Where to live in Staffordshire....help required please

[grumpystaffordguy]

Having just visited Cannock town centre, for work, I heartily endorse Stafford! OK their isn't much differencein the range or quality of shops, and the people aren't too different, accept in Cannock they have sillyier accents!Having just visited Cannock town centre, for work, I heartily endorse Stafford! OK their isn't much differencein the range or quality of shops, and the people aren't too different, accept in Cannock they have even more silly accents! There just seems to be more about Stafford:- County Buildings, Art Gallery, Uni', Castle, ect, and all the new developments to come, http://www.staffordforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=8113 but I am probably just biased!

I've always found Cannock town centre to be a bit of a dive during the day and I'd prefer Stafford. The only advantage they had was better out of town retail, but Stafford is closing that gap now. However I enjoy a night out in Cannock on the beers more. It could just be the change of scenery aspect, but it feels like its less stuck up than Stafford and there seems to be a friendlier atmosphere (ie less likely that someone wants to start a fight with you). Unfortunately they have over the past couple of years caught up with Stafford and its taste for stuck up wine bars rather than real pubs. In fairness that's probably more the way society has gone in general. People would rather sit on a posh seat and pay £4 a pint than sit in a normal style pub and pay £3 a pint.

Obviously folk on here will be biased towards Stafford - not least as they may not know about the towns around us. Stafford is a nice place though and as someone who grew up in a big city its not a bad place to be at all. If you have no ties to Stafford then you may be better off looking elsewhere and taking advantage of the lower house prices. My mate has recently bought a 3 bed detached in Cannock that's extended (basically 4 bed size) for the same price as a bog standard 3 bed semi in Stafford. It does make you think. If we didnt have family ties in Stafford (ie baby sitters!) then I certainly would have been tempted to move out of town and get a larger house for the money. Mind you having said all that house prices are usually higher in certain areas for a reason...

 

[tek-monkey]

When looking to buy my first place two years ago it became very apparent that price and desirability went hand in hand.

 

[John Marwood]

Slitting Mill

 

[basil]

Slitting Mill

Somethings got to be done about it ........

 

[John Marwood]

Chase me

 

[sportbilly]

Hi All, well I was offered the position so am now stepping up the search for where to live. Have had a change of thought and now plan to rent for a few months first......can anybody make any honest comment on "Heath Hayes"......good / bad / indifferent / pros and cons please? Seen a couple of reasonably priced rental properties, however, no absolutely nothing about this place.......genuine comments appreciated.

 

[Lucy]

I moved to Heath Hayes a month ago, and it's not bad at all, it certainly doesn't have the Cannock 'reputation'. We live in one of the older properties not far from the high street, and it's quite quiet. There's a decent curry house, and Tescos is easily in walking distance. You can even walk into Cannock if you are feeling energetic. My move is only a short term one, and I'd have probably stayed in Stafford if my house had space to house the boyfriend's motorbikes, but there's certainly worse areas of Cannock to live in.

 

[Gramaisc]

^ See above for up-to-the-minute assessment.

Heath Hayes was a mining village, and still has a large open cast mine there. There are streets of terraces houses also areas of new-build. Have a look round on StreetView. A friend of mine has lived there for many years and, I'm sure, would be happy to give you the low-down, but he's Scottish and almost indecipherable.

 

[sportbilly]

Thanks for the above. I am looking at a small apartment on Hobby Way....just for 3 to 6 months until I decide if the job / area etc is right for me........sounds like may not be a bad bet?

 

[Gramaisc]

Probably a good idea. Is that really still Heath Hayes?

 

[sportbilly]

is what really still Heath Hays?! (Sorry...I have never been to Heath Hays so am relying on you local guru's!)

 

[John Marwood]

If you are a car driver you will be ok but its a little bit anon

Gt Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay have more of a village feel to them

Most suburbs of Cannock are former mining villages . Pits now closed

Cannock has a lot of good warm friendly people in it, a few muppets and quite a bit of poverty,although most of this is in Rugeley

Never found a sound real ale bar in the area so if you do please let us know

 

[sportbilly]

Thanks...so Heath Hays is not a necessarily bad choice then....sounds like it is middle of the road territory?

If you currently live in Scunthorpe (as I do), anywhere must be an improvement?!

 

[Gramaisc]

is what really still Heath Hays?!

If you currently live in Scunthorpe (as I do), anywhere must be an improvement?!

What I meant was is Hobby Way actually still in Heath Hayes? It seems a long way from the centre of the town to me.


Bloody hell! Scunthorpe? I used to live in Hemswell in the '70s - and went to school in Brigg. If things haven't improved markedly round there since then, then you have nothing at all to worry about living anywhere round here.

 

[sportbilly]

ha ha, sorry...on the property website I viewed it said "Hobby Way - Heath Hays" so I took it as read that is where it is / was?!

BRIGG...bloody hell small world....don't tell me you went to Sir John Nelthorpe school ?! Or Brigg Grammar?

 

[Gramaisc]

ha ha, sorry...on the property website I viewed it said "Hobby Way - Heath Hays" so I took it as read that is where it is / was?!

BRIGG...bloody hell small world....don't tell me you went to Sir John Nelthorpe school ?! Or Brigg Grammar?

Brigg Grammar, of course - want a fight?

What a bloody mad-house that was.

 

[sportbilly]

ha ha no your ok.....I know what you lot from Brigg are like !

So, sorry...back to business....is Hobby Way Heath Hays...or is a property website pulling my plonker?

 

[Gramaisc]

ha ha no your ok.....I know what you lot from Brigg are like !

So, sorry...back to business....is Hobby Way Heath Hays...or is a property website pulling my plonker?

It just seems a long way away from what I would call Heath Hayes, that's all. Not that the Geography of Cannock is my specialist subject.

 

[sportbilly]

Ok thanks

 

[darben]

I know little about the area but It it were me I would advise you get the postcodes of where you are looking at and do a quick post code search on sites like 'check my file' and the newish national police site, to get a realistic idea of what the area is like, and compare like for like against where you are at the moment, but also add to equation where pubs and shops are cited, as this can skew statistics.

Also if you are thinking of short term before dipping you toes into a housing commitment maybe lodging somewhere for a short period maybe less stressful and give you a feel for where you would like to live.

Congratulations on your new job.