Whilst renting a small flat in London, Will and Zoshia started saving to buy their first home together but knew buying in the Capital wasn’t a viable option. So, when they had saved enough for a deposit, they started looking at towns and cities along the commuter belt.
21 October 2024
Zoshia said: “When we visited Wintringham everything seemed pretty perfect. We can easily commute into London, it is more affordable than other places we investigated, and it has a real countryside feel. We’re also both quite active and really like Wintringham’s focus on health, wellbeing and leisure. Everything just fell into place.”
Will added: “We liked the setting as well. It’s rural and we really like the river and market town being within walking distance. We’re both originally from Stoke on Trent and really like the market town feel, which is reminiscent of some of the nicer market towns in Staffordshire and Shropshire. We didn’t have any ties to anywhere so we could move wherever we wanted. Wintringham was the second place we visited, and we just knew!”
The couple also remarked on the developer incentives for first time buyers and how helpful the sales executive for Barratts was, with recommendations for a solicitor, mortgage broker and blind/shutter company. They also liked buying a new build as the house was decorated and ready to move into and the garden was part paved and part turfed, with a shed included in the sale.
Will said: “We completed at the end of May 2023 and moved in the day before St Neots Street Food Festival, which was a great introduction to the town. While we were settling in at Wintringham, we also went to the Plaza every Friday evening for the food trucks, which is a great way to start the weekend and bringing the community together.”
The move to Wintringham has also brought other opportunities, with Will changing jobs and the couple welcoming Mabel, the cockapoo puppy.
Will had a local government job in London, but once they exchanged contracts he decided to see if there were any jobs available more locally and serendipitously his exact job role was being advertised at Cambridgeshire County Council.
Will explained: “We thought it might take a while to settle in but moving into a new build meant we acclimatised quickly. We moved at the start of June 2023, I started my new job on 20 June, and we picked up Mabel two weeks later. It was a lot of change all at once, but it didn’t feel too hectic.”
Zoshia added: “We’ve always wanted a dog and we couldn’t get one in London as we had a tiny flat and it just wouldn’t have been fair. We said when we moved into a house with a garden, getting a dog would be the next step and it happened really quickly. We thought it would take at least six months, but within a few weeks of moving in we were ready and picked up Mabel.
“The leisure trail is great for local walks, and we also take her to Paxton Pits and Grafham Water for days out as she loves the water. St Neots is also very dog friendly, with lots of cafes, pubs and shops welcoming dogs.”
Being part of a community was also an important factor for Will and Zoshia when choosing Wintringham and Will decided to join the Residents’ Association to play a more active role. Will said: “Wintringham has an active community, with some fantastic events, and it’s great to get more involved. The Community Day in May was well attended and there were lots of activities including bouncy castles for the kids and carnival games like hoopla and a coconut shy. The recent Sports Day organised was also great, and it was good to meet some of the local teams and find out what’s going on.”
Zoshia explained how much they enjoyed the recent Wintringham on Wheels event: “We enjoyed the cycling event so much we went out and bought second hand bikes from a local shop in St Neots the following week and will be using our LocalGo voucher for next summer’s bike services. The area is cycle-friendly with lots of good cycle routes that feel really safe and there’s plenty of cycle parking.”
Will also attended some events organised by St Neots Initiative, a community interest company that works to promote and further develop St Neots to be a great place to live, work and play. He explained that “there are regular forums for business leaders and citizens forums, where you can go and ask questions and find out more. It has a really nice atmosphere and there are lots of opportunities for young people. I think it’s quite heartening to see that going on in a community where there is so much regeneration. It’s good to see that there are entities working together to make sure the town works for people who already live here as well as people moving in.”
Zoshia mentioned the wide range of events available in the town, including the St Neots Festival and said there is always something going on including bands playing in the bandstand at Riverside Park during the summer. They are also looking forward to enjoying some more water-based activities, with the boat club in the town and Grafham Water as well as the aqua parks at Paxton and Wyboston.
However, she stressed that although there are so many amenities available locally, the area still has a quaint community feel, offering the best of both worlds. “There’s a great community feel and lots of people stop for a chat; it’s a very different vibe to London and even Stoke, where you wouldn’t stop and just randomly chat to people. It’s lovely to stop and chat to people and feel so comfortable where you live.”
Zoshia is an assistant buyer and commutes into London 2-3 days a week, which is 50mins to Kings Cross and then 15minute walk. Will works at New Shire Hall at Alconbury Weald, which is a 20minute drive. He also works out of Cambridge City Council office, which is about a 45minute bus ride from Loves Way into Cambridge: “The bus goes every hour or more frequently during peak hours, so I can read on the journey in and not worry about parking. If I want more flexibility, I can drive to the park and ride and get the bus in from there. I’m also community based and it’s easy to get to places and public transport costs are quite reasonable. We also go into London some weekends, to catch a show or go out for a meal, and it’s about £15 for a return ticket on the train.
“Wintringham is really well connected, and we’ve also started exploring more of Cambridgeshire. Places like St Ives and we’ve even been to the coast at Norfolk at the weekend. There’s a nice mixture of old world and modern, and a real mix of industry, but it never seems imposing. Even when you are driving around, there’s lots of rolling fields and green space. That’s made us be more active as well and has made us want to explore the area more.”
The couple are looking forward to setting down roots in Wintringham and making the most of all the area has to offer.
