Hi everyone :)

We are looking to purchase a property on Semington Road in Melksham.

We would like to know the 'peoples' view on Melksham as it would help us to make a decision on the area and the property.

We would be most grateful for any useful information about schooling, crime and the general state of the area.

Thank you for your time and consideration :)

Kayleigh

Melksham is an unloved little market town which has some really nice features tucked away, often unnoticed even by residents. Wiltshire Council seem to look down their noses at the town, constantly trying to undermine the efforts of the people to be proud of the place they live in - recent examples include a complete lack of regard to town centre survival by unnecessarily closing it off to all traffic for weeks on end (one cannot imagine this ever happening in Trowbridge or Chippenham), an attempt to move facilities such as the library to a remote outlying rural location (overturned when common sense prevailed) and a concerted effort to attract the Countrywide Farmers redevelopment away from the town. However, Melksham's redeeeming feature, and one which has ensured that having moved here I would never want to live anywhere else in the region, is it's people. Melksham people are the friendliest, nicest, most helpful people around. There's an air of resigned "blitz spirit" which binds us together despite all the tribulations thrown at us. Move here, get involved: you'll love it.

Phil at Sandridge Road seemedto be suffering from depression at 7am this morning, this shows in his opening remarks. However, after he has had his first cup of tea he is quite recoverd and adds a cheerful end to his comments.

This is an old codger syndrome that Melksham is unloved amongst the West Wiltshire towns. Thanks to our very active local organisations and councillors, Melksham has done very well recently; the £30m new Oak School; the £6m Lidl store; the £20m ASDA store; the £2m Countrywide store; the £1m+ town centre improvements; the Sainsbury £10m extension; the 700 new houses under construction; and now the £20m Wiltshire Council Campus scheme bang in the centre of town at Melksham House including a new Swiming Pool, Sports Centre, Library, Youth Centre, and much else. I hope that cheers you up Phil.

This is not to forget the progress that our large employers, Cooper Avon, Knorr-Bremse, Avon Security, and others are making in these testing times. Also several train services are shortly to be restored.

If this is a town that is unloved and undermined, as Phil says, lets have more of it.

Richard Wiltshire
Melksham Town Councillor

Well Mr Wiltshire Never to miss an oportunity lol, Lets just look at these points Richard has so generously raised. New Oak school, Poorly located and shabbily built this school was never needed. Existing well built school could have been upgraded at fractionof the cost. With its vast grounds for future expansion.The lidl store is a supermarket independently financed and no credit to the council. The county council flatly refused planning for Asda in Melksham at the same time as they authorised the building of Sainsburys in trowbridge. The Asda store refused to bow down to Wilts council and forced planning through the higher channels vigourously opposed at every level, Although I believe im right in saying Mr Wiltshire did fight our corner very well. The County Council also did there best to tempt Countrywide store away from Melksham. The County council refused Sainsburys planning permission but eventually had to bow down. And finally the Wilts county council completely ignored Melkshams wishes and threatened the residence with losing all our facilities if we didnt accept the location way out of town for our campus. With the Melksham residents up in arms, The council were so fortunate when Coopers made Melksham house site available. So lets celebrate the in town location for our campus but lets not forget the threats and remarks of elected councillors towards Melksham residents prior to this late good fortune
So no Mr Wiltshire we are not unloved, Only unloved by the County council and that emotion is happily returned.
Final note just to balance the letter, Melksham council has work very hard for its town in numerous ways and none less than Mr Wiltshire, And none less than our recently retired Mr Crook. Enjoy yr retiement John