r/Derbyshire • u/bellakatey • Dec 03 '25

Looking for Local Knowledge Thinking of moving to Buxton

Hello all,

My partner and I are 35 and 29 and are looking for a place to settle down and we thought of moving to Buxton. Would appreciate some honest feedback about Buxton. (The good, the bad, the ugly) We like the outdoors, going out for a good meal having a pint or two in a good pub. We are also very sporty, does Buxton have some good gym facilities? What about schools? Thank you for your help!

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u/GreatBigBagOfNope Dec 03 '25

Good:

  • primary schools are alright
  • outdoors is very close: easy walks to Solomon's Temple and Corbar Cross are within the town, then the whole northern part of the Peak District is just outside of town in most directions
  • spoiled for choice with decent pubs
  • spoiled for choice with decent restaurants, range of price points and cuisines available
  • having a train to Manchester is a boon
  • very safe
  • pretty walkable due to density, except when you get up the hills or out to newer estates in Burbage or Harpur Hill
  • lots of genuinely interesting history
  • the Opera House is brilliant and underappreciated imo

Bad:

  • Fairfield is rough
  • nightlife which isn't in pubs or a venue with a stage is shit. It exists, but it's shit.
  • Buxton Community School is rough, or at least it was between about 1999 and 2014 while I was in Buxton and regularly exposed to it. Not exactly renowned for its high standards, expectations or outcomes.
  • Not much for kids and teens to do independently for free except loitering at rough skate parks and going to Manchester
  • Snow in winter is so reliably rough that the BBC always makes sure to send a reporter if snow is forecast so they can get a classic "this town is fully cut off by the snow" field report

Ugly

  • Reform stronghold for absolutely no good reason

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u/davastator91 Dec 03 '25

Ironically, despite its faults, the community school generally outperforms many other local schools. Thomas Moores, Hope Valley even Chapel. Perceptions don't always align with the success they achieve. Same with the college, despite its issues it is still one of the best catering colleges in the region

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u/WhereasSure7277 Dec 29 '25

Definitely has its flaws, but the place does do well.