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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:
RedToothBrush · 21/02/2015 19:40

My ten different cuisines comment was based on my local area. There's few cities in this country that can offer that, out of the city centres.

Come visit me. You are talking bollocks.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 21/02/2015 19:45

WordFactory, I may have misread your posts but you're coming across as someone who is fairly comfortable/ well off. I think that is the key to enjoying life in London. I think it's only for the well off these days. For everyone on a "normal" salary they probably would have a much better standard of living up north.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 21/02/2015 19:48

And I agree with those who have mentioned London weighting re jobs. Years ago it did go some way to covering the difference in cost of living - now it's just a token amount, it's laughable.

Southeastdweller · 21/02/2015 19:50

I really would love to read about these suburban areas that offer as many different cuisines as I have in my area.

RedToothBrush · 21/02/2015 19:54

Never mind reading. Perhaps you'd like to leave your bubble and visit them.

Oh wait you think I'm lying.

EmperorTomatoKetchup · 21/02/2015 20:00

Southeast I suspect you're actually vastly underestimating the number of cuisines you can get in your area of London. Just the high street of my suburb offers up Thai, Cantonese, keralan, Bangladeshi, Italian, tapas, fish and chips, trad pub grub etc.

RubyFlint · 21/02/2015 20:41

Go for it OP, if you've only ever lived in your home town maybe it's time for a change. It sounds like you're ready for something different and I'm sure if you missed London that much you'd find a way to get back there eventually. I can't imagine living in London myself, I'm a Midlander and I've lived all over but I'm in Devon now and here to stay, I chuffing love it here. Grin

StrumpersPlunkett · 21/02/2015 20:52

I live in hicksville and in our small village we have fish and chips, turkish, bangladeshi, italian, indian and within a 5 minute drive we can add Thai, Greek, & Jamaican.

StrumpersPlunkett · 21/02/2015 20:55

ooh yes add traditional british pub food.

whatsthatcomingoverthehill · 21/02/2015 21:55

As a northerner, and very happy about it, the only thing that makes me jealous of London is the work opportunities. They just seem to get the more interesting and prestigious projects there. (Which pisses me off because a lot of the time it's not because they do it any better.) But then, the pay is only maybe 10-15% more which nowhere near covers the extra living costs.

Runningupthathill82 · 22/02/2015 07:19

Southeast dweller - I would love to take you down Abbeydale Road in Sheffield. You'd probably get 10 different cuisines within 10 different shop frontages.
Off the top of my head there's at least Sri Lankan, Persian, Thai, Mexican, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Polish, Italian, Turkish, plus a few British tea and cake places on top.
And that's not the city centre, that's just my neighbourhood.

Runningupthathill82 · 22/02/2015 07:23

Oh yeah, and Greek! I forgot Parthenonas. Must go back there soon.

TheWordFactory · 22/02/2015 07:47

curly we are well off its true.

And some of the things we do are expensive but many are not. For example I attend various literary salons (there are literally hundreds in London) and they're often free or a few quid at most.

We're also 'friends of' lots of theatres/museums/galleries etc which gives us access to good prices and in demand tickets.

I think to get the best out of London's cultural life you have to make a commitment to actually do it. And have some like-minded friends who suggest things to one another.

funnyossity · 22/02/2015 10:53

I lived in a northern town and the variety of affordable international cuisine on offer was as good if not better than when I lived in West London.

It's true that there are massively more job opportunities in London area.

TheCatAteMyTaxReturn · 22/02/2015 12:17

affordable international cuisine

lots of kebab shops....Smile

AuntieDee · 22/02/2015 12:39

TheCatAteMyTaxReturn

'affordable international cuisine

lots of kebab shops....smile'

You bloody snob!

funnyossity · 22/02/2015 12:57

Very droll TheCat! Smile

funnyossity · 22/02/2015 13:00

It did include one very good kebab shop, I'll not dent that.

But even you'd be surprised at the "hidden gems" that were to be found away from the main drag. Wink

funnyossity · 22/02/2015 13:01

I'll not deny it either!

honeyroar · 22/02/2015 13:16

I live in a small holding in the Pennines. Within a mile of my house there are Turkish, indian, Italian, and Chinese restaurants, plus several traditional pub restaurants and several trendy deli/coffee shop eateries. Within five miles there are endless choices in the towns nearby, and within 12 miles you have Manchester and all it holds. Plus I have stunning open countryside. My only downside is I work at Heathrow!

There are lovely places North and South, I lived all over for 18 years, you just get a bit more for your money up here.

TheCatAteMyTaxReturn · 22/02/2015 13:23

You bloody snob!

hahahaha - gets one person every time - a good few affordable upmarket eateries in my corner of the barbarous North/ Middle East...if only I had the time to go to them.

Very droll

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, which is why I'm so good at it.

In some parts of London it seemed to me that Chinese food, Fried Chicken and Kebabs were the only things on the menu.

Chunderella · 22/02/2015 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

funnyossity · 22/02/2015 13:26

I love to add the occasional punch line too, TheCat.

Some statements cry out for them so badly, it's hard to resist!

SylvaniansAtEase · 22/02/2015 13:32

Do it, but if you own your home in London I would seriously consider renting it out and renting in Sheffield - definitely at first, while you see if you settle - but longer term too, I'd be looking at taking out some equity and buying again, or renting long term, rather than selling up in London.

NotGoingOut17 · 22/02/2015 14:22

southerndweller - Seriously, you don't think the likes of Manchester or Leeds or Birmingham has 10 different types of cuisine in their suburbs. Now you are the one being narrow minded. I know we are not as big as London and we don't have some of the things you have available but you really are taking the mick if you think we don't have different cuisine.

Somewhere like chorlton cum hardy for example probably has (and I have not counted) 10 cuisines available just on one road or if not certainly within chorlton itself. Same with didsbury. Believe it or not Manchester is fairly multi cultural, (as many other Northern cities are) so don't you think these demographics can expect to be catered for? My gosh, one of our local spanish restaurants did spanish conversation exchange- 3 mins walk from my doorstep, but no, no culture up here.

Maybe you should visit some of these cities before passing judgement - you sound like you have never set foot outside of London, and if you have then you don't sound like you have so maybe open your eyes next time. The last week I was at home (not at home at the moment) I had a Thai and Mexican meal within minutes from my house. You are talking absolute crap