Stourbridge is a historic market town in Dudley, within the West Midlands. It’s 30 minutes from Birmingham but retains a semi-rural feel as it’s on the cusp of open countryside.
There are two train stations in Stourbridge. The main station, Stourbridge Junction, has excellent services to Birmingham that take half an hour. It’s also just 30 minutes to Worcester, and you can reach London in two hours, so it’s a great place to live for commuters. Stourbridge bus station is near the centre of town and provides a shuttle service to Stourbridge Junction so it’s easy to get around the area. The town has good road links and is a 45-minute drive from Birmingham Airport, making international travel easy whether it’s for work or holidays.
Stourbridge has excellent local schools, which is a big pull for families. Greenfield Primary School has received an outstanding rating from Ofsted, and Redhill School is a secondary academy that’s also rated outstanding. Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School is available locally and Old Swinford Hospital is a state boarding school for children aged 11-18.
Ryemarket Shopping Centre is in the centre of Stourbridge and has great brands like Waitrose, Iceland, WHSmith and Peacocks. There are also some lovely independent stores in town, like Bella Boo (a clothing store) and Stourbridge Galleries (a picture framing shop).
Merry Hill Shopping Centre is just a few miles away in Brierley Hill and has over 250 shops, a food hall and a cinema. It has all your favourite brands like Clarks, Boots, M&S, a Disney store and Krispy Kreme. The food outlets include Costa, Nando’s, Five Guys and Beleaf (a juice and smoothie bar), so there’s something for everyone.
Stourbridge has an excellent array of pubs, many of which are on the town’s high street. Cock N Bull Co is a favourite with locals as it serves great food and drinks, and has a lovely atmosphere. Claptrap the Venue is known for its quirky décor and great live music.
There are fantastic restaurants here too, such as VGN Boulevard, which serves outstanding vegan food, Anatolia Grill Restaurant, which provides amazing Turkish cuisine and Soffio Lounge, which serves lovely British food in a relaxed setting.
Stourbridge Hospital provides local healthcare, alongside the GP practices and pharmacies. There’s a local library, Post Office and a Crystal Leisure Centre, which has a swimming pool, a leisure pool with slides, a climbing room, sports halls and more.
Being on the edge of the greenbelt means that there’s plenty of green space around Stourbridge for those that enjoy getting the fresh air. There’s St Mary’s Park, which attracts over a million visitors a year. It’s a beautiful place with great facilities, which include an outdoor gym, a large play area, water play, a café, a pond, tennis courts, and more.
There’s so much to enjoy locally, and with the beautiful surrounding countryside, it’s easy to forget that you’re just half an hour away from the centre of Birmingham.
