Town or country for retirement?

I'm not quite at retirement age, but when I was younger I dreamed of living in a village. wasn't practical at the time due to having 4 children at different schools because of different ages. Also being the taxi service for the different after school/teenage runs! Now living in a village wouldn't be practical, because thinking ahead when I'm a lot older I may need buses, if I am unable to drive. Doctors, even simple things like a supermarket. I know there is online shopping now, but part of getting out of the house is being able to go to shops, cafes, etc. Most of my friends are really close as well. If I do move it will be to a 'larger' village outside of the town I live in now. A good G.P surgery, few pubs, a small supermarket, library, community centre that has a variety of things going on...it even has its own football club! I could 'survive' quite easily down there if I can't drive anymore.

We're in our 60s and have just moved into a brand new residential park home on a very nice site which is close to a small market town. Absolute security of tenure (legislation since 2013 ensures this), brilliant peace of mind, and everything in place should we become infirm as we get older. (Wheelchair access, "lifeline" buttons, seat in shower, etc). The actual move was hard work (you never realise how much stuff you acquire - and we're not hoarders) but the sense of relief and well-being is wonderful. We feel that we've "future-proofed" as much as we can, at this stage in our lives.

My late DH wanted rural with a river and acres of green fields a country pub after a walk down country lanes.I wanted rugged coastline with dramatic views and showing nature at its most powerful.
I won and so glad as I do not have to see my dream turning into a nightmare of housing estates and frequent flooding from houses built on flood plains.

I was born and brought up in London and now live in a village in Essex, yes the shops are a distance as are the hospitals, but the pros make up for the cons. I was made to feel welcome from the very first day I arrived and have not regretted one moment.

Interesting to read everyone's views.
We have friends who have really left it too late to move as he is not fit enough to cope with the upheaval. They no longer drive and have a terrible bus service, with a hilly walk to even get to the bus.
I don't want this to happen to us, but when is the right time?
I do feel like TellNo1Ok, not sure when to make the move. I do all the driving now as OH is not fit enough. Living where we are is not easy without a car. Hospitals are a distance away, OH wouldn't be able to visit me if I had to stay in hospital. Our children are about an hour away nearer facilities and I want to start looking for somewhere nearer them and the facilities, but then don't want to make the move too soon, nor do I want to leave it too late. It's hard isn't it?

We live fairly close to you Monica , we don’t have any buses, our village is going to be classed as Open Countryside, so it’s peaceful, hardly any traffic, we have a well used Pub and that’s it!

However, 3 miles away we have a main road into Oxford, (should we ever want to go there) and access to 3 other towns.

Our elderly neighbours have their prescriptions and their shopping delivered, they have a car service to take them to the Oxford Hospitals, the driver waits for them, but it costs about £35. They are heavily involved in the church so they have a good social life without having to travel far.
We can get milk and newspapers delivered, but we are 4 miles from a shop.

So if you can have a country life with all its limitations, but are able to dip in and out of the town if you want, then you can have the best of both worlds.

As long as you have transport.

As for me, I’d rather be back where I came from, by the coast.

We have moved to a lovely little village so have all the benefits of the lovely countryside. However, it’s still only a 10/15 min drive to the nearest seaside town, so we have the best of both worlds.

We moved to a small market town with a railway, good bus service, and everything we need within walking distance. I could not be happier, it is wonderful. There are several large towns about half an hour away by car for 'big' shopping but we have all we need here for day to day in the pleasant market square , and three of the big supermarkets. My advice would be - small town with decent transport and with big towns not too far away. I speak as a Londoner too - I am very much a 'townie' and some of the delightful small villages around here, which are a pleasure to drive through or stop for a coffee, would have me climbing the walls within a week - there is nothing to see or do apart from admire the duck pond or water mill and that must pall very quickly. I don't want to have to get into the car every time I need some bread!

M0nica can I say that I live in Oxford and it is fine by me! - especially as I live a 5-minute walk from the JR hospital... not to keen on the suburbs - could be anywhere - but the centre of Oxford is stunning, don't put all these good folks off! In fact for me, I also

Sunlover can I ask which village you live in? - sounds the ideal combination.

Country every time - I feel quite ill if I cannot be surrounded by green spaces - I really do not feel myself at all and visit the local town as seldom as possible. I went last week and could not stand the traffic noise and the b*** music blasting out in every shop. I scuttled home as fast as my wheels could carry me!

Where we are at present has a paddock behind (not mine!) and a wood and fabulous views of hills into the distance, and wonderful sunsets from the large windows - but it really feels quite suburban to me as there are houses at the front of the house, over the road.

We moved from being absolutely in the depths of the country for practical health reasons - if you heard a car in the lane, you got up to see who it was; and the loudest noise was the cows farting! I loved it and felt so at home.

