Life in Preston (or where can I live?)

[QuestionableMouse]

I've been offered a place on the MA I really want to do at UCLan. I currently live in County Durham so it's going to mean moving and I'm freaking out a tiny bit 😂

My wants-

-flat/house of my own. Currently living on my own and don't think I could cope with a house share. Needs parking but not bothered about a garden.
-ideally less than 45 mins to the campus.
-rural/semi rural would be ideal but smaller towns are fine too. I'm assuming housing in Preston will be at a premium due to the uni so happy to live further out.

Any information will be greatly appreciated! 😀😂

My little boys does loads round here. 1 youth group and self defence at Tanterton community Centre. Drama at the Intact centre. Another youth group at the church hall in Tanterton plus ingol cubs.

He did a fab play scheme during the summer which was £2 a day from 9 till 4. It was on everyday and when we were not busy he begged us to go.
The community spirt is amazing, community police fantastic. All three schools rated good
I would never move anywhere else

Sorry op have derailed your thread a bit

@newlifenewme2020 I live in Ingol

Lancaster only 30 minutes away on a car and is beautiful! You can get a train there in 20 minutes.

At least the derail is (hopefully) showing the OP that Preston isn't all bad despite some others saying it's "grim"

Hello those who live in ingol. I prob know you

It’s not grim. Parts of it are grim like anywhere else. I must admit the centre does not make a good impression to those visiting

I miss the old indoor market
I know they've tried to make it a bit more razzle dazzle, but I miss it goddammit

And the empty shops and banks don't look good no, but that isn't representative of the rest of the city.

@newlifenewme2020 before I NC! New builds, near the Christian centre

I miss it too. I work in town and used to use it for all my meat and veg. The new one they have tried to go upmarket and it just had not worked. The vendors hate it as do the people using it.

Definitely not a shit hole

Getting to be a really great city, just has really bad traffic

I’m in a village on the cusp of the Ribble Valley. It’s lovely

Your name does not begin with a K does it Clientking. PM if you don’t want it on the board

The High Street has everything you could ever want, there are some absolutely stunning open spaces, there is an AMAZING Sainsbury's and it is very peaceful compared to many places. Also good bus service and the best pubs I've ever been in.

As long as they don’t kill friargate with the new building at the uni!!!

@newlifenewme2020 it doesn't! I don't have DC so not usually around the children's events etc

Recommendations for anyone that hasn't tried them
Sugar wishes cakes on Blackpool road does the most amazing cake jars and brownies
Smokin V's BBQ (they do delivery too)

Ratbag. Sainsbury’s at deep dale? What’s so amazing?!

Trying to think where I door market was? Bus station??

holding it was near the bus station. To the right of where the new one is now, as you come through st John's from the bus station.
(Which used to be the largest in Europe. We also had the first KFC)

Newlife I think you may live on the street I used to live on, is the lawnmower man in his 60s (ish)? The worst antisocial behaviour I saw there was the local teens that he woke up referring to him as mowing wanker 😂

I like Preston a lot, as others have said there are some dodgy areas but you'll be hard pressed to find a place without any dodgy areas.

It's a shame the new market has largely lost the character of the old one, and so many stalls are gone. I remember getting my ears sneakily pierced at that place on the top floor near the cafe! The bus station is much improved though.

A quick look on rightmove suggests there are flats for rent in the penwortham area for the right ballpark price. I think for UCLAN I'd probably look in that area; don't know about traffic at busier times of day that side of town but the bypass is finished so presumably that helps.

Preston is fine (so is Lancaster, but not really relevant for the OP) - has loads of parks and great access to a variety of countryside.

Another plus point for Preston is that unlike a lot of places on the West Coast mainline nowadays, all the trains from London to Glasgow still stop there. It drives my DH nuts when he is travelling home from working in London, that if he ever misses his planned train (common) or gets to Euston early (rare) the next available train never stops at our nearest station. But they all seem to stop in Preston!
Its also got quite good rail connections to a number of other places, and is right on the M6 too, so if you want to travel to other parts of the country regularly its pretty convenient. Manchester and Liverpool are within very easy reach, there is beautiful scenery in rural Lancashire, the coast is on your doorstep (and contrary to popular belief there is more to the Lancashire coast than Blackpool) and the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales aren't too far either. Preston itself has some lovely parks actually, and some nice architecture in parts - it isn't all dark satanic mills.
Ok, if you are after the French Riviera or big city facilities you are going to be disappointed, but take it for what it basically is - a largeish former industrial town - and its ok. There are worse places in the world to live.

The rail network is fab.

As for the penwortham bypass. Until 3 weeks ago I worked in penwortham and I rely on public transport. The bypass hasn't helped congestion at all. It's horrible trying to get from penwortham into the city centre at night. Although it never seemed as bad the other way.

Preston is a shtihole. go east into the ribble valley.

I think you sort of take it for what it is, but a shithole definitely not
There's a lot of beauty when you start looking, I drove down a street I haven't been down before today and want to go back to nosy at the houses!

Drinks and food in the Continental when it's boiling hot and walk through Avenham and Miller park along the water, and Japanese garden
Go via Cedarwood coffee (in the independent coffee guide) and walk through Winckley square
Have a wander around the docks, cycle or walk the Guild Wheel, venture out to the surrounding villages for some great pubs with really good food
Easy access to Blackpool, Manchester, the Lakes, train station right in the centre and motorway connections. All the supermarkets nearby (and Booths!)
Go walking at Beacon fell, drive over to Heapey, Healey Nab, Rivington
Try the new street food in the town centre or Mr Lams, drinks in 1842 or cocktails in Review