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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to move 'up north'?

454 replies

onemiddlefinger · 19/02/2015 14:38

That is if South Yorkshire is actually considered 'up north'?
We have always lived in London and now DH might have a job offer near Sheffield and i'm actually surprised that really want to move.
If someone told me 3 years ago that we might be moving nearly 3h away from London i would have been laughing, but now it might be a reality and i'm really hoping it works out.

We would have less money each month, but i would be able to stay home with DC for a few years and we would have much more space, a lovely house, a garden and DH would have more free time to spend with us.
I'm just so sick and tired of squeezing into our tiny flat and worrying about the downstairs neighbours coming to complain again about the noise and the commute on packed tube trains and just generally people everywhere.

AIBU?
Maybe it's just a phase of being fed up and once we actually move i'll be missing London? This is really all i can think about the last few days and in my head i'm already decorating the house and imagining us there - kids happy playing, our family able to come and visit (they live in another country) and actually be able to stay with us comfortably.

OP posts:
BumWad · 19/02/2015 14:40

YANBU

It's all happening up north I tells ya

soverylucky · 19/02/2015 14:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CalleighDoodle · 19/02/2015 14:41

I honestly dont know how us northerners cope so far from civilisation...

angelos02 · 19/02/2015 14:42

YANBU. I live in a beautiful part of the country 'up North' and can't fathom the poor reputation (some) people have about this part of the world. Where I live houses aren't cheap (£300,000 for a 3 bed semi) but certainly much cheaper than London.

SallySolomon · 19/02/2015 14:42

YADNBU. The North rules. Smile

Gatekeeper · 19/02/2015 14:43

I never regretted moving back to the N.E after years in N London. The house we are in now is fab- 1930's semi with large garden and cost us £78,000

arlagirl · 19/02/2015 14:43

I am thinking of making a similar move on a couple of years.
I'd be able to buy something lovely outright and give up work.

thisisnow · 19/02/2015 14:44

I'd love to live up North if I could get a job up that way... I think you're right to be excited! Grin

cailindana · 19/02/2015 14:45

I'm in the midlands and paid less than £80,000 for a lovely 3 bedroom house in a great area. Can't go far wrong really.

morethanpotatoprints · 19/02/2015 14:45

YANBU

We have electric and all mod cons as well as our flat caps, cobbled streets and pigeon fanciers. Grin

You'll love it, usually lower cost of living but not sure about Yorkshire, as some parts can be expensive.

Some areas are much cheaper than london though and we can be quite civilised.
Most manage being 3hrs from London.

averylongtimeago · 19/02/2015 14:46

Grew up in South Yorkshire - Sheffield is a great city! The country side [esp to the west in the Peak District] is also wonderful - best of both worlds.

cathpip · 19/02/2015 14:47

I moved up North to live with my boyfriend 10 years ago,he's now my dh and I have no intention of moving south again, I love it too much.

TheOddity · 19/02/2015 14:47

To be honest most people everyone in the North doesn't understand why you'd want to live in London. Yes, good museums and great if you like "the arts" and sushi every weekend but let's face it, with small children you are going to be rammed into a nondescript pub with a soft play and a park nearby even if you were on the moon, so may as well have a decent sized house and a nice garden as far as I'm concerned!
Sheffield varies a bit like London. Some lovely leafy bits, some not so lovely un leafy bits. There is definitely plenty of 'urban' if you are getting home sick anyway!

Fudgeface123 · 19/02/2015 14:49

Northerner here too (Manchester but outskirts), I love it here...wouldn't move to London for all the money in the world. I've been once and that was for a work thing...never again

sparkysparkysparky · 19/02/2015 14:50

You'd be mad not to if you have the chance.

goodasitgets · 19/02/2015 14:51

I've never been to London and I've survived Wink
Yorkshire is beautiful

Redheartsandflowers · 19/02/2015 14:51

I think to be fair 30 years + ago there was probably a big difference between London and the rest of the country in terms of 'high culture' and quality of life, shopping etc. So I think if you'd been moving back then you would have found it hard.

I think the world has moved on now and the quality of life is totally different.

I was born in the North but I moved to London for a little while in my 20s. I'd been lead to believe that I was going to have this amazing experience and that London was really different, but to be honest it felt exactly the same as where I'd grown up, just bigger, dirtier and with everything further apart and more expensive. The same shops, same food, same plays etc. I was a bit disillusioned and ended up coming back home.

Maybe have a few short breaks in the area so you get a sense of where you will like to live.

cowbiscuits · 19/02/2015 14:52

You make it sound like your contemplating a move to New Zealand!

For the same cost as a little flat in London you could have a lovely house up North.

Sheffield is really nice, green, hilly, very friendly, great transport links to other parts of the country, and only a few hours from London. Peak district just minutes away from your front door.

Leeds2 · 19/02/2015 14:53

You wouldn't see me for dust if only I had the option!

Go and spend a weekend there, get a feel for the city, visit a few estate agents to see what you could afford in the way of housing etc

AliceLidl · 19/02/2015 14:55

I live in South Yorkshire.

We just about scrape in as Northerners, although a teacher I had at school who came from Newcastle said we were so far South we were the Midlands to him.

We just about scrape by being three hours from London. We bought a lot of Union Jack shit with London buses printed on it while the Olympics were on and have Eastenders on repeat on the TV. Changed the whippets name to Wellard and sewed a few pearly buttons on the flat caps. We cope as we can. Wink

RandomNPC · 19/02/2015 14:56

I like Sheffield. Great pubs, great countryside on the doorstep. Don't go to Rotherham though, it's awful.

Doje · 19/02/2015 14:56

Do it! It's awesome up north!

Christelle2207 · 19/02/2015 14:57

I used to live in London but now happily settled up north. For DH and I, career choices and relationships with friends have been sacrificed to some extent but there's lots going for it, once you get over the fact that you're not in London any more. We have a far bigger house, and far smaller mortgage, than any of our London friends who generally earn more than us.
One thing that does my head in though is the traffic and lack of decent public transport, depending on where you are, obv. You have to drive almost everywhere and rush hour near me is horrendous.

Dawndonnaagain · 19/02/2015 14:57

Sheffield is fabulous. I will be moving that way in a couple of years. I love it there. Lots of culture, cafes, and beautiful scenery.

Oceanpurple · 19/02/2015 15:01

Of course YANBU. Smile
We moved from London almost 16 years ago to the NE. Both originally from the NE, but moved as we knew we could access a better standard of living that our income couldn't stretch to in the south. The schools were quite poor in our area as well, so that was a factor... and the fact we could afford a house Shock (as opposed to a flat!)
Ultimately, if you think the move would be beneficial to yourself & your family - go for it.

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