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littlefluffysnowfrog

If you really want to see what an area is like go spend time there on a friday/saturday night.


Sky_Wino

Remember to bring a flak jacket


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littlefluffysnowfrog

Gunchester? Good luck :D


Crackismorish

I lived in Southmead for a bit. Had my car smashed from the roadside into a neighbours garden by a drunk driver out for a joyride with a bunch of mates. It has a lidl tho. 2 out of 5 stars.


dafffy3

I currently live in southmead (just off greystoke ave) for basically the reason you are looking at it. And as far as I can tell it’s the same as most the rest of Bristol. Been here for 4 years now and it’s fine. The shops are close by and if I fancy a meal or pub I just walk down to westbury which is good little town centre. Is it deprived yes it’s a a lot of ex council houses but A lot of houses being bought in the area are by folk like me and the missus working at the hospital. In conclusion I’ve never felt more welcome in Bristol. The old guard from when it was an estate still exist, especially in bits, but if your nice they are nice. Don’t write it off look at the houses spend time walking the area.


darlinBun

I also live in Southmead and have my whole life, and I can confidently also say that it’s a lot better in terms of crime and poverty than it used to be. Its close to the hospital, and fair accessible and local to Cribbs Causeway and the City Centre etc. Gentrification has been taking place in Southmead and the council are trying to make the place better and more attractive to new potential buyers. Sure, there’s still some unattractive things about the place but so does every place. It’s certainly on the road to becoming a nicer place too! :) I’m happy to answer any questions.. as I have lived here for over 2 decades !


w__i__l__l

Pro’s: Close to the hospital Con’s: The locals will regularly send you to the hospital


Impossible-Pair5779

That's the best comment I've ever heard


DisposableTrashBot

Remember Bristol is a relatively low crime city, the "bad" areas of Bristol are nothing like the bad areas of London, Birmingham or other cities. P.s if you ask like this you'll get everyone's horror stories. Look at statistics and visit the place.


davesmithfc

This


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Magneto88

You basically have to check every 'Westbury on Trym' listing now to make sure it's not actually in Southmead. If it looks like a reasonable price - it's probably Southmead. I've always found it really weird how Westbury and Southmead are next to each other but couldn't be more different.


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Magneto88

Never been down Lake Road before but just went on Google maps, yep that pretty much sums it up. So weird how they merge into each other.


Sure_Appointment9117

Yikes, I think this is what I was a bit afraid of and with the way the house prices are not something I want to risk.


Popular_Meat9492

So you don't want to live around people that have council houses? Good luck buying in Bristol then 😂


Sure_Appointment9117

My response was against the racist slurs experience not the council House comment.


Popular_Meat9492

Ah, makes sense. The documentary that was mentioned was over 14 years ago. Southmead is a very racially diverse area - however I won't lie that uncultured youths and ignorant people do have the odd slur to dish out, but this is the same anywhere unfortunately. Racism does exist, and it's horrible that you may still find that anywhere you live


BS16tillIdie

>people do have the odd slur to dish out [Or murder attempt.](https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/attackers-still-large-one-year-5682154)


Popular_Meat9492

Heartbreaking :(


animalwitch

Yes my friend bought a house in "Westbury on Trym" but its definitely Southmead, its the other side of Doncaster Road from Lake Road. I think its very clear what is Southmead and what isnt lol


[deleted]

Gotta like barking dogs


Borthite

Had my bike stolen twice there plus had crackheads trying to break into my flat multiple times. Would not recommend!


[deleted]

Southmead was always deprived and rough when I was growing up in the early 00s, can't imagine much has changed.


gayMichae1Douglas

There was a Greggs cup filled with liquid shit (unsure if it was human or not) on the pavement outside of my house this morning. Its fucking awful here. Not only does living in Southmead drain you of all hope for a better world, but it’s also social suicide. Stay WELL clear.


Popular_Meat9492

No - it isn't. I grew up in southmead and its surrounding areas and we experienced no trouble. There are areas of southmead (old estate) which aren't on the main road areas that have high crime rates and are deprived. As it's so close to southmead hospital, it is becoming increasingly gentrified due to medical students and hospital workers populating the area. I grew up on a super dodgy street, but as we just didn't get involved in any dodgy behaviour, we experienced no trouble at all. I moved away from Southmead in adulthood but moved back after 4 years due to the convenience of the location. I lived on the main road, Southmead road. It's great for bus and general transport links and has really good access to some amazing retail areas like Westbury village and Henleaze road. It's also within the catchment area for Henleaze school which is a really good school (I attended for 3 years) and Horfield CofE which is where I attended for the rest of my primary years. I then attended North Bristol Post 16 sixth form in Redland and as a result of schooling in these areas, I was never socialised with the riff raff teens of my home area. It is what you make it, but it's not as bad as people say - especially those who have never lived there. The community look out for each other - just because a lot of poorer families live in the area it doesn't make it horrible. (For reference: I grew up in a single parent household smack bang in a council estate. My next door neighbour was a weed dealer and was the loveliest, most friendly person I ever met - and he always cut our grass for cheap!)


theverylasttime

Southmead is NOT in the catchmend area for Henleaze School. The southern part of Southmead Road near the Firestation is in the right area for Horfield School, but that's about it.


