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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To abandon London and move to Diss in Norfolk???

68 replies

Beachhairdontcare · 04/05/2017 21:16

Mortgaged to the hilt in suburban London with debts coming out of goodness knows where. DC are 12, 10 and 3 months.
A move to Norfolk would mean we are mortgage free, but would mean uprooting the kids from everything and everyone they know. DS (11) is in an Ofsted outstanding school and will soon be starting to think about GCSE's.
I don't know anyone in Norfolk, but I'm sick to death of all the money worries and it seems like it could be a good option, but it's just so far away and I already feel guilty about even considering taking DS away from his social network. It would be a fresh start for us as a family, but it just seems like such a huge step, I'm not sure that I'm brave enough!

OP posts:

Original poster

Beachhairdontcare · 04/05/2017 22:03

Such good info, gratefully received. I think it might definitely be worth considering Norwich then, particularly to ease the transition for DC.

I also went to Potters in Hopton recently, such a lovely place. I did find it at bit odd not to see any cultural diversity. We live in such a bubble in London and take a lot for granted. I really did fall for Norfolk though, the fresh air will do wonders for my DS's asthma and all that open space is so appealing when it's at such a premium down here.

Anne I will definitely update you if we make the move! :)

OP posts:

mummabearfoyrbabybears · 04/05/2017 22:06

I've moved a lot. First with the Army and two civvy job moves. The one thing I would say is despite worrying about the children and how it would affect them negatively it has done the complete opposite. They have a much broader outlook on life than they did. They're confident and happy and talk about their moving childhood with such affection and good memories. It's such an adventure for them. I'd never moved until I met my husband but now I'd do it all again tomorrow. I'm from Hampshire but now live in southern Scotland. I'd never go back.

AnneLovesGilbert · 04/05/2017 22:06

Thank you beach, I'm excited for you!

The air is amazing and the sunsets are the best I've seen anywhere in the world.

London is great and you'll always be able to visit it. But it's got nothing on the space, colours, people and landscapes of Norfolk.

justdontevenfuckingstart · 04/05/2017 22:08

Anne oh is from Ringstead now all been taken over Chelsea on Sea etc. Been here 12 years.

Madeyemoodysmum · 04/05/2017 22:08

Love Norfolk and spend many holidays there. Planning to buy once kids left home
I don't know diss but I know Norwich well and it's a super city. Even that will seem quiet compared to London.
And it's fab location for exploring the rest of the county.

SnickersWasAHorse · 04/05/2017 22:14

I don't know many people here as everyone works away.

This is a huge problem. I grew up in a village years ago when everyone worked on the local farms etc. These days most people live in the village but travel to work so there is less community.

Spudlet · 04/05/2017 22:18

Well. I did. That's exactly what I did, only I was single.

Diss is ok, but it is the only place for miles really. You will need to go to Norwich for cinema etc, although they do put stuff on at the Cornhall which has just been refurbished. The roads are slooooow, though there is the train. It depends if you are someone who wants lots of pubs and things in easy walking distance, I guess? If so, Diss may not be for you. But that's not to say that somewhere nearer to Norwich wouldn't be.

But the countryside is beautiful and I like it here. I like it a lot. That said, if I was doing the relocation again, I'd start in Norwich and work my way out. I love the village where we live but I do enjoy the odd foray into Norwich now and then.

Riversleep · 04/05/2017 22:20

We did the same. Sold our terraced 2 bedroom with massive mortgage in London, mortgage free4 bedroom house here. We absolutely love it. We live in Norwich though, not Diss. Kids are happy in school ( although I would say secondary schools are a worry). There is something to do with the kids every weekend, even if its just hopping on the bus into the city and wandering around.There is always something on somewhere. In the summer, we looked at the weather forecast the night before, if it was sunny, we'd chuck the crabbing nets in the car and head to Cromer. We both work in education, so we've been turning jobs down here too because we only want to work part time . Id never move back to London, even though we go back often because our families and friends are still there. My love for London has returned because I can come back here and I don't have to live there!

user1471495191 · 04/05/2017 22:22

Diss is bigger than a village but definitely isolated. Definitely check the schools. When I knew the infant/junior schools, they were enriching for children but not very academically stretching. Norwich could be a much better option.

justaweeone · 04/05/2017 22:24

We have been in Norfolk - village 15 mins drive from Diss -for 12 years, previously lived in Buckinghamshire for 7 years.
Before we moved to Bucks we lived in Norwich for a good few years but always want to come back to Norfolk but decided to live in a village, Dd was 7 and Ds18mths when we moved back.!I work in Norwich and Dh is field based, where we are has easy access to A11
Often use Diss for train to London as well as visiting optician there or to pop to a few shops. Norwich is great for shopping however from Diss it's really easy to get to Bury St Edmunds and there is a new cinema in Thetford also Ipswich isn't far away.
Haven't had problems with schools, yes Norfolk has had bad press but you need to look at the bigger picture. You do need to be prepared to ferry children about and as previous poster said you drive miles without thinking about it!
Norwich might be better than a village so as not such a culture shock, try looking at West Norfolk ie Taverham/Drayton it is just outside the city but close to the coast.
In a few years we plan to perhaps move back into the centre of Norwich but at the moment love the village we live in.
Norfolk is a great place to live!

