To up sticks to Glasgow?

[MrTay]

Long term lurker, first time poster, but we are trying to make a big decision! Title says it all really, DW and I are considering moving from where we live currently in South Wales before DD is school age. We don't have an amazing support network here, and our families live a few hours away already so nothing there is going to change! I'm a remote working freelancer and DW is a SAHM so we have the flexibility to do it, but with something like this it can still feel a bit like a punt. We're pretty much set on Glasgow having been there before and loved it, so it's not so much a case of asking for opinions on places to go, more just checking that this isn't a frankly crazy idea. I'd love to hear from other people who have done the wholesale relocation thing, because I'm struggling to think of any negatives but I also want to make sure we think this through properly!

Yeah the smoking thing is pretty bad - especially old folk. All the youngsters are vaping!! But old people will think nothing of standing next to you and your child at a bus stop with a cigarette.

Thanks for all the advice so far, this is really helpful! I'd be interested in hearing a bit more about some areas, particularly in terms of where is safe, has decent schools, but also has stuff happening (DW and I grew up in a suburb and don't have very fond memories of it). In my mind I'm thinking of the Shawlands, Langside, Mount Florida (maybe) area because of parks and the decent community reputation. We'd be renting too.

OP all those areas are nice. Best in mind though that they all fall under Glasgow city council. You can often find better schools/housing if you pick a different local authority - East Dunbartonshire on the north side or East Renfrewshire on the south side both have excellent schools and are still less than 30 min train journey to the city centre.

Bear in mind, not best in mind

Stylish - not so much in my experience. I've lived in 7 different cities in the UK - and generally in the rougher areas. In none of them have I felt the levels of hopelessness I've seen here. . I live in a good area but it is not representative of much of the city. I've also worked in regeneration and what I see in this city is that parts of it (like Finnieston) get lots of money thrown at them but other more deserving areas get little or nothing. I think the problem comes down to lack of mass job opportunities - compared to London or Manchester, for example

Agree with Stylish that East Ren or East Dunbartonshire would be good to look at. Glasgow City Council is facing massive spending cuts - which it really can't afford- and already stretched services are going to be cut drastically in the next couple of years.

I'm from Ayrshire about forty minutes from Glasgow, I love Glasgow and everything about it.

I love heading back out the city though at the end of the night/day/weekend and back to the coast. Where the air feels cleaner, there's a lot less people smoking like there seems to be in Glasgow and the view's are gorgeous. Thats nothing against Glasgow though I'm just not a city dweller. I lived in Edinburgh and hated it but it's my favourite place to go for a weekend.

I guess it is just what you are use to. And if you like things that Glasgow has to offee then I'm sure you'll be happy there. You have got tor try or you will never know and I don't think know it's crazy at all.

East Renfrewshire has great schools in most areas. Giffnock, clarkston, Netherlee, busby, whitecraigs (expensive) all lovely areas with a real family focus, parks, local shops, lots of kids clubs,15 min train ride to city centre. Housing can be expensive in these areas (relative) more so than shawlands, mount Florida, Queen's Park etc for that reason. It's worth a trip up to go check out some areas and take a look at what you'd get for your money. Don't forget the buying system is different in Scotland, blind bidding and offers over can make it difficult to gauge, speak to a local estate agent to get a feel for it.

You will see a difference in the weather, winter is long and dark and summer isn't generally very good but, it is a great city with lots going on, especially for families.

Good luck making a decision.

Our friends stay in Bearsden in a lovely quiet road full of families.

The smoking is pretty bad, but nearly everything else about it is brilliant.

I moved to glasgow from Kent 18 months ago. I still can't get over the excitement if driving from A to B and passing a mountain on my way! My children are both in excellent schools in East Renfrewshire and I'm living in a four bed detached house tgat cost me less than £200k. We have made lots of great friends and will never leave now. BUT. Oh my gosh the weather. It feels like its grey for months and months. That said, when the sun comes out it the most beautiful place in the world x

Sorry for the typos. Twas a mix of excitement, iPhone and wine

Why Glasgow? I grew up there and legged it at the first opportunity and haven't looked back. The weather sucks and it's very insular. There's a strong anti-English sentiment and it's a very small/ small-minded place with limited opportunities. For me it's the very definition of depressing. To each their own.

I made the opposite move not so long ago. Lots of the benefits people are pointing out (eg house prices/ rental costs, access to amazing countryside) aren't applicable if you're moving from South Wales. Housing in South Wales is cheap unless you're in an expensive bit of Cardiff, there is easier access to mountains and coast in South Wales. Getting into your local school isn't a problem.