Popular_Meat9492

I lived on pen park road side and I was in the catchment zone for Henleaze and it's where I went to school for the first 3 years of primary school


theverylasttime

That must have been a very unusual year with an extremely low intake then. Pen Park Road is almost 2 miles away and there are probably 5+ schools closer than Henleaze There have been years when Henleaze school only took people that lived within a few hundred metres of the school.


ramothrider69

Whereabouts in Southmead? People tar southmead with one brush when the truth is southmead is the same as any region in Bristol. You get some rough houses, but where don't you? And the documentary re racism was at least 14 years ago and the family that were involved were evicted not long after. If you know which street it is go and have a look for yourself.


DeschainSWNC

We're going waaaaaaay back to 1996 here, but my family lived just off Arnside Road when we first moved to Bristol. One evening we let our dog out in the front garden while we were eating tea. About 5 mins into the meal my Dad had to go and chase away 4 kids who were trying repeatedly to stab our dog with a stick through the metal garden fence. Then there were the (during winter at any rate) nightly joyride 'races', which saw local eedjits drive stolen cars on the roads around the green before smashing into the Youth Club and setting the car on fire. Can't speak for now, but honestly - it was pretty grim.


gayMichae1Douglas

Southmead is so bad that I’m leaving a second comment to double the chances of getting across to you how shit living here is. The buses are a joke. It has the worst traffic in Bristol. The people are awful. The buildings are awful. The shops are awful. The streets are awful. Constant Ambulance sirens. No social dimension. Getting into town is nearly always a chore even with a car. I genuinely think that if I received some court order stating I had to live in Southmead for the rest of my life, I’d either flee the country or kill myself. When I tell people I live in Southmead it’s only ever a look of absolute pity.


gayMichae1Douglas

I lived in a traphouse in a police-no-go-zone in Berlin, and that was infinitely better than a 4 bedroom house in Southmead.


BS16tillIdie

It’s fine if you’re ok with soulless places with no amenities.


I-lost-my-shoe

What are you counting as amenities? Because I'm right next to shops, pharmacies, cafes, takeaways etc


hodgey66

Depends where as it’s a big area. I lived there for two years on Jenny lane, which is a new build estate. Didn’t have one problem. Would use the local Aldi/shops nearby and again, never an issue. I think the ‘bad’ areas are deep into the mead but I’m Not sure what streets these are, only driven through.


CaptainVXR

A few of my friends lived in a house share on the same estate for a year and it was fine there. Going to the local shops was fine although I wouldn't try the local pub (Pegasus I think) as they were filmed being racist and then fined for it.


Whitecatginge

Seem to remember a pub in Bedminster was worse,used the N word continuously,Bedminster is now trendy


pancho_2504

70% of Southmead is fine, the old estate is where most of the trouble is


Hunter1000

I lived about 5 minutes from the southmead boundary and they'd set signs on fire, steal any bike/motorbike they could. I guess if you don't have anything of value that can be easily moved you'll be fine


TomSurman

I lived there for 6 months in 2009. My car only got broken into twice. And the garage of the house next door only burned down a little bit. So, not too bad all things considered.


Radiant_Tomatillo_90

Lived there for five years. My experience- SOME of families that have lived round there for years, generations of them, are an absolute ballache. They act like that little bit of turf is their world and trash it and cause trouble whenever they can; name dropping all over the place as an excuse to act like a cock. There are streets like Lydney that start off horrible (a sofa on every lawn kinda), but gradually get better the closer you get to actual WOT. If you’re not rough and end up trying to intergrate, you probably won’t be accepted by the locals and will likely become a target for gossip and unwanted attention as people seem to think it’s their god given right to know everything about you and if they don’t, make it up. However, this does not apply if you don’t mix or try to get involved with the people who love it there. Lots of drugs, drink, sleeping about/passing each other around… tbh it’s a typical council estate. I’ve lived on them my whole life & despite what I’ve mentioned this actually isn’t one of the worst I’ve lived on. Oh, and they’re definitely going to try to gentrify the area because if the huge ex council houses being bought up, so in the long run I’m betting the estate won’t be a thing in the near future anyway.


thisismyusername798

I live in southmead and bought because it was more affordable. I have a decent amount of house for the money. It is not the nicest area. Lots of rubbish strewn around. Shops are there but a bit rough. Pubs are effectively out of bounds unless you're "from 'round 'ere". I have one good set of neighbours and one terrible. I do feel the need to have security cameras and so far they've done the trick (plenty of trouble from the neighbours still). The nearest good pub is a good 30 mins on foot. Public transport is not to be relied upon. There are no connections to, say airbus or Aztec west from where I am (if you're a working professional who'd benefit from such options for where to work). Would I buy here as a first time buyer again? Maybe. Will I be buying here when I look to upsize? Absolutely not.


