[Closed] Ok, Warminster, give me the lowdown...

Pretty-much all good round there I think. Might be one or two streets that are a bit 'council' but other than that it's all good.

Excellent riding club based around Longleat, too. Look us up when you move: www.blackcanoncollective.co.uk

Frome (next town to Warminster) is much, much better, BTW 😉

Where are you moving from? Warminster / surrounding area is very country-fied, with A roads at best, limited chain / shopping / bigness to anything. It could therefore be a dream destination for some and not for others.......

Fantastic road cycling and decent MTB on the Mendips.

We moved to Warminster last May, it's not too bad. Some good biking around and about.
Longleat Forest is within riding distance, so is the Plain when the MOD open Imber Ranges.
Morrisons is the only supermarket in the town. Town it's self is small but has most things. There is a bike shop which is run by the Mayor.

I used to work in that shop! Back when it was at the mini roundabout. There is some riding on the western edge of the town but not a huge amount. It's not a bad small market town otherwise.

Enough small shops in the town, and a Waitrose, with Bath and Salisbury each 40 mins away for bigger things. The army base brings in money, I think the town is surviving the depression better than others nearby. Pubs can be noisy. Riding is chalk downs and greensand ridge so better than some.

Does Frome have a Waitrose? I rest my case.

It's a busy road to Devz in the rush hour though.

Does Frome have a Waitrose? I rest my case.

How did I forget Mrs B's favourite shop 🙄 and fair point 😆

Does Warminster have a thriving economy, a bustling Bohemian vibe, an independent council, Jenson Button doing donuts in an F1 car in the High Street, Huey Morgan as a resident, an M&S, Costa and a FatFace? No??? Then I rest my case.

Hello SOG 😉

Thanks for the responses; nothing massively negative. We're moving from Chesham in Bucks, so used to the limited shopping experience and tend to travel to bigger towns for major shops, etc. My wife is just a bit concerned about the military impact on the town and also (quite rightly) wants to know about the schools; we have 6 and 9 year old daughters. Looking forward to exploring the MTB around the area if this becomes our town of choice!
So what of the school and anything else you want to throw in for comment?
Looking at Frome also, for the good vibe and "culture" but haven't found the house!

Hello. Thought I would throw in my short experience.

When I was looking to move to Wiltshire, obviously had a good look around the area and Warminster was one of the towns where I viewed property. To be fair, it didn't in any way look like a military town and was very well kept. Compare it to Aldershot which is an utter dump!

Also viewed property in Frome, the estate agents were all very quick to point out that it had a boho vibe and I'm hardly a DFL'er type. 😀

Definitely some interesting shops and I loved the little stream that ran down a street in the town, almost sticking two fingers up to the elfinsafety brigade. 😯 I did feel however that Frome seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.

Devizes is notorious for traffic congestion, either due to someone driving off the canal bridge and how long does it take to repair a bridge or endless road works.

I came from having Swinley Forest as my back yard to having to put bike in car to ride. I do miss the riding, stunning scenery, rounded hills, one or two ancient monuments. A huge variety in one county.

It was difficult to get used to less choice for shops such as B & Q, supermarkets etc although the farm shops were terrific. Jobs were in short supply too.

Hope my ramblings help. 🙂

I will admit that Frome has the Cheese and Grain doing a new tribute band every Saturday, whereas Warminster has Old Tyme Music Hall about once a year, but we have a surplus of coffee shops and chintzy independents, and we like people to drive sedately thank you. Your ASDA is built way outside your town, for reasons of hygiene, perhaps?

Bustling Bohemian Vibe - is that the unemployed tarmac layers in the winter then?

bb - you aren't looking for a thirties three bed semi by any chance?

*Waves at Chas*

The military base is up the hill on the Plain side of town. It provides jobs and brings in money. It seems that a lot of retired Ruperts settle down hereabouts. The secondary school in town is Kingdown, I know nothing about it. B & Q and Homebase are a drive away in Chavbridge and Frome respectively. We do have a traditional ironmonger on the main street though, doing the everyday stuff.

