Living in Chester vs living in Durham

[RaspberryRippledOut]

Which city would you prefer to live in? Budget is up to 700k. Though ideally I'd keep to around the 650k mark. No kids to consider. I'd like a two bedroom house or flat. Preferably with decent public transport and a relatively safe neighbourhood.

I'm swayed towards Chester because of the proximity to major U.K cities but Durham looks very appealing too. And the North East coast is gorgeous.

I'm also considering a few other places but I'm gradually narrowing down my options and wanted to compare these two.

Any thoughts would be very helpful.

Scabby people is a comment that betrays everything about the speaker and nothing else.

Having lived in the North East and the North West, I’d pick the North East. It’s beautiful here and everyone is friendly (not scabby).

I live near Chester and have no problems with transport at all (other than on race days!)

The time it gets light in the morning and dark in the evening will be different, worth thinking about depending on your likely employment and lifestyle. Also where family and friends live, even those you don't visit that often.

I grew up just outside of Durham and still visit regularly.

I honestly wouldn't want to live many places there, especially if you have no friends or family. Durham is pretty but quite small and not much happens there - many of the surrounding towns and villages have high levels of unemployment, poverty and crime.

Plus all the comments that Chester is run down are rubbish. Funnily enough they seem to be from people who don't live there. I love the cafe culture - sundays when the streets are filled with tables and chairs, walking the walls, the river, the park. The market is a fabulous place for food and drink these days and the theatre is great. You can get a train to Manchester and Liverpool easily too. Open air theatre and cinema. A short drive to Wales and it's beaches and mountains.

I have lived in many places from London to Sydney - but Chester is pretty high on that list.

I don't think that the public transport is that bad in Chester. Loads of buses depending on where you live.

Trains to London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and North Wales.

Stunning views just over the boarder and into Wales.

I would pick Chester in a heartbeat.

Chester is gorgeous. Lots within walking distance. Huge amount of restaurant and cafe choices. Great shops and lots to do.

I love how you can walk a hundred yards on the Roman walls and go past a houses all built in the last 6 centuries.

Great links to lots of other places in the uk and on the edge of beautiful countryside.
My vote is there.

If you’re looking at Edinburgh then consider Bruntsfield, Morningside, Stockbridge, West End, Inverleith and Canonmills and the bits in between for really nice flats and “village” shops on your doorstep. Or portobello if you’d like to be near the beach. Buses are excellent and despite high property prices you’d easily get a good size 2 bed flat with garden access or a house for your budget. Look at espc website rather than rightmove.

Whitley Bay - no. Tynemouth is the better option. I use to live near Whitley Bay (Monkseaton). The sea fog can be quite bad at times.

Durham is tiny and traffic can be bad. Alnmouth is lovely but you'll struggle with tourist car parking if you don't have your own parking.

Why not go inland a bit. Hexham's lovely. Great for small kids and 30 mins drive to Newcastle.

North East coastline is stunning.

Some Chester apartments

City Walls Road, Chester
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/72115768

Shot Tower Close, Chester, CH1
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/78240684

City Walls Road, Chester
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74133519

Chester run down I know it’s been subject to the standard COVID struggles but I’m still not sure I’ve ever seen a city that’s less run down!

Thankyou all so much for the advice and recommendations on all areas, and links to property. I'll definitely check them out.

P.S I definitely do not think people in any areas are "scabby". That's not an appropriate term at all. I'm sorry that it's been used on this thread.

I might have to start another thread later for more information on Tynemouth, Newcastle and surrounding areas. Hopefully I can get there soon to check out the city for myself as planned.

Talbotaman - I know there are sewage works, but here we are - anti terrorist bollards - you can't miss them when in town - www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/anti-terror-bollards-installed-chester-19400496

Greydog those bollards are not up all the time at all. They are a precaution to make the city safe. Great idea - last time I saw them up was at the Christmas markets. Hardly take away from the beautiful city

If you do move to Durham, don’t say you are visiting Chester. We will all think you mean Chester le Street .
And Durham city is a not looking good at moment.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/107863319#/?channel=RES_BUY

This is lovely and you would have enough budget to do exactly what you wanted with the inside

Piece of purplesky you woudn't have seen then in 2019 Christmas Market as the work started in May 2020, finished Dec 2020, when there was no market. From the article I posted "The bollards are a mix of automated, manual and fixed designs - and are designed to stop vehicles travelling at speed." - you can see that some of them are permanent in the pic in front pf Storyhouse

I would pick Chester over the Wirral any day of the week - trust me on that one.
Why don’t you have a look at Queens Park in Chester? Or Handbridge (slightly cheaper) You can walk into the City Centre easily from Queens park or Handbridge , over the bridge on the river Dee. I was in Chester the other week just be aware there are lots of major road works going on at the moment mainly in the city Centre so lots of diversions on. Not been the north east so don’t know, but Chester is close to north Wales and also has some lovely semi rural villages quite close by such as Malpas, Tarporley and Kelsall.

@MrsEWeatherwax 😂 Yes, I thought this thread was about Durham City V Chester Le Street

Greydog apologies - they did have some sort of bollard in place before that. In the many times since that I have been the bollards have not been up

Should add that they are not permanent as traffic still goes down there

This thread has really been helpful and has helped me narrow down my choices again so thank you all so much for that. I've decided that Durham isn't quite right for me. Though I'm still looking forward to visiting it.

I'm going to start another thread on Newcastle and Tynemouth. I feel it deserves/needs another thread.

Again. Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

@RaspberryRippledOut

I've got family in Newcastle and Chester, Chester without a shadow of a doubt.
FABULOUS choice of bars and restaurants, very lively night life for all ages
Lots of choice, large enough for variety but small enough to feel cosy. So much to do near by and still not too far from London gorgeous areas of countryside, lakes are so close, peaks, north Wales wondeful country pubs.

Nothing around Newcastle has ever really compared... Very different feel at night... One small ish old area..

Chester without a doubt.

Lemonmelonsun

Thank you for the information. It's very helpful.