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norfolk vs suffolk
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Please help, we are family of 4 & would like to relocate to either of the above places. At the moment we are looking at suffolk & Bury st edmunds area but I found out recently that it's not as nice as people think due to growing estates & kiddie gangs. Does anyone know just how bad is it? I was under the impression that it was a beautifull small market town, quite peacefull etc. If there is anyone living in that area It would be good to hear all the good & bad to see what the real Bury is like. Or any other suggestions are always welcome. We are after nice small peaceful town, full of culture, good schools, beautifull scenery, job propspects, but which want break the bank when buying property, around the 180000-200000. Is that realistic? Sorry about this question being so long but I really need your help. Thank you!!!
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(2 part post):
I live in Suffolk and I regard Bury St Edmunds as one of the jewels in East Anglia's crown. It should certainly remain on your list of possible places to live in this part of the country.
Looking at your list of requirements, I find a certain amount of conflict between your desire for a 'nice small peaceful town' and your want of a place 'full of culture'. East Anglia isn't exactly packed with jazz clubs, theatres and arts centres. If you're looking for such things you'll either have to settle for living in a major conurbation (such as Cambridge or Norwich) or residing somewhere smaller but within travelling distance of such a conurbation.
I also note that 'job prospects' (unsurprisingly) feature in your list. East Anglia tends to have a few main centres of employment (such as Ipswich) and plenty of 'dormitory towns', from where people travel into the employment hubs. Additionally, pay levels around here are considerably lower than most other parts of the country. For example, I've recently seen an advert for staff at a new shop. The 'ordinary' staff were offered the statutory minimum pay, of �5.73 per hour. The shop manager (who was to be a keyholder, with responsibility for staff supervision, VAT book-keeping, etc) was obviously offered more. Just 10p per hour more actually, i.e. �5.83 per hour!
I live in Suffolk and I regard Bury St Edmunds as one of the jewels in East Anglia's crown. It should certainly remain on your list of possible places to live in this part of the country.
Looking at your list of requirements, I find a certain amount of conflict between your desire for a 'nice small peaceful town' and your want of a place 'full of culture'. East Anglia isn't exactly packed with jazz clubs, theatres and arts centres. If you're looking for such things you'll either have to settle for living in a major conurbation (such as Cambridge or Norwich) or residing somewhere smaller but within travelling distance of such a conurbation.
I also note that 'job prospects' (unsurprisingly) feature in your list. East Anglia tends to have a few main centres of employment (such as Ipswich) and plenty of 'dormitory towns', from where people travel into the employment hubs. Additionally, pay levels around here are considerably lower than most other parts of the country. For example, I've recently seen an advert for staff at a new shop. The 'ordinary' staff were offered the statutory minimum pay, of �5.73 per hour. The shop manager (who was to be a keyholder, with responsibility for staff supervision, VAT book-keeping, etc) was obviously offered more. Just 10p per hour more actually, i.e. �5.83 per hour!
That example of pay might be fairly extreme but it's reasonably indicative of pay levels in this area. For example, people with a forklift qualification, and warehouse experience, can earn �15 to �20 per hour for nightshift work around Heathrow. The same job around here pays �6 to �6.50 per hour.
Even jobs which require advanced qualifications and experience often don't pay that well. I've recently seen a job advertised that required a relevant degree, with a minimum of 5 years work experience, plus in-depth knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs, as well as Quark Xpress, Photoshop, and several other advanced IT programs, at �6.50 per hour. That's quite normal. Anyone who earns more than �7 per hour around here is regarded as 'coining it in'! ;-)
I'd certainly recommend keeping Bury St Edmunds high on your list. Woodbridge is also worth a look. (It's handy for the centres of employment in Martlesham Heath and Ipswich). Diss (on the Norfolk/Suffolk border) could be worthy of consideration. But, if 'culture' is high on your list I regrettably have to suggest that you forget Suffolk altogether and look for somewhere around the fringes of Norwich.
Chris
Thank you so much for all the information!
Bury st Edmunds does sound lovely. How big is the town/what is the population? I recently read that the town is experiencing a few problems with child gangs & expanding estates etc. How bad is it if at all? Also, how long would it take to travel to cambridge or ipswich for work, shopping etc..?
