Talk to me about Harrogate, Yorkshire - is it a nice place to live?

[LarkinSky]

We’re returning to the UK next July after 13 years living overseas - me, DH, and our two DDs (6 and 10).

We’re looking at Harrogate. We did a recce this summer and it looks gorgeous, even in the rain , schools and all. But I don’t know anybody from there and would love to hear honest views about it.

We both have portable careers and can remote work for the international organisations we’re employed by, so we can choose anywhere, pretty much. Our family are in the north-west and midlands.

We’re coming back to put down roots for our kids, who are British in name but never lived in the UK. DH and I both from the north although spent several years in London.

Any advice, thoughts, insight into Harrogate gratefully received!

Wetherby is nice but watch for flooding. Some of the outlying towns and villages around Harrogate are nice - Knaresborough and Pannal Ash are both lovely and as PP have said there is a good transport link onto the A1M which then interchanges into the M1 or the M62

I live in North Leeds, between Leeds and Harrogate. Both are lovely. Harrogate house prices are quite high so be prepared for that.

I found it very cliquey.
Plus there was a general 'what will people THINK' and keeping up with the Jones's attitude.
I was very lonely in harrogate.
This was a while ago, it may have changed a lot since.

York is much more vibrant than Harrogate.
I find it an odd place.

Traffic is very busy. I don't think they've heard of dual carriageways.

The stray is lovely. Houses look beautiful. Centre is ok.

I prefer york over Harrogate any day
Easingwold just north of york is lovely
Very small town but just 20 mins from the york ring road and half hour from york centre.
Weathers crap though...rained all day today

It’s very posh, very naice, a lot of people who are about appearances and not a lot of diversity.

Good schools, lovely (but expensive) houses

Traffic is awful

I spent a lot of my youth there.

It's not as nice now as it was then, though there was a drugs issue back then that was kept under the carpet as it were, but on the last couple of trips it's still nice. Not sure I'd want to move back there, which is a hard thing to say as have very fond memories.

Lovely countryside. Love the moors. Good shopping in Leeds and York.

This is all so helpful - thank you everyone. We’ve done a recce, visited schools and looked at a few houses to see what’s in our price bracket / catchment. I am concerned about some comments re lack of diversity / cliqueyness.

@ODFOx all good points. We’re from the north (and DH was born in Leeds though not lived there for 30 years) so in our quest to return back to the UK after such a looong time living abroad, and give our kids a sense of belonging and their own country, it made sense. We both feel more at home in the north than the south of England. I think I need years to research this and find the right place though! We’ve been living quite global lives in different continents, working for international orgs (UN etc) with diverse friendship groups - perhaps that diverse outlook may be hard to replicate in an English town (rather then a city) but we want to slow down and get some work life balance back, hence desire for a lively town surrounded by countryside rather than a city.

Ugh sorry for rambling. TLDR: I’m very grateful for the wisdom of Mumsnet in helping me find our place in the UK, and any advice you good people can offer! We have until this October to decide due to school applications...

If I was buying in that area I would go for York area rather than Harrogate.

I live and teach in Harrogate and it is becoming a lot more diverse. 30% of the pupils in our school speak English as a second language.

I’m from around that area and return regularly. I like Harrogate but it feels very small to me now. - but I have lived in London for 25 years now. Schools are good, though. I much, much prefer York. Yes, it’s a city but it’s a small city. I’d move there in a heartbeat. Other towns in the area like Ilkley and Knaresborough and Ripon are nice but would be too small for me. Lots of nice villages around as well.

It's like the Surrey of Yorkshire. I find it snobby and all fur coat and no Knickers, but they are willing to pay way over the top for things, so great if you have a pretentious business, you'll earn loads.

I used to live in York (now in the south east), and would say York has the edge in terms of people and friendliness. Parts of Harrogate are too snobbish for me. York has some very good schools too, and excellent hospital and transport links.

Have you considered Sheffield? Lovely communities, naice bits, Peak District on doorstep, two hours from London.

I work in Harrogate and have friends who live there too. Have to agree that traffic is truly horrendous, but if you live within walking distance of the centre it can be great, my friends love it! Personally would choose Ilkley instead. Much smaller but a much better vibe, great schools and easy access to Leeds as well as great countryside. House prices in line with Harrogate.

I’ve lived here for over 30 years, dh was born here. Our two dc went through the Grammar School. Like much of the UK it’s going through a bit of a downward spiral but it is still a great town to live in, I’ve seen several economic cycles here over the years. At the moment the high street is suffering, there are some people begging and the traffic is bad but I think you’d get that anywhere.

I think lots of people move up from London because the house prices are better, but they are very high still so consider your budget and look at what it will get you. I think it’s getting more diverse because of the people moving into the area but yes, it is a very white town. There are many professionals here, many will work out of area but live here because of the excellent schools and attractive environment.

If you have any questions I’ll try to answer.

Given your international backgrounds I think I’d be looking at a large town or small city with a university. It really does make a huge difference in my experience.

DC were born there but we preferred York to live in. It is a very small city but has universities to give some cultural mix.

Harrogate is a real pig to get to on the train. Id go York over Harrogate if you need to commute to London at all. Love York. Really great place to live and lots of nearby villages if it felt too big city for you.

If you like 'posh northern' with good schools and have the budget for Harrogate have you looked at Hale/Bowden/ Altrincham near Manchester?

Traffic is a nightmare in most Northern towns and cities!

Re trains, by the end of the year it’s due to have 5 or 6 direct trains to and from London if that’s relevant. Currently only one each way. Whatever your house budget you’ll get less house than most other parts of Yorkshire or many parts of the country in fact. If you’d like advice about areas ask away.

Very underwhelmed by Harrogate, not much diversity. Would much prefer the naice areas of Sheffield and York.

I was born and grew up there. moved to London at 23 as it was more exciting. I mourn the loss of the old market hall before they built the Victoria centre and the loss of the Lowther arcade for the new marks and Spencer's. when the Victoria centre opened it had market type small shops in the basement but then intersport cane along and ruined it. I agree, shopping is crap now. and the nightlife has gone downhill.