If you had the choice, would you live in York, Bath or South Manchester?

[GoldPaperStars]

We’re living in the SE at the moment and might have the option coming up to move to one of those places.

I know Bath well and it’s beautiful, but potentially a bit parochial? I don’t particularly want to live somewhere gritty, but I also want a bit of stimulation!

York and South Manchester I don’t know well at all, but I feel like they might be a bit more interesting to live in.

When we moved we’d probably have a 1/2 year old and I do worry about making friends, so we need to pick somewhere friendly with opportunities to meet people.

WWYD?

We're about to move to York ourselves. Love the place. I've been for numerous holidays, short breaks and day trips there over the past few decades. I have clients in York, so go there for work a few times per year. My son is going to York University. Always been happy there, good shops, good employment prospects, good attractions, excellent rail links, countryside, coast nearby, etc.

Manchester every time.

Bath without hesitation

I've lived within half an hour of all three. Bath will have the best weather by far but will be more expensive and polluted than the other two. York and Bath have similarities, both very touristy, both horrendous to drive in and out of but better by train. Although DH commuted to York for 10 years and was very glad when he no longer had to. Depending how far south you mean when you say South Manchester will affect the atmosphere. I think Manchester would be my favourite although I live in a small market town now so may just be missing my 20s living in a big city! But a nice suburb outside a lively city would be good.

Bath - in a heartbeat. Moving from the SE to the North can be a bit of a culture shock!

With a young child then I would choose York. The coast, the North York Moors, easy access to Leeds for your big city fix but a good range of shops, places to eat day to day. We lived near the centre and lifestyle was amazing - everything within walking distance and then reasonable drive to countryside stuff. Traffic can be a bit tight but really bath and Manchester are no better. Bath would be second but housing is far far more expensive. Machester - getting out to decent countryside always felt like super hard work and harder to live close to the centre.

I’d go for chorlton, if memory serves great tram, and community. I lived in altringcham (that isn’t how you spell it) and that was fine and a quick zip into the city.

Manchester. Both York and bath are very small really, quite provincial, and York has the added downsides of all the rough Geordies on a weekend. Neither are planned or set up for people who live there. Manchester is a proper functioning city with bags of culture on offer and much more affordable housing. Plus you've even got an airport for European holidays.

I live south of Manchester and have previously lived in York and would recommend Manchester over York any day. Like someone else said, York feels like it’s just for tourists, I never felt like I could go into town of a weekend because it was so busy. The traffic was hellish.
South of Manchester I would look at Cheadle, Bramhall, Davenport, Alty and Sale. All of which have decent transport links directly into Manchester plus they are a short distance to the Cheshire country side and out into the Peak District.

South Manchester. I live there though, so am biased. It's great. The expansion of the metrolink tram system means the city centre is very easily accessible and no more than 30 mins away. Also bus and train links to the centre.

We live within 5 minutes walk of a nice park, lovely cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops and also our DCs nursery and schools. I love it.

Manchester
Bath and York are lovely to visit, but there’s more to do in Manchester.
Pick somewhere on a tram line, so Chorlton, Didsbury, or Sale, Altrincham if you’re set on South Manchester. Sale, Altrincham if you’re schools-focussed

South Manchester, there are some ok areas and if your near a tram stop all the better. Manchester is a vibrant city

Altringhan would be great place to live

I live in York but am originally from the SE. I think it's a great place to live. Great public transport in and around the city and suburbs. Train to London in under two hours. A multitude of places to eat drink. Yes, certain parts can be a bit lively at weekends and on racedays, but I've never found it intimidating. Two theatres, a concert venue and fantastic history. An hour from the coast, less from the moors. Good local food markets. Some really lovely villages and small towns in easy commuting distance. Traffic no worse than anywhere else in my experience. And... it's true, the northern folk are generally more friendly than my neighbours were in Surrey.

Seriously are we talking about the same place? York's public transport is diabolical! The only bus services that run with any degree of frequency are the ones that take tourists from the station to the out of town shopping places, and even they cost a fortune. Manchester has trams and the transport is geared towards getting people to work.

York - wonderful place to live, great for kids, within easy reach of coast, moors, the dales, the m and a1, leeds and even hull has a lot going for it thesedays to visit - the deep, old town....

Have a look a look at Heaton Moor, just past Didsbury going towards Stockport. 9 minutes into Manchester on train. Nice and Green, good schools, plenty of bars and restaurants. Family friendly.

Wilmslow and Bramhall are lovely areas just outside Manchester and easily accessible by train, about a 25 minute drive

I find travel far better in york than manchester too, lived in both!

And yes there are lots of places to eat and drink but they are all way overpriced. Last time I was there I paid £6 (six fucking quid) for a cider in that place with all the metal containers stacked up on each other. There are restaurants in York charging £18 for a main course that wouldn't last a week somewhere like Manchester where, and I think this is a common theme, they have to get locals willing to pay for food to survive rather than relying on befuddled tourists unsure of the exchange rate.

I grew up in Bath, went back recently for the first time in ages and was actually a bit shocked at how run down it was. Lots of empty shops and a bit... Manky to be honest. It's a very small place to grow up in, too. We currently live near york which is a lovely city but I do echo pp who have said try and get a village outside, rather than being in the centre. Or somewhere like Fulford. Bishy Road is nice too but traffic awful. I've a friend who lives in Heaton Moor, like someone said above, and she loves it.
Not sure that helps really!!

I lived in Bath and Manchester... never been to York so would choose that!

I’d plump for just outside york
Gateway to some fantastic places

It’s not all about the city

York is a village and irritatingly busy with tourists. I don’t know how anyone lives there.

Of those I’d go south mancs, but I’d go Leeds and commute to York - city living, lots of suburbs with great restaurants etc, close to the dales and 1.5 hours from Yorkshire coast. Oh, and the right side of the Pennines. 😉

York is further north than Manchester- so train times wouldn’t be dissimilar and the countryside would obviously be similar