Where to Live

Evoss

Evoss

Evoss

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Joined
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London
Hey GD,

I have secured a placement for the third year of my Uni degree at a corporation in Swindon. I know nothing of the area except for when I drove up and around the area for the assessment center.

Would those who have some knowledge of the town be able to suggest the best areas to live within area.

Thanks,

Evoss
 
PapaLazaru said:
This, though there are plenty of nice places not too far away.
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Prior to visiting I was skeptical of the town for no apparent reason, but when driving through it seemed pretty normal. But everyone seems to have negative views of it, why is it?

Maybe I was missing something?
 
Swindon is a festering dump, I am qualified to say this having lived there for 10 years.

If I was forced to choose a part to live in though it would be Old Town. Victorian terraces, nearby shops, pubs and clubs.
 
Guys can you give some constructive advice, be it why its bad or places to live in or nearby?

Thanks
 
Evoss said:
Prior to visiting I was skeptical of the town for no apparent reason, but when driving through it seemed pretty normal. But everyone seems to have negative views of it, why is it?

Maybe I was missing something?
Click to expand...

The town centre is not that nice which is probably the main place where people go to.
It actually has some nice suburbs though. The only rule of Swindon is not to go anywhere that begins with P.
So have a look in suburbs such as Stratton, South Marston, West Swindon etc..
Pretty much look everywhere apart from Penhill.
 
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Its not as bad as it used to be tbh tho some areas are worse than others, some of the new build areas are pretty nice. My dad used to live there but unfortunatly I've not spent any time of consequence there since childhood so can't really advise anything specific.
 
Old Town or nothing tbh. I grew up in Swindon and it's gone downhill dramatically in the last 5 years, stick to Old Town Bath Road/Wood Street ish and your alright though. Where's your placement, the buses are crap if you've no car. Definitely no where beginning with P - Penhill Pinehurst Park North Park South, add Walcott in there aswell and all of West Swindon. North Swindon is just miles of estates that aren't skanky by any means but you 20 minutes drive from everything.
 
Stay away from the Parks (south north), Walcott, Pinehurst, Moredon, Penhill, Freshbrook, Toothill, Eldene, Rodbourne.

Old town, Lawns, Walcott West, Broome Manor, Stratton, Shaw, Liden and a few other are all ok.
 
pingwing said:
Not in Swindon.
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Read the thread title and came in to post this.

But more constructively, as many people have said, live in Old Town, it's actually got quite a cosy feel to it and some nicer bars and pubs. Town centre is an absolute dive :(
 
Where is the placement?

Personally:

North Swindon (abbey meads/oakhurst/redhouse/groundwell)
Old town
Stratone village.

Also, get a bike, quickest way around Swindon! Ignore all the haters, it's not glam but it's equally as naff as any "default" town. Just nip to Bristol/Bath at the weekend for some high life!
 
Swindon is not that bad, it has the same problem as most town centres, where are you going to work? If the placement is at intel thene there are some nice new build apartments around there which may eb up for rent. Keep away from Penhill, Pinehurst, Morden and, park. Old town is ok and to be honest its where most of the better bars are so i would advise you live there. People always have a downer on the place for some reason however having lived in Plymouth, Oxford, Abingdon, Bicester and Swindon for me at least it much better than all the previous baring Plymouth (mostly to do with the coast though) You are also only a short train journey from Bristol, Bath,Reading and London if you don't fancy driving there and want to get away for a bit, with easy access to the cotswolds and salisbury plain during time you aren't at work to do some exploring.
Hope this helps a bit
 
Went there the other week to visit Steam. First words out of the other halfs mouth as we walked out of the station.. "What a **** hole."

Fantastic museum though.

*shrug
 
Right, that's it.

Whilst Swindon may not be the greatest town in the world, it is by no means as bad as most people on here are making out.

It is just like any other generic town you will find up and down the country. It is being regenerated slowly to tidy it up.

The re-use of the old GWR works, into the outlet is fantastic, such great history and that is held up by the steam museum, and many other buildings around the station area.

Just like any other town, there are rough parts, and there are also some nice parts. West Swindon over by Junc 16 of the M4, with Lydiard Park is really good.

East Swindon over by Covingham, and coate water park, again is not bad. North Swindon abbey meads, green abbey, redhouse and all those new builds are ok, a little tight on space.

Old town, and the area around it, ok. close to some really great pubs and bars.

A good bus service, all routes lead to the centre, and some really nice out lying villages.

Again just like many other generic towns up and down the country.
 
I ended up working and living there Mon-Fri for about 6 months in 2011 and rented a room in a really nice new town house in a new housing estate up by Old Town (Curie Avenue I think it was).

As much as I wasn't a fan of living in Swindon (and hence didn't stay long for various reasons) where I was living was pretty nice, was close to Old Town and work.
 
Got to agree with the above post and i was born in Swindon and still live here now.

Some very nice areas, some not so nice just like most towns/cities.
 
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