Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 55 total)
  • Moving to Portsmouth – good idea?
  • broadbean
    Free Member

    Currently living and working in the north, but have the chance to relocate to Portsmouth. Eldest is in year 5 and youngest bean is in year 2, so I’m kinda wondering about both the primary schools and the secondary schools, but I’m also wondering where to live!! What’s the Isle of Wight like, for instance? Anyone from those parts on here, or anyone with knowledge of this area? Any advice would be much appreciated.

    Ta

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Where will you be working exactly ? Portsmouth neighbourhoods vary widely from quite nice to dire. There are towns and villages outside which are commutable which may be a better option for a young family. If you are working on the mainland living on the IOW will be a chore. Islanders like the fact they are not readily accessible. If that’s what you are looking for then perhaps you may consider it.

    superfli
    Free Member

    Pompey has a fair few things going for it. Beach although it’s stoney, is available, but much better beaches within 15 miles. Lots of history and museums etc. Good outlet stores, restaurants pubs at gun wharf. Countryside close by. Southdowns close. New forest 45 mins away. Qecp 20 mins away. Access to continent, although you may well drive to Dover for tunnel anyway. International airport 30 mins away. London 90 mins away.
    Plenty of good schools, and I expect plenty of bad. I live 10 miles north and school is excellent.
    It’s good down here, but trail centres with mountains are 3 hrs away at least.

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    Yak
    Full Member

    As superfli said.
    I’m about 20miles to the north. Still good access to everywhere, rail and road. Lots of folk do the short commute to Portsmouth from here. Schools are excellent – both primary and secondary.

    Around here there’s lots of choice – towns, villages or the sticks if you really want rural. Some of the house prices are eye-watering though. Well I thought so and I’ve done a north to south move a few years ago.

    Riding is great, both road and mtb. Whilst not the lakes/peak/Scotland, it does have lots of variety. South Downs, Surrey Hills, multitude of interlinked commons in-between and QECP. Geology varies too, so when the south downs are out of condition, the greensand to the north will still be quick draining.

    If you are working in Portsmouth, I probably wouldn’t commute from the IoW. Plenty of bother, time and cost.

    burko73
    Full Member

    iow is lovely to visit from southhampton or portsmouth but there’s not much future for the kids over there. my mates wife moved back there with their kids when they split, he’s gutted as schools and future for teenagers is dire. all seasonal jobs and a real rich and lovely/ poor and grotty divide onthe island. lots of second homes so dead in winter and rammed in summer.

    ive been working over there for the last 6 months a couple of days a week and although some of the scenery is lovely most towns are grotty and the ferry drives me mad. It takes me 1hr45mins to get from home to the office over there. I have a 9 mile drive to the ferry at lymington and a 2 mile drive from yarmouth to the office. no traffic. it also costs between £40 and £100 each time depending on when you book and when you travel and if you have a double cab pick up like me they love to measure its length and charge me up to freight for being 0.5 cm over the 5m length because ive got a long tow hitch….

    aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh………….. don’t do it….

    poe82
    Free Member

    +1 IOW is for isolationists, the novelty son wears off. Portsmouth is the same as most places, some nice places, some not so nice. As has been said before, unless you are really into city living (Southsea is pretty cool) then living to the north is the nicest option. My wife moved here from Kingston upon Thames when we got married, she doesn’t like the city-says it’s ugly but the only things she misses is a shop (uniqlo)

    ohnohesback
    Free Member

    Read the local rag for a while

    http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local

    Then get someone to kick you hard and repeatedly where it hurts until the notion of moving there leaves you for good.

    broadbean
    Free Member

    Thanks for the replies, really helpful.

    Would be working in the city centre. Currently have a commute of around 30 miles, so not too bothered about living out in the sticks if it means that the school options are better, for instance, or better access to decent riding. May well discount IoW then and look more to the north of Portsmouth.

    convert
    Full Member

    Whilst I’m not sure I would encourage anyone to live in actual Portsmouth if they had a choice not to, as others have said there is plenty of positives about the area in general. We do a good line in traffic around here on the main trunk/commute route so you probably need to give a few more specifics as to where you will be working to get any really useful residential location advice. Also, your budget for housing and expectation for size might come into play – if you ‘have’ to have a 4 bed detached and don’t have gazillions you might be limited to cheaper locations/average schools that you would otherwise avoid.

