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AIBU?

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Original poster

To relocate up north

284 replies

StonwEd · 01/04/2024 12:08

From East Anglia? Has anyone done it? Am I mad?
I’ve just spent yet another lovely week in the Lake District, greater Manchester and Derbyshire. We do this often although not as often as I would like due to very low holiday allowance.
Daydreaming a bit but also not really.
Kids all moved out, own my house outright, prob will sell for around £375k.
Enjoy my job but it’s crap money and hasn’t really got prospects but it is a field I’m sure I can get another job in and I’ve seen plenty of remote working jobs that are related (and better paid 🙄)
Husband is on board with this fantasy, he has a small business so can work anywhere.
I had kids very young so have lived in my home town all my life. Never left but always wanted to.
I’m 45 and I’m finally thinking it might be time. Financially as long as I get a job, we’ll be fine, and I’m so poorly paid as it is, shop or bar work will be fine to start with.
I’ve got a fair bit of savings and I’m thinking of travelling round the north for a couple of months, stay in local b&bs and to know some areas better before we take the plunge. I’d have to quit my job obvs but it’s a risk I’m starting to think is worth it…

And most importantly, where should we be looking? Want nature on our doorstep, but easy access to a town.

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Reluctantgardener1 · 07/04/2024 22:44

lastdayatschool · 01/04/2024 20:04

Anyone else think Cheshire is more the Midlands than the North ?

Nope

lotsofpeoplenametheirswords · 07/04/2024 21:44

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 01/04/2024 14:11

Don't be so daft @MeMyCatsAndMyBooks
Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Harrogate, York all have wealthy areas, with property values that surprise relocators. The "golden triangle" of Harrogate, York and N Leeds (Alwoodley, Bramhope) is very much not "extremely poor". Hallamshire ward in SW Sheffield, bordering on the Peak District (Nick Clegg's old constituency) is one of the least deprived wards in Europe, and was once the least deprived (ie: highest disposable income). I don't use social deprecation stats for work anymore more so in no longer up to date. Wilmslow and Alderley Edge are serious premier league footballer land. But for you, I suggest a holiday to Goole and Mexborough, so you can maintain your fantasy.

(And yes, I live in Yorkshire, but was born and grew up in central London, SW1, so I do know what I'm missing nighttime public transport)

Oi!!! I'm from Mexborough!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Al991 · 07/04/2024 21:42

I love living here in South Yorkshire. My quality of life is so much better than it would be in the south (I’m NHS so limited earning potential). Because I live here I own a nice house, live near a park, shops etc and can enjoy myself. In the south I’d be sitting miserably in a 1 bed flat that I rented with a housemate!

Professionallytorn · 07/04/2024 21:28

How about the Carlisle area, great prices for properties, easy to get to The Lakes. Glasgow and Newcastle within 90 mins. Lots of development planned. Here is an example of a property here https://www.your-move.co.uk/property/detached-house-for-sale-cumwhinton-carlisle-ca4-id-car240114

3 bedroom Detached House for sale, Cumwhinton, Carlisle, CA4 | £400,000

3 bedroom Detached House for sale, Cumwhinton, Carlisle CA4 - Your Move

https://www.your-move.co.uk/property/detached-house-for-sale-cumwhinton-carlisle-ca4-id-car240114

Flaskfan · 07/04/2024 20:35

Malarandras · 07/04/2024 10:11

Oddly enough I’m Scottish and have always lived in Scotland but to me ‘the North’ is the North of England - no set ideas about what that means though - and Scotland is Scotland ie not ‘the North’. Even though Scotland is North of everywhere in England. Now I think of it that’s quite weird..

Exactly. It's like saying the whole of Wales is the west, because it's further west than places in the west of England.

catgirl1976 · 07/04/2024 11:13

You might like Lytham.

It's on the coast, lots of lovely little shops and restaurants, low crime, very pretty - green and windmill, great motorwy links, 45 mins from Manchester and the Lake District

ThisNoisyTealLurker · 07/04/2024 10:38

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 01/04/2024 12:11

I did, I wouldn't do it again if I had the chance. The areas up north are extremely poor.

Erm really?! I’m from Yorkshire and have lived in the south before coming back north. There are some deprived areas as there are anywhere in the UK but also many affluent areas. You do know how big the north is right? How many cities, towns and villages there are? What a ridiculous comment!

Malarandras · 07/04/2024 10:11

Oddly enough I’m Scottish and have always lived in Scotland but to me ‘the North’ is the North of England - no set ideas about what that means though - and Scotland is Scotland ie not ‘the North’. Even though Scotland is North of everywhere in England. Now I think of it that’s quite weird..

Alfreddoeblin · 07/04/2024 10:06

Most of the southerners who’ve moved up here will have decent equity and can choose to live in the most desirable areas full of people like them so I guess they can honestly say that the north doesn’t seem deprived. There are definitely very expensive parts of the north where house prices are way over the national average
but like it or not the north does fare worse generally as far as employment opportunities, decent schools, functioning public transport etc are concerned and some posters on here are diminishing that. Try finding your kid an apprenticeship or a job up here. If you can’t drive and live outside a major city try travelling on public transport. I live in a town of >300k and it’s abysmal. Trouble is the shitholes aren’t getting any better and the nice places are ever more expensive for locals…

ChocolateCakeOverspill · 07/04/2024 07:48

Jc2001 · 02/04/2024 11:37

It might be north of where they live but it's not up North. There's a difference.

