Is there anywhere in the UK, that has a lovely sandy beach and is also a buzzy city.?

[JennyTals]

It has to be sandy beach only

dare I sag it: black pool

You don't want to live in Bournemouth though.
The traffic is awful. Really awful.

Really ? How is it different?

My youngest child is due to start secondary next September, my eldest due to start uni next Sept, so it's a time of alot of changes in my life.

What on earth ?

Wouldn't say blackpool has good shops, cafes and restaurants

There's somewhere in Hillingdon with a man made sandy beach.

Second (third, whatever) Portobello Beach near Edinburgh - lovely, if brisk, and Edinburgh definitely meets the brief of buzzy.

and higher taxes.

Middlesbrough

Different curriculum, different exams, different school years - not as straightforward as a straight swap between two schools in England, particularly if you have kids part-way through secondary.

Was also going to say Newcastle really good under rated beaches nearby Whitley Bay and Tynemouth especially buzzy atmosphere with shops and cafe however although the North East is generally a cheaper place to live houses there are expensive for the area (although not inqould have thought compared to other areas of the uk) we live up here amdy O.H is from Devon...he will grudgingly agree the sand is better up here!

Secondary (high school) starts at 12, so your youngest would go into P7 instead. The qualification framework is also different, so they take National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers instead of GCSE and A Level.

Based on what you've said, Newcastle hands down. The beach towns (Whitley Bay, Cullercoats and Tynemouth) are basically suburbs of Newcastle now. I grew up there and by our early teens my friends and I were happily making the short Metro journey between city centre and beach by ourselves.

I hate to say it, but might even be worth looking at Sunderland? Not sure what the city itself is like these days but the beaches are just as nice and even closer to the main centre.

Ohhh I never knew that, and I didn't know tax is higher there either

Crosby, Liverpool

Crosby beach is lovely. We went to Liverpool in the summer and had a great time, really love the vibe there

Norwich 1/2 an hour from some really good beaches at Horsey, Cromer and Mundesley.

Swansea fits both city and sandy beach criteria, but not sure whether I'd call it 'buzzy'.

This.

Liverpool has a buzzing city center - not been to it's beaches but they are supposed to be good.

Towns maybe Scarborough - though not lived there but like the beach and town when we've been - waits to be told it's awful

I would also suggest Liverpool / Wirral. Beautiful sandy beaches around the Wirral from Thurstaston all the way up and around to New Brighton, and on the other side of the river from Crosby right up to Formby / Ainsdale.
Obviously, the city isn't right on the beach but if you lived in Liverpool you'd be within easy reach of the coastal areas, and if you lived in one of those towns you'd be within easy reach of the buzzing city! Win-win!

In addition, South Shields offers an amusement park, some fab public art, and two lovely traditional parks.

Sunderland has Roker beach but the city itself is a long way from buzzy.

Ruislip Lido

Margate has galleries and music venues, restaurants, queer community events etc. and is 1.5 hours by train to London for when you need a true ‘buzz’.

Wales is less a jump - but the exams are slightly different and they have tax variation powers but not really a huge difference yet.

West Wittering beach and Chichester?