But I have had two collapses since being in the new home and was very happy that the ambulance station was just 10 minutes away!!!

Don't forget the era of practical, affordable car ownership is drawing to a close, and make your plans accordingly if you plan to survive for more than a few years.

Good to be talking about this now! Really depends on what you like to spend time doing. I think if you can organise it, then renting to try out an area before buying can be a very good idea.

We have friends who have chosen lovely city centre apartments, near theatre, galleries etc. as that's how they like spend their time. Nightmare as far as I am concerned! We can walk as far as we like in the countryside from our front door. We have what we think of as great amateur entertainment and 2 small local festivals that bring in very good acts. All very affordable.
Bus service has been badly cut, so when we can no longer drive, taxis will have to be factored in for hospital visits & bigger shops. Excellent independent shops are about a mile , so fine for now.
But I have spent my life in villages and couldn't cope with city centres.

It may be a good idea to live among the bricks for pied a terre , and also to buy a small motorhome with a toilet , a stock of clean warm clothing, perhaps a shower, small cooker, and nice beds to lie down on. There are a few good parking spots in the country.

Sorry about my previous incomplete post - my only regret about Oxford is that it's not by the sea!! Thinks Barcelona...

We live in a town 12 miles from a city and spend a great deal of time in Wales, 2 or 3 times a week. We thought about moving as we have made friends there but it’s the facilities. Health centre just open 5 hours a week and limited shops. Decided in the end to stay where we are with the smashing facilities that our towns offers. A 1
10 min walk to a variety of local shops and coffe places. A library and sports centre on our doorstop and a bus stop across the road. We are going to stay and stop thinking the grass is greener somewhere else.

I am at a loss to know why people want to move away from the community and friends they have made over the years just because they retire! We usually retire because we have got older and with that comes a whole lot of other surprises - good and bad! Living in a place where you are known can be so reassuring when bereavement or ill health occur - and they can happen at any time! Living somewhere where you can still get around should you no longer be able to drive / where there are sufficient activites on offer from a wide range for both of you - not necessarily together and not organised or provided by the same people / and where you don't have to fit in and be the newbees!

We lived for thirty years in a small village on the coast and brought our children up there. We loved it. Two years ago we decided to move into the smallish town ten miles away which has the hospital, supermarkets, cinema etc etc and we love it here now. Choose carefully and I’m sure you’ll find a good compromise.

We live in a small agricultural town. Rural areas pay more for things...food, petrol. We have2 hospitals and one has closed down many facilities so we have to travel a good hour on poor roads. I love it in many ways but it's not all good. Being near a city has many advantages, more revenue and choices. So think carefully. Quad bikes, tractors working till late with other machines. Countryside can be noisy!!

I am retired and my husband follows me soon. We have lived in the country for most of our married life and we are now considering moving to a town so we can get to places on the bus if necessary and have amenities close by. I sometimes watch 'Escape to the Country' on TV and I'm amazed that quite elderly people do not consider what it might be like living in the country when they are old and possibly unfit.

Town by the sea, all amenities, good rail/bus/motorway links, children/grandchildren all under 2 hours away

I am interested to know what sort of housing people of our age group would want. Having lived abroad a lot and seen some of the fabulous retirement villages that other countries have we have our own very definite ideas as to what we intend to hunt down - if it exists here. Small market town for us, low cost build with low running costs - preferably eco-housing. As for the family - well they have wheels and an attractive location with enough room to put them up will bring them to us, I imagine. What ideas do you folks have?

It's good fun - we had a "Bambi" motor home. Top speed 55 mph - but why hurry? We went all over the place in it and then my son bought it off us when we moved abroad and he used it to go surfing. It then got sold again when he became a family man and needed the cash. Super fun and a lovely little vehicle

Hm999, sounds good, where are you if I may ask?

We live in a fairly big house in a village where the shops are seven miles away. There is barely any transport available. Although we love it and have been here thirty years we know that at some point we will have to move nearer to shops, trains etc. Just in our sixties with a house we love, we are going to play it by ear and see how healthy we are for how long. We do know though (after watching elderly neighbours struggle) that one day we will have to move. Neither of us really likes towns though and we know this is the best house we will ever have. A decision to be kicked down the road for a while! My mother has recently been bereaved and refuses to leave her home (understandable) but I don’t want to inconvenience my children by them having to travel to look after us.

I love the countryside or the coast but sadly, there are practical matters to think about.
A town or city offers important facilities such as hospitals, doctors, shops, Post Office and importantly, better public transport to these on a much more regular basis, whereas if you're in the middle of nowhere you're really stuck if you become ill. Beautiful isolation comes at a price.