    Edit – our posts crossed. In which case lots of choice. I’m in a village outside Petersfield. Nice here with good schools. Definitely poorer weather this side of the downs but I would suggest its nicer. More expensive too.

    broadbean
    Free Member

    Hi Convert – working at the uni, so city centre location. Probably have circa £400k for at least a 3 bed house, but could go to more. Not really considering a city centre move though…not really lived in a city since being a student, but have no real desire to raise my kids in that environment, rather have a bit of countryside around us.

    mattbee
    Full Member

    North of the M27 then, maybe North of Portsdown hill although some bits of Drayton, Portchester, maybe Emsworth are quite nice.

    mattedd
    Full Member

    A colleague of mine, who’s a native of Portsmouth, is leaving the company rather than move back to Portsmouth for development opportunities. He said he’d rather move to Syria.

    convert
    Full Member

    A colleague of mine, who’s a native of Portsmouth, is leaving the company rather than move back to Portsmouth for development opportunities. He said he’d rather move to Syria.

    The telling bit to that statement is the native bit. The best bit about the area is that most of the inbreds locals don’t have the imagination or initiative to leave the immediate vicinity of the city itself to appreciate there is so much more to the area, even if its just for a walk or a bike ride. To be fair I’ve also met a few folk who were a student in Portsmouth and in 3 years never left the confines of the student residential areas and come away with a very short sighted opinion of the whole place. Within a stones throw of properly built up and scabby locations there is deserted countryside and lovely views. It’s a very mixed area that can only be summed up into a short pithy statement like that by dribbling idiots.

    slackalice
    Free Member

    Have lived in Southsea for the last 6 years or so. If you like town/city living, Southsea isn’t too bad with lots of places to eat, go out,see, visit etc but like anywhere, once maybe twice is enough, unless it’s the historic dockyard, which is always fab.

    £400k will get you one of the larger 3-storey Victorian homes nearer the seafront and you’ll have a 5min cycle commute to the Uni. These houses are huge, big rooms, high ceilings and loads of space. Portsmouth and Southsea represent relatively better value housing wise, compared to the outlying towns and villages, so you get more bricks for your money. Portsmouth and Southsea are on an island, it’s very compact, easy to get around by bike and densely populated. All further pluses and/or minuses depending upon your viewpoint and requirements. The Uni is quite well regarded, although I dare say it depends upon which faculty.

    Primary schools in Southsea are very good, as are Junior schools. Now that Slack jr is coming of age in as far as year 7 and secondary school due to start this September, we are out of here! Relocating to Norfolk as it goes and very much looking forward to getting out of the city. As has been said before, many of the locals can’t comprehend why we want to leave, but I don’t think many of them leave the island 😉

    It’s been okay as somewhere to live, relatively cheap, nice to have a 5min walk to the beach, bit of a drag to get on and off the island to work and no good biking from the doorstep, unless you’ve got a road bike or fixie. Personally speaking, I won’t miss the place and feel as though I’ve done my time there.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    @broadbeen – got it. I was trying to be a bit diplomatic in my post but I also would be very much the recommendation for living outside the city. The further north you go the more expensive it gets as the commute to London is easier (Portsmouth Waterloo Line goes up through Portsmouth etc).

    I suggest you get the map out and have a look around, don’t discount to the West either (note the M27 is very busy at rush hour you would want to check that out).

    As a few ideas in addition to the above for variety why don’t you have a look at the following (I have friends in most of these places)

    Wickham
    Titchfield (and in countryside nearer the coast, friend with young kids just moved there to nice small farm conversion development)
    Sarisbury Green (mate just moved to new development there, he’s a scouser loves the lifestyle, access to London, he has 1+1 kids)
    Emsworth and villages of Meon Valley

    As you’ll be near the coast you might want to consider getting the kids (and yourself) in to water sports so access to say Emsworth, Halyling Island or further West to Warsash/Hamble/Hill Head.

    As for riding you have QECP, South Downs, North Downs (Western part around Hindhead and East to Peaslake), plus Lordswood eg Thursday night rides you see on here. We have a Hampshire riding thread too. Give it a go I think you’ll love it.

