Thinking of moving to the Village - help please. |
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Aug 28th 2005 18:09
Report Abuse | | StuartMy says: We are thinking of moving to Charfield as we really like the look of the area.
We are looking for peace and quiet. Can you tell me, are there any persistent problems with youngsters and anti-social behaviour? Where exactly is the new housing planned to be that is mentioned elsewhere on this bulletin board? Is the Town Council meeting referred to at the Civic Centre a Charfield or a Wotton event?
Any info about the village would be really welcome. Thanks in advance. |
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Sep 1st 2005 19:26
Report Abuse | | anon says: Noise in Charfield : You should be happy here in Charfield.
As for anti-social behaviour, it's not a big problem here, but we do get youths on those irritating whining motorbikes (as I guess all areas do). Any 'problem' elements seem to congregate around the playing field car park.
The railway takes some getting used to if it's in earshot, but a few hundred yards away and it's OK (it's not a problem through the night). If anything, aircraft noise is more troublesome. We seem to be under every flightpath there is! The jets are OK (as too high up) but we get droning turbo prop planes overhead at all hours - and they take an age to pass over (not to mention the weekend light aircraft suicide aerobatics!)
The only 'local' noise I find irritating is from the large playing field when football matches are being played. At the risk of sounding Victor Meldrew about it, the full on shouting throughout the match can be very tiresome - and we're a fair distance away from it - I'd hate to be any closer as it really can spoil a tranquil garden!
Finally, I think there might be a kennels somewhere (or very inconsiderate dog owners) as when outside I can often hear distant but incessant barking from several dogs. Check carefully that you're not buying near to that as it must be unbearable to live within a few hundred yards of that noise.
All in all though, these are minor compared to, say, a major road passing through. |
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Sep 28th 2007 03:36
Report Abuse | | anon says: : The Town Council meeting refers to Wotton.
Don't know where the new housing was/is planned. Seems to have gone quiet so probably can assume nothing will happen in the short-term.
Cheers |
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Mar 13th 2008 14:52
Report Abuse | | anon says: : Hi Stuart. You could look a long way to find a better village. Charfield isn't chocolate box pretty, but we've been here fove years now, having escaped Bristol, and can only love the place.
We live right by the park, and while we do notice the shouts and stuff from the sports ground it's certainly not intrusive. Mostly, if it's not soccer then it's the twack of cricket ball on bat and gentle applause from the spectators. The railway is line of sight from our front windows across the park, yet we don't really even notice that.
The Memorial Hall carpark does attract the kids, but then the park is where kids ought to be isn't it? On irregular occasions the testosterone overload combined with new driving licences bring the noise of screeching tyres late at tonight, and the Hall bar can be noisy in the summer evenings when the doors are opened, but again it's no real issue.
The secondary schools around Charfield are excellent, and one of the reasons we came here. My daughter will start KLB next week. The housing issue seems to have been shelved, you might like to look at the county plan to be sure but I think it said Charfield was a big as they wanted for now, in favour of development elsewhere (Yate / Kingswood?)
The road can be a tad congested in the mornings and sometimes in the evenings, and this would become an issue of the railway station were ever to be reopened (I don't think it ever will but folk do talk). The tree pubs in the village are good, and to my knowledge we have no problems with the clientele (I'm off to the Railway in about twenty minutes!)
The walks around the village are lovely, we have great landscape right on our doorstep, and Wotton is a nice town neighbour with real shops (even in bloody Tesco's have opened up a 'convenience' store).
So, where are you coming from Stuart? |
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Sep 3rd 2005 19:52
Report Abuse | | bish says: : d'oh! That was me, bish, wot wrote the above! [shame]
I really ought to re-register and log in, but since Andrew doesn't insist... :P |
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Apr 3rd 2008 16:21
Report Abuse | | Guest says: : Just to endorse the point about schools, we are extremely lucky that Charfield sits in the primary catchment area for 2 equally good secondary schools - Castle in Thornbury and KLB in Wotton.
A huge advantage if you're moving from say Bristol which has some of the worst schools in the country (private schools aside of course). |
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Sep 5th 2005 19:37
Report Abuse | | anon says: : Thanks very much for the information I appreciate it. It's great to know so many of you like it in Charfield.
