To absolutely hate living in Surrey

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I guess I have been here too long. Am 4 weeks away from escape to a very different part of the British Isles. All anyone seems to do here is go on about their sodding house price, how important their job is, the same one that has them getting the 0605 train like lemmings everyday. Socially people I habe found unfriendly and insular. It is practically a crime to be anything other than a Tory, but you can't show any interest in politics. The only acceptable subjects of conversation are how great you are, your job, Southern Rail and rugby. I hate it so very much I just hope there is a different world out there.

You're right to a certain degree, my aunt and uncle moved to Dorking from Streatham - huge house, she worked (had her own business) and he was a roofer.

They said in their local pub it was all about house prices etc, commuter belt people, no interest in the local area but to be honest I do wonder if they gave them a chance and also my uncle in particular looks down on certain types (he's a bit racist etc). It now means they've spent about 15 years there but are moving to Somerset on the edge of a village (they're a car ride away from nearest village with a pub.

I don't think it's just Surrey, I moved to Bucks from Edinburgh 5 years ago and now live in Herts and I hate it. After 2 years of planning we are (finally!) moving down to Devon at the start of October and I can't bloody wait!

It's not the people themselves here that I don't like, it's the sheer numbers of them, and the endless shitty traffic, the soul destroying M25/M1/M40 delays when trying to go absolutely anywhere, the insane house prices and the distance from the coast and any really wild or interesting landscapes. There's lots of nice woods and green fields around here but it's all a bit... dull. We're very outdoorsy and at the moment have to drive hours to get to anywhere remotely interesting for climbing, kayaking or mountain biking. I can't wait to be able to get to the beach, cliffs, Dartmoor, Exmoor... heaven! Exeter is close by and is gorgeous with far more culture and better amenities than anywhere around here (and much easier to get to and get around than London). Our quality of life is going to be immeasurably better.

The practice I work at is great but my new one seems equally progressive, and we can afford a detached house with a bit of land down there for the same price as a soulless new-build box with a postage stamp garden on an identikit estate around here. I will miss my colleagues and friends here but other than that, absolutely nothing!

Couldn't agree more craggy. I grew up in S. Bucks and ran like the wind at the age of 16. Every time I go back now it depresses me. How can a place have so much money and so little culture?! It's all roundabouts and retail outlets. I suppose it's great if your idea of a good time at the weekend is driving to a shopping centre . Actually, the town I grew up in is very naice and leafy, but feels massively exclusive and oppressive now. I've always said that you could be lying in the street bleeding there, and people would merely step over you . It also has the meanest, most aggressive drivers - and I learnt to drive in London, where IMO the drivers are much more courteous!

Have a couple of friends that live in Surrey and their main facebook posts are moaning about Southern Rail so you have a point there!!!!

These 2 couples do seem to be all out working to pay for their lifestyle ie house, car and holidays. They are endlessly stressed and the kids are always in some sort of childcare from the early hours. Seems a bit sad that they have chosen such large houses that they don't get to enjoy much due to always been at work or stuck on Southern Rail!!!

Agree about S.Bucks, I left 15 years ago and never looked back, I was there 10 years and never felt at home.

The passive aggression definitely is a factor. I have lived in N London as a child which I loved with all my heart but house prices have locked me probably for good. I lived in Eastern France which was good ( it was a post industrial area and many people had to leave for work which made them I think more openminded), there are no jobs on my field to be found there though. I lived in Japan for a year which was very very different and probably not an option for me now, lived in Oxford when at university which I hated partly for the same reasons as my current location, Dublin which I loved and would be an option but house prices may be an issue, and finally there is the place I have just bought somewhere. I don't want to say where it is other than it is far away, by the sea, half an hour from a city and quite astoundingly cheap when you come from SE/London. I was supposed to have been already gone by now but the conveyancing got delayed and it is now 4 weeks and counting.

Ha ha. We went kayaking yesterday, 10 minutes from our house. Yes I know who siouxsie and the banshees are.
Devon is lovely, I grew up doing ten tors on Dartmoor. My best friend lives near Torquay and I was there last month. The poverty is very sad.

But Surrey ain't that bad green wise: Surrey downs, Alice holt, Virginia water lake, Windsor park, Dh and I rode his fat boy Harley Davidson around box hill. That was nice. You can be in Brighton in an hour.
Loads of nice places to go and things to do within easy reach.

And the Surrey shit bits? Of course there are really shite bits. Well most places have those too. I wonder what you all expect.

Where are you moving OP. What is it that you are looking for?

