To move from the big smog to the Highlands?

[Rattusn]

I have lived in London all my life, and it has been a bit of a love/hate relationship. I do love all the local facilities, and rarely for London, we do have some community. We do however live in a very deprived area, and I can already see my primary school age child becoming very streetwise, and being exposed to things I would rather she wasn't. The local secondary options are appalling ( very rough - think heavy gang involvement and frequent physical fights). If we stayed I would be dreading what will happen at age 11.

Our area is very high crime, and has a lot of social problems. Very ethnically diverse without much integration, with the resultant issues.

We have holidayed in the Highlands and it has been divine: Stunning scenery, with lovely friendly people, and altogether much more child friendly. Afaik all Scottish children go to their local school, so no more trekking across London because I couldn't get a place at a nearer school. House prices here are also incredibly good value for money after being used to London prices.

Altogether it seems like a an easy decision, but I'm not sure that it is pie in the sky. Aibu to uproot my dc across the country?

Village'y, outwardly friendly, suburban communities sometimes mask hidden parochial, insular views. Just ask anyone who voted Remain and woke up surprised to find most of their neighbours hadn't. Not views I want dd to grow up around.
Its the hidden risk that house prices, crime stats and green fields don't protect against. The referendum results were very telling, there are areas we nearly moved to a few years ago that we're now glad we didn't.

My area of London had a 81% Remain majority and in the days following the referendum there was a spontaneous, community organised anti-racism event. That's the sort of area I want dd to grow up in.
This in an area with a higher than average proportion of ethnic minorities, unemployment and crime. Certainly not a 'sought after' area of London.

But if entirely depends on what you most value. (I do think Scotland is a beautiful country btw and have loved every visit).

I live in a rural Scottish village & it can be pretty suffocating & dull, especially for teenagers, and there is zero, and I mean zero, diversity. It is full of aged curtain twitchers fretting about the floral displays.

I grew up in rural Scotland, so I am acclimatised, but please don't think it is a bucolic idyll - people can be narrow minded, old fashioned & judgy and you can't escape the fuckers as there is no anonymity.

On the plus side, I always leave the house & cars unlocked, it was great when the kids were wee & they could walk to the village school & park, very safe. And it is beautiful, really truly beautiful. But I now have along commute, because there are no decent local jobs. So yeah, pluses and minuses, but if you weren't brought up here, you may have a bit of a culture shock.

Million, the majority of Scots voted remain. Scotland however doesn't have the same level of immigration and associated tension in general that a lot of areas in England do, so you will get people saying that in general Scotland is not a racist country (which it isn't) but a lot of that is to do with the fact that in many areas there is very little ethnic diversity rather than some magic shared genetic personality trait.

When my children were at school the entire ethnic diversity was two Asian children and a Polish boy - that has gradually changed but I'd still say 99% or more of the school population is white European with 95% of that being Scottish or born in Scotland to white European or USA/Canadian/Ozzy/Kiwi parents. They all integrate fine and there are no tensions. Other schools in the area will be slightly more diverse but there is very little impact on the broadly white scots/british population.

Million, the majority of Scots voted remain. Scotland however doesn't have the same level of immigration and associated tension in general that a lot of areas in England do, so you will get people saying that in general Scotland is not a racist country (which it isn't) but a lot of that is to do with the fact that in many areas there is very little ethnic diversity rather than some magic shared genetic personality trait.

When my children were at school the entire ethnic diversity was two Asian children and a Polish boy - that has gradually changed but I'd still say 99% or more of the school population is white European with 95% of that being Scottish or born in Scotland to white European or USA/Canadian/Ozzy/Kiwi parents. They all integrate fine and there are no tensions. Other schools in the area will be slightly more diverse but there is very little impact on the broadly white scots/british population.

Wankers, when I was at school it wasn't diverse at all, but now my kids are in school there are several different nationalities/cultures and I'd say that Scottish born (whether white or not) kids make up maybe 60 % of classes around here. It's very integrated too, no instances of racism that I'm aware of. I like the fact there are so many cultures/languages all together, it makes it really easy for kids to learn about other countries/foods/faiths/cultures without just being told by a teacher. It's part of every day life. I'm central belt btw.

ayeo - exactly, ethnic diversity doesn't have to mean divisions and resentment.

I think we are all agreeing :)

What I as trying to say though is that I can appreciate that if your child is one of the few children that speak English in their class, which I've heard can be case, it might be harder to look at the positives of integration when you are concerned about whether there is enough teaching resource to educate your child. I'm not saying it's right, but I can understand that view. It's seems to be fine for people to call them racist when actually they themselves don't have to deal with any perceived issues on a day to day basis. Clearly the levels of impact will be different across different locations and in my case (Stirling) across different schools.

None of that above excuses the people that choose to be racist as a hobby.

I live in one of the most ethnically mixed parts of Glasgow: ds' primary was 60% ethnic minorities - primarily Indian sub-continent but also Russian, Arabic, Polish, French....- and the closer primary (which wasn't our catchment school ) was 98% English as an additional language.

His secondary school has something like 26 languages spoken.

There was an infamous racially motivated kidnapping-murder a number of years ago. The BNP came to try to stir up trouble, thinking they would have fertile ground, but the murdered boy's mother put them in their place, saying that that they weren't welcome in the community. And they weren't

Similarly, the recent murder of a Muslim shopkeeper (by another Muslim who believed his version of Islam was blasphemous ) was met by a great coming together of the local community - all ethnicities, all religions and none

I love it here.

But I do recognise that the majority of Scotland is very "white" - even the villages I mentioned earlier to the North of Glasgow.

Inverness is lovely. Topographically it reminds me of Perth.

Avoid Caithness.

