Guide to Tranmere

There are 22 schools within three miles of Tranmere which received an ‘outstanding’ review at their last assessment by governing body ‘Ofsted’. This includes schools at each level from preschool through infant and junior schools (ages 2-11), mixed and single gender senior schools and schools catering specifically for children with various special educational needs. This increases to 79 local schools if you include those with a ‘good’ rating at their last inspection.

With such an exceptional offering, and many different ‘outstanding’ routes through school, there should be no difficulty understanding why it is popular with young couples and families looking to give their children the best start. You can find out all about the superb schools available within Tranmere and the surrounding area on the Ofsted website.

Tranmere has half a dozen available doctor’s surgeries, with Gladstone Medical Centre and St Catherine’s Surgery both having achieved a ‘good’ rating at their last review from the Quality Care Commission. There are also several local pharmacies and three dental practices in the area which offer both general and cosmetic dentistry, meaning that your general medical needs are well cared for.

For more serious complaints, there is Arrowe Park Hospital just under four miles away which has a wide range of services and includes an accident and emergency unit; however, there are a number of other medical facilities nearby – including Clatterbridge Hospital and Spire Murrayfield Private Hospital.

For residents of Tranmere, the whole of the Wirral is within relatively easy reach, and the area features a huge range of dining that runs the gamut between one of the last remaining Wimpys in the UK to nearby Birkenhead’s Michelin starred Fraiche restaurant. However, with dozens of restaurants within a few miles all achieving 4.5 stars or higher on Tripadvisor, there’s extensive opportunity for visitors and residents alike to take a culinary world tour without worrying about quality.

However, if you’re looking for something a little more casual, there are also plenty of traditional English public houses serving food and a range of real ales, as well as cafes and coffee shops for a bite to eat and a catch up with friends in the day.

Tranmere is served by Green Lane railway station – opened in 1886 as the end of the line for trains crossing under the Mersey – which is provided by Merseyrail and is on the Wirral Line which runs between Liverpool and Chester or Ellesmere Port approximately every 15 minutes during the week (half hourly on the weekend) and national services are available at both the Liverpool and Chester terminals. Liverpool takes around 20 minutes to reach and Chester, a little longer, at 45 minutes.

By car, Chester takes a little over 30 minutes and Liverpool around 10 minutes, while Manchester takes just a little over an hour. A wonderful commuter suburb, Tranmere is a great place to live with a reasonable commute to some major north west cities.

Likely a settlement since at least the 10th Century and named for the cranes that were once a common site nearby and which are slowly returning to the Wirral due to conservation efforts, Tranmere (or Trani-melr, meaning, ‘the sandbank with the cranes’ in Old Norse) is steeped in history – including as home to the first steam-powered ferry to cross the Mersey, and as home to Tranmere Rovers – who began the career of all time lead league goal scorer Dixie Dean.

The Tranmere Cross, a fragment with a worn stone base is believed to have originated in the fifteenth Century, can be seen at the top of Victoria Park. The stone is Grade II listed and located at the present site in 1937, it once marked the entrance to Tranmere on Church Road.

There has to be a special mention here for Prenton Park, home of Tranmere Rovers. The league two side was formed in 1884 and, despite a storied history filled with financial struggles, the ground remains a fantastic place to watch football. 

However, there are also plenty of other things to do nearby – including numerous museums. There’s the tram museum, the U-boat story and the historic pottery collection and sculptures on display in The Lady Lever Art Gallery (located in Port Sunlight – a visitor attraction in itself). In addition, with New Brighton nearby, there are also plenty of days out perfect for families – from a fun fair to adventure golf – as well the beautiful North Wirral Country Park which offers wonderful views and woodland walks.

Obviously, you can take in a game at Prenton Park, but there is a wide selection of entertainment available within a short trip from Tranmere – including the many theatres and galleries located on the Wirral, like
New Brighton’s Floral Pavilion theatre – which offers a full programme of ballet, drama and opera. You’re never too far from a cultured evening out, but if you’d rather just catch the latest blockbuster, then there’s the Vue cinema in Birkenhead.

There may be few nightclubs nearby, but there are plenty of restaurants and bars for an evening out – and if you just need a night on the tiles, then Liverpool and Manchester (regularly voted among the top 10 for nightlife in the UK) are both close enough to make a late night taxi ride affordable with a little help from your friends.

Tranmere has a wealth of options for treatments and salons – with two dozen of various kinds within a short trip, and the UKs salon hotspot (Birkenhead) on the doorstep, residents of Tranmere should never struggle to find a nail artist, hair stylist, tanning parlour or any other beauty treatment. In addition, the huge variety of options available mean that you shouldn’t struggle to find one which matches your unique tastes and style.

It may not be the first thing we think about when we’re looking for somewhere to call home, but it’s the kind of small convenience that can really make somewhere nice to live into somewhere great to live – and Tranmere is somewhere great to live.

The avid shopper may feel the need to skip straight to taking a shopping trip to LiverpoolONE – less than a half hour away – which is Liverpool’s shopping paradise on Paradise Street. However, Manchester’s giant Trafford Centre, and the Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks, are also within range for a full day of shopping,

It may take a little convincing to miss out on these giant retail sites, but there are also smaller shopping parks available closer to home – such as The Rock Retail Park, or Birkenhead’s Pyramids Shopping Centre as well as plenty of independent stores and half a dozen smaller retail parks, all of which offer a slightly more sedate shopping experience.

It won’t come as a shock to learn that Tranmere offers a fairly wide selection of supermarkets in the local area. There is a presence from all the major brands, while larger Tesco Extra and Asda stores are also within just a few miles – easily reachable for a weekly shop. There are also smaller ‘local’ style Sainsburys, M&S stores and more within a few miles. 

What distinguishes the Wirral, however, is gems like nearby Vintage Weighs in Liscard, an organic single use plastic free supermarket selling sustainable produce. There are also a few excellent farm shops in nearby villages that offer locally sourced vegetables, dairy and meat – including The Vineyard Farm in Bromborough, and Claremont Farm in Bebington.