Retford is small market-town in North Nottinghamshire, bordering South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. If you’re looking to move to Retford, you might ask yourself, is Retford a nice place to live? Hopefully this guide will tell you everything you need to know.
The Retford Area
Retford is split into 6 main residential areas. There is Ordsall, Thrumpton, Hallcort, Spital Hill, West Field and Newtown. Some are larger than others and house prices can vary in each location.
Hallcroft
Hallcroft is the most northerly part of Retford and encompasses a large area spreading from the edge of the town centre to the the top of North Road leading out of Retford. Hallcroft has is a highly residential area but there is an industrial area towards the very north of Hallcroft, which includes factories, garages, warehouses and the towns recycling centre. There is also shops spread throughout the area and a post office. Hallcroft also has 2 schools, a petrol station and a cemetery. There is a large brand new housing development happening at the top of Hallcroft on North Road.
Ordsall
Ordsall is the largest residential area in Retford and spreads from the very south of the town to the north-west. Ordsall is classed as a village in it’s own right but was made an official part of Retford. The the main trainline runs through Retford and Ordsall could be considered almost everything to the west of the line. Orsdall has a few shops, schools, a pub, a church, the towns rugby club and the towns golf club. There has been a lot of recent housing developments in Ordsall including near the golf course.
Thrumpton
Thrumpton is to the east of the River Idle across from South Ordsall, it goes from the river to the town centre. It past years it used to be highly industrial but most of it has been replaced with housing. There is still a factory in the area as well as a small industrial area with a few units. Thrumpton has a school, a pub and is in walking distance to several supermarkets.
Newtown
Newtown is an area in East Retford that people don’t even really call Newtown, but it’s referred to as that on Google Maps. Newtown can be considered everything to the east of London Road south of the Sheffield to Lincoln trainline which runs through the town. The area is highly residentials, theres no industry there but there is a school and there is a pub on London Road.
Spital Hill
Spital Hill is a road in Retford to the north east of the town but people refer to the entire area as Spital Hill. The area has roads leading out of the town towards Gainsborough and the villages to the east of Retford. It is mostly residential but there is some shops, 2 petrol stations and a church.
West Field
West Field is a small residential area in Retford close to the town centre. It stretches from Babworth Road down in between the trainline and the Chesterfield Canal down to the train station. There is a few shops and a social club in the area and it’s in walking distance to the town centre.
House Prices
Obviously one of the main considerations when looking to move to a new area is the house prices. Retford has very good links to local travel, with it being on the East Coast Mainline and along the Sheffield to Lincoln trainline, as well as being close to the A1. This means that although Retford is quite small, the house prices can be very high depending on the area. The local villages are also expensive as these are quite sought-after locations to live.
According to Rightmove.co.uk, in 2022 the average house price in Retford is £189,000.
A 2 bedroom terraced house could sell for around £100,000
A 3 bedroom semi-detached house could sell for around £160,000
A 4 bedroom detached house could sell for £350,000
With the recent cost of living crisis, house prices in the area could change dramatically in the near future.
Retford Schools
Another consideration when looking at places to live is what local schools are available and how suitable are they.
Retford is home to 2 main high schools, Retford Oaks Academy and Elizabethan Academy.
Retford Oaks Academy
At the last Ofsted review, Retford Oaks Academy got a category 2 rating which is classed as Good.
For more information on Retford Oaks Academy you can checkout the Gov website for School comparisons here.
Elizabethan Academy
At the last Ofsted review, Elizabethan Academy got a category 2 rating which is classed as Good.
For more information on Elizabethan Academy you can checkout the Gov Website for School comparisons here.
There is also other High Schools in nearby villages and towns, with Tuxford Academy in Tuxford a popular choice for residents of Retford as there is a bus that goes from Retford to Tuxford everyday for students.
There are a number of nurseries and primary schools in Retford for younger children.
Primary Schools include:
- Ordsall Primary School in Ordsall
- Car Hill Primary School on Tiln Lane near Spital Hill
- Bracken Lane Primary School in Newtown
- Thrumpton Primary School in Thrumpton
- St Swithuns Church of England Primary School near the town centre
Crime
Retford could be considered a safe place to live, and the amount of reported crime varies between the different areas of Retford. There are on average around 200 reported crimes per month in Retford, as per the police.gov.uk website.
The 4 main crimes reported are:
- Violent and Sexual Assults
- Shoplifting
- Public Order Offences
- Criminal Damage and Arson
About 50% of the crimes commited are in the Town Centre and the surrounding area, this includes parts of West Field and Thrumpton.
The remaining crimes per area are as follows:
- 40% of crime is commited in Spital Hill Area
- 35% of crime is commited in Ordsall
- 20% of crime is commited in Hallcroft
- 5% of crime is commited in Newtown
Conclusion
Retford, like most places in the UK, can be considered a nice place to live. The facts discussed above will help judge a decision as to whether or not you should move to Retford but there’s also things that would help your decision if you visited Retford. If you want to visit and get a feel for the area, checkout our 6 Best Hotels in Retford Guide and Retford Chinese Takeaways.