If we move my son will be 8. Are there any clubs (football, martial arts etc.) running nearby wehre he could make some new friends? |
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Mar 21st 2008 12:14
Report Abuse | | bish says: : Sorry Stuart, I missed this. Yes, there are several opportunities for your son in the village, including Tai Kwon Do. I'm afraid I'm about as sporting as the keyboard on which I type, so hopefully someone else will be along shortly... |
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Dec 17th 2005 21:24
Report Abuse | | anon says: Re: On the other hand... : [quote:31de7ea7ea="Anonymous"]...it's b*ring as b**g*ry and the subject of 'good' schools is always debatable.
Anyone up for a debate?[/quote:31de7ea7ea]
Always open to debate. But to keep on topic why don't you start a new thread. What do you think about the schools in our patch? |
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Apr 1st 2008 13:39
Report Abuse | | anon says: On the other hand... : ...it's b*ring as b**g*ry and the subject of 'good' schools is always debatable.
Anyone up for a debate? |
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Dec 21st 2005 19:04
Report Abuse | | anon says: : Good idea. But, thinking about it, I am too opinionated on the matter and can't be bothered with a debate. How about debating the quality of rural life (or semi-rural, if you like)? |
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Jan 6th 2006 15:16
Report Abuse | | anon says: : Go on then, you start. ;) |
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Jan 29th 2006 12:11
Report Abuse | | anon says: : Yes, you are right the allegations can apply to almost anywhere - well, any rural location. That's my point. Of course villages like Charfield probably have less of the problems associated with rural poverty and isolation, because these are dormitories for city workers, amongst other things.
As for pertinent social comment, surely it was clear that my posting was a facile response to a playful challenge. But the evidence is available for the downside of rural life. I don't think this is the forum for social commentary though. It's an under-used (shamefully) perhaps elitist communication tool.
I realize that many people choose this lifestyle and get what they need from it, more even. As you describe, it requires some effort; voluntarily improving the environment, for example. It also requires some tolerance and, if one is to benefit form the cultural resources you list, a means of transport. This works for those of us, who have sufficient income, networks, etc. There are people,even in this village, who do not fit that profile and who can feel isolated for various reasons. This is a problem in the country as much as in cities.
I am sure anyone is qualified to offer an opinion on the quality of social life, no matter where they have lived. I also have lived in Bristol, even more recently than you yourself, and other cities, as well as even more isolated rural locations. There are a fair few ex-city dwellers in Charfield, I understand, who most probably all have their anecdotes and subjective view on quality of life.
Personally I do not find Charfield a most charming place; it certainly does not have all that I would like. That is why I will not stay here. However I do recognise that there are many people here, like yourself, who are satisfied. Congratulations to those whose quality of semi-rural life is pretty good!
That fact does not deny the fact that rural (or semi-rural) life can mean isolation, depression, financial hardship for others. You can find the stats for yourself on the Countryside Commission webiste, for example.
And thanks for cleaning the hedgerows.
[quote="Anonymous"]do you actually live in Charfield? The allegations you make could apply almost anywhere, and are suggestive more of a glass-half-empty attitude than pertinent social comment.
I would offer that the village is a little off the beaten track and yet close to main arterial routes; that the adjacent dispensing surgery is adequate even if the opening hours could be improved; that we have three pubs, all aimed at different customer profiles, a nearby cinema, arts venue and growing Memorial Hall use. I would comment that the air is fresher here than in the cities, that organic produce is available in the next town and that folk walk around with black bags, voluntarily cleaning up the hedgerows as they wander the country lanes (one of 'em's me).
As someone who only left Bristol in 2000 I think I'm qualified to offer an opinion on the quality of semi-rural life, and it's pretty good thanks. :)[/quote] |
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Jan 22nd 2006 00:01
Report Abuse | | anon says: : Lack of public transport; lack of convenient healthcare; lack of entertainment (apart from some dubious and apparently rather public sexual activities); NIMBYs; hidden poverty; pesticides and foul smelling fertilizer in the air; dogsh*t left by careless people, or worse, hanging from bushes in plastic bags; nasty, parochial-minded territorialism manifested in unfriendliness and irrational fear of 'outside' world and its evils.
There's a summary.
