Loughborough

Locations

Services Family Accommodation is available - which services both Welbeck College and provides surplus accommodation, off-patch, for HQ49 Brigade/150 Brigade at Chilwell in Nottingham. The married quarters are found in Woodhouse Eaves, between Quorn and Woodhouse, with an easy 30 minute (approx) commute via the M1 to Chetwynd Barracks in Chilwell.

There are 4 large officers' quarters, with substantial gardens, with approximately 20 SFA quarters on Spinney Lane, again in Woodhouse Eaves.

Area Overview

Loughborough is the second largest settlement in Leicestershire after Leicester.

Home to Loughborough Uni, from which many sporting stars have come (Paula Radcliffe, Steve Cram), showcases up and coming sporting stars with large athletics meets at the Uni track.

Has its own nice new hospital on the ring road and also a minor injury Walk-In Centre in the town centre, which is usually much quicker than going to the nearest A&E at Leicester Royal Infirmary

Children and Education

Primary Schools

St Paul's CofE Primary School, based in Woodhouse itself, is a five minute drive from the SFA in Woodhouse Eaves.

Belvoirdale Community Primary School, Coalville

Booth Wood Primary School, Loughborough

Cobden Primary School, Loughborough

Transport and Travel

The nearest airport is East Midlands Airport, approximately 15 minutes by car from Woodhouse Eaves itself.

Loughborough train station is approximately 10 minutes' drive - taxi fares to the train station cost around £7 - and there are regular trains to Nottingham city centre. The last train from Nottingham to Loughborough leaves Nottingham at approximately 9.30pm

Trains from Loughborough to Leicester (and beyond) are frequent, with the last train leaving Leicester at around 9p.m. A taxi fare from Leicester to Woodhouse can cost in the region of £35 - so best not to miss the train!

Medical and Dental

Woodhouse has it's own Cottage Surgery medical practice, and there is a good medical centre in Quorn

Sports and Leisure

For those who like to watch, Netball Superleagues Loughborough Lightning [1]play their home matches at L'boro Uni's purpose built netball centre with many of their matches being televised on Sky, really good spectator sport with fantastic atmophere.

Good days out too

Snibston discovery park, Coalville.....ex coalmine converted into a Science park with loads of displays and interactive areas. Also hosts a very good firework display on bonfire night.

Conkers, the national forest visitor centre....walks, assault courses, mini trains, shows in the amphitheatre, picnic areas

The National Space Centre in Leicester

Drayton Manor Park

Alton Towers 40 mins away by car

Shopping and Tourism

Loughborough has the Rushes shopping centre, though recently, with the close of Woolworth's, it only counts on TK Maxx, a small Marks & Spencer's, Cargo and JD Sports. A new Tesco's express should be open soon , to catch the dash-to-the-car shoppers as they leave the town centre.

The other shopping centre is Carillion Court, which has, amongst others, Taylor's home shop within its centre. If you can walk past the alluring smell of the crepe stall, you're doing well.

The market is open on Thursdays and Saturdays, from around 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and covers the main square in the town centre. Fruit and veg stalls, sewing materials, fish mongers and many other traditional town-centre style stalls are set up each week.

Leicester has a huge vegetable market which is open Monday to Saturday and sells a wider range of organic and exotic fruit and vegetables, as well as the "usual" supermarket staples, but at much more competitive prices. Some of the lads working the stalls are hilarious, and striking up a "relationship" tends to lead to good old-fashioned freebies.

Leicester shopping has greatly improved over recent years with the expansion of what was The Shires shopping centre, to the Highcross Centre. Highcross counts John Lewis as one of it's largest stores

Also, one junction down the M1 is Fosse Park http://www.fosseshoppingpark.co.uk/

Food and Drink

Loughborough has a whole range of restaurants, ranging from Thai, Indian, Chinese and some corking fish and chip shops

Jobs and Recruitment Agencies

Pets

There are a number of woodland walks in the area, including Charnwood Forest, Bradgate Park (wild deer so be aware when dogs involved) and the National forest right on the doorstep.

HIVE contact and Opening Hours

Opening hours are

References

Leicestershire Schools Web Cottage Surgery, Woodhouse Highcross