To ask you where we should move?

[Buggritbuggrit]

We’re looking to move out of London, like everyone else. The issue is that we have no idea where. Neither of us is English, and we’ve never lived anywhere in England that wasn’t London. Please help!

We’re an interracial couple, so would ideally like somewhere with some racial diversity where neither we nor our kids were unusual.

DP loves the great outdoors and I love the hustle and bustle of Islington. We’d ideally like somewhere with both of those things, decent schools, house prices that aren’t insane and a manageable commute into London.

Apart from those criteria (and I have no idea if any of that is reasonable), we’d be happy with anywhere in the South East. Budget is about £600K. If anyone has any recommendations, I’d love to hear them. Ideally, I want someone to go ‘you have exactly described where I live, don’t worry about this anymore, move here at once’. So, if that were to happen, I’d be much obliged.

[ZaraW]

Brighton or Hove though you'll get more for your money in Worthing.

[Liverbird77]

I think you should consider South Manchester.
My DH often has to go to London for meetings and it's fine.
Didsbury has everything you describe. Easy access to Manchester city centre and to the peak and lake districts. Lots of parks, along with nice bars and restaurants.

[bravotango]

Agree with South Manchester (only if you're mostly WFH though)!

[LakieLady]

Tunbridge Wells.

Loads going on, lovely for shopping and eating out, on the edge of the Weald and Ashdown Forest for the great outdoors, good rail links to London.

[Ilikecakes]

Yep Brighton and Hove. House prices are high here but you should be able to get something in Hangleton if you’d prefer the Hove side or Fiveways if you wanted closer to Brighton. Nowhere near as diverse as London of course, but it’s improving all the time, particularly in some schools. Lots of bustle, countryside up the road, beach life too, commutable to London. We love it here! PM if you want any more deets

[peak2021]

What is a manageable commute into London depends on where in London you work- centrally, east or somewhere else? And also is it daily or just occasionally, and to a fixed time or with some flexibility.

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

It's good to be aware that outside London is generally far less diverse, and the most diverse communities may be predominantly south Asian origin. That may or may not suit you.

Cities are far more diverse than towns. Luton and slough are reasonably diverse and quick to get into London but are maybe not necessarily mumsnet "naice".

[Buggritbuggrit]

@ZaraW We like Hove, but it’s rather pricey compared to what we can get pretty everywhere else. I shall have a look at Worthing, thanks.

[Buggritbuggrit]

@peak2021 We both work in central London and would be looking to come in about twice a week on average. Reasonably flexible working hours, but nothing outside the norm e.g. if 10am to 6pm or 8am to 4pm were more convenient than 9-5, that would be fine.

[Buggritbuggrit]

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland Yes, this is definitely a concern. And I must confess to liking Mumsnet ‘naice’. So, more Bray than Slough, but with cultural diversity and houses I can afford. I’m not asking for very much, am I?

[Buggritbuggrit]

@Ilikecakes That’s really helpful, thank you. I might take you up on the offer to DM for more deats. Hangleton looks nice!

[Buggritbuggrit]

@LakieLady Tunbridge Wells now on list! Thank you.

[Buggritbuggrit]

@bravotango and @Liverbird77 I love love love Manchester, but it’s rather further away from London than we’re thinking.

[MrsFin]

Bristol, Bath or Cardiff.

[stoopider]

Google “monks farm lancing” they’re building an IKEA and 600 houses. Totally new village just on the outskirts of Worthing. You’d get a 4 bed for your budget. Walking distance of the sea. Walk into shoreham/Worthing. Short journey to brighton for all the fun and giggles.

[ceilingsand]

Bristol or Bath.

[widthofacircle]

Definitely take a look at Bristol, it's a fantastic and vibrant city with a very youthful and diverse feel to it.

[Alamindah]

I came on to say Bristol too! It definitely ticks all of your boxes!

[iabvvu]

Hertfordshire! Somewhere like welwyn/knebworth/letchworth- very easy to get into London and lots within your budget

[WaterBottle123]

Absolutely not Worthing, PILs live there...there is a reason it is known as gods waiting room. Very white, very dull, depressing high street, youth bored out of their brain. You'd be miserable.

Look at Hampshire. Winchester could suit you very well.

[Ilikecakes]

Agreed @WaterBottle123. Worthing very white, dull, parochial. Shoreham town centre marginally more interesting but still very little diversity. You do need to be closer to Brighton and Hove if you want any diversity and/or city vibes

[howmanyhats]

Are you really sure you want to leave London? I did, and I miss it loads.

If you need to be in London for work, I don't think there is a place that has the hustle and bustle of Islington, decent schools, house prices that aren’t insane and a manageable commute into London that's also culturally diverse, except Brighton and as you can see, at those prices you might as well stay in London unless you're really set on Brighton.

It's the only place I can think of that ticks your boxes (the South Downs is beautiful and the city has a lot going on).

Other places that are culturally diverse and have access to city life as well as countryside are too far to be a commutable distance to London. Bristol, Cardiff and Manchester as mentioned tick a lot of the boxes but are too far to commute.

Leaving London is often a one way street. We'll never go back to London, selling up there burnt our bridges. We'll never be able to afford to go back.

We sold our 1 bed London flat for £250k and bought a 3 bed house for £150. A decade later, this house is only worth £200k, but the flat we sold in London is now worth about £500k. Gutted!

DP wanted open spaces, which we got. But the DC aren't getting the opportunities they would in a city or large town. Ambitious young people here either move away or stay and settle with a crap job, there's a reason people go to London for work, it's much easier to find decent jobs there! (Admittedly that's a particular feature of where we are. No large employers locally except the council and NHS).

I feel trapped. I don't want to be here but the DC are settled, to uproot them would be huge. I didn't realise how much I'd miss city life though, particularly the wide range of cultural events on your doorstep. DP is happy here, I'm not.

Hopefully I'm wrong and there is somewhere that ticks your boxes that's ticks your boxes and us commutable to London and I just don't know it! Maybe give Brighton another look?

[howmanyhats]

@WaterBottle123

Absolutely not Worthing, PILs live there...there is a reason it is known as gods waiting room. Very white, very dull, depressing high street, youth bored out of their brain. You'd be miserable.

Look at Hampshire. Winchester could suit you very well.

Totally agree about Worthing. What's the commute like from Hampshire? Sounds like a long way to me!

Buggritbuggrit roughly whereabouts in London to you work / which mainline station would you need to come in to?

[shittingthreeeyedraven]

Tunbridge wells has crap shopping now, loads shut in the precinct and you need to go to Maidstone/Bluewater for most high street shops now.
Also, it’s VERY white so I’m not sure you’d find the diversity you are after there

[GeorgesGreenDinosaur]

I know you said that Manchester is further than you were thinking but South Manchester really does tick all the boxes, especially West Didsbury.

You have access to motorways, excellent public transport and you're close to the countryside.


I am biased though!