WHY?

Styvechale is a leafy suburb in the south of Coventry – the City of Culture 2021, no less. The city is a fast-paced, multicultural youthful city with buckets of stuff to do. It’s home to two top universities – Coventry and the University of Warwick. One of the most scenic (and prestigious) tree-lined avenues – Kenilworth Road – is within walking distance to the Warwick Uni campus, close to Earlsdon, Gibbet Hill, Styvechale and Kenilworth, with a dedicated cycle-path. Music history is rich – Coventry is famous for its 2-Tone ska bands, including The Specials and The Selecter. Historically, Coventry was part of Warwickshire (but is now part of the West Midlands). Victorian novelist George Eliot lived here in the 1840s and based Middlemarch on the city. On the practical front, the train station, huge War Memorial Park and city centre are also in close proximity, so the city is walk/cycle friendly, and Styvlechale has great access to nearby Stoneleigh and Leamington.

EAT

For scenic surroundings, walks and afternoon teas head to Coombe Abbey, next to Coombe Abbey Country Park and Go Ape tree top high ropes trails. Birmingham’s award-winning Digbeth Dining Club hosts street food events in Coventry Cathedral ruins and FarGo Village, home to a range of small indie street-food style food outlets. The Pod Cafe caters for vegans, Street in family-friendly/studenty suburb Earlsdon offers Pan-Asian cuisine, craft beer and cocktails, The Botanist in the city centre is also a good cocktail stop. For a burger fix there’s JP’s Kitchen in Spon End. And if you like curries you’re in luck as there’s some fine Indian restaurants in Coventry including Turmeric Gold and in nearby Cheylsmore check out Sonargaon. Celebrating Coventry’s musical history are the 2-Tone Cafe and Simmerdown Caribbean Restaurant. 

SHOP

Lower Precinct and West Orchards Shopping Centre in the city centre, with out-of-town retail parks at Ricoh Arena and Central Six, feature all the big retailers and fashion stores like Topshop, Primark, M&S, Lush and H&M. Make sure you visit FarGo Village near the city centre, where many indies have set up shop in boxed outlets and there’s the fab high street in nearby Cheylsmore with eclectic stores.Luxury outdoor designer outlet Bicester Village with 160+ boutiques and restaurants is just under an hour away by car.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Sir Basil Spence’s post-war cathedral – a modernist masterpiece – stands aside the ruins of St Michael’s Cathedral, destroyed during The Blitz and opposite Coventry University. For more great heritage and culture check out The Belgrade Theatre, The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, the Coventry Transport Museum housing the largest public collection of British-made road vehicles in the world, Warwick Arts Centre on University of Warwick campus and award-winning independent Theatre Absolute, the UK’s first ‘Shop Front Theatre’, in an old fish and chip shop restaurant.

Celebrating the city’s music scene is the HMV Empire which recently hosted Ed Sheeran, Coventry Music Museum, The Tin Music and Arts with big gigs held at the Coventry Building Society Arena, the former Coventry City FC stadium (now home of Wasps). Kids will go mad for the city’s new multi-million pound indoor waterpark, The Wave. To find out more about Coventry’s historic buildings check out Historic Coventry.

For the City of Culture year Coventry has installed the Assembly Festival Garden, a social hub which is home to street food vendors and four performance spaces – including the huge circus-style ‘Queen of Flanders’ tent. It’s closed for winter but is set to reopen again next year.

Just outside of the city centre is the 500-acre Coombe Abbey Park with Go Ape high ropes and the Lunt Roman Fort in Baginton. Ten minutes by train is Resorts World Arena for big concerts and Bear Grylls Adventure centre. Birmingham is 20 minutes away via the fastest rail link.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES

£326,188. Most sales were semi-detached averaging £335,327, detached were around  £444,945 and flats fetched about £124,077.

HOT PROPERTY

SCHOOLS

Poet Philip Larkin was famously a pupil at King Henry VIII School, an independent co-educational school for 3-18s; Bablake is another leading UK co-educational independent dating back to 1344 and Pattison College for children with a talent for the performing arts. The majority of state primaries are rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted with Eden Girls’ School, an Islamic faith-based secondary, Finham Park and Sidney Stringer Academy all rated ‘Outstanding’. Also within reach of ‘Outstanding’ Kenilworth School and Sixth Form. There are several ‘Good’ secondary schools nearby.

BEST KEPT SECRET

The Grade II-listed War Memorial Park is a vast expanse of green 2.5 miles which runs through Stvyechale and into the city centre. Stunning avenues of trees are dedicated to local soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. A 1.6 mile-path around the perimeter is great for cycling, jogging and walks. Other facilities include a children’s play area, 10 floodlit tennis courts, 12 football pitches, a skatepark and summer waterpark. 

COMMUTE

The quickest rail commute is 1hr 8mins direct to London Euston from Coventry’s main train station.

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