That said, Glasgow is an amazing city. It does have more litter, more smoking, and much worse weather, even than South Wales but there is so much going on culturally. It is vibrant, as pp said. I miss it, but I wouldn't leave where I am now while my children are small.

Message me if you have any questions- i don't want to out myself!

I can't advise on the Southside as that's not my area, but I do urge you to give it a go up here. I've lived all over the UK and, imo, this is just the friendliest place to be. Absolutely loads for kids and families to do, great bars and restaurants, galleries, museums, parks, festivals etc. Everyone talks to you, brilliant humour wherever you go - it's ace, I don't think you'd regret it at all.

I will back up other pp though - the winters are dark, loads of smokers, and the deprived areas are much much worse than anything I've ever seen anywhere else.

Good luck with whatever you decide. You'll be made very welcome if you do decide to come here!

East Ren areas and Bearsden are affluent suburbs. Very naice! You'll find a Waitrose, Wholefoods, tennis clubs etc etc. Housing very expensive and schools generally excellent. The West end is where the students and old money hang out. Jordanhill is popular with families because the high school is effectively a government funded private school. Again it's expensive but closer to west end. Finnieston is achingly hip at the moment but not for families. Langside, Shawlands, Mount Florida etc are also pretty "cool" - cheaper housing, good transport and LOADS for families. I think it really depends on your own values and priorities and what you love to do.

As a Londoner who has been fortunate enough to have travelled the world, my favourite people have been the Thai people and Glaswegians (apologies, generalisation alert)! Everyone seems so nice there. I'm sure they're all not, but I found people really friendly and chatty. Don't think you can go wrong!

mumofwildthings I'm surprised you mentioned an anti - English sentiment, and sorry you experienced that. In the west end, where I'm from, it's very cosmopolitan - plenty of people from various cultures, including the English, seem to live side by side pretty well. My English Dh had no issues at all in Glasgow.

Useful x-post with rask!

OP I loved Glasgow. Lived there for 10 years. I prefer city living so rather than live on the outskirts to get the best of the city go west end (hyndland, kelvingrove area - although mostly flats not houses here) or south side (Queen's Park, shawlands or if you want to go a bit further out giffnock v good but that really is suburbs).

Glaswegians are lovely and although there are some pockets of people that are quite tribal and parochial it's becoming more unusual.

Glasgow has a great feel to it.

One downside really is employment. Many friends have compromised their career to stay there and there is really low turnover in good jobs which are difficult to get.

I'm now in England and would love to go back but my reservations would be the snp dominated govt as well as a separatist mentality. As a non Scot I think it's a bit harder to find work and you may face some discrimination not being from Scotland originally.

Just don't ask a Glaswegian for directions as you may well end up with a wee old wummin getting in your car and taking you where you want to go, but by the bus route, while telling you about her lumbago and the next door neighbour's auntie's cats sore leg. this has never happened to me, honestly

You've been given good advice on nice areas. I'd challenge the comment about anti-English sentiment.
I am Ayrshire born and still stay here. I studied and worked Glasgow (still do occasionally) and I can genuinely say I have never encountered any anti-English comments/abuse.
I know it exists, but it comes from within a small minority of idiots quite frankly.

I have English neighbours, English work colleagues, English friends. No one I know is remotely anti-English.

Glasgow is a diverse and wonderful city, it has far more to love than to fear.

I'm an Ayrshire girl too and the only anti English sentiment I've seen is really around football and it's more about the thought of the wall to wall media if England win anything than any genuine dislike of the English. I think it does happen occasionally though.

I love Glasgow, it's my city. In feel I think it's close to Liverpool. It's a fantastic place but do Google the Glasgow effect, there are some real negatives to living there.

I relocated to Scotland (not Glasgow) from the south coast of England when my DDs were primary school age - I was a single parent, and it was the best thing I'd ever done. I found it very easy to get to know people locally, and I've encountered very little anti-English feeling. At first I missed having good friends around me who I'd known for years, and it took some work to get new friends established, but after about 2 years I felt much more settled than I'd ever remembered being down south. Yes, the hours of darkness in December/January can get a bit depressing, but the long hours of daylight in June/July are fantastic. I moved for a new job which was the thing giving me that 'push' factor - I've certainly never regretted it, and I wouldn't consider moving back now. If you and your partner both want it, go for it. So long as you're prepared to put some effort into establishing the networks you need then there's nothing crazy about going. Good luck!