Choose between these four cities!

[rodrialcazar]

Hello!

A question that would help me (and DH and DD) make a difficult decision about where to move in the next months.

We have opportunities in the cities below, a budget for a house of up to 400k, and prefer suburban (own driveway!) within 30 minutes of the main hospital in the city. We value outstanding schools but also amenities both in the city and the area where we would live.

Where would you prefer living, and why, among these areas?

• Glasgow (East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, anywhere else?)
• Nottingham (West Bridgford, Beeston, anywhere else?)
• Leeds (Chapel Allerton, Moortown, anywhere else?)
• Southampton (Chandler's Ford, Hedge End, anywhere else?)

Thanks so much in advance, and have a lovely day!

I live in Romsey a Market Town less than 30mins from S'oton General.
2 v.good comps (Romsey&Mountbatten), a multitude of good 6th forms within reach.
To get into Thornden in CF you'd probably have to live in catchment, but I have heard good things about Toynbee too. M27 gives easy access in both directions to coast and good train lines to London.
House prices may be an issue for Thornden catchment or in Romsey depending on size of house you want.

I can’t comment on the English cities but there are some good threads on Scotsnet about moving to Glasgow if that helps. Good luck with the move.

I've never been to Nottingham but I would happily live in Leeds or Glasgow.

I don't know Southampton itself very well but a friend grew up in Hedge End, and Romsey is lovely.

I'm from Nottingham. Great city. I love it here. Beeston and West Bridgford are lovely.

I would choose Leeds, but that's only because I live here and love it .

Generally North and West are pricier than South and East however lots of areas in East Leeds are becoming more sought after, take a look at Garforth. Only 10 minutes on the train into the city centre but there's some lovely countryside on the doorstep too and even though prices are going up you should still get a decent amount more than in the North/West of the city. I think some of the schools are rated outstanding too.

That won't buy you much in Chapel Allerton

How old is DD? Depending on where she is (if at all) in the school system it might not be a good time to move her into the Scottish system as it's quite different.

Don’t know the other three at all, but I used to live in Leeds - near Chapel Allerton - and really liked it!

Leeds, don't know about house prices though.

Southampton was the place I least ever enjoyed living in. Grew up in S Wales, uni in Manchester for 6 years with a year in Paris. Moved to London, stint in Southampton and now live in Brighton. I would also rule out Nottingham. Don't know Glasgow well enough but would try it. Leeds all the way for me.

Your kids get free uni education if they are from Scotland, innit? Do you have relatives or friends near any cities?

Nottingham for me from that list

Glasgow all the way.

Cracking city, got a great vibe to it. Plus ofc in the future free university and possible European citizenship (ok that's the long game; I'm thinking of your kids).

This is outdated experience but I lived in Nottingham for a couple of years when I was young in the 70s and really liked it, I'd definitely consider moving back. I now live about an hour away and revisit as often as possible, much prefer it to where I live now (Sheffield). West Bridgford is lovely.

I lived in Hedge End for 2 years and there was nothing particularly wrong with it, it suited me at the time but I wouldn't actually choose to go there ever again. I never found a curry house worth the name either.

Would have to be Leeds for me with Glasgow a close second but that's based mainly on travel to family.

A lot of distance between all those, so I’d be thinking about where your friends and family are, if you’re several hours away from eg elderly parents, cousins, mates, you won’t see them much.

I love Leeds and it has everything you’ve asked for. Look at Horsforth, Chapel Allerton, Roundhay in the north, some lovely vibrant areas up there and good schools. Or Pudsey, Farsley in the west, these would be 20 mins drive to 3 hospitals - LGI, Jimmys & Bradford Infirmiary and closer to the M1/M62. Both areas good for trains and the airport… north Leeds is a bit nicer/cooler but you’d get more house for your money in the west.

Nottingham would be my next choice, the other two are too geographically extreme for travel and visitors, for me.

With the outstanding schools bit...do you have a currently pre school child? Because in Nottingham the outstanding schools are basically all oversubscribed, West Bridgford being particularly extreme, and you d be unlikely to get a place at your preferred school if joining outside of the usual admission rounds.