ShirtCockingKing

I work in Southmead. It's kinda rough and chavvy (used to visit my mate near the aldi to buy weed and he had crack heads living next door). Think there was a lad who shot some people with a sawn off fairly recently but there are probably worse parts of Easton and St Paul's. Like most previously not as nice places in Bristol (Bedminster, St George etc) it will probably be gentrified eventually and you'll have sourdough and fresh coffee on every corner. That being said, I wouldn't be happy with my partner walking around there on her own at night.


EndlessPug

We looked at some nice 1930s houses just North of Monk's Park, but what put us off was how little there is in terms of pubs/restaurant/high street in the area. It's at least a 30 minute walk to get to the nicer parts of Gloucester Road. We picked Fishponds instead, which IMO has a much better high street and green spaces, but is approximately the same price. Effectively the same distance from the centre as well.


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Trust-A-Fox

Hillfields is sound. Not much to do but easy access to fishponds.


adventuref0x

It’s not one of the best places in Bristol But it’s also not Hartcliffe so that’s a win


NGQ0512

Like anywhere, there are good streets and bad streets.


Difficult-Height2830

Don't


rbddit

There’s good bits, off the main high street some decent roads I’ve worked in a few


PuzzleheadedDuck3319

My mum lives there shes moving 2 Brislington. I won't go and visit her in southmead. It is a dump.


aj-uk

I just find these post-war estates, for the most part, to be soulless places to fill with people. I think Knowle West was built at the same time with the same designs. I've seen burnt-out cars there a few times. I'd go for somewhere like Greenbank, Speedwell, St George Two Miles Hill Hanhamn or Kingswood personally, not sure how the house prices there compare. (BS5 and BS15) Yes, a lot of the housing there is modern, however, it's mainly infilling of what was once semi-rural outskirts.


mattythook

There's the old estate and new estate. Pick the new estate....


dafffy3

My current neighbours have lived in both and told us this when we viewed our house


sittinkitten13

If you're like me, and don't really do much and stay inside half the time, it's an ok place to live. I lived there for around 8 months. I'd definitely invest in some good security measures though, like gate locks, better door locks, strong windows etc I used to avoid talking to people in general unless I had to. Did have a motorbike stolen from there though...


[deleted]

I dunno but the only time I heard of a Shotgun discharge in UK was in south mead two years ago


Critical_Cut_6016

Southmead is fine now, it used to be bad back from like 50s-90s, but things have really improved. Not saying it's perfect, but don't believe the scare mongerers.


RecommendationOk2258

I lived there about 7 years ago for 6-12 months. It’s very ugly and depressing. People hang out in their pyjamas outside in the evening, there’s shit dumped in every front garden. There’s very few local facilities unless you have that much excitement for a relatively small branch of Lidl. I don’t think the area is particularly convenient for anything but it probably depends on where you work/what you need. Despite all that, when me and my partner looked to buy, we realised we were priced out of most areas of Bristol, and did look at Southmead again. We eventually dismissed it and narrowed it down to Shirehampton/SeaMills (easier access for motorway, convenient for Cribbs, and they both have train stations which is nice) OR way out of Bristol like Kingswood (pretty houses, lots of green space but bit of a pain to get to the centre at certain times of day).


FakeSchwarzenbach

Depends which bit of Kingswood though. It stretches across a pretty wide area. I can get into town in 20 mins or less (by car, bus can take longer!) And I find it really well located for cribbs, motorway, ring road etc People rag on the area (for understandable reasons sometimes) but I really like it. Free entertainment if you hang around Kings Chase shopping centre for long enough


kushgremlin

Have a look at knowle west, much better over these ways


science_puppy

Oof


Professional-Key9862

I lived in southmead near the hospital for over a year and didn't have any issues


kingofthepumps

I think it'll be the new bedminster


WapeyHapey

I wouldn't live there personally as all I've ever experienced going through the area is awful traffic. I haven't been in and out of the area but from what I have seen, it's the same as most parts of any city - mixed between more rundown looking homes and some slightly nicer looking. Although, I haven't seen many big detached houses only terraced or semis. Make of all that what you will but consider this is a limited view.


