[NetPhantom]

I have read each post regarding this area and I am aware of the bad rep and constant high crime rates according to the police.
I am not in the mood to pay for lazy and high demanding agencies that do nothing besides cash in.
We are students that bring an awful lot of money to a very small city.
So, fellows, you must have loads of experience and are able to reply to this:
- how bad is Sherburn road today (I am not comparing to any other city, I just want personal experiences).
- what areas in the city centre do you classify today (2012 since I read previous posts from other years) as peaceful or troubled?
thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.

[Quagers]

Its Durham, its unbelievably safe, having been here for 3 years I've only ever heard about 2 serious incidents only one of which actually lead to anyone being hurt.

I don't know what high rates your talking about, Durham's is always low on any count you look at.

[NetPhantom]

(Original post by Quagers)
I don't know what high rates your talking about, Durham's is always low on any count you look at.

Thank you.
I was refering to http://www.crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/DH12SB
http://www.crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/DH1%202RZ

[Helioghost]

(Original post by NetPhantom)
Thank you.
I was refering to http://www.crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/DH12SB
http://www.crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/DH1%202RZ

I'll point out that these are incredibly isolated data sets. Most of the 'crime' recorded is antisocial behaviour, so there could have been a single group of loutish students living there responsible for most of it.

[NetPhantom]

(Original post by Awoodrow2)
I'll point out that these are incredibly isolated data sets. Most of the 'crime' recorded is antisocial behaviour, so there could have been a single group of loutish students living there responsible for most of it.

Thank you

[River85]

(Original post by NetPhantom)
I have read each post regarding this area and I am aware of the bad rep and constant high crime rates according to the police.
I am not in the mood to pay for lazy and high demanding agencies that do nothing besides cash in.
We are students that bring an awful lot of money to a very small city.
So, fellows, you must have loads of experience and are able to reply to this:
- how bad is Sherburn road today (I am not comparing to any other city, I just want personal experiences).
- what areas in the city centre do you classify today (2012 since I read previous posts from other years) as peaceful or troubled?
thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.

Hi, I know you asked about this in the other thread but unfortunately I was at the Stadium of Light that day (seeing Bruce Springsteen) and it's been a busy week of moving and graduation so unable to reply until now.

I wouldn't say Sherburn Road has "very high crime rates". Whenever I have looked at Police Maps I've found that, yes, though Sherburn Road gets its fair share of anti-social behaviour or vehicle crime, the typical student areas in the city centre seem to attract higher rates of burglary and violent crime. This isn't surprising because this is where many of the pubs and clubs are and most of the student properties are (which are always going to be targeted as many are easy targets and filled with valuable equipment).

I lived in the estate opposite Sainsbury's (which is just up from the bottom junction with Sherburn Road). Although this isn't Sherburn Road itself, and the problem areas are/were further up Sherburn Road anyway, I never encountered any problems. The estate I lived in also had a reputation. I wasn't aware of this until I was speaking with a Northumbria Police PC (who originally joined Durham Police). He told me about Sherburn Road, his son once got beaten up by some kids who targeted him as he's "the only pupil with a copper as a dad" so the PC went around and arrested him. But he was telling me that Sherburn Road isn't as bad as it was and that some of the community engagement of recent years has brought some success. He was actually more concerned that I lived in the estate I lived in (which he also used to live in) as it has some "ruffians". I never had any problems.

I've even heard it said by someone on here, in a thread about "roughest parts of the UK", that "Sherburn Road is so rough even the Police don't go there". That's nonsense. There's even a police station ON Sherburn Road (or there certainly was) and they take part in active community engagement.

In short, Sherburn Road still has a bit of a reputation but it's not as bad as it was a number of years ago and, even a few years ago, its problems would pale into insignificance compared to areas of major cities. It's not something I'd chose to live in but this is more for distance from the city centre (I wouldn't want to live as far from the city centre as that, particularly as, if I do return to Durham, it will be as an employee and not student so I wouldn't have the same amount of leisure time to travel) and also the housing that's available. But the crime wouldn't bother me.

If you're looking for something relatively cheap, and don't mind being as far outside the city as Sherburn Road, then why not look at those properties at the estate I used to live in at Gilesgate (in and around Annand Road, Cooper Square etc). They are redbrick, reasonably well built and sizeable, ex-council houses, not the pretties estate but far from the worst and I never had any problems.

(Original post by Awoodrow2)
I'll point out that these are incredibly isolated data sets. Most of the 'crime' recorded is antisocial behaviour, so there could have been a single group of loutish students living there responsible for most of it.

It's probably more likely to be locals than students, as student properties there aren't high in number, but the point generally stands. They are isolated, and the label "anti-social behaviour" is so broad. It doesn't tell you anything. Also the people responsible were perhaps just passing through the area or, even if it was a local resident or family, they have now gone/been evicted.

When looking at Police Maps I had a look at Corbridge which is an affluent market town in the Tyne Valley (called the snobbiest place in Britain by the tabloid press a few years ago as a local resident objected to a takeaway van being present in the centre). I live a few miles down the valley from it, so know it's a well sought after area with very low crime, yet I was staggered at the rate of reported anti-social crime compared to other areas. As high, if not higher, than Sherburn Road and certainly higher than my own village Much of it probably being relatively isolated incidents of rowdy behaviour after pub closing time, some loud music, or dogs barking. Anti-social behevariour can be a serious problem, but those stats don't really tell you much.

[NetPhantom]

(Original post by River85)
Hi, I know you asked about this in the other thread but unfortunately I was at the Stadium of Light that day (seeing Bruce Springsteen) .

So, how was "the Boss"?

[sunflower404]

I'm from Durham and know where that is. I see many students in that area, it's cheap but defiantly not the moat desirable place to live in terms of looks, I'm pretty certain it's a safe place though, although it is one of the rougher places in Durham, it's still safe. Near it is Gilesgate BANK, I would say more than 90% of the housing on the bank is occupied by students, it's within walking distance to the city centre by about 10 mins - if that! And I imagine it would be cheaper than living bang on in the city centre which are mainly very heavily populated by students.*

[NetPhantom]

(Original post by sunflower404)
I'm from Durham and know where that is. And I imagine it would be cheaper than living bang on in the city centre which are mainly very heavily populated by students.*

around £700/month for a house w/2 bedrooms