Is there anyone here in the Oxford area?

[Laney]

I just wanted to hear about the area really, can anyone help me.  My partner has a job interview in Oxford next week, it'll obviously mean relocating there from Essex.  We will be renting for a while, probably a few years, and are happy to live in an area of about 20 miles around Oxford. 

Are there any towns/villages or areas that we should avoid, or on the flip side that are lovely and we should take a look at.  We are coming from a very rough council estate, and are moving away to avoid that.  We don't mind renting an ex council, but it must be a nice area with nice senior schools, otherwise we might as well stay! LOL ;D

Also,what can you tell me about the general attitudes and way of life in Oxfordshire?

Thanks!

[Laney]

[keef]

Avoid Didcot like the plague... ;D

There are lots of nice villages in South Oxon - North West Berks. Our village (about 18 miles south of oxford) even has its own primary and secondary school, miles of open downland to wander about on  - but no pub at the moment  :'(

Oh - and it also has spare allotments.

As for general attidudes - well you get lots of blow ins, but they all seem to settle in quite quickly. You also get plenty of local yocals like me, born in the village and related to myself (probably).

[greyhound]

Ha, was waiting to see what keef said!  Yes, we are in the south of your catchment area and are familiar with what we prefer to think of as “Old North Berks”.  We are about 15/20 mins drive away from Oxford. 

Oxford is a most wonderful place, although the powers that be did their best to wreck it in the 60s/70s, building horrible concrete shopping centres which happily do not intrude too much on the historic bit.  The Covered Market is sublime.

Keef and I count ourselves lucky to be natives of this area, we are both of local families.  I would not want to live in Didcot, although  it’s dead handy for us for shopping, and rapidly improving on that front.  Abingdon is OK but avoid the council estates.  On all accounts avoid a place called Berinsfield, and within Oxford itself, avoid Blackbird Leys.

The senior school in Keef’s village (The Downs School) has an extremely good reputation and adds to the local property values.  If you opt for a village, make sure it has a pub â€" the pub there hopefully will be up and running again soon (there was a fire).

If I didn’t live here I would like to live in Wantage  -  lovely little market town with LOADS of pubs, and also not far from Oxford. 

[laurie]

Yup have to agree with the "avoid Berinsfield". I live in a very small village called Drayton St Leonard. Its gorgeous but quite close to Berinsfield. Mind you its very close to Wantage aswell. Loads of lovely villages around this neck of the woods though and with them come the pubs.........roll on summer ;D

[MattyJC]

I can agree with the previous posts, and I have to agree that Wantage/Grove is a lovely place to live! (As I do!) As for Didcot....I work there and TBH is the only reason I visit.
The Town of Witney to the West of Oxford is also very nice (born and brought up there) although the daily trek into Oxford is a nightmare (so I'm told) and can take an hour+.

Cant you guys use "the other pub" in the next village?? I forget the name but it is well frequented by a friend of mine!

Regards

Matt

[keef]

I can agree with the previous posts, and I have to agree that Wantage/Grove is a lovely place to live! (As I do!) As for Didcot....I work there and TBH is the only reason I visit.
The Town of Witney to the West of Oxford is also very nice (born and brought up there) although the daily trek into Oxford is a nightmare (so I'm told) and can take an hour+.

Cant you guys use "the other pub" in the next village?? I forget the name but it is well frequented by a friend of mine!

Regards

Matt

mmm, which pub is that then...

In the next villages depending which way you go, we have the Crown & Horns, The Swan, The Harrow, The White Hart, The Four Points and The Bell.

The Harrow is my adopted local at the moment..