Anyone live in Newbury?

[Skilid]

Hello!

I currently live in Farnborough and am planning on moving home within the next 2 years. I've lived in Farnborough all my life and fancy going somewhere new. I work in Reading and have to take the train to work as there is no parking.

Apart from Basingstoke (meh) and Wokingham (too expensive) I'm also considering Newbury.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with living in Newbury? What's it like? Traffic? Crime? Shops? Activities? etc. I haven't visited there yet, but it seems like a nice place, and having the river is nice.

I would ideally like to live somewhere that is a 30 minute or less walk to the train station, with easy access from there to Reading. Newbury seems to fit this bill.

So please, OcUK, inform me!

Thanks.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I'm not sure on Newbury but there theres a train that goes from Oxford to Paddington that stops off at a bunch of places either side of Reading. They may be worth a look.

 

[Edrof]

I can heartily recommend not living in Wokingham, if that helps. The place is extremely expensive (our council tax is approaching £3,000 last time I looked) and not worth it. The town centre is very poor, the council is awful and doesn't care about us, the place is constantly riddled with roadworks, and developers are building thousands of new homes with little infrastructure to sustain it. In ten years Wokingham is going to be a much worse place than even now. Newbury has a good reputation as a 'hidden' gem, from what I've heard.

 

[Skilid]

Thanks chaps. I guess the other big thing is that house prices can't be any more expensive than Farnborough, and Newbury seemed to be about on par.

 

[ttaskmaster]

I work in Reading and have to take the train to work as there is no parking.

Whereabouts in Reading do you work?
If you're near the station(s), there are lots of public transport routes that are reasonable and even the Park & Rides, which you can reach via bicycle, meaning living locally is potentially an option.

I can heartily recommend not living in Wokingham, if that helps. The place is extremely expensive (our council tax is approaching £3,000 last time I looked) and not worth it. The town centre is very poor, the council is awful and doesn't care about us, the place is constantly riddled with roadworks, and developers are building thousands of new homes with little infrastructure to sustain it.

We're outside of Wokingham, but within the council area (along with several other parts of what is technically Reading). Seems alright so far...

 

[Scam]

I grew up in Newbury but moved to London shortly after Uni. Although it's a fairly generic town it's pretty nice. My mum still lives there. Compared to what I have available in London now it's a bit 'boring' but hey. For example, not many independent shops/restaurants, most restaurants are chains (Prezzo, Pizza Express etc.). But generally it's a fairly safe town. Certainly nicer than Reading for example. You have to watch out for the races though, they completely clog up town when they're on.

 

[PapaLazaru]

I work in Newbury only. Nice enough market town, some good restaurants and pubs and it is getting better, but there is a seedy underbelly.

Maybe no more than other places but I notice it more when I go on a rare night out or walk through town at lunchtime.

It is nicer than Farnborough though.

 

[panthro]

I can heartily recommend not living in Wokingham, if that helps. The place is extremely expensive (our council tax is approaching £3,000 last time I looked) and not worth it. The town centre is very poor, the council is awful and doesn't care about us, the place is constantly riddled with roadworks, and developers are building thousands of new homes with little infrastructure to sustain it. In ten years Wokingham is going to be a much worse place than even now. Newbury has a good reputation as a 'hidden' gem, from what I've heard.

Some of this I agree with, but it's nowhere near as bad as you're making it out to be. You must live in a mansion because my council tax is £170 a month and I live in a 4 bed detached house just off Wiltshire road. The town centre is poor because it's undergoing huge investment and development. I partially agree about the council because they are all useless and just do anything to help them and their mason buddies fill their pockets. The amount of new builds going up is ridiculous, but this is out of the councils control because they have been mandated by the government to build. For example, Bell Foundry Farm; it was voted against by the council to build on but it got quashed because there was no alternative to meet the quota for housing. Ultimately yes it's much worse than it was 10-20 years ago, but where isn't? Wokingham still has a community feel to it and it's not meant to compete with the likes of Reading, Bracknell etc; I've lived here from the aged of 5-18, 23-27 and 33 until now (35) and I've seen a huge amount of change, but the council does invest a huge amount back into amenities for the town (Peach Place, new town square, new leisure facilities, parent groups, transport for the elderly and disabled). Plus they have built a new secondary school (Bohunt) and re purposed The White House school (private school) into Evendons primary school. It does need more however especially doctors surgeries!
Wokingham is an excellent place to raise a family and is in between Reading and Bracknell so if you want better shops they're a 10 min drive away. The only reason you'd ever pick Newbury over Wokingham is house price.

 

[Fubsy]

I live in Thatcham, which is essentially still Newbury. Less than a mile from the train station so it's "easy" (as much as it can be getting the train nowadays) to get to Reading/London/etc.