Like the fucking plague.

VBRF, why avoid Caithness?

prettybird I remember that well! If I'm not mistaken, the BNP left pretty sharpish under no illusions that they were anything close to welcome! I love Glasgow, I love the way it pulls together in the face of real heartache and trauma. I guess it really is true, People Make Glasgow.

Scotland however doesn't have the same level of immigration and associated tension in general that a lot of areas in England do

Vast areas of London are highly diverse. In the majority of them there is no tension.

High levels of immigration do not necessarily mean tension.

I think the rhetoric that will increasingly be peddled now - since the EU referendum - is that immigration = tension.

Yes communities that have been de-industrialised and that have seen a big influx of low wage jobs related immigration need investment by central government. IMO that is what should be happening now..., and hopefully will rather than us throwing the baby out with the bathwater and leaving the EU.

[I know this is not a referendum thread]

crossroads, I didn't say everywhere...

I'm talking about some of the smaller communities that currently feel overwhelmed rather than the traditional types of immigration that have been a feature of the UK over centuries. I would hope that all areas aren't full of tension about it, but it is a fact that regardless of the rights and wrongs, some people feel it is an issue. It's a scapegoat reason that people use to explain why they are disgruntled with life. Whether you agree with it or not, it has to be addressed in some way because resentment builds up and tensions escalate.

Op,
Living in London I understand exactly what you're talking about: people have mentioned Perth and Perthshire - I think Crieff is a bit of a gem - this is just an example of the mid range of what's available in Crieff:

xwww.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41815767.htm

I don't live in Scotland, but if I did, Bridge of Allan would be top of my list - it's already been mentioned here. Also Killearn north of Glasgow, also mentioned. And anywhere close to the newish Borders railway if you work in Edinburgh but don't want to live in the city itself. But I suspect all of those areas are rather pricey!

I always wanted to live in Scotland and my husband always said "it's different when you are on holiday". He's probably right ;)

Agree purple if it was me, I'd be looking at BofA within walking distance of the train station giving you access to Dunblane High as well as Wallace. Bus service into Stirling etc has been increased to every 15 minutes and train runs in as well, though it is also walkable (about 3 miles). Train station in Bofa gives access to Edinburgh and Glasgow and London. You are a few minutes from the Motorway south and all routes to Highlands, proper village feel (cafes and independent shops) but with access to city amenities and countryside. It's not cheap but OP could get a nice house within budget though maybe not a 5 bed stone built detached mansion house with land :)

I actually quite fancy this though not sure about the bathroom in the middle of the living area - you'd really need to see it to see if that works.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42226935.html

wankers that house indeed has a very unusual lay out, I'm not sure it would be for me!

There are more normal houses out there :o

I know exactly where that one is, just tucked in the back of the main thoroughfare of the village, so easy access to walking into the main street etc but I bet it's really quiet and I like the big glass expanse in the kitchen/diner. It would be my ideal downsize house I think but that's a few years away yet. I'd move the main bathroom to bed room 3 and have a nice open living-room with a log burner etc. Also would be good if DH and I were getting on each others nerves as we could have a bedroom each at either end.

There has been a lot of immigration lately to parts of Scotland, mainly the central belt. There are many, many Polish people in Edinburgh.

I think because immigration hasn't taken place as fast as other places, it all has worked ok so far. Our local school is mainly white Scottish with increasing numbers of Polish kids. The Polish families are wonderful and I feel a real asset to the school.

Edinburgh is an extremely multicultural city so whilst the smaller towns might feel curtain twitchery, Edinburgh definitely does not in most parts. It's got a great athmosphere.

I have a friend from China who left a lovely Borders town, however, because she felt like she was from outer space amongst the locals!

DH grew up in the country. Sounds idyllic and partly it was, but the drug issue is rife.

Being organised became important. Silly things like it being a whole day to get next size up school shoes because you need to go to a big town. Little supermarkets dont generally stock clothes or emergency school supplies and even in the next town over they may not have the shoes in the right size so it can become a two day event to get meassured and fitted for school shoes.

That's the bit I'd find hard.

Have you considered anywhere else, OP? It's amazing what you can buy around the country for what a London property is worth. It will be considerably cooler in the Highlands, not sure if it will be a factor you can dismiss given the obvious benefits.

Ullapool, ready made business, lochside. My kind of property porn.

www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-56816435.html

I actually own a house in Bridge of Allan! (my late Mum's place, we rent it out but sadly the tenants have a year to go OP or I'd offer it to you as a trial Scottish home).

Good luck with your decision. Only thing I would say is that I grew up exactly in the sort of place that You have in mind yet I now live very happily exactly where you want to leave, so you may find your children follow the same pattern eventually.

sizzle I would hope that living in a big town like Inverness we wouldn't have those problems. Most of the big chains are there: m&s, h&m, primary, clarks and plenty more.

The drugs problem is something that people keep mentioning, but TBH I doubt it would be an issue to us. Where I live currently is rife with drugs (the streets literally smell of weed). I know where the local drug dealers are because it is obvious, sadly. Having visited Inverness, I didn't see any obvious drug use there (I know this doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, but likely a lot less than here). Can anyone who lives in a rural town like Inverness comment on the local drug scene?

Jessie thank you. Yes I know my children may one day want to live in London, but if free university continues they will likely at least stay in Scotland for university.

I know someone who moved back to Edinburgh from Inverness after finding it hard to integrate/make friends within the local community. He'd moved there for work. He was in his late twenties and single so building a social circle was perhaps more important to him than a married person with a family (or perhaps not!). But that was his experience.

On the other side, Invernesians supposedly have the "purest" accent in the British isles. And there' s a very nice theatre, Eden Court, there.