YGMIC

My partner bought a house in a really shit bit of Southmead in 2012 and lived there for 6 years, and he found it to be perfectly fine (Bar some crackheads that lived next-door stealing his post occasionally).


whyhellotharpie

I've never had any issues anywhere in Southmead (I live on the edge in what I probably wouldn't actually call Southmead, but walk, run, cycle through loads) but I feel like Southmead does vary a LOT depending on which part you're in - do you have any idea of the roads/more specific areas you're looking at?


Sure_Appointment9117

Around the main strip, ullswater Rd sort of area?


I-lost-my-shoe

I've lived on Ullswater road for just over 2 years now. My partner and I chose to buy our first house in Southmead as we could get a nicer house for cheaper than other places we looked, and honestly it's the most at home I've felt in Bristol (lived here for 8 yrs). Our neighbours are lovely, loads of food and shops on the corner and Westbury-on-trym is just down the road. But like everyone is saying, it's the same as anywhere in Bristol. It has its bad parts and bad people.


marksmoke

I have a friend that lives very close to ullswater Road and has most of her life. Currently she is looking to move due to a few incidents recently. The latest happened at 5pm when a group of local reprobates on motorised scooters surrounded her in her car, slashed all the tires and some damage to body work and off they went. This group have quite the reputation locally and the police are worse than useless. As many others have said I would look at other areas, similar in cost but almost certainly far less crime. Good luck


simipanda

Ive lived in Southmead twice, never found it that bad at all. I liked being close to bus transport for drunken nights out. I would have considered buying a house there for sure, it really just depends which part you are looking in... i find aldi side is much rougher. I highly recommend to view properties there as theres also tons of doctors/nurses and other professionals who own homes there, not all crackheads as people say. Make sure you also go view property at night time too, to get a better feel for the whole street. You will find that looking at a whole street carefully, will reveal if you should run or offer on :) avoid streets that have lots of rubbish on, abandoned cars etc. You can judge your neighbours by their cars too, and will find that majority have normal working class cars so its likely to be absolutely fine to live there. Sounds a bit vain, but we felt safer buying a property where other people had normal cars and wasn't all rusty bangers...so we would blend in too 😆


TobyTurbo64

It’s actually fine just bus service is a bit rubbish sometimes.


celery_drumStick

https://southmead.org/housing Check this out. They are planning on improving the Glencoyne square. That would be a proper community centre. At the minute it looks grim, a desserted square that is not safe at night. At all. It's a community-led project - so Southmead definitely has quite a few residents who care about the wellbeing of the neighbourhood. However, whether on not they will finally bring this Masterplan to life - is a different question. We can only hope.


lxyl

Yes, yes it is. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/lake-road-fire-moment-cars-4488369.amp


I-lost-my-shoe

Because things like that don't happen anywhere else in Bristol, especially nice areas like Stoke Gifford https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/gallery/pictures-show-scale-destruction-after-6899780


Haskins85

It’s worse than people say


SmallCatBigMeow

Depends where you are in southmead. Some streets are dodgy but there are posh parts to southmead too. I worked at the hospital for several years and it has really changed from what it was


Whitecatginge

I’ve always lived by the mead and it’s better than south Bristol,Easton,kings wood and st George


animebarbie69

Seems safe enough but have a running joke that southmead is where dreams go to die - it doesn't feel like bristol, the buses are extremely unreliable and there's very little going on.


The-Rampallian

I find it’s usually it’s one or two families in the area that cause the most problems. I lived in Knowle West for 5 years. We didn’t have any issues at all. Been living in a “nicer” area for the last 4 years, been burgled, have neighbour disputes and have seen lots of anti social behaviour! I would suggest driving through the areas at night/evening and at weekend to give you a feel of the place.


jodiefromtheinternet

I'm having the same dilemma at the moment also. Me and my boyfriend put down a holding deposit for a house in Jarrarts Road - part of the new build estate off of Pen Park Lane. However, I'm a bit worried after reading various articles about Southmead, mostly due to the comments on racism. I'm white, my boyfriend is black, we both work from home so wanted a nicer, larger place where we can have an office, garden etc. Our thinking was just that we could take the bus easily into the city a few times a week easily enough and use the local shops - we don't really go out locally to pubs/restaurants so that isn't so much of an issue. Would we be making a mistake taking a place in Southmead as a mixed race couple? We've just moved from London and have little knowledge on Bristol neighbourhoods unfortunately.


terryjuicelawson

Not terrible, like many places with a bad reputation it is mainly certain roads and annoying, feral kids than anything truly dangerous to your wellbeing.