# Oxford: chat, things to do, where to live...



## Callie (Mar 5, 2012)

A friend of mine has been offered a job near Oxford and they are trying to find out more about Oxford and where is good to live and where isnt.

They have been researching on line but its ll a bit confusing and contradictory so I said I would ask you lot!

Were also planning a bit of a reccy up to investigate for ourselves and sample the joys that Oxford has to offer so any advice on what to do and where to visit welcome. Also nice places for food, cocktails and beers and other assorted entertainments greatly appreciated.

I have had a look at some old threads but not sure how up to date and relevant they are.

Cheers!


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## ringo (Mar 6, 2012)

I lived there a couple of years '96-'98, working, not as a student. I've never known such a city for a rich/poor divide. Most of Oxford is very comfortable middle class, with a high percentage of rich & upper class students and academics.

The Cowley Road represents the more bohemian area with plenty of good pubs and clubs, and most of the poorer (former Polytechnic) students and residents live off it or at the other end of it in the estates such as Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill etc. Blackbird Leys achieved nationwide fame for being one of the areas which had riots in the early 80's along with Brixton, Toxteth etc, though I can't say I ever saw too many problems there. That end had the old Rover car plant, but when I was there its closure had left many unemployed and poor.

I'd interested in hearing how its changed, if at all, in the intervening years


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## 2hats (Mar 6, 2012)

Their is still a strong division between 'town' and 'gown'. The collegiate system does nothing to lessen this.

If the job is _near_ Oxford then consider living close to wherever that is and save lots of money (and torment trying to commute). Oxford is ridiculously expensive to live in unless you are offered a shed in the back garden of a house in Cowley (no joke - it happened a few weeks ago).

Pro of living in Oxford: regular and relatively cheap 24 hour public transport links to London.

Finally - if you have the loot to burn - here's a place that's just come up for rent - and that's the more generally affordable side of town.


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## Callie (Mar 6, 2012)

Hmm will discuss that with said friend. They are coming from London (Ealing) so the cost might not seem so horrendous. Where is there out of town in a westerly direction.


They were considering commuting for a while from London. Sounds a bit much to me.


I'll see if  I can glean some more info about monies and what they actually want. It's interesting to hear about the recent history.


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## hipipol (Mar 6, 2012)

Witney


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## Callie (Mar 6, 2012)

Rip


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## Sue (Mar 7, 2012)

ringo said:


> That end had the old Rover car plant, but when I was there its closure had left many unemployed and poor.


 
Car plant's still there -- it's where they make the mini -- but employs a lot fewer people than it did.


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## Sue (Mar 7, 2012)

Callie said:


> Hmm will discuss that with said friend. They are coming from London (Ealing) so the cost might not seem so horrendous. Where is there out of town in a westerly direction.
> 
> They were considering commuting for a while from London. Sounds a bit much to me.
> 
> I'll see if I can glean some more info about monies and what they actually want. It's interesting to hear about the recent history.


 
Whereabouts will they be working? The commuting thing's crap -- did it the other way for a while and really, no life... Coach takes much longer than it used too (though running 24 hours is good if you want to go out in London or whatever), trains are super-crowded (the majority of the most overcrowded train routes recently were on that line into Paddington) and very expensive.

I'd agree that East Oxford's a good place to live though if they're working west, would be a bit of a shlep.


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## Callie (Mar 7, 2012)

They'll be working about 10miles west, think they said there is a bus but that they would be looking to cycle... bit of a longer trip than what they do currently on the bike but shouldn't be too much of a challenge.


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## Sue (Mar 7, 2012)

Callie said:


> They'll be working about 10miles west, think they said there is a bus but that they would be looking to cycle... bit of a longer trip than what they do currently on the bike but shouldn't be too much of a challenge.


 
Do you know whereabouts exactly?


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## 2hats (Mar 7, 2012)

Callie said:


> They'll be working about 10miles west, think they said there is a bus but that they would be looking to cycle... bit of a longer trip than what they do currently on the bike but shouldn't be too much of a challenge.


 
Witney? It's no fun cycling along the A40. Plenty of options for pleasant but longer rides around country lanes though. If off to the SW towards Wantage (Oxford Instruments or Grove?) there are some quieter lanes. Living in East Oxford and cycling there would be a bit of a drag. The dilemma then is how far out of Oxford (towards the west) do you want to live versus ease of getting to trains/coaches to get to London and elsewhere (perhaps).


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## Big Gunz (Mar 7, 2012)

Around Cowley Rd is pretty good, not too far from the city centre and pretty diverse, lots of good restaurants and bars. Blackbird Leys if they want to live dangerously but probably a lot cheaper.


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## Malayan Jelutong (Oct 1, 2012)

Old thread I know, but thought I'd post anyway. I lived in Rose Hill / Iffley last year and the divide there was literal. If I left the grounds of my accomodation and went to the left I'd be in Middle Class Iffley, to the right and I was in Working Class Rose Hill (or Rose Hell as it's affectionately known). Rose Hill wasn't anywhere near as bad as it was made out to be - it just has a very bad reputation - and I grew to love it. Lots of stuff going on and probably the most culturally diverse place I've been to in my short stay on this planet we call...earth.


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## fredfelt (Oct 1, 2012)

Talking about literal divide in Oxford - in North Oxford there's a blue plaque marking the former site of the Cutteslowe Wall.  A physical separation between the council houses and posh private houses of the Banbury Road.


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## Callie (Oct 1, 2012)

It doesn't matter now! Said friend has been living mon-fri in a hotel and coming to London at weekends and but has now been offered a different job back in London so they're coming back. They didn't like oxford but I don't think they really tired!


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## co-op (Oct 1, 2012)

Oxford's orrible.


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## bi0boy (Dec 28, 2015)

Bump because might have to move there. Will be living outside I guess, I wonder what the buses are like for getting in?


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## BigMoaner (Dec 30, 2015)

Malayan Jelutong said:


> on this planet we call...earth.


Lol


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## editor (Nov 25, 2019)

Some pics from Oxford











In photos: A quick look around the streets Oxford, England

And a whole load more here: 



























Photos of Oxford: architecture, fog, frozen canal, church tower views and The Monochrome Set


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