# Southampton - what's it like?



## mattie (Mar 2, 2010)

Might be working at Southampton Uni, anyone any thoughts on

a - whether that is, in itself,a good idea.
b - where to live.
c - in regards (b), whether it would be possible to love somewhere in-between Southampton and Bristol and commute to both locations.
d - in regards (b) and (c), whether there is a place on the train line between Southampton and Bristol that isn't extortionate for commuting.  
e - in regards (c) and (d), how long either are likely to take.

Ta.


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## nadia (Mar 3, 2010)

My be Salisbury at a push about hour to Bristol and about 30 min to Southampton Central (which isn't really near the uni unless you work at the oceanography centre)  Its quite affluent there so I expect not cheap. I used to work for Southampton Uni I was made redundant (which I was not entirely happy about) different depts may differ


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## marty21 (Mar 3, 2010)

I know someone who used to work at Southampton and lived in Salisbury, so that commute is doable, Salisbury is a nice town, not sure how expensive it is to rent/buy though


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## mattie (Mar 3, 2010)

Ta, might look into Salisbury.  Might look at Warminster as well, not sure of rail links.

Really fancy a place out in sticks, but a bitch if we'd be commuting by train.


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## Kingdom (Mar 3, 2010)

The place itself is a shitehole.


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## editor (Mar 3, 2010)

Here's some photos of the town: http://www.urban75.org/photos/southampton/index.html

It's not the prettiest place, mainly thanks to the Luftwaffe and shitty 60s developers.


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## nicksonic (Mar 3, 2010)

mattie said:


> Ta, might look into Salisbury.  Might look at Warminster as well, not sure of rail links.
> 
> Really fancy a place out in sticks, but a bitch if we'd be commuting by train.



i love salisbury, a lovely place.


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## Looby (Mar 3, 2010)

Salisbury is lovely but I would guess it is fairly expensive to live. You could look at areas outside the city but you would need to be able to drive really as I'm not sure what the buses are like. It can also be an absolute fucker to get into Salisbury by car in rush hour from places like Downton.

Southampton is a bit of a shithole really but I'm sure there must be nice bits. My bezzers sister lives there so could ask her when I next speak to her.


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## mattie (Mar 4, 2010)

Ta all ofr comments.

Not keen to live in Southampton, the missus would be working in North Brizzle so Salisbury a reasnable train ride for both of us.  Sadly, sometimes she has to work in Gloucester which would be a royal pain from Salisbury.


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## Looby (Mar 4, 2010)

Do either of you drive? If so it might be worth getting a cheap car. It's not like living in london or bristol when there is little need for a car for most people.


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## Riklet (Mar 4, 2010)

It's shit, and fuck living in some shit Wiltshire town too! Got a friend who lives in Southampton at the moment, and she rates it a resounding "shit" out of 10.  Honesty is the best policy eh!

Oh, and Warminster is one of the few small, crappy places i've been to where more than one person hasn't known where the train station is....  

I would stay in Bath, mate, or move to Bristol and brave the commute? Dunnooo, sounds like a reeeeet trek for both parties, really.


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## mauvais (Mar 4, 2010)

Meh. I'm in Southampton and yeah it is a bit shit, but it could be a lot worse. Soul Cellar/Joiners/Hamptons etc for music, trains to plenty of places in quick reach, the New Forest, generally a big enough place to have the critical mass for some half decent shops (John Lewis, IKEA etc). Lived in far better places but I don't hate it by any means.


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## Sweet FA (Mar 5, 2010)

Kingdom said:


> a shitehole





sparklefish said:


> a shithole





Riklet said:


> "shit" out of 10





mauvais said:


> a bit shit


 

It _is_ shit though. 






mauvais said:


> but it could be a lot worse. Soul Cellar/Joiners/Hamptons etc for music, trains to plenty of places in quick reach, the New Forest, generally a big enough place to have the critical mass for some half decent shops (John Lewis, IKEA etc). Lived in far better places but I don't hate it by any means.



Agree with mauvais - there're a few good pubs/venues and Soton's near some ace places; Forest/Beaches etc. If places like Salisbury are too expensive or the commuting idea doesn't work, you could look into living by the forest. Ashurst is a nice little village, though places further into the Forest (Lyndhurst etc) are pricey.