We are hoping to relocate from wales, which is very pretty & has a beautiful coastline, however the lack of jobs & low pay is forcing us away. Oh & not mentioning the weather, just awful!!! We use to live in surrey & if I remember correctly the weather wasn't half as bad!
We are hoping to visit Suffolk & Norfolk in the near future for a fact finding trip, but would like some advice, as to which areas to concentrate on & which to avoid.
Also how realistic is our budget of approx �180000-200000 to buy a 3 bed semi or even detached house in a decent area? Are we over optimistic? We would not mind living on the outskirts of a biggesh town, if it is nice, but would preffer village location, but not too far to comute. That's another thing we are used to from wales. Half an hour before you get to anywhere. Culture is not at the top of our list, more important would be jobs, good schools & nice area.
Thank you again for all your help :0)
Bury st Edmunds does sound lovely. How big is the town/what is the population? I recently read that the town is experiencing a few problems with child gangs & expanding estates etc. How bad is it if at all? Also, how long would it take to travel to cambridge or ipswich for work, shopping etc..?
We are hoping to relocate from wales, which is very pretty & has a beautiful coastline, however the lack of jobs & low pay is forcing us away. Oh & not mentioning the weather, just awful!!! We use to live in surrey & if I remember correctly the weather wasn't half as bad!
We are hoping to visit Suffolk & Norfolk in the near future for a fact finding trip, but would like some advice, as to which areas to concentrate on & which to avoid.
Also how realistic is our budget of approx �180000-200000 to buy a 3 bed semi or even detached house in a decent area? Are we over optimistic? We would not mind living on the outskirts of a biggesh town, if it is nice, but would preffer village location, but not too far to comute. That's another thing we are used to from wales. Half an hour before you get to anywhere. Culture is not at the top of our list, more important would be jobs, good schools & nice area.
Thank you again for all your help :0)
(2-part post):
How big is Bury St Edmunds?
The population is 35,000, which makes it much smaller than, say, Ipswich (which is approaching 150,000). However, because Bury St Edmunds serves as the principal conurbation for quite a wide area, the town centre is bigger (and busier) than many other towns of the same size.
The street market in BSE (Wed & Sat) is excellent. In some parts of the country, markets have been reduced to nothing more than a few stalls selling 'pound shop' items. In other areas, street markets only sell goods which are out of the reach of those of us who're short of money. (e.g. Ipswich market is full of stalls selling small cakes for �2 each or small loaves of special types of bread at �4 each). Bury market is great because it manages to have the best of both worlds. You can buy the expensive breads, coffees, cakes, etc but you can also buy cheap socks, gloves, batteries and household goods.
The town centre generally has a fairly 'up market' feel to it (with some pricey shops) but there are still some great shops, pubs, caf�s and restaurants for those of us with more limited means.
Most of the more recent housing developments around Bury are also relatively 'up market', where you're more far likely to get run down by Mummy, in her Range Rover, taking her kids to independent school than by a boy racer in a stolen banger! (There are one or two former council estates which you might want to avoid but, unless you actually live there, any problems from them are extremely unlikely to impact on your life).
How far is Ipswich?
26 miles. The AA route planner says that it can be driven in 31 minutes but anyone actually working in Ipswich town centre would need to add on another 15 to 20 minutes, to cover the last couple of miles in the rush hour. (There's a good Park & Ride bus service from the edge of town).
How big is Bury St Edmunds?
The population is 35,000, which makes it much smaller than, say, Ipswich (which is approaching 150,000). However, because Bury St Edmunds serves as the principal conurbation for quite a wide area, the town centre is bigger (and busier) than many other towns of the same size.
The street market in BSE (Wed & Sat) is excellent. In some parts of the country, markets have been reduced to nothing more than a few stalls selling 'pound shop' items. In other areas, street markets only sell goods which are out of the reach of those of us who're short of money. (e.g. Ipswich market is full of stalls selling small cakes for �2 each or small loaves of special types of bread at �4 each). Bury market is great because it manages to have the best of both worlds. You can buy the expensive breads, coffees, cakes, etc but you can also buy cheap socks, gloves, batteries and household goods.
The town centre generally has a fairly 'up market' feel to it (with some pricey shops) but there are still some great shops, pubs, caf�s and restaurants for those of us with more limited means.
Most of the more recent housing developments around Bury are also relatively 'up market', where you're more far likely to get run down by Mummy, in her Range Rover, taking her kids to independent school than by a boy racer in a stolen banger! (There are one or two former council estates which you might want to avoid but, unless you actually live there, any problems from them are extremely unlikely to impact on your life).
