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October 9, 2019Paisley is located in Renfrewshire, Scotland, just a short distance away from the beautiful city of Glasgow. It’s well known for being the homeland of the paisley pattern and paisley shawl, both of which were popular in Victorian times. Today there are less working cotton mills, but in their place are beautiful luxury apartments that connect with the history of the town.
The cotton mills may have all but disappeared, but a lively and vibrant town still exists. Paisley benefits from its brilliant connections to Glasgow, which is only 6.9 miles away. House prices are also appealing with the average house costing approximately £138,000.
What to Expect from Living in Paisley
Church spires dominate the town centre. Paisley’s narrow streets are packed full of sandstone townhouses and terraces. There are many iconic period buildings around Paisley, with many of them being located in conservation areas.
As mentioned, Paisley is in close proximity to Glasgow, but you don’t need to hop on a bus to go shopping. The town centre boasts a large selection of both shops and entertainment venues. The shops in Paisley range from small local businesses to nationwide retailers. There are also a large selection of pubs, cafés, takeaways and restaurants nearby.
Paisley also offers its residents a piece of Scottish wilderness on their doorstep. The town is located on the edge of the Clyde Muirshiel Park and the Gleniffer Braes Country Park. If you’re worried that you’ll miss the hustle and bustle of city life, then Glasgow city centre can be reached by train within 10 minutes, or by car within 30 minutes, giving you the best of both worlds.
Where to Begin Your Search and What Properties are Available?
If you’re looking for a piece of history, then consider looking at the former cotton mills. Many of these have been converted into luxury apartments. These apartments usually have one or two bedrooms and can range in prices depending on the finish you are looking for. If you are on a budget, then maybe you could consider buying a property that you can add your own stamp to. You could even add in some luxury touches, such as underfloor heating. If you’re considering underfloor heating, then Incognito Heat Co is the place to start. They provide underfloor heating in Scotland that combines your needs with their excellent expertise which in turn produces a unique and completely satisfactory result.
If you are looking for an already completed apartment, then consider looking at Thread Street. The Anchor Mill boasts one- and two-bedroom properties that benefit from full length windows. If you’re looking for that extra bit of luxury, then the penthouses could be perfect for you. Many of the penthouses on Thread street also have roof terraces, which provide you with the most stunning views over Paisley and the local area.
Slightly cheaper and less imposing properties are located in the Oakshaw Conservation area, which is close to the centre of town. Located at the base of the original settlement in the town, Oakshaw Conservation area boasts a range of generous sized four-bedroom townhouses. Most of these properties still contain the original features including cornicing, stained-glass windows and sweeping staircases.
The town centre, Charleston and Williamsburgh areas also offer some stunning properties including terraced houses and flats built out of blond and red sandstone.
Another sought after conservation area is Castlehead, with its wide choice of beautiful Victorian villas. For larger properties, take a peek at Main Road. It has a selection of four- and five-bedroom detached townhouses that have extensive gardens. Smaller properties can be found on Thistle Street. Thistle Street is made up of two-bedroom terraces with decent sized gardens.
Thornly Park is a conservation area that offers inter-war properties. It’s located just to the south of the town centre and has a range of houses, including Art Deco and mock Tudor style. Properties built post-war are generally found in the Foxbar, Glenburn, Gallowhill, Ferguslie Park and Hunterhill areas. These houses are perfect for families due to their size and location and generally offer large gardens.
If you’re looking for a modern property, then you may be better starting your search to the north of the town centre. Donaldswood Park is a modern development that offers both three- and four-bedroom semi-detached homes.
Getting Around the Local Area
If you’re looking to live in an area with good transport links, then Paisley could be perfect for you. There are many different transport options available to you in and around Paisley.
Ways to get around Paisley and the local area include:
- By train – There are lots of train stations in Paisley, including stops at Gilmore Street, Canal and St James. All of these run services to Glasgow Central station with an approximate travel time of only 10 minutes! Trains are also available to Ayr, Ardrossan Harbour, Wemyss Bay and Largs from Gilmore Street station.
- By car – By travelling north along the A726, you can jump onto the M8. From here you can head east to Glasgow or north towards Langbank by the River Clyde. The M8 also leads to other destinations including Kilmarnock and Hamilton.
- By Air – If you fly often, then living close to an airport may be high on your wish list when looking for a property. The nearest airport is located a short ten-minute drive away from Paisley in Glasgow. Glasgow airport runs both European and domestic flights as well as a choice of some long-haul destinations including Orlando, New York and Vancouver.
Things to do in and Around Paisley
Cultural – Paisley boasts a selection of independent music venues. The Bungalow is one of the most popular of these due to it offering many free or reasonably priced events. Bands that have played here include The Quireboys and The Blockheads.
An annual art, music and comedy festival called The Spree runs for 9 days each year. It’s held in locations all around the town and it includes free workshops and regular performances throughout the day.
Paisley Arts Centre displays theatrical and musical performances. The venue holds just 158 people and offers a variety of acts including comedy shows, dance shows, jazz music and folk music.
History – Paisley museum is a great place to go if you want to learn about the history of the Paisley pattern. Inside the museum is a display of the finest Paisley shawls from around the world as well as a huge ceramics collection.
The Thomas Coats Observatory – This is the oldest public observatory in the UK. Built in 1883, it hosts a variety of telescopes where you can stargaze to your hearts content. Tours of the observatory are available at no extra cost and with no booking required. Don’t worry if the weather is cloudy, as there are still lots of things to do, including watching a show in the digital planetarium.
The Sma’ Shot Cottages – These cottages have been fully restored to what they would have looked like in the 1840’s. You can look around the cottages and find out all about how the families lived and worked there. You can also learn about Paisley’s cloth history.
Outdoors – The Gleniffer Braes Country Park is a stunning place to visit. It is made up of sections of woodland and moorland. This park covers 480 acres and offers its visitors lots of different walks. The park boasts lots of wildlife, including tawny owls, roe deer and wild orchids and flowers.
Fountain Gardens is Paisley’s oldest park. It was first established in 1797 and has wide walkways that lead to a stunning cast iron fountain in the centre of the park. Throughout the park are other iron decorations too, including a statue of Robert Burns.
The town of Paisley is best seen from the top of Saucelhill Park. Whilst on the summit of the steep hill, you will be able to admire the beautiful spires in the town centre and when the weather is nice you will be able to see the edge of the highlands. The highlands can also be viewed from Ferguslie Gardens. Ferguslie Gardens are beautiful manicured gardens filled with rare plants, woodlands and a lake.
Shopping – The are a variety of different shops available in Paisley from McDonalds to independent jewellery shops. Many of them are located on Well Street, High Street, Broomlands Street and New Street. If you are looking for high street shops and big-name stores, then the Piazza Shopping Centre or the Paisley Centre are the perfect places to begin. These shopping centres are the home of many well-known stores including Marks and Spencer’s and Boots.
Paisley also has a farmer’s market which is held twice a month. If you like local produce, then this is the perfect place for you. The market includes fish, cheese, meat and fruit and vegetable stalls.
Top Reasons to Live in Paisley
In conclusion, the top reasons to live in Paisley can be summarised as follows:
- Close to Glasgow
- Excellent choice of properties
- Affordable housing
- A range of parks and reserves to visit
- Lots of shopping opportunities
- Plenty of history
There are lots of other reasons why Paisley could be the perfect place to live for you and your family. No matter what you enjoy, Paisley has something to offer you. Why not have a look round and see what you think?
