Oxford v outskirts London

[RadioFourPlayer]

Hello.
I am weighing uo the following 1st world problem. In the next 2 to 3 years I will possibly be returning to spend more time in & largely base myself in the UK. I grew up in outer London, have largely lived abroad for the last 10 years. I am on my own and do not have young children/schoolimg to consider.
My work is essentially portable although I will need access to Europe. I currently have a small property in outer London which is mortgage free. Initially I will probably live there. I'm not desperately in love with the area, but it is well linked, you can be in central London fairly quickly, and I know a few people semi-locally. Being London you do of course have to plan meetups in advance, and it can get lonely in between.

Another potential option woukd be to try Oxford. The transactional costs of.moving Id be looking to make back via a bit of renovation if possible.

I lived in Oxford for a stint many years ago, and I know and like the city, but don't know anyone there. My thinking is, wherever I am i will be looking to build on a social circle. I love talks, concerts, period and ancient architecture and am most at home around fairly liberal, slightly left field people, possibly with an academic bent. Suburban Oxford and outer London property prices are essentially the same and seem to track each other. Its really a question of which place I will have the best oppoortunity to.make like minded friends in, while retaining existing ones. Would be interested to hear peoples' thoughts.

You'll have a much bigger pool of people to pick from in London.

Sounds like you'd fit in well in East Oxford. Although you might want to be slightly wary of going back somewhere you lived a long time ago- places change! Is there somewhere else you'd also consider?

You'd fit in well in Oxford, although it is still very uni dominated. Everyone I know that fits your description works for the uni. It can be quite intense.

What part of London were you thinking of?

How often do you need to travel?

How often do you socialise in London?

Oxford sounds the better option long-term. You may have a more stable lifestyle there too. You can obviously make friends wherever.

I agree East Oxford sounds like it would fit the bill.

Oxford is small and the university internationals can make it a bit transitory, but I guess you know all about expat communities. You'd bump into the same people over and over, but you might like that. It's very convenient for Birmingham airport, but less so for Heathrow etc. For me, its a bit too small, but London is a bit too big, so not helpful!

Thanks for all the above valid responses. Other issues on the scales; GP in London area is one I was previously registered with for years. Health is.nornal, but the stability theoretically comforting.

I have often found London hits me wirh a hard to describe kind of anomie at times. Something about the scale and impersonality can trigger depressions.
I figure if I didn't succeed in making new Oxford friends, I'd be able to retain the London ones anyway. I like the idea odlf running into the same people at talks, concerts etc. Am happy to attend these alone.
I take the points on Oxfords transitoriness. In all honesty London can be the same, and you don't bump into people.
I like.walking, cycling, historical wallks and traditional pubs and independent cafes. I wouldnt want to live somewhere in between really. Other places I've considered, albeit outliers, are Somerset or Cambridge.
I would probably need to travel 1 weekend a month and access to Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, Heathrow in that order would be helpful.. Oxford has a direct bus to the aktter 2 but the 1st 2 would be more challenging
I have historically found it bloody challenging to make and retain friends in London outside a work context. I can also see a couple of the existing ones there relocating in retirement.

I grew up in Cambridge 30 years ago and it was wonderful

It is now dreadful and has lost its soul.

Would you mind sharing your age? Is this likely to be a 'forever' move?

Am a young at heart early 50sthg. As Axl Rose once sang "nothing lasts forever, even cold November Rain"

I’d go to Oxford or similar. I’m mid 50s and looking at a similar kind of move out of London after being here for decades. I’m so tired of the transitory nature of it, you make friends, they leave, you make more etc. I really want a city / large town where people generally stay put, and I will bump into the same people. I’m looking at Surrey towns like Guildford (I do have other geographic restrictions around family / working sometimes in London, that you don’t have). Am also considering Oxford but I think as I still have to commute a bit it’s a bit far. How about Bath?

It sounds like Oxford would be good for you then! It's got a very active civil society so i think you'd met people fast. There's lots of music and drama, even excluding the university events, and lots of independent pubs that all have regulars. It's a University hospital, so I'd trust it. Check what destinations BHX flies to. All Oxford people automatically fly through London, but BHX is on the mainline train and is an easier airport than Heathrow and still well connected.

Thia really resonated. London-made friends constantly relocating (& all to differnt places) is one of the things that caused me to leave before. Central London is the same time to get to from Oxford (& probably quicker from Guildford) compared to the area of outer London that I know best. Also, that London area (near Purley) had a very conservative feel. All garden centres and couples and chain stores. I don't ever remember many independent cafes, literary talks or classical takes on rock music in cathedrals.
It all seemed so separate and II didn't get the feeling many people conaidered themselves part of London psychologically.

A friend's mother relocated to Oxford in her 80s. Last I heard she'd gatecrashed the 80th birthday party of some famous novelist and can't move for new friends and social events.

Brilliant! I haven't heard of anyone relocating at that age, but if you can manage it why.not?
Someone mentioned Bath earlier. Stunning looking place, but just not the right one for me. I quite like the space I feel Oxford holds for eccentricity, Bath felt to me more conservative and polished.

Having lived in both Oxford sounds much better fit. Loads going on of things your interested. Near to London for othrr major culture (travel probably similar times!). Look around Iffley Fields area, lots of non uni folk too.

I lived in Oxford until recently, and agree it would be a good fit for you, although it's very hectic and traffic-bound. Absolutely packed with people all the time, and as the city centre is small it can be a bit overwhelming. The residential areas are a bit quieter of course, and there are some v nice local communities. Stansted would also be a pain to get to though. How about St Albans? Lots going on and easy to get to London/Stansted

Oxford sounds in many ways like it would work well for you, but just a warning that renovation costs are much higher here than in London so don’t count on making money back through renovation. Construction firms have a very steady stream of work from the University and colleges so tends to be London prices without London availability.

I’d choose Oxford over the outer London burbs in your shoes.

Come to Oxford. But don’t try to make money out of renovating, or take public transport to Stansted airport, neither of those are a good idea in Oxford.