Out of curiosity why did you choose to live here?
I’ve lived quite a few places, agreed the planning of Stafford is appalling, but it has so much potential, and has history - I find it quite a Goldilocks place to live not to big, not to small, not too posh or poor etc... easy access to anything you could want country side, cities - sometimes life is what you make of it , Stafford is never going to have the opportunities that a city give you or the nature of the countryside but you really don’t have to go far to find it.
It’s not always easy adjusting to living in a small provincial town, but plenty of people are in the same boat. People are pretty amicable where ever you go, towns the size of Stafford can be more difficult than others as a lot of people have known each other since childhood; smile, be open minded, join in with things and you’ll soon make some friends.
Because I have a job I love and own my house... I also have brilliant friends. I benefit from the cheap housing and great transport links out of the place.
Stafford is a 'meh' kind of place. Housing is well priced and it's easy to get out of Stafford. That's about the only selling points and with the good transport links comes regular traffic gridlock.
I compare Stafford to Leamington Spa. The difference is that Leamington has a really good town centre with loads of independent shops, cafe's and restaurants. Good quality housing stock and large parks. Staffords park provision is awful. 1 overcrowded cramped town park and Rowley Park. The town is twice the size it was when I was a kid...no new park provision though
The council's planning is a joke, every little bit of green space being devoured and life based on cars and nothing else. Cycling provision consists in the main of a line on the road that cars are free to park in. The bus service is no longer viable as a mode if transport for anyone bar the pensioners who only go out between the times of 11 and 3.
The library provision is a joke. The hospital..less said the better really. Hope you don't have an accident during the night or expect a long journey before treatment.
Restaurants and cafe's are all chain or low class...macdonalds is the favourite eat of the town chavs.
Petty crime is endemic with an over stretched police force who do basically nothing - this is not their fault though!.
High schools are so brilliant that all the best kids pay to go to Stafford grammar or get shipped to Newport each day to get decent free eduation at Newport Girls or Adams Grammar!
I think people on here need to separate those of you who live in the villages and towns around Stafford, who all seem to like it, with those of us who live in the areas of Stafford town in the areas of high social deprivation.
Stafford is a 5 out of 10 type of town. Some good aspects, most of them not in Stafford or that involve leaving the place!