Many thanks for further responses. I hope I haven't created a supermarket turf war! So Warminster hasn't quite got the arts and culture of Frome, but it sounds that on the whole there's plenty to merit in the place! Hopefully will be visiting soon to see what sort of vibe I get...

One thing just because the distance seems small between places and it's rather rural it an take a while to get anywhere for work.
I'm in Frome and its quicker to ride most days the 15 miles to work than drive

Don't have kids myself but you also have Longleat Safari Park a stones throw away 🙂

Sod the kids longleat is good for riding even if its a bit cheeky

Thurman Warminster does have a Costa 😉

In fact that is one thing Warminster is not short of Coffee Shops! 😯

BB when Mrs B said about moving to Warminster I was concerned about it being a 'Squaddie town' but to be honest it is hardly noticeable. I have only heard of 1 altercation concerning squaddies since moving here and I believe the aggrieved's mother wasn't letting on the full story. Gets a bit busy around Imber Road in the mornings, but I am usually away to work before that and in the evenings but not too bad.

devizes IS where it's at people 😉

I see no one has mentioned Trowbridge ,
At least it would be cheap

Thanks for the advice over the commute Orangeboy. Hopefully it'll be better than the M25 in rush our!

I can confirm it's better than Friday nights on the M25, but there's only one sensible route and it takes about forty mins in daytime. That's not morning rush - I don't do times in single figures any more. If you'd like to put up an email, bb, I can offer more local content...

Have we done a proper beer comparison yet?

Warminster - Plain Ales - Good solid Wiltshire stuff!
Devizes - Waddy's - Maybe a bit big these days, but still make some lovely beers. If you can find 6X in wood, it's lovely!
Frome - Milk Street - Interesting little outfit, notably as Rik's the head brewer. Worked with him ages ago when he was at what was then called Bunce's Brewery, not Stonehenge.

I'd say Frome edges that one.

All of these Towns have lots going for them, the negatives are v small.

These kind of places are great especially when the Children are younger, but when they get into their teenage years being so far from a large Town or city can be limiting.

My Mum in Salisbury says most of those flat-bottomed valleys are lakes at the moment - is she right?

Well, much of Sarum is under water. Last time I was there, we couldn't get under the bridge along the river from Waitrose in to town. That was a couple of weeks ago, and with the continued rain since, I can't see it subsiding any time soon!

I live in the Nadder valley between Salisbury and Shaftesbury and there is still quite a lot of water in the lower areas but not that much damage to residential property that I know of.

Shaftesbury is a great place to live but I'm not sure I could do the commute to Devices, it can take an age to get anywhere around here mainly because the roads are almost exclusively single carriageway

@ global - She's right*. There's a dry valley that goes under a main road here. I've seen water flow down it twice in nearly twenty years, once briefly, this time a much wider stream and it's lasted some weeks. And a narrow storm took down trees in a path northward through Wilts on Sat afternoon. We now anticipate rains of frogs, a murrain of the cattle and a blue moon.

They used to be water meadows along the Wylye valley, so they're probably accustomed to it.

I have been doing some flood work on the Ebble and can confirm it has been very full. About 10 properties have had water in them, Coombe Bissett being worst hit. Broadchalke was ok, Bishopstone had a few.

The Avon north of Salisbury is still very full. Was up there last week and still lots of flow.

Would it be possible for you to rent before you commit yourselves?

I think the post further up alluding to teenagers and being too far from a big town is a good point. Also what will their employment prospects be like, although this will be a few years away I would still take it into account.

Nobody has mentioned the state of Wiltshire's roads - it is dreadful, they don't get maintained not even the A roads.

Another point, when I had a roadie accident on a non-maintained road funnily enough, an op was needed and hospital thought it was OK to make me wait 8 months cos they were busy.