    As someone who grew up near Southampton and spend a lot of time in Hamble/Hampshire I loved this quote 🙂

    An unnamed soldier on Sky News refutes claims that Iraqi city Umm Qasr is ‘like Southampton’
    “There’s no beer, no prostitutes and people are shooting at us. It’s more like Portsmouth”

    DezB
    Free Member

    Probably have circa £400k for at least a 3 bed house, but could go to more.

    You could get a lovely village property about 10-15 miles outside of Portsmouth for that!
    Denmead/Horndean/Wickham areas.
    Not too far out of Portsmouth and you’re in some nice countryside.

    The commute INTO Portsmouth is bloody horrendous though, whether by car or bike. Some of the worst drivers in the country. FACT. Even London drivers use their indicators occasionally!
    Portsmouth is an extremely congested city, due to their only being 2 roads into it. My mum lives in Southsea and I really dislike visiting her, just because of the horrible journey!

    As a (fairly) local to Portsmouth, I would definitely not live in this area if I had the option, just due to what I’ve said above. The roads are far too busy and they are going to get busier as new developments are springing up all over the place. Gridlock by 2020 easily.

    Yak
    Full Member

    Its probably worth checking the commute. I’ve got neighbours who commute by car and by train/cycle into Portsmouth and they don’t really moan about the journey. (straight down the A3). I guess as ever its all about timings.

    Wickham, Horndean, Petersfield, Liss, Meons, Petersfield villages – all good and probably something in budget in all those. All have surrounding countryside. Go more Petersfield direction for better mtb from the doorstep. Good road riding from all.

    The other thing to consider is future-proofing your location for future work moves. Many places accessible to Portsmouth also have good (c1hr) train links to London. Petersfield, Liss, Liphook, Haslemere etc. Just a thought, gives you maximum flexibility and makes kids day trips to London easy.

    DezB
    Free Member

    (straight down the A3)

    The A3 doesn’t go into Portsmouth, so not sure how they manage that.

    Yak
    Full Member

    well onto the m27, A27, M275 straight down 😉

    [pedant] the old A3 goes straight to the uni…but that was years ago.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    The A3 doesn’t go into Portsmouth, so not sure how they manage that.

    Yes it stops at the security checkpoint 8)

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Just another note on the commute, I used to be on the M27 (Southampton area) at 6:15, already fairly busy and by 7:30 it’s jammed. I don’t know if there are any side roads you can ride down into Portsmouth, I fear it’s dominated by the main multi lane road. It might be possible to bike in from Gosport side and take a ferry.

    So it’s definitely worth experimenting with routes at peak hours before deciding on a location.

    DezB
    Free Member

    the old A3 goes straight to the uni…but that was years ago.

    Sorry! True indeed. I’d love someone to try that route into central Portsmouth during the rush hour! 😆

    I don’t know if there are any side roads you can ride down into Portsmouth
    Nope

    Yak
    Full Member

    Anyway, nevermind the commute. Here’s a nice view 🙂

    Older Hill, towards Rogate Downhill, Hangers at Steep then the South Downs behind.

    DezB
    Free Member

    Anyway, nevermind the commute. Here’s a nice view

    I did say this as well: Not too far out of Portsmouth and you’re in some nice countryside

    🙂

    Pompey is still a shithole though

    ohnohesback
    Free Member

    A possible commute alternative to the M27 from the west is the A27 though I wouldn’t do it. From the East there is a cycle lane from Havant that takes you to the Eastern Road, again I’d hesitate to ride in rush hour Pompey.

    Gosport? The ferry? No… Just no…

    DezB
    Free Member

    there is a cycle lane from Havant that takes you to the Eastern Road

    I used that to get to Southsea last weekend. Quite nice down the side of the Eastern Road, past all the queued cars… As soon as the Eastern Road ends… join the traffic. It’s hideous.

    convert
    Full Member

    I’d very much consider the towns/villages outside Portsmouth with a rail link. The uni is well doable from the station. Thinking Liss, liphook, petersfield, Rowlands Castle. I think I would find that less stressful.

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    I’d say don’t come down, it’s shite 😆

    No really it is.

    And We’re full.

    😆

    Pomp’s not that bad really, I say it’s better than the vast majority of places in the UK. Provided you’ve got a job and a roof over your head for the first year and you don’t get too cheesed off by missing family etc. you should be fine.

    But we’re full, and it’s shite 😆

    stevepitch
    Free Member

    I very rarely post on here but having read the thread and regardless of what ever anyone has said

    Don’t, just don’t

    Would be much advice.

    I lived there for three years and even now it still haunts me to this day…………..

    Yak
    Full Member

    Ok, here’s some tempters..

    Rogate Downhill – if you are young with skillz

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IbIFKzp0GvI[/video]

    QECP – for everyone

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BOlNtHK3HCM[/video]

    South Downs Way Double – for the properly fit

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PkArO-Hkfg&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

    Hindhead – hidden dh

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3RIkr5SWYg&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

    Couldn’t find many nice xc ride type films, but remember you are close to all the Gorricks and Southern XCs too.

    broadbean
    Free Member

    ok, some conflicting opinions on here. thanks again to everyone for chipping in. Heading down there in a couple of weeks to attempt to get a feel for the place (probably not bringing my bike though :()

    probably focus on the area around Petersfield but have now largely discounted IoW. wife seems keen on winchester and also chichester, so will probably look at these areas as well.

    intending to commute by train/bike tbh rather than car, so want to be near(ish) a train station.

    thanks for the vids Yak. trails look cool, but i’d probably take them a bit more slowly on my SS hardtail!

    Yak
    Full Member

    Don’t worry – I’m mostly on a ss too. They are just the vids I managed to find! QECP is tough, but fun and all rideable on a ss. I’m too old for Rogate!

    IHN
    Full Member

    I remember, just after the invasion of Iraq, when the Marines had ‘liberated’ the port of Um-Qasr (sp). At the time the locals wre actually quite happy about it, and the Marines were patrolling in soft head head gear, winning hearts and inds and all that.

    I saw a couple of squaddies on patrol being interviewed on the news, and they were asked what they thought of the fact that the port was regularly described as ‘like Southampton’.

    “I don’t know about that”, said one, “there’s no beer, no women, and people keep shooting at us”

    “Yeah”, said the other, “it’s more like Portsmouth”

    Made me chuckle 🙂

    cobrakai
    Full Member

    I’ve lived in hamble, burseldon and now in bishops waltham. General rule of thumb would be north of the m27 which would be easy in your budget for a 3 bed. Also lived as far up as bordon (that is NOT a recommendation). Petersfield is nice, with main line to landan and qecp just round the corner. We looked at wickham but we were out priced but it’s got beautiful market square and a quirky music festival every year.

    missnotax
    Free Member

    I live in a little village just north of Emsworth (sort of Chichester direction), it’s really lovely around there. Great mtb trails from the door, straight onto the South Downs, QECP around the corner, and quiet country lanes for when I want to don the Lycra! It total cycling-central too – cyclists everywhere (and for good reason!) so loads of clubs and groups to join should you feel sociable 🙂

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    @IHN – I’m getting a sense of deaj-vu ?

    @broadbeen – Winchester is much the most expensive place in the area, prices at London/Surrey commuter belt levels (eg Winchester and Guildford are pretty close in price terms). Chichester is very nice too, historic town also and if the Mrs looks round and then you take a trip to Bosham she’ll be hooked. You need to think about getting to work, that line is pretty pedestrian.

    DezB
    Free Member

    I’m getting a sense of deaj-vu ?

    followed by
    You need to think about getting to work

    Like that hasn’t been mentioned! 😉

    IHN
    Full Member

    @IHN – I’m getting a sense of deaj-vu ?

    what, again?

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    what, again?

    🙂

    I posted the same quote earlier in the thread

    JulianA
    Free Member

    Don’t do it. I worked there for six months and it was dire. The traffic’s awful, the trains are rubbish and the town centre’s dreadful. I was commuting by train and used taxis to get around (courtesy of Portsmouth City Council, for whom I was working) and when I said I was from Southampton and not interested in the Pompey football results they said ‘Oh, you’re a scummer then’. Nice… Not.

    One of the guys I worked with was called a ‘n1gger’ by some school kids because he was coloured, the staff in the benefits offices have to be locked in for their own safety… I can’t stand the place.

    Don’t even think about commuting along the M27 – it’s dire, and coming in from anywhere is going to be a trudge.

    Southampton’s not much better (although you can get out a bit more easily by going up the M3). Winchester’s lovely for a trip to town, but is incredibly expensive for parking and buying a house and has dreadful traffic.

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