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## Looby (Mar 5, 2010)

Sweet FA said:


> It _is_ shit though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is there still a pub in Ashurst called the Happy Cheese?


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## DRINK? (Mar 5, 2010)

yes there is.....just before the bridge on your left


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## Sweet FA (Mar 5, 2010)

Yup 

Tho' a fight broke out when I was in there last year so perhaps the Angry Cheese might be more appropriate


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## Looby (Mar 5, 2010)

Yay. 

I camped there years ago, got extremely pissed at the tent then we staggered off to find a pub. I thought one of us was going to piss ourselves we were so excited about drinking at the Happy Cheese.


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## madamv (Mar 5, 2010)

mattie said:


> Might be working at Southampton Uni, anyone any thoughts on
> 
> a - whether that is, in itself,a good idea.
> b - where to live.   *  Not in Southampton *
> ...


*

I work in Salisbury, and live in Dorset so pm me if there is anything I can help with. *


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## lang rabbie (Mar 6, 2010)

editor said:


> Here's some photos of the town: http://www.urban75.org/photos/southampton/index.html
> 
> It's not the prettiest place, mainly thanks to the Luftwaffe and shitty 60s developers.



Wyndham Court still divides opinion.  

Old farts like editor hate it.

A younger generation think it is the best building in Southampton.




			
				Owen Hatherley said:
			
		

> In the 20s and 30s, all Modern architects seemed to be infatuated with Ocean Liners. The curves, contours and towers of a Cunard would be adapted into their houses and flats. The Brutalism of the 60s would, on the other hand, appear to have been a rejection of this high seas frippery for something more earthy and urban.
> 
> Wyndham Court in Southampton is the world’s only Brutalist Ocean Liner. This block of flats, which looms over Southampton Central Station, throwing the blandness of its surroundings into sharp relief, is – intentionally or not – a tribute to a bygone era of glamour and luxurious transport, fittingly in the very port where the Queen Mary, the Titanic et al made their voyages.


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## lang rabbie (Mar 6, 2010)

The University's main campus at Highfield is a fair bus/bike ride away from either station - about a mile from Southampton Central station and slightly less from Southampton Parkway.


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## mauvais (Mar 6, 2010)

Wyndham Court's fucking dreadful. Ever been in there?


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## Paul Russell (Mar 6, 2010)

Southampton city centre resembles several out-of-town shopping villages that have been moved into one city centre location. If that makes any sense.


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## Paul Russell (Mar 6, 2010)

More Wyndham Court


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## killer b (Mar 6, 2010)

wyndham court looks great. could do with a spruce up mind - it's the dilapidation these grey concrete places tend to fall into that's the problem imo, not necessarily the buildings themselves...


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## nadia (Mar 7, 2010)

However I belive some salisbury trains stop at st denys which is a ten min walk up the hill


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## editor (Oct 26, 2018)

Of local interest: 

Southampton students’ union leader slammed after vowing to paint over war mural of ‘white men’


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## mojo pixy (Oct 26, 2018)

If you've got a car, anywhere between Andover and Yeovil on the A303 would be fine - but beware traffic around the M27, M3 and A36, it's really bad. Otherwise Salisbury or Warminster as stated, or just live much further from Bristol than Southampton, eg Brockenhurst, Christchurch, Fareham, Romsey, Winchester (all nice quiet towns with good train links to Southampton)


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## t0bytoo (Oct 26, 2018)

Southampton is a bit weird to walk around. You have to cross roads without crossing lights. Feels like it wasn't built for foot travellers.

I live reasonably close and go there sometimes for work, cinema, gigs. There is stuff going on most of the time.  Can't say I like the place too much, though. Happy to live about half an hour away in the countryside.


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## Riklet (Nov 1, 2018)

editor said:


> Of local interest:
> 
> Southampton students’ union leader slammed after vowing to paint over war mural of ‘white men’



Get rid of it because not enough women were slaughtered in the first world war too?  What a moron.  Ah memories of PC Principal.

I'm sure in a liberal progressive town like Southampton (cough) this will go down well.


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