Hey,

Managed to score myself a job in a great firm in Bristol – but need some help. Ideally I'd like to find a place to live in a house share for a while but no idea where to start or which areas to look for/avoid.

I know Clifton is nice and St Pauls is pants, but what else should I look for?

Any help appreciated!

Clifton is overrated IMHO. Try Southville (S of the river) or the areas between Clifton & the M32: Redland, COtham, Bishopston, Gloucester Road.
Victoria Park is also quite boho.

Where will you work?

Totterdown and Windmill Hill, St Andrews, Redland, Montpelier.
All good. Depends what you want from life.

Totterdown has a good community, bit alternative vibe. Snandrews is miggle class like Red Lunn. Montpelier is a bit twee and trendy, but handy for the ghetto (St Pauls, which is actually prety cool if you fit in)

Lived in Redland and Cotham, very nice and not quite Clifton prices and better access to to the centre and Gloucester road.

Redland, Clifton and Cotham are good for Ashton Court/Leigh Woods access too!

Agree with Moses, Garylake and Bassspine, all good options. Where are you working as there are a few good cycle routes around and quite a lot of traffic at rush hour so it might be worth considering your commute

Cheers lads, I'll start my hunt around those areas.

Working right in the centre near Temple Meads Station in one of those office blocks. I drove around today and Bristol looks ok for bikes, but heard its a nightmare for bike theft!

Bike theft is a problem although it does seam to have died down in the last 6 months. Most of the thefts were from North Bristol, thankfully south of the river it hasn't been so much of a oroblem.
I've always lived in the Southville / Bedminster area and would recommend it as it's close to the centre, docks and countryside. All the other suggestions are also worth a look. Clifton is nice to take the parents but is fully of knobby rich students and red trouser wearers, also a nightmare to park if you have a car.

I've lived in Cotham, Southville, St Pauls, Montpelier, Easton and Totterdown.

Would also recommend Totterdown for good community feel and a short schlep to work. Windmill Hill area borders Bedme but is not a bad spot.
Southville is also good – as mentioned above good access to waterside / countryside. Avon cycleway in one direction out towards bath. Ashton Court and Leigh Woods in t'other.

Had a great time living in Easton but was a bit edgy, much more so than St Pauls to be honest, which is actually pretty gentrified in places, especially where it edges onto Montpelier around the top end of Ashley Road.

Cotham / Clifton pretty much as described above.. nice areas but full of loads of hoorays and nightmare parking.

Bristol is a great place – you'll have a ball.

Montpelier, Ashley Down, Gloucester Road, etc are the most interesting places to live (and they're cheap). Redland/Cotham are a bit posher, closer to town and more expensive. Clifton is overrated and expensive.

I have no experience south of the river. I lived in the centre for a year and that was OK.

Also you'll need this:

http://www.thecheesyriders.com/ 8)

Cheers again – defo be checking out cheesyriders when I move there in October! Nice on guys – knew you lot would produce some quality info!