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Original poster

Where can I live in the UK?

74 replies

Holidayhavanas · 14/09/2022 07:21

Hello

i’m fed up where I live in the Home Counties. It’s really congested and we want a change. Want to get slightly more for our money too. Currently in a “nice” part of Surrey. Two girls in state school aged 6 and 8 - we are not averse putting them into private school. Any ideas?! Literally open to anywhere although DH occasionally had to go to London.

OP posts:
Doingprettywellthanks · 14/09/2022 07:22

You are fed up?

and what about your daughters? And your dh?

Doingprettywellthanks · 14/09/2022 07:23

I am guessing you don’t work and do school lifts and you’re a bit bored now with too much time on your hands now girls growing up?

Codingand36 · 14/09/2022 07:26

No idea why Mumsnet is so nasty lately.

Anyway OP. I came here to say don't move to Cornwall. As I'm sure someone will suggest it.

It's bloody hopeless, jobs are awful, poorly connected and schools are shite.

MissWired · 14/09/2022 07:27

Almost everywhere is overpopulated now. Good luck with that :(

Original poster
Holidayhavanas · 14/09/2022 07:32

Yeah right! You have to laugh. For the other posters, I do work full time. My DH also wants to move - who knew wanting to relocate could be so divisive 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 14/09/2022 07:34

The UK has plenty of places where you could live, it's up to you

WeeM · 14/09/2022 07:36

you will get way more for your money in Scotland…perhaps a bit of a drastic change though.

Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight · 14/09/2022 07:37

OP, Are you after town or country? Budget? Do you need a train into London? I would move west. West Berkshire/Wiltshire/Gloucestershire.

Freckl · 14/09/2022 07:37

Market Harborough in Leicestershire is lovely. You won't get tonnes more for your money, but will remain well connected to London and I think you'll find it significantly easier to get around if you use a car in the East Mids, even at rush hour.

I live in Derbyshire and my commute is 21 miles - it takes 23 minutes. Kids' school 1.2 miles away is 6 minutes etc (if we don't walk obviously!)

Codingand36 · 14/09/2022 07:37

@Holidayhavanas in the last week I've seen posters being accused of not having a job several times, lying about how much they spend on food per week, lying about what jobs they're applying for.

Mumsnet isn't a nice place at the moment. It's truly bizarre.

I don't think the nasty posters have much going on in their own real lives and therefore come onto mumsnet to feel big but they're hiding behind a screen so they just look sad. And their lack of self awareness is really telling.

Anyway, I really recommend Shropshire. Shrewsbury is absolutely gorgeous! Would that work?

namechange30455 · 14/09/2022 07:39

Depends how often your DH has to go to London, but Newcastle/Whitley Bay/Tynemouth. Newcastle is only 3 hours on the train from London and the areas towards the coast are lovely, with easy access into the city but not a congested/claustrophobic feel.

felulageller · 14/09/2022 07:40

The further north you go the cheaper it gets.

Follow the 2 main train lines- the west coast and east coast lines.

Look at where they stop then houses within 10 mins of those stations.

NightmareSlashDelightful · 14/09/2022 07:40

Not enough info to give meaningful suggestions. I could make as much of a case for Glasgow as I could for Godalming based on your OP!

Do you have family connections/responsibilities you need to maintain, or plan for? (ie ageing parents) What’s your budget? What lines of work are you and your husband in? Do you drive?

Otherwise you’re just going to get pages of people shouting out towns like a game of random geographical bingo and it won’t be any help.

Pigsinmuck · 14/09/2022 07:42

How about the midlands? Newark for example has a train to London in 85 minutes, cheaper housing and great primary schools and some some good schools if you look at the Grammars 30 minutes away or private.

Other options maybe Cambridge, Peterborough, Grantham?

PlattyJubes · 14/09/2022 07:43

@Codingand36 - oh the irony of you saying that MN has become so nasty and then writing off a whole county!!!

All the schools in Cornwall are not shite!! Don't be so bloody offensive.

ivykaty44 · 14/09/2022 07:44

The further north you go the cheaper it gets.

this isn’t strictly true, there are areas of the north where prices are higher than places in the midlands.

what accomidation are you seeking and what type of location?

market town? Village?

what are your hobbies?

what do you want easy access to?

MsSquiz · 14/09/2022 07:44

I'd recommend Northumberland.
It's a straightforward commute to London on the east coast line, beautiful countryside and beaches, not far from Newcastle upon Tyne for a busy, compact city centre

We live in Ponteland which also has decent state schools in and around the village, but there are many private schools, including a boarding school not a huge drive away.
There are also gorgeous towns and villages, such as Hexham, Corbridge, Wylam and others more rural.
Or areas in Newcastle, so closer to city centre but still not far from Northumberland (Gosforth, Jesmond) or by the coast (Tynemouth, Cullercoats)

It depends what type of area you want

Maireas · 14/09/2022 07:47

Give us some idea -
Budget
Jobs
Commitments
Lifestyle
Hobbies
etc etc, otherwise advice may not be appropriate.

maranella · 14/09/2022 07:49

Where are your families OP? I can understand why you feel the way you do. I also live in the Home Counties and it's getting busier and busier with every passing year. The traffic where I live used to be bad and it's now horrendous.

If you need to be in London regularly I'd head a bit north - maybe Northamptonshire? It's amazing how pretty and rural the country gets once you're out of the crowded southeast corner. From Market Harborough (for instance), the train into London St Pancras takes 58 mins.

pompomdaisy · 14/09/2022 07:49

There's some poor advice on here and the op that said the further north you go the cheaper has obviously never been to Harrogate, Ilkley or York!

maranella · 14/09/2022 07:51

Just realised MH is actually in Leicestershire! But that's the sort of area I'd look at, if I were you.

Codingand36 · 14/09/2022 07:52

@PlattyJubes offensive to who? You?

I am cornish and I live in Cornwall. Hats off to anyone who can afford £1000pcm rent on an £18,000 salary and buy a £250,000 house. 😊

Hats off to anyone who can get their children into the school nearest to them.

Hats off to anyone who is finding Treliske a wonderful caring service. But I was in a&e having heart issues recently and my God. What a shit hole

Sorry for any offence caused.

Original poster
Holidayhavanas · 14/09/2022 07:53

Sorry for lack of info. My parents live abroad, sibling in Somerset. DH family Bedfordshire - but not super close.

I work in public sector but remotely although will need to attend sporadic meetings in south east.

Dh lots of flex in media but not sure if they are getting more people back into London - time will tell. Never used to be flexible before covid. So still needs to be commutable.

we are both keen runners. Girls are into music and art, enjoy sport and like all children love to go out as a family as weekend - country side walks etc.

currently in a terrace 4 bed circa 900k , tiny, tiny garden and we need another office space as now both working full
time at home, budget wise could go up a bit from this but depends on schooling.

OP posts:
Codingand36 · 14/09/2022 07:55

Somerset is lovely. And has good rail and M5. 😍

Original poster
Holidayhavanas · 14/09/2022 07:56

Yes I like the idea of Somerset but not sure where - Bath is possibly out of budget for what we want and quite congested

OP posts: