{"id":2778,"date":"2021-10-05T21:11:34","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T21:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yopa.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/?p=2778"},"modified":"2021-10-05T21:11:35","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T21:11:35","slug":"whats-it-like-to-live-in-stowmarket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dy36-2.stage.yopa-dev.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/whats-it-like-to-live-in-stowmarket\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s it like to live in Stowmarket?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An inviting\nSuffolk market town, Stowmarket sits between Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surrounded by an abundance of rolling\nemerald countryside and equipped with a host of local amenities as well as\nreliable transport connections, Stowmarket is an East Anglian market town on\nthe up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know? <\/strong>The \u2018tonic sol-fa\u2019 music notation system (doe, ray, me, far, so, la, tee, doe, as featured in the Sound of Music<\/em>, for example) was created<\/a> by John Curwen in the 19th<\/sup> century while he was minister of the Stowmarket Congregational Church. That\u2019s one for the pub quiz.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Stowmarket\u2019s accessible location and\naffordable range of housing opportunities appeals to young families, couples,\nprofessionals, and retirees alike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an average property price of\n\u00a3253,871 over the last 12 months, Stowmarket is considerably cheaper than both\nSuffolk (\u00a3318,993) and the East of England (\u00a3389,425) region overall,\nespecially pricey hotspots Walberswick (\u00a3938,060), Southwold (\u00a3673,644) and\nAldeburgh (\u00a3607,208).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what is\nit actually like to live in Stowmarket? <\/strong>Let\u2019s find out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transport links<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stowmarket is a well-connected town\nwith its own railway station<\/a> that runs regular services to\nCambridge (which take an hour) as well as Ipswich (which take 15 to 20\nminutes), Norwich (which take around 35 minutes), and London Liverpool Street\n(which take around and a half). An ideal transportation hub for city commuters,\nday trippers, and weekend adventurers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town also benefits from an extensive bus network<\/a> that serves the entire local\nregion as well as nearby destinations including Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds,\nNorwich, Diss, Eye, and Kenton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re travelling by motor vehicle,\nyou\u2019re also in luck because Stowmarket is served by the A14 as well as the A134\n\u2013 two roads that offer direct access to most of East Anglia\u2019s major\ndestinations as well as connections to the South East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools and education<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whatever their age, ambitions, or\ninterests, when it comes to your little darlings\u2019 education, only the best will\ndo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is, Stowmarket is home to\na solid choice of primary and secondary schools as well as settings with\nsuitable SEND (special educational\nneeds & disabilities) provision<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are at least six<\/a> primary school settings within the\nStowmarket catchment area, including Wood Ley Community Primary School and\nCombs Ford Primary School, both of which sport respectable government ratings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have bigger kids about to take\nthat next step up in their educational journey, there are two popular schools\nin the direct Stowmarket catchment area: the\nco-educational high school & sixth form college, Stowmarket High School<\/a> and\nthe outstanding Debenham High School<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For young adults looking for an\nexciting fix of higher education, West Suffolk College<\/a> is a thriving modern campus offering\nan excellent range of academic courses, vocational qualifications, and\ncutting-edge apprenticeships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, and let\u2019s not overlook those tiny\ntots. Stowmarket is also home to a choice of trusted nurseries, playgroups,\nand pre-schools<\/a>. All educational and childcare bases covered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leisure and amenities <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From everyday shopping essentials to a\nlittle retail therapy and a coffee with friends, Stowmarket has it covered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Stowmarket isn\u2019t flooded with\nhigh street retail names, there are plenty of welcoming coffee shops and independent retailers<\/a> dotted in or around the town centre,\nincluding a beer & wine specialist, a butcher, antiques outlets, clothing\nboutiques, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a market town (it even has the term \u2018market\u2019\nin its name after all!), of course Stowmarket hosts a regular market. And it\u2019s very\ngood. Yes, the town\u2019s outdoor market<\/a> takes place on a weekly basis,\nand is home to an ever-expanding range of stalls offering everything you could\npossibly imagine, including rare trinkets and fresh local produce. A real\nwinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is plenty of choice for the big\nsupermarket shop and any essentials too, with a Tesco Superstore, Lidl, Asda, Co-op,\nand Spar all on the doorstep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you like to get active and work up a\nsweat, Mid Suffolk Leisure\nCentre<\/a>\nis a hub of local activity. Here you can take a dip in the centre\u2019s 25 metre\nswimming pool, scale its colossal Cragg climbing wall, hit the gym for a big\nsession or get moving in one of the fitness suites. Oh, and there\u2019s also a soft\nplay for wearing out the kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to parks and green open\nspaces, Stowmarket delivers the goods. With the Norfolk Broads only a short\ndrive away and the majesty of the Suffolk countryside all around, there are no\nend of tranquil walks or hikes to enjoy in or around the area. There is also an\nexcellent choice of local parks<\/a> in the town itself, including\nGlemsford Road, Hill Rise, and The Recreation Ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s on? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a fairly sizable town with a\ncommunity feel, Stowmarket plays host to a steady flow of small local\ngatherings, fetes, specialist markets, music events, and art displays\nthroughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town\u2019s beloved John Peel Centre for Creative Arts<\/a> is the area\u2019s performance\n& entertainment nerve centre, with a continual line-up of cutting-edge\nplays, film screenings, and gigs taking place year-round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For eating and drinking, Stowmarket\nwill not disappoint either. There are plenty of pubs and eateries dotted around\nthe area \u2013 we recommend The Bull Inn<\/a>, the community run Punchbowl Inn<\/a> (which also boasts a regular mobile eco shop) and Petite Pancakes<\/a>, among many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some other noteworthy places to visit in and\naround the mighty Stowmarket:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n