Where should I live?

Sleepman

I'm going to be studying in Bray this September which will require a move but I'm unsure where to go. I could just move to Bray for all the obvious reasons but a friend who knows Bray very well and has family there said its a ****hole and I should move to South Dublin and commute down. I'd like to do this but would it be worth the hassle? Whats commuting to Bray like and how far into the city could I go before the commute is over 30 minutes?

ellejay

Bray is like everywhere else, some parts are dreadful and some parts are really really nice.
Some nice pubs along the seafront and one or two on mainstreet.
Restaurants, new leisure centre, sports clubs, the dart, bus routes, the promenade, all make it a very good location imo.
I like Bray myself and have never had any trouble.

Do you want to rent your own place, or house share?
I'm assuming house share as you're studying.

The following area's are nice:
http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?id=632544

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?id=591900

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?id=643647

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?id=641079

You could stay in Blackrock, Dun Laoighaire, tara street station is 50 mins on dart from bray.
Sorry Im assuming you're using public transport, maybe you drive?

the groutch

bit pricey, but in "the good part" of Bray

http://www.rent.ie/rooms-to-rent/Sidmonton-Road-Bray-Co-Wicklow/628343/

Victor

Balance whatever number of journey you will make to study with any that you will make for other purposes - nights out, shopping, visiting, etc. It might make sense to get somewhere with on the DART or on route 45, 45a, 84 or 145.

xper

Bray is a big town by Irish standards - its about two miles from the north end to the other side, so its big enough that it has several distinct areas which vary in 'quality', broadly speaking.

The area bounded by the Dargle river, Main Street, Vevay Road, Bray Head and the seafront would be a largely middle class, settled area with housing stock dating from every decade of the last century. The area north of the river is largely more working class with a couple of tougher estates, albeit nothing truly horrific. The areas to the southwest of the town centre lying either side of Killarney Road are a mix of housing estates, dating from the 60's - 90's for the most part, generally a bit more upmarket the closer to the town centre they are. Lastly, there's a slew of Celtic Tiger estates scattered along the southern cross route that runs across the southern edge of the urbanaea. All in all, its a suburban mix very like anything you'd find across the alternative areas suggested to you in Co. Dublin. It is, in many ways, a dislocated suburb of the city at this stage.

I would guess that the ***hole comment is largely directed at the town centre itself which struggles in modern commercial terms, having no shopping centre to anchor it and alternative shopping areas (city centre, Dubdrum) being so accessible. It also can have horrendous traffic snarl ups both during rush hours and in the course of the day. Supermarket-wise, there's a Superquinn, Tesco Express and a small Dunnes Stores in the town centre and a full Tesco store up the hill on Vevay Road. Various convenience stores scattered around the town. Lots of pubs but not as many restaurants above fast-food level as you'd expect (head out to one of Greystones' eateries for any special occasion).
The seafront is somewhat down to the eye of the beholder. Its certainly past its heyday, many decades ago now, but its still a tremendous resource and the local authority makes some effort to keep it in shape.
On the other hand, there is the immediate town environs which are a cut above the average. I think many town inhabitants take having Bray Head and the Wicklow Mountains on their doorstep for granted.

If your place of study is near the Main Street, I'd be slow to commute by car to it from out of town due to traffic congestion and, possibly, parking issues. If you can get to it off the N11 without crossing the one town centre river crossing, then it may be a more enticing option. Terrain is quite hilly for cycling but some people like that!

Public transport is decent for most parts of the town. There's the DART, of course, though its a fair distance from large swathes of the town to the station. Route 145, despite being messed about by Dublin Bus last year, offers a frequent and quick (once it gets through any Main Street traffic jam) service to Dublin city centre and Heuston Station. It routes through the town via Dublin Road Main St and Killarney Road. The other Dublin Bus routes are not so frequent which means the south-est the town is much less well served but still leaves bus commuting an option. There's late night bus options from the city (Dublin Bus 84N/Finnegans Nitebus) at the weekends if you're out on the tear.

Meredith

I'm hoping to buy a house over the next few months given that prices are probably as low as they'll go so it's now or never time. I've been looking mainly around south county Dublin and Bray. Considering Bray really isn't that much further on from south co Dublin, the houses I've seen in Bray seem to be far better value than those a stone's throw up the road in south co Dublin.

Commuting to work from Bray won't be an issue for me and while I'm familiar with Bray town itself (shops, pubs, restaurants etc) I'm just not sure what the different areas are like. Can anyone give some constructive feedback on the following areas: Woodbrook Glen, Corke Abbey, Beech Road, James Everett Park and other streets in that general area?

Or are there any definite no no's in Bray?!

MrMickeyMouse

Woodbrook Glen is ok, except everyone drives way too fast down the roads and all the kids sit in the middle of the road and play chicken with the cars!

And the park has a litter issue and there is dog's mess everywhere!!!

TwoShedsJackson

Meredith wrote: »

I'm hoping to buy a house over the next few months given that prices are probably as low as they'll go so it's now or never time.

You may want to check some of the other threads in this forum or in Politics/Economics as to why this probably isn't true.