And I will go on...given half a chance. |
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Jan 26th 2006 15:31
Report Abuse | | anon says: : do you actually live in Charfield? The allegations you make could apply almost anywhere, and are suggestive more of a glass-half-empty attitude than pertinent social comment.
I would offer that the village is a little off the beaten track and yet close to main arterial routes; that the adjacent dispensing surgery is adequate even if the opening hours could be improved; that we have three pubs, all aimed at different customer profiles, a nearby cinema, arts venue and growing Memorial Hall use. I would comment that the air is fresher here than in the cities, that organic produce is available in the next town and that folk walk around with black bags, voluntarily cleaning up the hedgerows as they wander the country lanes (one of 'em's me).
As someone who only left Bristol in 2000 I think I'm qualified to offer an opinion on the quality of semi-rural life, and it's pretty good thanks. :) |
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BikerMike
Mar 19th 2008 12:02
Report Abuse | | charfeild is such a peaceful wonderful place you should really consider moving here. |
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Sandy
Woodlands Road
May 21st 2007 16:04
Report Abuse | | We moved to Charfield just under a year ago and cannot agree with most of the negative comments listed here. Most, if not all, of our exerience so far is good.
I have two girls, one goes to KLB the other Castle, only because of different exam boards from where we came. The committment from the teachers and staff is second to none.
Not the prettiest of villages I admit, but the views, peace and quite and community spirit make up for this.
The farmer that owns the fields directly behind where we live is very kind and tolerant in allowing free access to his fields for walks. Lots of people take their beloved dogs every day. I don't mind that his cows ate my lovely fusia trees last summer as I had placed them a bit too close to the fence.
The park is there for all to enjoy and yes the children do make noise as they laugh and scream. I'm sure us mums and dads and grand parents love to hear this in preference to tears. And as for plane/train noise well they are few and far between. I can sit in my garden with my friends and family listening to the birds and enjoy the fresh air with no noise whatsoever from planes/trains or cars for hours.
Our neighbour town, Wotton is a fair trade town with excellent shops. We have our own butcher, greengrocer, gift shops and the co-op is excellent. I never need to visit Tesco.
The infrastructure works fabulous for us. Cribbs is approximately 20 mins down the M5, UWE university is commutable again about 20-30mins, Bristol or Bath city centre for the theatre/clubs pubs entertainment etc., and on a nice sunny day, stay on the M5 for a trip to costa del Weston super mare. What more could one need or want.
If I had to whinge about something that would be the bus service, we could do with a bit better service so we could leave the car in the garage more often.
I can thoroughly recommend anybody wanting to live here.
Regards
Sandy
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r2b2
Oct 22nd 2007 08:20
Report Abuse | | I have lives in Charfield all of my life and, like all places, has its positives and negatives, ups and downs...
I am currently at University at UWE Frenchay and commute there every time I need to. It's only a 20 minute drive (as long as you dont have 8:30am lectures and get caught on the M4 traffic :-S)
From my past experiences, there really isnt that much for kids to do in the village, though a football and some open grass could keep me happy for a long long time! Any outdoors-type kids will love it! Like most places there are troublesome youngsters, though they mostly aren't too bad and apart from the odd case of vandalism around the memorial hall. I know a lot of them by name, and they mostly know me and give a bit of friendly banter but nothing malicious.
Public transport can be a bit hit-and-miss from a teenager with the last bus leaving for Cribbs/Bristol at 5pm and the last bus returning here at 6:30pm, so a car is pretty much essential for any kind of evening social life.
I attended KLB and like all schools, have their good kids and bad kids. I found my time there rewarding, and came out with some good qualifications that will get me somewhere in life. Not many bad points about the place that I can think of.
Job opportunities around the village are scarce for teenagers with a probable total of no more than 25 unskilled jobs to earn a bit of money. I have been lucky in this respect and have worked at a few of the major places.
I really wouldnt have anything against staying here for a long time either!
r2b2 |
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megan
Dec 12th 2008 11:17
Report Abuse | | my aunt and uncle and little cousins, 4 and 3, moved down bout 6 months ago thye love it they moved form plymouth here. they always take there kids to the park. the rider of the bike only drives around at 8,o,clock on monday to friday because of work and then again alot later on when he comes to the park. charfield is great for a range of people. |
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