AlexaAmbidextra · 04/05/2017 22:27

I love Norfolk. Up there in a cottage on the coast next month. I too am planning to retire to the north Norfolk coast.

Siwdmae · 04/05/2017 22:28

Just avoid any flood plains. A pal did this, London to Norfolk a couple of years back. She's ecstatic. If the DH would agree, I'd go tomorrow.

katymac · 04/05/2017 22:33

We live in a tiny Norfolk village & under other circumstances would have moved into norwich/ipswich when DD was an early teen as she was pretty much trapped with 1 bus a day

We are looking at Diss or further in - colchester/sudbury to get a bit more cosmopolitan ready for retirement - 10 miles to the shops, 20 to cinema/theatre is not what we need as we get older

But Norfolk has been lovely to us

myusernamewastaken · 04/05/2017 22:38

I live in a tiny village just outside of Diss and all 3 of my children went to Diss High and all have done very well....to the poster who said Old Buckenham was the better school....im afraid its not....Diss High outperforms Old Buck every single year...

myusernamewastaken · 04/05/2017 22:40

Also meant to mention its a lovely safe area...low crime and a lovely relaxed pace of life....I love Norfolk and dont want to live anywhere else.

Poppiesway1 · 04/05/2017 22:51

OP what do you do in NHS.. i.e. The Norwich hospital doesn't have a good reputation for staff, it's not a nice place to work. They have a very high turn over of staff.
In south Norfolk / north Suffolk is another hospital people travel from Norwich (30mile journey) to work at. In mid Suffolk is Ipswich hospital - Woodbridge is lovely. Closer to London, lots of things in Ipswich way.
Norfolk is quite isolated, very very few duel carriage ways. Train to London from diss is a good 2.5hours, on the days the trains are running.

Have a weeks holiday in Norfolk during autum And winter and see how you feel
About it then too. We have pretty miserable weather then, strong winds off the sea..

justdontevenfuckingstart · 04/05/2017 22:53

just I am from Buckinhgamshire too! Aylesbury.

peachgreen · 04/05/2017 23:56

I moved at 11. It ruined my teenage years. I'm now in my early 30s and have only recently felt like I've recovered from the trauma of it. I know everyone will think that's ridiculous but it has genuinely caused me so many (diagnosed) mental health issues and if being honest about it stops another child having to go through this I'm happy to be laughed at. DH went through the same thing and feels similarly. It was absolutely awful and honestly, it took me a long time to forgive my parents. Don't do it. Please.

peachgreen · 05/05/2017 00:03

Pressed enter too soon! Can you wait until your two older kids are at uni? The little one will still be young enough to move with few ill effects.

sizeofalentil · 05/05/2017 06:54

Why not have a look at cheaper parts of London first? With the new crossrail you can live in some fairly cheap, 'up and coming' green parts of London at the fraction of the cost.

It's not for everyone, but we bought in South East London and love all the woods, parks etc, Victorian houses and community feel. (Though another 40 people will probably come on now to say how stabby it all is!).

austenozzy · 05/05/2017 07:00

Never had a lot of time for diss when we lived up that way. We were in bury st Edmunds, which is a great town, I'd happily recommend living there. Have a look down nearer bury, much more going on down that way.

Bananamanfan · 05/05/2017 07:02

I grew up in Diss, I don't go there, even though i only live 1/2 hour away now. My parents moved away a few years ago as it has some problems. YANBU to move to Norfolk though, it's lovely & the pace of life is much slower. I lived in Derby for a few years, which is hardly a metropolis, but it was such a relief to move back to Norfolk.
PM me if you want any specifics/places.

DisneyMillie · 05/05/2017 07:07

I moved back to Norfolk from London after having my eldest. We're in a small village outside Norwich. I've never regretted it and there are a couple of really good not too expensive private schools in Norwich if that's an option.

I love it here - lovely beaches, the broads, countryside, historic city (castle and 2 cathedrals right in the middle).

Feel free to pm me if you want any info!

gregoriesgirl · 05/05/2017 07:17

I'd do it at the drop of a hat. Go for it, Norfolk is lovely as long as you don't want hills.

santini · 05/05/2017 07:40

I've lived in the suburbs of Birmingham, Bristol & Manchester - right on the edges to have the best of both worlds. Your money will definitely go further even in the expensive areas. We have now settled in a large market town, not that far from Diss. It's been a huge adjustment and it's still growing on me after 7 yrs. I love the peace and quiet, I love my house and the fact that it has the lowest insurance premiums of all the areas we have lived in. The countryside is literally outside my door.

Our local schools - well, there's little or no choice but that is what it is with a lower local population in the countryside. But there is plenty of fresh manure in the air.....Don't underestimate how much of a life change it will be, culture wise. I wouldn't choose Diss though, nor Norwich although it's a fantastic city, it's just hard to reach from everywhere else! I would go more south - how about somewhere in the triangle between Ipswich, Colchester & Cambridge for more job opportunities. My cousins grew up in Norfolk - they would never move back - there are too few jobs for them. As it is, they only return to visit their folks.

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