Ha ha, move to Edinburgh. That's what I did and it is the best decision I made. Though the weather leaves a lot to be desired it is a breath of fresh air here (sometimes too fresh but I'm getting used to it!)

To be fair I agree Surrey is a bit shit (I grew up there - Camberley) so glad we moved down to Somerset. I would never go back.

"it is far away, by the sea, half an hour from a city ".
Ok. Well, I guess it is going to be a bit different from Surrey.

Did you see that Surrey was nominated this week, by teenagers themselves, as one of the best place to grow up.

I think Australia and Sweden came top: for opportunities, freedom etc. Hardly surprising.

And Surrey has more secondary schools in the top 100 than any other county, according to the most recent poll, so I was told by a teacher at 'meet the teacher' last night. So not all bad.

No sorry, I got that wrong. My work had the radio on and it was some Surrey news : there was a report on teenagers, but it also then led on to another topic - where it was best for girls to grow up. And they referred to this report thing:

http://www.itv.com/news/london/2016-09-12/parts-of-surrey-buckinghamshire-berkshire-and-hertfordshire-among-best-places-to-be-a-girl/

OP I think you're being a bit wimpy not saying where it is that you're moving too. Without that info, we can't make a proper comparison.

One thing that hits me with this thread is all the 'me me me'. I'm assuming you are all single

Because to relocate it takes 2 people who want the same thing at the same time. If you have teenage kids who are settled in good schools that's another factor.

Uprooting is easy of you are single, or your partner can find work easily.

Both me and DH come from areas near the sea but also run down with high unemployment- hence we met in the SE having 'left home' after uni.

DH would have struggled to find work outside the SE at the same level as he has now. Then the DCs were at good local schools and doing exams. I know that many families have this dream of taking their kids somewhere rural for an idyllic childhood but the reality is that most teens want towns and cities and not stuck out on the moors somewhere no matter how nice the views.

I lived midway between Dorking and Leatherhead for 18 months. 18 longest months of my life, I hated Surrey for everything said here so far. And the schools were appalling, really awful.

Like Pumpkin we moved to rural Lincolnshire, got the DDs into the local grammars, and it transformed their lives. They've had the ability to grow and be successful here far more so than back in Surrey, I just wish we'd moved here a decade earlier.

I reckon the OP is going to the north east maybe near Newcastle.

What will you do for work bestof? Can you work from home?

But St- don't you think your DDs will leave lovely leafy Lincs and find work in a city somewhere? The (sad?) reality is that most young people leave rural towns and head for more urban areas and then spend their weekends and school hols travelling to see their elderly parents.

If you hadn't said Surrey in your op I would have assumed you were talking about a south Bucks town starting with an M. especially with the stuck up their own backsides comment.

eek its not Cumbria is it? You could buy a small town

Sorry Oblomov16. I took it from the subjects you mentioned that you were being smug about knowing about things that maybe a lot of us wouldn't have much interest in, and your comment about not being able to afford to live in London I took that you were pissed off about it. My mistake - sorry, I'm still traumatised about my maggot infested Felix cat food from last night and a bit on edge! And there are some things I'm bloody bitter about so I shouldn't have said that. Have a good day :-)

You too cat. Have a good day.
No no, I like to talk about all drivel under the sun!!
And interspersed with a few serious topics. Here and there, in between talking about what I'm going to eat and drink next .... Yeah yeah order me a paneer tikka and a mojito or a very dry white wine .... I'll be back in a minute .....

The thing is op, you say people in surrey can't take criticism, that seems to be true of you too. I've always lived and worked in surrey and have never been a commuter, the furthest I've ever travelled for work is about 20 mins, and I think that makes a big difference. I would not want to get the train into London every day but I love going in at weekends to the theatre, exhibitions and stuff like that. It's great to be so close.
Maybe commuting just wasn't for you, I know it wouldn't be for me. But working close to home means I feel very connected with my local community, know loads of people, some raging Tories and some raging lefties but all kind people who I can have a laugh with and who help each other out. I don't have any friends or neighbors who have sent their kids to private school or have fancy cars etc, we are all just quite nice normal people!

You should come to mine OP.

I throw a great party , tonnes of food chicken kebabs anyone ? crisps ? what drink would you like ? we have everything : home-made cocktails: mojito, pineapple margarita's, pina colada, loads of beer, wine, and let's dance ....baby let's dance. Put on the good music let's go....

That's what goes on in my part of Surrey. You're in the wrong part!

Oblomov16

I agree, it is party central in my part of Surrey too. - We had 4 Abba girls at a party on Saturday - very eyecatching