Advice Please - Thinking of moving to St Neots, Cambs

mikki6416

Firstly - Hello everyone!

I would like some advice about St Neots please. I currently live and work in Stevenage and am looking to move house before our first baby arrives in November. The main reason for moving is we need more space (preferably 4 bedrooms) as we have family come to stay a lot.
After hunting Google maps and searching Rightmove for the past couple of weeks, St Neots seems like a good location for us as I can drive to work, it has a train station which is good as my other half works in London and it's within 20 mins of our friends. The other good thing is that you get a lot more house for your money than in Hertfordshire - but is there a catch?

I've only ever been to St Neots a couple of times but I don't really know the area. What I'd like to know is whether St Neots is a nice place to live and are there good schools? Are there areas that should be avoided and likewise, which is the nicest area(s)? Also which schools have the best reputations?

Of course, if you think it's the pits also let me know

I have considered other areas but I would just like to find out about St Neots for now.

Many thanks for your help.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Never been there, but surely it's better than Stevenage?!*

*My wife is from the 'nage, I think I can get away with that.

mikki6416

Well I'd certainly prefer to live in a nicer area...hence finding out about St Neots!

sulphate

I live in the vague area and we considered St Neots as somewhere to live but decided against it because it was so far away from everywhere we needed to be, also there isn't a direct train line from there to Cambridge which was a distinct disadvantage to us.

Sounds like those things wouldn't bother you though.

mikki6416

Thank you sulphate.

Yep, I'm not bothered about access to Cambridge as I hardly ever go there.

gingin_2

I've got family in St Neots and live in Cambridge myself and it's a nice town with very decent house prices. There are certainly no nasty surprises that I know of and it's way nicer than Stevenage (an area that I also know very well). It's not particularly vibrant and the surrounding areas are a bit dull but if you want a good sized house in a town for a young family, I think it's a sensible choice

Huntingdon has a very good train service into London as well, one of the fastest in this area.

beeg0d

I live in StNeots and work in stevenage so know both areas well

There isnt really any truly bad areas in St Neots. Best areas would be Eaton ford and Eaton Socon (excluding queens gardens though even there is no were near as bad as many parts of Stevenage). If you looking at primary schools i known crosshall school (in Eaton Ford) is quite well thought of.

The less desirable areas of stneots would be around the howits gardens area, duck land area (both eynesbury) and as mentioned above queens gardens in eaton socon. With little paxton being a good medium, no really undersable areas but nothing particlary wow. The little paxton primary is also quite well thought of. There are 2 secondary schools earnalf and longsands (sorry dont know the pros and cons of them also dont know what there new "acadamy names" are).

Huntingdon has a very good train service into London as well, one of the fastest in this area.

St Neots is on the same line as Huntingdon, it is 1 stop closer to London and ALL trains that stop at huntingdon also stop at stneots

PasturesNew

I've not lived near it for 20 years.... but it used to be "a bit posh, but sleepy". Why not book a B&B for the weekend and hang out there....

mikki6416

Thank you beeg0d - that's very helpful, especially as you know both areas.

And PasturesNew - that's a good idea.
I think we might drive up and have a look round the Eaton Ford/Eaton Socon area. Stopping overnight is also a good idea.