How far is Ipswich?
26 miles. The AA route planner says that it can be driven in 31 minutes but anyone actually working in Ipswich town centre would need to add on another 15 to 20 minutes, to cover the last couple of miles in the rush hour. (There's a good Park & Ride bus service from the edge of town).
How far is Cambridge?
29 miles. The AA route planner says 40 minutes but actually driving into Cambridge city centre is complete madness. In practice, anyone working in the centre would need to add on another 20 minutes for the Park & Ride bus service.
Bury St Edmunds is on the Ipswich to Cambridge rail line, with an hourly service. Ipswich is 37 minutes away (with a 12 minute walk to the town centre). Cambridge is 44 minutes away (with a 15 to 20 minute walk to the town centre). Trains on that line also serve Stowmarket and Newmarket.
Bury St Edmunds is also on the Ipswich to Peterborough route. Trains only run every 2 hours but take 10 minutes less into Ipswich than the Cambridge trains do.
House prices?
See for yourself:
Bury St Edmunds and West Suffolk:
http://www.propertytoday.co.uk/BuryStEdmunds
Ipswich and East Suffolk:
http://www.homes24.co.uk/eadt
Norfolk:
http://www.homes24.co.uk/property/sales/east-o f-england/properties-norfolk
House prices vary enormously across Suffolk. In Southwold, for example, anyone who puts a beach hut on the market for �80,000 is likely to sell it within minutes! Go inland though and property prices are far more reasonable. You ought to be able to find somewhere suitable in the Bury area (or even around Woodbridge, which would be an excellent alternative) within your price range.
Keep asking the questions and I'll keep answering them ;-)
Chris
29 miles. The AA route planner says 40 minutes but actually driving into Cambridge city centre is complete madness. In practice, anyone working in the centre would need to add on another 20 minutes for the Park & Ride bus service.
Bury St Edmunds is on the Ipswich to Cambridge rail line, with an hourly service. Ipswich is 37 minutes away (with a 12 minute walk to the town centre). Cambridge is 44 minutes away (with a 15 to 20 minute walk to the town centre). Trains on that line also serve Stowmarket and Newmarket.
Bury St Edmunds is also on the Ipswich to Peterborough route. Trains only run every 2 hours but take 10 minutes less into Ipswich than the Cambridge trains do.
House prices?
See for yourself:
Bury St Edmunds and West Suffolk:
http://www.propertytoday.co.uk/BuryStEdmunds
Ipswich and East Suffolk:
http://www.homes24.co.uk/eadt
Norfolk:
http://www.homes24.co.uk/property/sales/east-o f-england/properties-norfolk
House prices vary enormously across Suffolk. In Southwold, for example, anyone who puts a beach hut on the market for �80,000 is likely to sell it within minutes! Go inland though and property prices are far more reasonable. You ought to be able to find somewhere suitable in the Bury area (or even around Woodbridge, which would be an excellent alternative) within your price range.
Keep asking the questions and I'll keep answering them ;-)
Chris
Bury has no more problems than any other town (I live there and I am also involved in law). I have seen no increase in crime. Every town has its problem areas, but I have to say the police here are excellent. It is beautiful and peaceful and out of all the east anglian towns, it is the only one which I would wish to live in.
Yes there has been a growth in the town but the new estates (I live on one) are actually very nice, quiet, pleasant areas. Unfortunately though, Bury is also one of the more expensive places to live - although I would think you could get a 3 bed semi for around �200k.
There are some great schools round here too.
Takes me about 35 mins to get to Ipswich and 40 mins to get into the centre of Cambridge.
Yes there has been a growth in the town but the new estates (I live on one) are actually very nice, quiet, pleasant areas. Unfortunately though, Bury is also one of the more expensive places to live - although I would think you could get a 3 bed semi for around �200k.
There are some great schools round here too.
Takes me about 35 mins to get to Ipswich and 40 mins to get into the centre of Cambridge.
Wow, what a lot of information. Many thanks :-)
Is there a direct transport link to London or do you have to go Via Cambridge or Ipswich? How long does the journey take?
Another question regarding school for our daughter... which schools in the area have a good reputation & which to avoid? I did have a look at some Ofsted reports but I don't want to go on that alone.