There isn't much to do apart from eat and drink though. I regularly go elsewhere for the cinema as the Vue here has tiny screens and the traffic can be pretty bad around rush hour on the A4 and roads leading up to the M4.
Not got an awful lot of time, but if you post questions I may be able to answer later.

I like it here, but I moved from Southport so what do I know

 

[robfosters]

I grew up in Newbury but moved to London shortly after Uni. Although it's a fairly generic town it's pretty nice. My mum still lives there. Compared to what I have available in London now it's a bit 'boring' but hey. For example, not many independent shops/restaurants, most restaurants are chains (Prezzo, Pizza Express etc.). But generally it's a fairly safe town. Certainly nicer than Reading for example. You have to watch out for the races though, they completely clog up town when they're on.

I love Newbury races. Mind you, I like all horse racing. Always enjoyed my trips to Newbury though. Didn’t even make the races one day, got a seat in the summer sunshine right by the canal in a pub called the Old Wagon and horses. Ended up staying there for 8 hours!

 

[Edrof]

Some of this I agree with, but it's nowhere near as bad as you're making it out to be. You must live in a mansion because my council tax is £170 a month and I live in a 4 bed detached house just off Wiltshire road. The town centre is poor because it's undergoing huge investment and development. I partially agree about the council because they are all useless and just do anything to help them and their mason buddies fill their pockets. The amount of new builds going up is ridiculous, but this is out of the councils control because they have been mandated by the government to build. For example, Bell Foundry Farm; it was voted against by the council to build on but it got quashed because there was no alternative to meet the quota for housing. Ultimately yes it's much worse than it was 10-20 years ago, but where isn't? Wokingham still has a community feel to it and it's not meant to compete with the likes of Reading, Bracknell etc; I've lived here from the aged of 5-18, 23-27 and 33 until now (35) and I've seen a huge amount of change, but the council does invest a huge amount back into amenities for the town (Peach Place, new town square, new leisure facilities, parent groups, transport for the elderly and disabled). Plus they have built a new secondary school (Bohunt) and re purposed The White House school (private school) into Evendons primary school. It does need more however especially doctors surgeries!
Wokingham is an excellent place to raise a family and is in between Reading and Bracknell so if you want better shops they're a 10 min drive away. The only reason you'd ever pick Newbury over Wokingham is house price.

Interesting to get another perspective. I still can't wait to move out, though, ha ha! Sadly, that won't be for a while.

Our council tax is £2,800 a year and has risen by something like £300 in the last five years. The Council puts the council tax up each year by the maximum they are allowed by the government - the only year they didn't was when the government said they actually weren't allowed to and paid them the same amount as compensation. I remember reading the Council's misleading remarks in the press that year about how they had benevolently decided not to raise our tax. Some of the developments are unavoidable but some are also very much due to back-handers. As you say, the corruption is staggering, especially amongst the councillors and there is SO much I would happily write about it but it would derail the thread. The town centre is a poor 'investment', sadly - all the money to build it is borrowed and cannot possibly make a return for an extremely long time. I agree the centre should be improved but they do it all so badly. The market square is basically being repaved with the addition of some minor fixtures for a handful of traders and that's costing £3,800,000.

I am harsh on Wokingham - as you say it is a good place to bring up a family and we are very lucky, but it's not as good as it thinks and could easily be so much better.

 

[Chris Wilson]

Horse racing is a big industry, watch out for rampant stable boys and girls, they see the horses "at it" and it seems to get THEIR hormones going There were these two stable girls, well, were they were naughty young jodhpured up fun...... Fond memories of Newbury

 

[Scam]

I live in Thatcham, which is essentially still Newbury.

Scratcham you mean? Us Newbury lot have always looked down on Thatcham to be honest..

I love Newbury races. Mind you, I like all horse racing. Always enjoyed my trips to Newbury though. Didn’t even make the races one day, got a seat in the summer sunshine right by the canal in a pub called the Old Wagon and horses. Ended up staying there for 8 hours!

I never had any interest in it. What sealed the deal for me was temping there. God, how awful. Everyone thinks they're at the Savoy because they're in their only Next-clone suit -- even through it's 1pm and they've already had 6 pints of Stella. Ugh

Racing is like cricket, basically an excuse for people to go and drink all day.

 

[SilverTongue]

Id second the not living in Wokingham, we lived in Farnborough for about 3 years but my wife id originally from Wokingham. Plus both of us also worked in Wokingham. It is one of the most expensive places to live in that area, whch is one of the reasons for us choosing to live in Farnborough.

