Basingstoke and surrounding areas?

cobbingstones

Hi

We are having to move to Basingstoke due to work reasons. Does anyone here know of any surrounding villages/towns that they know to be a good place to live? Also what is the centre of Basingstoke like?

Thanks in advance

MM

Dylanwing

My father came from Hook and it was a nice place to visit. All I know of Basingstoke itself is that there seems to be a roundabout every 100 yards or so.

Alexei

Hi MM - I've lived in Basingstoke for 18 months now, also for work reasons. I live near the centre, because my partner works in London so wanted to be close to the railway station. It's a nice enough place, although the moans of it being a bit soulless compared to other places are fairly true. Most of the hideous 60's city centre that had been there was replaced by the Festival Place shopping centre about 5 years ago - it's not to everyone's tastes but offers a pretty good range of high street shops and places to eat.

Which areas to look at depend on your budget and what you're looking for. The nicer central areas within walking distance of the station are expensive because of London commuters. In the estates further out you get more space; some are nice, others are a bit rough. Old Basing is further out still, very nice, very expensive. There are other nice villages in the vicinity such as Sherfield on Lodden, Sherborne St John and Oakley - again, these tend to be more expensive than Basingstoke "proper". If you want to give an idea of what's important about the location and what the budget is, I could be more specific.

Hope that helps

lindsaygalaxy

Hi

I live about 20 minnutes out of basingtoke. Its not bad, fair few pubs and bars to go out in. Got a fairly good shopping centre with good places to eat and cinema. Also the leisure park with another cinema, bowling and ice-skating.

Good selection of supermarkets too. I would look careful at where to live, as it can be quite "chavy". Have a couple of friends who live in Basingstoke and work there so will ask them later which are the good and not so good bits to live in. Centre of basingstoke is quite flat dominated. Not sure if you are buying, but there are a fair few shared ownership properties around for sale there.

If you dont mind 1 15-20 minute drive, you also have the options of Alton, Tadley and Newbury. Alton and Newbury being the nicer of places, but can be more expensive adn plenty of people commute. One thing though, if you/OH will be commuting by train, check where you live, as Basingtoke doesnt have direct line to some places. for example, will go direct to reading, but not newbury.
Let me know when you move.

cobbingstones

Alexei wrote: »

Hi MM - I've lived in Basingstoke for 18 months now, also for work reasons. I live near the centre, because my partner works in London so wanted to be close to the railway station. It's a nice enough place, although the moans of it being a bit soulless compared to other places are fairly true. Most of the hideous 60's city centre that had been there was replaced by the Festival Place shopping centre about 5 years ago - it's not to everyone's tastes but offers a pretty good range of high street shops and places to eat.

Which areas to look at depend on your budget and what you're looking for. The nicer central areas within walking distance of the station are expensive because of London commuters. In the estates further out you get more space; some are nice, others are a bit rough. Old Basing is further out still, very nice, very expensive. There are other nice villages in the vicinity such as Sherfield on Lodden, Sherborne St John and Oakley - again, these tend to be more expensive than Basingstoke "proper". If you want to give an idea of what's important about the location and what the budget is, I could be more specific.

Hope that helps

The budget is around 325/350 mark. We would ideally love a four bedroomed that is very private. We have looked at some of the new estates around but most feel very heamed in with too many houses and not enough green spaces.

The other important points for us would be that the area had a very good school and local shops etc. We are currently living in a beautiful market town which seems to have it all. So sad we need to move. Not keen on Newbury/Reading/Thatcham areas.

Any thoughts?

many thanks

MM

dirtycash_2

Hi, Alton is very nice not a lot to but has all the main shops that you will need plus plenty of pubs etc and only 15mins from basingstoke. or if you want a small nice village try Farringdon just outside alton and 20mins for basinstoke.