However, for my son who has special needs, we are looking at special secondary... I found 2 schools in Bury & another really good school (according to ofsted reports) is in Sudbury. In your opinion, would it be too far, for him to travel every day? The transport shouldn't be a problem as with most special needs children the transport is provided, but I wouldn't want him to sit on a bus for too long.
The job situation doesn't seem as good as we thought. It looked like Bury is a great location, as it's situated between two major towns, but the pay doesn't seem so good. In wales, the minimum wage is fairly normal, unless you have a degree. We were hoping it was much better in that part of the country. I looked for some jobs for my husband (HGV driver class 1 & 2) but couldn't see much work. Are there any parts of Suffolk or Norfolk where we would have more luck?
Thanks again for your help :-)
Is there a direct transport link to London or do you have to go Via Cambridge or Ipswich? How long does the journey take?
Another question regarding school for our daughter... which schools in the area have a good reputation & which to avoid? I did have a look at some Ofsted reports but I don't want to go on that alone.
However, for my son who has special needs, we are looking at special secondary... I found 2 schools in Bury & another really good school (according to ofsted reports) is in Sudbury. In your opinion, would it be too far, for him to travel every day? The transport shouldn't be a problem as with most special needs children the transport is provided, but I wouldn't want him to sit on a bus for too long.
The job situation doesn't seem as good as we thought. It looked like Bury is a great location, as it's situated between two major towns, but the pay doesn't seem so good. In wales, the minimum wage is fairly normal, unless you have a degree. We were hoping it was much better in that part of the country. I looked for some jobs for my husband (HGV driver class 1 & 2) but couldn't see much work. Are there any parts of Suffolk or Norfolk where we would have more luck?
Thanks again for your help :-)
(Multi-part post):
Hello again!
Job-hunting first:
Jobs in the Bury St Edmunds area are often advertised in the Bury Free Press. It's a weekly publication (Friday). Recently, even trying to find the job ads has been a bit like playing 'hunt the thimble'. What used to be quite a large jobs section has dwindled to just a page or two. (I know, because I'm unemployed!). The ads are also online, here:
http://www.jobstoday.co.uk/england/suffolk/bfp j
Jobs to the west of Bury St Edmunds (e.g. Newmarket) usually appear in the Cambridge Evening News. (Sorry, I can't remember which day of the week). Their ads also go online, here:
http://cambridge.jobsnow.co.uk/
Jobs to the east of Bury St Edmunds (e.g. Stowmarket & Ipswich) appear, on Wednesdays, in the East Anglian Daily Times (and its sister publication, the Evening Star). They're also online, here:
http://eadt.jobs24.co.uk/
Jobs in Norfolk (and some parts of Suffolk) appear in the Eastern Daily Press. I can't remember which day of the week but they're also online, here:
http://new.edp24.co.uk/jobs24/default.aspx
JobCentre Plus is, of course, also worth a look:
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/jcp/Customers/ Searchforajob/ijb.aspx?Service=IJB3
Hello again!
Job-hunting first:
Jobs in the Bury St Edmunds area are often advertised in the Bury Free Press. It's a weekly publication (Friday). Recently, even trying to find the job ads has been a bit like playing 'hunt the thimble'. What used to be quite a large jobs section has dwindled to just a page or two. (I know, because I'm unemployed!). The ads are also online, here:
http://www.jobstoday.co.uk/england/suffolk/bfp j
Jobs to the west of Bury St Edmunds (e.g. Newmarket) usually appear in the Cambridge Evening News. (Sorry, I can't remember which day of the week). Their ads also go online, here:
http://cambridge.jobsnow.co.uk/
Jobs to the east of Bury St Edmunds (e.g. Stowmarket & Ipswich) appear, on Wednesdays, in the East Anglian Daily Times (and its sister publication, the Evening Star). They're also online, here:
http://eadt.jobs24.co.uk/
Jobs in Norfolk (and some parts of Suffolk) appear in the Eastern Daily Press. I can't remember which day of the week but they're also online, here:
http://new.edp24.co.uk/jobs24/default.aspx
JobCentre Plus is, of course, also worth a look:
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/jcp/Customers/ Searchforajob/ijb.aspx?Service=IJB3
The presence if Felixstowe (which is the second largest container port in Europe) within Suffolk means that there are loads of transport firms, and distribution depots, in the area, so it might be possible to find a lorry-driving job around here.