Unless you consider London to be up north if you live on the south coast

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I know people in Cornwall who describe Exeter as up north. It’s all relative

JudgeJ · 07/04/2024 05:50

This reply has been deleted

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The latter! Some idiots think going North means cheap, they would be in for a shock , 375k won't buy much in the areas mentioned. Love the post warning of lack of facilities like Ueber, she's coming from East Anglia and will know all about that unless she's in a city or large town!

BestCoffeeoftheday942 · 07/04/2024 03:59

Leek, is a very pleasant small town with a market & good car boot sales on the edge of the Peak District & only a few miles from the city of Stoke-on-Trent

Suggest also looking at Chester, Buxton, Bakewell, Southport, Sandbach, Chesterfield

Plenty of choice

If you buy, suggest get a property survey, because there are lots of mines underground

Friendly people, do your research & visit before you buy

Beingboredisgoodforyou · 07/04/2024 01:47

UAvoidUrProblems · 01/04/2024 14:24

Don't buy up North. Your house will decrease in value which will diminish your kids inheritance. It's anti-social in many places. Also lower life expectancy up there.

Rent out your house and use the rental to rent a place up North, so if you don't like it, you can move back home. If you're happy there after a year or so, then buy.

Edited

🙄

Zyq · 07/04/2024 01:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Posted in wrong place

5foot5 · 02/04/2024 12:05

Willyoujustbequiet · 01/04/2024 21:35

Haltwhistle is considered the geographical centre of Britain so somewhere 150 miles or so south of that isn't north in my book.

According to this link

https://www.leicsra.org.uk/articles/38-centre-of-england.html

Some place near Fenny Drayton in Leicestershire is considered the geographical centre of England. As Manchester (and Cheshire) are considerably north of Leicestershire then sure they are in the North West of England

Centre Of England

https://www.leicsra.org.uk/articles/38-centre-of-england.html

midgetastic · 02/04/2024 11:56

I live in Scotland and see Edinburgh as uk north so ?

It's subjective isn't it !

pinktransit · 02/04/2024 11:39

I did it, moved from Surrey to Lancashire.
I love where I live, but I did know people that lived here already which may have made it easier.
I don't regret the move, it's the only way that as a single person I could afford to buy. But. And it's a bit but, I am so far away from the rest of my family.
My daughters are adults, married, one has her own daughters. Parents were doing ok when I moved, but are getting more frail.

It's a long drive back, I do try and get back once a month but it's usually every other month.
I'm too far away for people to visit (5 hour+ drive), so I miss out on a lot.
There are positives and negatives, on the whole it's positive.
But if I could do it again, I don't think I'd go quite so far.

Jc2001 · 02/04/2024 11:37

midgetastic · 02/04/2024 11:32

Edinburgh is up north for sone people in Scotland you know .. the forgotten chunk of Scotland

It might be north of where they live but it's not up North. There's a difference.

Unless you consider London to be up north if you live on the south coast

midgetastic · 02/04/2024 11:33

No guarantee the children will stay in east anglia and no guarantee they will want to look after elderly parents -

midgetastic · 02/04/2024 11:32

Edinburgh is up north for sone people in Scotland you know .. the forgotten chunk of Scotland

Jc2001 · 02/04/2024 11:08

MyGooseisTotallyLoose · 01/04/2024 22:44

Or Edinburgh?

Show quote history

Don't let anyone from Scotland hear you describe Edinburgh as 'up North '.

VestaTilley · 02/04/2024 07:29

YANBU, but just think about the future and travelling back to east Anglia to see grandchildren or elderly parents.

Some of the more picturesque villages are very quiet nowadays due to second home owners, so maybe try a nice market town at first. Could you rent out your house instead of selling, in case you want to change your mind and come back?

cakeorwine · 02/04/2024 07:26

Harrogate is not consistently slow. The vast majority of Harrogate has no traffic issues at all

Coming to Harrogate from York can be very busy.

Especially at certain times of the day. No ring road at all.

But then again, I was down in the South East a while ago and the traffic down there was really busy.

JackSpaniels · 01/04/2024 23:32

Missamyp · 01/04/2024 16:21

I am planning to relocate from my million-pound home in the South. Thank you.
Land and garden space are noticeably smaller in West Yorkshire where he lives.
No, he doesn't live in a dump he lives in a desirable village where plenty of wealthy hop over the border to buy a barn and escape Manchester.

However, based on governmental policy research and personal experience, it's evident that transportation links are worse in some areas of the North. The M1, M62, M6, and M56 can be gridlocked once you hit certain areas. On the other hand, the A1 and A64 are relatively better-paced if you wish to reside in York. But, Harrogate is consistently slow with gridlock around the Skipton road area.
Public transport is shit. My 10-mile commute takes me 15 min where I am right now. A drive to Leeds from his can (15-miles) take up to 90 minutes in rush hr.
Depends on whether one wishes to sit in endless jams or needs to commute for work. Semi-retirement with time to bumble about then people will love the countryside.

I don't know why posters are getting so het up about the descriptions of the North.

Edited
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What bollocks

Harrogate is not consistently slow. The vast majority of Harrogate has no traffic issues at all.

I have hopped in an out of Skipton Road all weekend with no issues
It is busy for brief periods during the day (but no busier then trying to get through North Leeds or Westminster)

How much time do you spend in Harrogate (and Skipton Road?)

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