We lived just off Sunnybank Road and were paying ~£120 per month council tax for a 1 bed starter home. My brother in law was living in a similar place in Wokingham, not far from the station and was paying ~£170 per month CT. By similar his was slightly smaller than ours. Plus there is nothing really in Wkoingham without going to Reading or Bracknell now as well. I know that Farnborough Town Centre isn't great either but has more going for it than Wokingham, plus Camberley is closer to Farnborough then Reading/Bracknell is to Wokingham.

 

[panthro]

I am harsh on Wokingham - as you say it is a good place to bring up a family and we are very lucky, but it's not as good as it thinks and could easily be so much better.

That made me laugh, it definitely does rest on it's laurels but needs a lot more than what it has to make it better, especially with all the new housing. My only consolation is that the more they build, the closer my house gets to the town centre

Where are you planning on moving to?

 

[panthro]

Id second the not living in Wokingham, we lived in Farnborough for about 3 years but my wife id originally from Wokingham. Plus both of us also worked in Wokingham. It is one of the most expensive places to live in that area, whch is one of the reasons for us choosing to live in Farnborough.

We lived just off Sunnybank Road and were paying ~£120 per month council tax for a 1 bed starter home. My brother in law was living in a similar place in Wokingham, not far from the station and was paying ~£170 per month CT. By similar his was slightly smaller than ours. Plus there is nothing really in Wkoingham without going to Reading or Bracknell now as well. I know that Farnborough Town Centre isn't great either but has more going for it than Wokingham, plus Camberley is closer to Farnborough then Reading/Bracknell is to Wokingham.

The only reason you'd pick Farnborough over Wokingham is house price.....Farnborough is a dump compared to Wokingham. You have good quality restaurants and pubs in Wokingham, good schools, Sainsburys, Tesco, Waitrose, Lidl, Aldi (soon) plus the usual high street chains you'd expect. Reading is literally a 15 minute drive or 10 minutes on the train, and Cracknell is even closer.

I worked in Farnborough for 2 years in the business park opposite the airport, and I'd regularly see skagheads scoring outside Asda or squaddies drunkenly fighting outside the pubs in North Camp. As I said earlier, there's no reason not to move to Wokingham over Farnborough except house prices, or unless you love Costco or plane spotting.

I realise that I'm coming across as some kind of Wokingham fanboy, but when I see it being compared to Farnborough I can't help myself.

 

[CSMonkeh]

I live in Newbury!

Property is comically expensive as Vodafone HQ is here, plus we're on the crossroads of the M4 East-West and the A34 North-South so roads are well-catered for.
Traffic can be a 'mare during rush-hour especially if the local Council tinkers with the network!
For example, I pay £695 for a one-bed flat in town. It's a nice little 'complex' but you won't find much for less money.
Trains DO NOT come from Oxford (they go to Reading, different branch) but do have fast and semi-fast trains into Reading and Paddington.
Shopping isn't bad; mostly High Street shopping with little open-air precinct just behind. There is also a mall but its dying on its feet although does have Vue and Nandos.

Anything else you need to know?

 

[CSMonkeh]

Scratcham you mean? Us Newbury lot have always looked down on Thatcham to be honest..

I never had any interest in it. What sealed the deal for me was temping there. God, how awful. Everyone thinks they're at the Savoy because they're in their only Next-clone suit -- even through it's 1pm and they've already had 6 pints of Stella. Ugh

Racing is like cricket, basically an excuse for people to go and drink all day.

At 1pm?? Far too late! They've already had that amount on the coach from Wales. Oddly Newbury Races is very popular with the Welsh, I have no idea why?
AH its the Winter Cup (Formerly the Hennessy Gold Cup) next month, SO glad I don't work in a bookies anymore.

 

[Rilot]

I dislike Wokingham and the council immensely. I live in Wargrave which is Wokingham council but Maidenhead constituency. This means that neither cares about us at all.

 

[Edrof]

That made me laugh, it definitely does rest on it's laurels but needs a lot more than what it has to make it better, especially with all the new housing. My only consolation is that the more they build, the closer my house gets to the town centre

Where are you planning on moving to?

Ha ha, yes, that's one positive way of looking at it! I have lived in many places and I think that's why I don't think Wokingham is anything special. It touts itself as an historic market town but the market is pretty laughable, and it makes absolutely nothing of its beautiful Tudor buildings for some weird reason. I have driven though Henley quite a bit and it looks really nice, but my family is settled here so I'll be around for a while yet.

I dislike Wokingham and the council immensely. I live in Wargrave which is Wokingham council but Maidenhead constituency. This means that neither cares about us at all.

The more you dig into the Council the worse it gets. I've done a lot of digging and almost the entire Council seems to be run by people who are either incompetent, without care or corrupt. The stories are genuinely shocking.