Page 4 | Good places to live for retired woman into tai chi, therapies etc

retiringactively · 2025-04-04T18:17:54+00:00

Name changed for this. Posting on behalf of a relative who is recently widowed, late sixties, has lived around the world and wants to live in a place back here that is less conventional/has lots of alternative therapy practitioners (that's what she does still and feels it means there would be likeminded people), has green space (not a big city) and independent shops and cafes. Vaguely near an airport with flights to Europe although that's not an absolute essential. Ideas please!

FinallyHere · 05/04/2025 13:29

Almahart · 04/04/2025 19:22

Totnes, Hebden Bridge, Stroud

This.

Original poster

retiringactively · 05/04/2025 13:36

This is all so helpful, thank you!

OP posts:

Original poster

retiringactively · 05/04/2025 13:37

Bigham · 05/04/2025 00:24

Never knew hebden bridge was so popular.
Whitby’s nowhere near a big airport unless you class Teeside or I guess Newcastle. Not exactly buzzing in winter and very much struggling with locals being able to afford reasonable housing.
And Harrogate is just affluent and very middle class, hardly alternative 😂

Yes I'm not sure Harrogate cuts it.

OP posts:

twilightcafe · 05/04/2025 13:38

Bristol, surely.

Original poster

retiringactively · 05/04/2025 13:40

LadyNairne · 04/04/2025 23:35

Hay on Wye
Oxford
Wilmslow
Harrogate
Isle of Wight

Trying to think of medium sized busy places with indie shops and lots of yoga type places and international people who have relocated there and experienced living abroad. Also with amenities to suit for the next twenty years or so. Local hospital, transport hub, walkability, lots of culture and social clubs… regular festivals for older people too!

Oh Hay could be a good one too.

Also someone said Bath and I can see that.
That would not be too big or urban at all.

OP posts:

Sidge · 05/04/2025 13:40

Frome
Glastonbury
Stroud
Bradford on Avon

Ecocool · 05/04/2025 13:43

They won't like you if you know about biological sex, in Hebden Bridge. TRAs abound.

Sidebeforeself · 05/04/2025 15:49

Bigham · 05/04/2025 00:24

Never knew hebden bridge was so popular.
Whitby’s nowhere near a big airport unless you class Teeside or I guess Newcastle. Not exactly buzzing in winter and very much struggling with locals being able to afford reasonable housing.
And Harrogate is just affluent and very middle class, hardly alternative 😂

Loads of yoga, pilates, wellness type stuff happening in and around Harrogate though

ginasevern · 05/04/2025 15:53

Some great suggestions here but I would avoid Glastonbury and Brighton. Glastonbury because it's become just a bit too weird (not in a good way) and has a really massive drug problem. I know everywhere has, but it really impacts in Glastonbury because it's so small. Brighton because I think, though not sure, that the demographic would generally be quite a bit younger than your friend. Bristol ticks some of the boxes but is perhaps a bit too edgy for retirement (I know, I live there). Frome is a good shout.

Pennyslotmachine · 05/04/2025 16:29

@ginasevern you might be surprised about Brighton & Hove. While there’s loads of students/younger people in some areas, there’s a big retirement community & so much going on for older people. My MIL moved to Hove from another part of the country in her 70s after being widowed and it was the best thing she ever did.

Goldenbear · 05/04/2025 16:47

Pennyslotmachine · 05/04/2025 16:29

@ginasevern you might be surprised about Brighton & Hove. While there’s loads of students/younger people in some areas, there’s a big retirement community & so much going on for older people. My MIL moved to Hove from another part of the country in her 70s after being widowed and it was the best thing she ever did.

I think Hove has a greater number of that demographic than many parts of more central parts of Brighton.

Needlenardlenoo · 05/04/2025 17:00

How about Bradford-on-Avon then? I have only been when on holiday but it seemed lovely and is less touristy than actual Bath.

ginasevern · 05/04/2025 17:02

Pennyslotmachine · 05/04/2025 16:29

@ginasevern you might be surprised about Brighton & Hove. While there’s loads of students/younger people in some areas, there’s a big retirement community & so much going on for older people. My MIL moved to Hove from another part of the country in her 70s after being widowed and it was the best thing she ever did.

Ah, that's interesting. I always assumed Brighton was a rather young place.

mindutopia · 05/04/2025 18:38

I would actually focus more on finding somewhere she loves and can afford.

I live in a not very hippie dippy area (actually it’s very old school Tory farming) and we have SO MANY reiki practitioners, crystal experts, women’s circle facilitators, yoga, sound healers, tai chi, breathwork, cacao ceremony, you name it sort of folks. I don’t know how any of them earn a living because there are so many of them offering the same things!

If she really needs to work, I’d look to find a market that needs her. Totnes is very funky, but last time we went there, I literally made my kids a bingo card of this sort of stuff to find and they were done in 10 minutes. Lots of likeminded people, but perhaps a few too many unless you’re doing something really niche or you will have other work too.