Unfortunately I can't really tell you much about schools within Suffolk. The former grammar schools (e.g. Northgate High, in Ipswich), and those primary schools within their catchment areas, still tend to be thought of as 'something special' by many parents but, having taught in a comprehensive school which was in direct competition with a neighbouring ex-grammar school, I would question the objectivity of such judgements.
I note that you mention Sudbury. It's 16 miles from central Bury St Edmunds (but possibly nearer to 20 miles from the pleasant estates mentioned by Barmaid, such as Moreton Hall, and the attractive villages to the north-west of Bury). The problem is that the road twists and turns all of the way and can get very busy at peak times. Allow 40 minutes for the journey each way.
Sudbury itself is possibly somewhere you might think about moving to. It's pleasant market town with some popular housing developments in the neighbouring villages. Or perhaps you could also consider moving to somewhere near to Felixstowe? It's a pleasant coastal town. OK, it's not as nice as Southwold but (unlike Southwold) you don't have to be a millionaire to live there! (I still think that you'd like Woodbridge. It's an attractive town, close to the employment centres of Martlesham Heath, Ipswich and Felixstowe and very convenient for access to Suffolk's beautiful coast).
Unfortunately I can't really tell you much about schools within Suffolk. The former grammar schools (e.g. Northgate High, in Ipswich), and those primary schools within their catchment areas, still tend to be thought of as 'something special' by many parents but, having taught in a comprehensive school which was in direct competition with a neighbouring ex-grammar school, I would question the objectivity of such judgements.
I note that you mention Sudbury. It's 16 miles from central Bury St Edmunds (but possibly nearer to 20 miles from the pleasant estates mentioned by Barmaid, such as Moreton Hall, and the attractive villages to the north-west of Bury). The problem is that the road twists and turns all of the way and can get very busy at peak times. Allow 40 minutes for the journey each way.
Sudbury itself is possibly somewhere you might think about moving to. It's pleasant market town with some popular housing developments in the neighbouring villages. Or perhaps you could also consider moving to somewhere near to Felixstowe? It's a pleasant coastal town. OK, it's not as nice as Southwold but (unlike Southwold) you don't have to be a millionaire to live there! (I still think that you'd like Woodbridge. It's an attractive town, close to the employment centres of Martlesham Heath, Ipswich and Felixstowe and very convenient for access to Suffolk's beautiful coast).
Regarding travel to London:
Most of the trains on the Peterborough to Ipswich service go through (without changing) to London Liverpool Street. The journey time is 1 hour 50 minutes. Using the Cambridge to Ipswich trains, for onward travel to Liverpool Street, involves changing at either Stowmarket or Ipswich. Total journey times are around 2� hours. Going the other way on that line, you can change at Cambridge for the service to King's Cross. That's usually the fastest route, with a total journey time of around 1 hour 40 minutes.
Bury St Edmunds (and south Suffolk in general) is very convenient for holidays and short breaks to the continent. Stansted is only a short drive away. (I've got a day trip(!) to Rome booked in June, using one of Ryanair's frequent 'free flights' offers).
Any more questions? ;-)
Chris
Most of the trains on the Peterborough to Ipswich service go through (without changing) to London Liverpool Street. The journey time is 1 hour 50 minutes. Using the Cambridge to Ipswich trains, for onward travel to Liverpool Street, involves changing at either Stowmarket or Ipswich. Total journey times are around 2� hours. Going the other way on that line, you can change at Cambridge for the service to King's Cross. That's usually the fastest route, with a total journey time of around 1 hour 40 minutes.
Bury St Edmunds (and south Suffolk in general) is very convenient for holidays and short breaks to the continent. Stansted is only a short drive away. (I've got a day trip(!) to Rome booked in June, using one of Ryanair's frequent 'free flights' offers).
Any more questions? ;-)
Chris
Again, thak you so much for your help! We keep an open mind, as to which area would be most suitable for us, but keep comming back to West Suffolk & Norwich areas. The way the situation is at the moment regarding properties & jobs, we'll have to wait for a while longer, but at least we have plenty of information to go on.
Ps: Thanks again for all your help & enjoy Rome. It's such a beautiful city, I would go back tomorrow if I could :-)
Ps: Thanks again for all your help & enjoy Rome. It's such a beautiful city, I would go back tomorrow if I could :-)
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