AIBU to want to go north?

can only recommend you stop before you reach the north.
There are many lovely little towns / sma;ll cities in the midlands, Welsh borders which could suit you. It always irks me that politicians and the media bang on about the north without appreciating there is lovely countryside/living between the 'north' and the 'south'.

find it hard to make friends That's because you live down South.

what's so terrible about Blackpool?

It's filled with people that the people who go on Jeremy Kyle would describe as 'a bit rough for my taste'. In fairness, it's getting nicer slowly and can be lovely for a day trip, but dear god don't move there. Also don't move to Burnley, Barnsley or Barrow. Avoid anywhere beginning with B and you are fine.

Not the Peak District. It's so grim. Are you on glue?

We moved from SE London to Sheffield a few months ago. You couldn't pay us to move back!

We now have:
-A house twice the size for less money
-Great nurseries and schools nearby
-Lovely parks within a 2 minute walk (check out the Botanical Gardens, it's beautiful)
-Amazing independent shops/cafes/pubs within a 2 minute walk
-The Peak District a 10 minute drive or 20 minute cycle away
-Lots of art galleries/museums nearby
-Neighbours who talk to us rather than ignore us

We're only just over a mile from the city centre but it's so leafy and relaxed here. It feels safe but definitely not boring as there are loads of students around to keep things interesting.

Not the Peak District. It's so grim

Yup.. A place renowned for its beauty. Where Dovedale, Lathkilldale and the pennine way all have inspired fantastically from paintings to photogrpahy.

Please do avoid it, it's so so grim. All those picture box scenes and classic English xxx country vistas. Makes me want to spew and go back to Grimsby.

I live just south of York and love it. Great transport links and a thriving community. Agree about Beverley though it's gorgeous

Peak district grim? You're having a bloody laugh

Not the Peak District. It's so grim.

great amnesties

Southerners don't actually require an amnesty to be allowed to move north

Another vote for Newcastle suburbs and Hexham here. I grew up in the south east and for all my adult life have lived in the north (when not overseas). Cumbria is lovely but much wetter, I now choose to live in Northumberland and visit the lake District when the forecast is good!

We moved from London to Nantwich in Dec, beautiful market town, great amnesties, loads of stuff to do, countryside on your doorstep, beaches an hour away, trains to London & Manchester.

Saltaire and Hebden Bridge are both lovely. We're off to N Yorks, easy access to Leyburn, Masham, Bedale. Gorgeous countryside, 30 mins into York from Northallerton and a couple of hours into London. Can't wait.

I'd visit citizens advice and take your pension statements and state pension paperwork, my auntie gets a fair amount of help with her rent on some sort of housing benefit - she only found out about it randomely as she volunteers for age concern and a woman who works there got her the information

Well worth a go and you might be pleasantly surprised and mightbmake some places otherwise too expensive affordable x

I'm in County Durham in Weardale it's beautiful and the people are lovely but to echo a PP cuts to services can be a problem. Our local secondary have just lost there 6th form and a few villages up have just lost the chemist.

I have retired family in both Wolsingham and Stanhope which love it there.

Blackpool: imagine all the trashy seedy aspects of brighton but without the hipster effect or weather to make things nicer.

Mouse - your comments about Bolton and Chorley are bollocks

Saltaire, I love it there. Quite Bohemian and loads to do. 20 mins direct to Leeds on the train.

www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2015/may/22/lets-move-lytham-st-annes-lancashire

Blackpool is grim. Very dirty, crappy shops, high levels of alcoholism etc.

But nearby is Lytham st Anne's, 10 mins on bus / train down the coast. St Anne's is cheaper than lytham for housing. Lytham is more lively with cute, shops, restaurants and pubs, but also 10 mins bus / train ride. St Anne's is a retirement hot spot. There are lots of flats to let. There is a lovely sandy beach, lake, parks, golf courses etc.

Why Blackpool? If you must consider it, visit out of season.

Given you can make a choice, there are places a million times better if it’s the sea you want.

Really Mouse? I (and Sarah Beeny) would beg to differ!

www.stylist.co.uk/life/uk-life-home-house-buy-where-live-best-town-city-neighbourhood-prices-family-home-south-ribble-property-ladder/68906

Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Ilkley, Otley, Knaresborough and Skipton are also lovely places in Yorkshire.

I would largely avoid Lancashire but then I’m from Yorkshire so I would say that . Much of Manchester is great but the other places I have visited in Lancashire (Bolton, Chorley, Blackpool ... not so great).

I’m from Leeds and it’s great here but in retirement I would much prefer North Yorkshire. York, Whitby, Scarborough and lots of little quaint villages between. Very beautiful.

Blackpool suffers a lot from being a resort out of season. There are lots of social problems due to high levels of unemployment (seasonal work) and a lot of waifs and strays end up there.
There are nice areas, but if you go back a few streets it can get quite bleak - drugs etc.

Then there are the stag dos and hen parties.

What appeals to you about Blackpool and Sheffield? Because we can try and find similar places.

Eg if you head down the coast to Lytham, or a bit inland to Preston/South Ribble you’ll get the same value, access to the seaside but a nicer area.

I used to live in Glasgow and it kicks arse. Big enough to be exciting, small enough to be manageable. Green parks and beautiful architecture. Good shops/cafes/galleries/general culture. Great people. Amazing coast and country in reasonable distance.

If Scotland goes independent and stays in the EU I'm moving back up there like a shot.