Oxford - what does everyone think about it?

[suvi_tytto]

I'm thinking about taking a temporary position with my company in Oxford and while I hear/see significant detail about living in London, I haven't seen much about living in Oxford. Does anyone have any insight into lifestyle, location, housing, traffic, etc. they can offer? Anything to help paint a clearer picture of the community would be appreciated! I'm pretty anti-suburbia (give me rural, or give me city!) (that sounds so negative-sorry!) and would like to know what I'd be more likely to get in Oxford. Thanks! Suvi

[UKbound]

Hello Suvi,

I am currently in Oxford (and I think there's another member of this forum as well, Kristen or Kirsten, I think her name is). It's a nice city, full of history and culture. The city is, by and large, organised around the university of Oxford itself, but this appears to be changing as far as I can tell. There are 'suburban' outgrowths in all directions - ie., Cowley, Summertown, Kidlington, etc.

Housing is, at the moment, a buyer's market (heavily so). The decline in the British housing market has meant that many properties are available, and for much cheaper than they were at this time last year. The newspapers are filled with ads for letting or buying, whichever you prefer. Obviously, the closer you are the city centre, the more you pay.

The transport situation in Oxford is, I think, excellent. Coming from Canada, I am amazed at the frequency and (relative) cheapness of public transport here. The Brits complain about their system, but Canada is so far behind that Oxford seems like paradise. You don't need a car - frequent buses run to all corners of the city, and there are at least two direct London-Oxford bus companies (which depart every 10 minutes a day). There are also direct buses to Gatwick and Heathrow every hour of every day.

If public transport isn't for you, then the city is small enough to bicycle or walk anywhere you want to go. It requires a lifestyle change - no more $200 grocery trips - but I haven't had any problems yet. If you must have a car, know that parking in Oxford is virtually non-existant (I'm not exaggerating), or horrendously expensive.

The rail situation is similar; there is a direct routing to Paddington Station (about an hour's ride), and Oxford is fairly well connected to the rest of the national network (for a modest fee, of course). You can book tickets well in advance, however, and this can save you a ton of money.

As for the lifestyle, well, like anywhere, that is what you make of it. There are lots of little shops and markets selling fresh food in the city (the Covered Market is excellent, and the weekly at Gloucester Green is nice). Moreoever, there is no shortage of places to eat and drink - being a university town, there is much nightlife, but you have to know where to look. There are clubs, pubs, and cocktail bars, jazz bars and coffee houses, etc. Because of the school, and the proximity to London, prices overall are a bit more expensive than other areas.

Finally, the city of Oxford is, I think, well-placed to ride out or dampen the effects of the coming recession. It is a large tourist magnet - try walking down Cornmarket St. on Saturday morning - and the university is always taking in money (and students, and jobs). Because the main focus of the town is on a very long-term industry (education) there isn't much to lose or decline the way regular industry would. However, Oxford does have its share of factories, including the MINI plant in Cowley, which is still as popular as ever.

Anyway, I think it's a great city, and easy to get around in. You should have a look, maybe spend a week (if you haven't already) before deciding, though. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

[suvi_tytto]

Thanks for the information! Because it will be temporary, I'll definitely be renting and despite your comment re: prices, I'm still facing sticker shock! But as long as my salary is properly increased to combat the increased cost of living I think I'll be fine. I'm definitely going to try to arrange a pre-visit to check the area out, get a feel for where I'd like to live in town and maybe get an apartment booked. My office is in the northwest corner (Headington I think its called?) I will have a car, but it sounds like I should avoid using it to go into town! I love how well connected it sounds to the rest of the country; overall it seems like a good location for exploring.

When you moved, did you take your entire household - ie furniture, housewares, appliances, etc. or did you find an easy replacement market? Either new at affordable prices or possibly second hand options? Or apartments that included most main implements?

I've lived in university towns most of my adult life and found that students tended to dominate every facet of the location's life! For example, I lived in Waterloo and you couldn't find a place to go out or eat that wasn't directly geared to, and over-run with, 20 year olds. It sounds like that might happen in Oxford too! To try to maintain a bit more diversity, does it seem more logical to move into one of the smaller areas outside the city such as Boars Hill or Wheatley?

I think overall though the history and culture of the town are an amazing draw - the quintessential English town! Thanks for your comments!

[canadian.shaun]

I would strongly strongly advise you to take with you as little as possible. Something like 1 suitcase and your laptop (if you have one). I wouldn't be concerned with shipping stuff over unless you got to the point where you were going to stay permanently. Its not worth the hassle and astronomical shipping costs to bring stuff over that you could buy at a fraction of the price. Please learn from my mistake

[Steven]

Oxford = very expensive. It's a very popular place to commute from if you work in London, as a result it has one of the highest costs of living in the UK. Traffic is appalling during the rush hour, if you're going to commute to London, use the train.

And if you go to visit, buy a map, because GPS is hopeless in Oxford, it must have the most complex road system in the UK. And parking is not easy either.

[suvi_tytto]

The packing thing will be a challenge - I honestly think I'll need two suitcases just for shoes! And that's before clothes, skis, scuba gear, golf clubs, laptop, cameras, etc, etc! From comments from others, I would leave almost all household stuff behind - it seems like a waste to buy it all over again, but also seems like a waste to pay to ship it when its such a commodified category (clothing & sporting equipment are different - they are highly personalized - and some of its pretty expensive!)

Luckily I won't have to get to London except for recreation. My office is in Headington/Oxford, and I'm considering Wheatley or downtown Oxford as places to live --- will the commute be worse going from DT Oxford out to Headington (which, if dominated by people going to London, it would be), or worse going from Wheatley into town towards Headington (from people going to work in Oxford from its suburbs) . or just plain terrible no matter which way I go!?