Hi

Pat2107

just wondering what bray is like to live in...seems to pretty decent! Any opinions welcome.

LEIN

Bray is a fairly big place mate you need to be a little more precise.

Eoin

What Damo9090 said. It's a big town.

Here are a few related threads that may be of use though:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055330403
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055247807
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055272143

Foxytocin

I like it because it's a decent sized town, not just a huge residential suburb of Dublin. There's a lot going on for children here, also, I only moved here 18 months ago and I have got to know people through the children... You can get whatever you need except clothes! You couldn't clothes shop in Bray, not for yourself!! A 3 bed house in Charlesland is cheaper than a house in Bray though.

pickles_17

its great

JasperKat

it's much about the same as any town, my family's lived here all our lives & it's changed hugely over the years & not for the better lately either!

there's some nice pubs with decent beer (Hollands in main st) & good-value food (the vevey inn, vevay rd) but shopping is a mistake if u want decent clothes, we think the town's dying on it's feet because of the lack of parking & the increasing amount of empty shops.

the swimming pool is good for kids, the beach is cheaper & more fun tho'

trains & buses are fairly ok & schools are good enough.

my 2c worth

jasper

waves

I think it's a great place.

Beside the sea, close to Dublin, close to the countryside.

The Main St. has it's charms although as others have said, it's not great for clothes shopping (not that that comes high on my list of priorities when choosing a place).

I like the fact that we're not some Dublin suburb and that the town has the feeling of a town.

It can be a bit rough around the edges but that's the same as anywhere in Ireland really.

We do have good pubs here and some alight places to eat - or just head to Greystones.

It's like anywhere - you get out of it what you put in. If you get involved then you'll become part of the community.

You do hear negative things about the town. I've lived here for 30 odd years and have travelled many times and lived abroad and you know, Bray is a nice place to live despite the negative comments. Sitting in the sun on the beach on a sunny day - you can't beat that.

John Mason

I was born, bred and raised in Bray.

IMO is has it good points but the negative ones out weigh them.

i dont live in bray and would never move back there.

the town is dead, more and more shops closing.

the lack of restuarants is ridiculous

taxis? what taxis?

the all drunken idiots fighting at the weekend and dont say you get that everywhere cos i have never seen it anywhere else. i am always shocked by it when i go home

sorry, it just isnt for me

good points

locality to everything

mountains, hills and beach and ice-cream from pizza and cream

Sleipnir

Used to work and socialise a fair bit there. It's a dump and I hate the place. Even when I drive through it I get the shivers.

Eoin

I have to be honest and say that I rarely socialise in Bray, or shop there. Well, I hate shopping with a passion, but Bray is no good for shopping either way. There are some alright pubs, but we find it just as handy to go to Blackrock and get a taxi home from there.

However, there are some very nice quiet estates in Bray, and if you are in Little Bray where I am, you are dead close to the motorway, semi-decent bus routes and the DART.

As mentioned, it's a very big town, so sweeping statements about all of it being a dump are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I don't think you will find many places in the Dublin area that aren't more than 10 minutes walk away from dodgy areas.

waves

I think most places are what you make them.

Having gotten involved in the town and some of the events and clubs I find that it's a much more enjoyable place to live.

And, if more people did that, there'd be a better community spirit yadiyada.

A place is what you make it. Not to say that we don't have our fair share of knackers but then again where doesn't.

As for lack of restaurants - there are some nice ones - Campe del Fiori, Shelby's, Palazo, The Tower Bistro... we've our air share of Indian and chinese restaurants and there's always pizzas and cream..

What is really lacking though is a good place to get a nice coffee and sit down.

ClimateGirl

I've lived in Bray for 3 years now and lived all over the world before moving here. As an outdoor enthusiast, it's an ideal location for me - I don't know of anywhere in Dublin that has such great resources like Bray head, the cliff walk and the sea front for getting out into nature. I also love the feeling of living in a town/small community while being close enough to commute into Dublin by public transport.

If you're big into going out/pub/club scene though it's probably not good for that, but there are a couple of decent restaurants/pubs/and a couple of OK nightclubs and nice cafes are only up the road in Greystones so it's not completely void of nightlife.

brayblue24

I've lived here 14 years and never had a moment's bother. I agree with most of the above. Clothes shopping for men is a non runner (except maybe for Allen's but it can be pricey) but other than that everything is here. Don't be put off by rumours- I wasn't and I'm glad of it.

ps. good schools too!

andosleftfoot

My wife and I moved to Bray last year and we find it ok. The town centre is a bit rundown, but Bray has one of the best pubs in the country- Frank Duff's - a great pint with eclectic piped music and no Tv....and plenty of cycling memorabilia. Campo Di Fiori is an excellent restaurant and the Heather House is a good spot for an alfresco pint.

Bray suffers when compared with the likes of Greystones or Dalkey which are nearby, but we are happy there.