Camberley Surrey, honest opinions please :)

Hey everyone! Are any of you familiar with this area? We've looked around a lot and my husband viewed a bunch of houses for rent but I'm worried about the general safety of the area. It looks nice and the schools we'd be using are really good on paper but some of the recent news on the local sites is scary and gives a pretty miserable impression. Sorry to throw in another subjective question about a place, I know we've got a lot around here but we've already applied to rent a house there and I'm honestly having a total meltdown about it now 

Hey everyone! Are any of you familiar with this area? We've looked around a lot and my husband viewed a bunch of houses for rent but I'm worried about the general safety of the area. It looks nice and the schools we'd be using are really good on paper but some of the recent news on the local sites is scary and gives a pretty miserable impression. Sorry to throw in another subjective question about a place, I know we've got a lot around here but we've already applied to rent a house there and I'm honestly having a total meltdown about it now 

I can't say I know anything specific, but I'm not far away in Bracknell and if you read the news here you'd probably feel similarly. Where I am is quiet and safe, but there are some "youths" who get into trouble and aren't the greatest in some spots not too far away. I wouldn't go walking the unlit foot paths at night without my husband as there have been some assaults within a couple miles of my house, but it was the same anywhere I lived in the US. I would get a 6 month break clause in your lease if possible, so that if you end up feeling unsafe you can move but I really doubt you will run into too much trouble.

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Thanks for the reply Margo, the comment about the news being similar anywhere in the US is a particularly huge help to me. I knew that myself when I was reading these things and my husband basically said the same thing but I'm just can't tell if it will balance out to a general good vibe you know? We're in Scotland right now and it's gorgeous and I hate to leave, but there are a lot of reasons it's not working for us right now. With the kids, I feel like we need to be closer to more civilization and I guess that comes with it's own set of issues.  Thanks again for being the voice of reason 

I wouldn't hesitate to live in Camberley.  Lots to do, great schools, friendly area.  It's VERY built up and busy, so traffic can be particularly bad.  But definitely not riddled with crime or anything (it'll be petty crime which is everywhere, burglaries and such).

Thank you KF! That's all really great to hear and keeping right in-line with how it appears to us. I guess I've just got the nerves lol, what else is new! Thanks again for taking the time to chime in 

It's going to be car culture suburbia. 

Haha well, while suburbia isn't really my dream situation, I am a stay at home mom to 3 kids ages 6, 8, and 10, so it's probably going to be pretty suitable for us if that's the case. Although I don't know what car culture means lol. Thanks for the input!

Haha well, while suburbia isn't really my dream situation, I am a stay at home mom to 3 kids ages 6, 8, and 10, so it's probably going to be pretty suitable for us if that's the case. Although I don't know what car culture means lol. Thanks for the input!

You’ll need to own a car to get around.

You’ll need to own a car to get around.

Haha ok thanks! Yeah we do but only one car and I can't drive it because I'm too chicken  I've checked all the things I need to get to on my own are within walking distance though so hopefully it'll be ok.

Haha ok thanks! Yeah we do but only one car and I can't drive it because I'm too chicken  I've checked all the things I need to get to on my own are within walking distance though so hopefully it'll be ok.

As long as you have one car and can walk most places you'll likely be fine. Make sure the place you rent has parking, as that genuinely is at a premium. I'd also recommend taking driving lessons so you can learn to be more comfortable with the roads here. If I can pass my test with the severe anxiety I have, I think most people can. It's just like when you were younger, it's different and takes getting used to. A good instructor will take you to a low stress area, have dual controls, and help you get over the nerves.

And, you can come to our Wokingham area meetups!

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Not in Camberley but right down the road in Berkshire (I go shopping in Camberley fairly regularly) and, as KF said, no hesitation there.

Out of curiosity, what types of news are you reading? If you're looking at local FB pages - for example - I wouldn't pay those any mind as we get the same in my village and it's just a bunch of crabby people with too much time blowing things out of proportion (and being nosey). I think most areas can have less than ideal areas but I wouldn't say Camberley as a whole is bad in the slightest. Depending on where you live as well, it can be convenient if you aren't driving as you can still get to a bunch of shops fairly easily).

And, as Margo mentioned, you can come to our meetups in the Wokingham area lol