Lived in Dilton Marsh for 2 years (between frome and warminster) very duelling banjos but a quick drive to warminster or frome and its own train station (really more of a platform, dont try to flag down the express)

Building on Watermeadows, sore point in Warminster at the moment 😯
Has been a little difficult navigating a route to the A303 Eastbound over the last few weeks due to flodded/closed roads

When was that CG? Was it at Salisbury District Hospital? My BIL runs that hospital so I like to think things have improved in recent months....

global - no, I ended up in Great Western Swindon. I do however reckon that Salisbury District Hospital are excellent from taking my late mother there regularly for many years.

I'm now under them myself and very happy with the caring staff whom I see. If only all hospitals could be like Salisbury. 🙂

Farewell from Chesham, badger. I think we are down to single-digit riders now, well almost anyway! I don't suppose you'll miss the Chilterns mud......

The Cobble Wobble in Frome also needs to be taken into account.

If you're commuting to Devizes and have a small fortune, marlborough is a very nice place to end up, with a great bike shop and good riding from the door 🙂

Great input so far; thanks everyone! Been looking at properties in Frome, Dilton Marsh and now Warminster. Unfortunately although Devizes would have been on the doorstep for work, my OH didn't warm to to the place. We could rent for a while but would prefer to do a bit of ground work beforehand and then buy. Not sure I could stomach another move, etc. and all that entails, with schools and the kids. Unfortunately we don't have a small fortune, so Malborough in terms of VFM is probably off the radar.

As c_g said about Salisbury Hospital, they were good to me. Most of Warminster is on a plateau, so there's little flood risk. A few years ago Brook Street reverted to type ans surprised newcomers, though.

I like the bike shop in Melks, they may all be downhillers but they are considerate and polite to ageing, mincing XC jayboys.

(edit) little flood risk except maybe developers pushing the edge of the envelope

Marlborough is indeed a very, very nice town. Not in the slightest bit cheap, though.

Oh, and Salisbury Hospital? Excellent place. Their care for my father was exceptional.

Villages down the Pewsey Vale (and indeed Pewsey - probably where I'd look first) well worth a look too - prices are going up but as close to value as you'll get around here without heading west as you've found with Warminster/Frome. Look down the 342(?) toward Stonehenge too.

Thanks for the search advice Brassneck, much appreciated.

The Vale of Pewsey is great for road riding. Actually years ago there was a Forum ride from Knap Hill.

There is some good mtb riding around there with the Wansdyke, a 14 mile long embankment that offers stupendous views. You can also make a nice ride along Martinsell Hill Fort, Oare Hill, Huish Hill and Golden Ball Hill.

That will be one expensive area!

Frome's a nice little town, has it's own brewery, a good music venue, (saw Billy Bragg there just before Christmas), a record shop, and the roads out aren't too bad at all, driving down from Chippenham being pretty straight forward via Bradford-on-Avon. Guy I work with drives up from Frome every day, and he really likes the town, for the above named reasons.

CaptainFlashheart - Member
Frome - Milk Street - Interesting little outfit, notably as Rik's the head brewer.

Excellent little pub/brewery and very proud to say it's my Local. By far and away the best beers around these parts.

brassneck - Member
The Cobble Wobble in Frome also needs to be taken into account.

Sadly the Cobble Wobble wasn't on last year (I'm the Pusher-Offer at the bottom). Largely due to the fact that the council preferred to spend (amongst other things) £25k on safety barriers so Jenson Button could do his donuts in the market place.

CountZero - Member
... a good music venue, (saw Billy Bragg there just before Christmas),

Yup, me too. The Cheese & Grain is a great venue. There's nothing else around (we are in a bit of 'venue hole' on the Soms/Wilts border) and bigger-named acts are starting to notice that.

Frome's a cracking little town. Head-and-shoulders above the cluster of other little towns in the area (no offence to anybody). I've lived here 20 years and seen it transform from a grubby, run-down dead place into a vibrant, buzzing little community with loads going on. Love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rWt9IrRk1c