Is Wokingham a nice place to live?

Towser

Does anybody know of Wokingham? Is it nice, would you live there?

What are the pros and cons?

marksoton

I've never lived there but worked there for 9 months.

It's ok but wouldn't be for me. Mainly because it;s a relatively expensive part of the world to live in due to being near the M4 and London.

That and the fact it's next to Bracknell. Quite possibly one of the most miserable towns i've ever spent time in. Right up there with Basingstoke.

Pete9501

The Army has now pulled out of Arborfield just up the road. Might be some serious building work going on there over the next few years as there is a lot of land to develop. Deffinately commuter belt location.

Pete

nubbins

Hi Towser,

I live in Wokingham and to be honest I would not want to live anywhere else.

Pro's
People are generally pleasant, crime is low, minimal yobs or Jeremy Kylers, lots of work and big companies nearby (Dell, MS, Fujitsu, Oracle to name a few) most of the schools are ofsted good to excellent, my (daughters go to the Holt which is really good), some nice restaurants and bars, easy for M4, M3, Good shopping,bars and restaurants a few miles away in Reading, Waterloo approx 1 hour on train
Cons
Very expensive, around 400k for a box semi and 550k for an ok detached (prices rose by 10% last year and are forecast 44% by 2019) traffic can be bad, getting a bit over developed on the Bracknell side, not a great choice of shops in Wokingham centre but theres a big Tesco's, Morrisons, Sainsburys Lidl etc

I would certainly recommend it especially if you have kids.

theartfullodger

Hideously smug:

Daily Wail says it's the best place to raise a family..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3244058/Revealed-town-families-Wokingham-Berkshire-named-best-place-bring-children-thanks-high-average-salaries-excellent-schools-low-crime-rate.html

Conveniently located between the atomic warhead facility at Burghfield..
http://actionawe.org/awe-burghfield/
& the nuclear reactor at Ascot
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/reactorcentre/aboutthecentre/history

axomoxia

theartfullodger wrote: »

Hideously smug:

Daily Wail says it's the best place to raise a family..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3244058/Revealed-town-families-Wokingham-Berkshire-named-best-place-bring-children-thanks-high-average-salaries-excellent-schools-low-crime-rate.html

Conveniently located between the atomic warhead facility at Burghfield..
http://actionawe.org/awe-burghfield/
& the nuclear reactor at Ascot
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/reactorcentre/aboutthecentre/history

Don't panic, if its the same nuclear reactor as I think it is, its very very very small. So small you can look inside it - I did on a school trip. Very blue!

I spent a a year and half working in Wokingham - traffic is horrendous (lots of over entitled mothers don't help during term time). House prices are very expensive, but if you are coming from London, the're remarkably cheap. Area seems nice enough, train station has just been re-built. Close to M4, but also close to Bracknell and Reading.

Towser

What would worry me is the traffic and the house prices.

DRP

Short answer is: Yes.

Slightly longer answer:
A well-to-do area
Right in the middle of commuter land.
Depending where you're coming from, it is right expensive.
Horrendous Bracknell, Bagshot right on your doorstep.

chelseablue

I must be the only person here who thinks Bracknell is nice.


I'm from Slough so Bracknell is paradise compared to that

DRP

chelseablue wrote: »

I must be the only person here who thinks Bracknell is nice.


I'm from Slough so Bracknell is paradise compared to that

I lived in Bracknell for about 10 months in the late nineties - had a horrible time, so perhaps my experience is tainted!

Equinox85

I live in Wokingham and I have been here for 7 months now.

The area is expensive for what you get but overall I am enjoying living here.

Only gripe I have is to have some closer parks that are dog friendly to allow him off the lead within walking distance rather than driving a couple of miles.