Where in uk is still good to live?

[tryanotherway]

We would love to move back to the UK but we see so much on the news about high levels of crime. Where in the UK is still safe and friendly place to live? Found schools, cost of living, health care, plenty to do and see?

Any place is nice if you have the money.

The beautuful North East Newcastle, Corbridge, Hexham and Northumberland.

Second Newcastle and environs. We're just outside Ashington, lovely friendly village, good transport links, and the sea visible from the top of our road. They've retained their dialect as well, as has my second recommended city, Norwich. Norwich is quite remote though, and has one of the nastiest rush hours outside Bangkok.

I would say most places are ‘still’ good to live in. Much of the UK is ravishingly beautiful and there’s a plethora of places I’d want to live in: London, Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, Winchester, Leeds, Stamford, Exeter, Stratford upon Avon, Cirencester, Bath, Bristol ...

I live in Derbyshire. I think it's nice here if you live away from the city centre. Still very affordable as well.

Forest of dean

If you've plenty of money, St Albans.

If I could live anywhere at all I'd probably choose Cardiff, Exeter or Edinburgh. York and Chester too.

Thank you so much for all your replies, going to have a read through.

If I didn't have roots, Newcastle would be my first choice. It's got everything. Followed by Leeds or Liverpool.

First define "good school". Are you looking for state or independent?

Someone mentioned Kenilworth. The road leading to the Warwick University campus has some lovely houses on it. I'd like one of them!

Also, there are lovely places in Northern Ireland. The Antrim coast is spectactular and Belfast has the culture (and Dublin is easily accessible too).

We live in a large village just outside York and it's pretty much got everything you could want. Plus you can be out in one of two national parks in about 30 mins drive, coast in an hour, Leeds in 45 mins, and to London by train in 2 hours. Love it.

I'm near Stratford and it's lovely. Houses aren't cheap here but the local schools are good. Plenty of arts and culture in Stratford 😁. Hour on the fast train, 1.5hours on others to London, 35 to Birmingham. Best of many worlds.

What's your house budget and what do you need/would be ideal for that? That will narrow it down

I live in Nottinghamshire and there are some lovely villages with great schools a few minutes from
Countryside but very easy& quick links to the city too.

Kenilworth and Warwick have been mentioned so I would also add Leamington Spa or any of the villages nearby. As PP said it’s all commutable to London and Birmingham easily and it’s all pretty nice suiting people of all age groups.

Oxfordshire or Bucks
Close to London, beautiful countryside, and tiny excellent village schools.

Where have you lived before in the UK, and what did you like/not like about it?

Suburbs of Edinburgh. On the edge of the pentland hills (literally walk to the top of our street and your in the pentland regional park) but only a 20 minutes bus ride to central Edinburgh 😊

Morecambe Bay area ticks your boxes - good transport links (M6 and west coast main rail line), coast and countryside, good schools, etc.

Absolutely none of it. Ignore pp.

It's so dreadful everywhere without exception, that we're thinking of dragging the whole thing out into the Atlantic and scuppering it.
Can't be saved, it's lost.

(Of course it's fine you 'nana, do you think 60million people are all living a terrified existence in daily fear for our lives?)

Why do you want to move back to the UK? - presumably there were reasons you left....
I only say this so you are clear about what it is you are looking for ....eg if you left to live somewhere warm and sunny - Inverness way is not that....(amazing yes but not warm and sunny)

Do you have friends/ties to anywhere? are you naturally extrovert and find it easy to make firends in which case I think you can live smaller village etc wheras if you are not then cities or bigger towns with more options maybe better..
the money you have to spend on housing will also be a major point as is you interest/need for frequaent gigs/theatre/culture fixes.....

after all that - I recommend Exeter way - small enough city to not be massive, easy access to coast, countryside and culture as university city....and warmer although possibly wetter than Inverness....cheaper - Swansea ...way but near the gower amazing

Cambridge if you can afford it.

I agree the outskirts of York. In a town like Malton you’ve got York, the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and the coast within 20 minutes, a high street that’s bucking national trends with new businesses opening regularly and a choice of good state schools. For more culture Leeds is less than an hour by train too. House prices are expensive by local standards (although less than in York where they are absolutely ridiculous) but far far less than for a town with the same amenities in the SE.

Oh God! Not Malton! The only place in the UK where a Sainsbury's assistant has refused to sell me a cucumber if I put it in the plastic bag in case it made a hole. It's true - utterly nuts! I seem to remember a dusty pizzeria - that was closed. And that was it.

MIL is in Leeds. It really is not synonymous with culture. A little more cultural than Malton perhaps but have you been to the Playhouse on a Saturday night in the midst of overdressed squealers who might as well be on acid as WYKD. Cultural it is not.