Places to live in the UK

[Sylvaniannightmare]

Currently living in a naice city in the SE and feel we don't fit with the crowd in our area at all. It's a predominantly wealthy mc class area and all the schools around here are really good. House prices are sky high, we were lucky to buy our house 12 year ago when the market wan't as developed and the area was more mixed.

Both dc at an outstanding local school. All sounds great in theory but we have found we don't really fit in with the people who live in this area.

It's all about house prices, competitive parenting competitive holidaying and activities.

30% of pupils in dc's are property millionaires. I am not at all a reverse snob but we simply don't fit in. We are not poor, dh and are both in professional jobs and probably 'mc' as well but our faces just don't fit around here.

We are a slightly artistic family, enjoying sports and outdoors life, camping, hiking etc. not exactly alternative but pretty down to earth and definitely not competitive or wanting to be part of the rat race.

So, after this slightly whinging bit, I wondered if IABU to ask which areas in the UK are nice, with good communities but where people don't live that mc competitive lifestyle?

I have friends in Brighton who like it there so that is one option but Brighton is also quite expensive. We both work from home a lot so commuting shouldn't be a problem at this point in time. I have heard that Exeter is nice and a bit alternative too.

Nice down to earth, diverse places with culture and access to the outdoors would be my dream. Any hope for that at all?

Bath, bristol, Somerset? Probably bristol would be top of my list. Friends live in bishopston and stokes Croft. Stokes Croft and Gloucester Road are very arty and alternative. Or Easton?

I would mention my city, but I fear you may already live there!

Scottish borders! Loads of culture going on, the countryside is like something out of Lord of the Rings and we are a train ride to Edinburgh. The people are lovely, I was a little nervous about moving up as I didn't know how they felt about incomers, but the first thing people say after asking me where my accent is from is, "Welcome." My children love it here and say they never want to leave.

I think we need a diagram, flow chart etc Interesting that the same places tend to pop up, I think you should do a round Britain road trip and report back. Threads like this make me hate my bland wee commuter village

Norwich is great for everything you want. Great city with lots of lovely independent shops as well as usual chains, fantastic restaurants/cafes for all tastes and purses, gorgeous countryside and coastline very nearby, great schools, mix of people, regular direct trains to London, Manchester etc. and reasonable house prices. Worth looking at Thorpe St Andrew, Old Catton, Sprowston, Taverham areas.

fliss My sister lives in Whitstable, I know it well and love to visit but I thought it was referred to as Islington-on-Sea so would be concerned about getting into another elite bubble. I have always said I'd retire there. I think schools are a bit of an issue in Whitstable, primary school over subscribed and secondaries / grammars a distance away.

How old are your DCs?

Still in East Kent, Faversham is smallish and friendly, fairly foodie and great markets.

Herne Bay is cheaper than Whitstable (though not as nice IMO).

City life - another vote for Glasgow.
Countryside - another vote for the Cotswolds

Large Italian community in Glasgow but horrible weather.

Bath if you opt for the right buts, some parts are quite snobby. Bear Flat and around Alexandra Park is lovely, and Odd down on the fringe of the city.

Bits of Wales - Penarth/Sully/Dinas Powys/Cowbridge and surrounds. Suburbs of Cardiff particularly to the north.

A couple of people I know have found Norwich very difficult to integrate into as outsiders.

Bristol has the kind of thing you're looking for. Bath always gives me the impression that it's too poncey and full of self importance. I live in a small town between the two.

Really irregular? We're from Kent and Leicester and have had no issues. Massive student community, many of whom stay in Norwich.

I think you're being badly served by this thread OP, usually loads of people pop up to say Sheffield and I seem to be a lone voice here.

I would certainly say many of the suggestions on this thread wouldn't give you what you want at all.

(I've lived all over the UK so know something of what I speak of here).

Scotland wouldn't be a bad call, but any cities south of Birmingham I would say wouldn't say would give you what you crave in terms of accessibility to reasonably-prices housing, or a preponderance of down earth natives! (And the consequent knock-on to the arts scene).

I paid £170,000 for our 3 bedroom semi in a nice area of Norwich with good schools. Lots of culture/arts and to go with it lots pf down to earth, friendly people of all tastes and types.

Sorry about the slightly mangled autocorrect syntax there...

Bristol or Cardiff

ilikeyourhairyhands I think part of the problem is not knowing where OP is now, for comparison.

Yorkshire ! You have two amazing places for outdoor activities, the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors. It has beautiful Landscape, and everyone is so friendly

Come to Cambridge

Hmmm .... well, it's almost as expensive as London, and the driving is a nightmare - very congested. It's also like an island in the middle of a great big flat nothingness - there's nowhere interesting to go anywhere near Cambridge, apart from London. And it is, by a long, long way, the most unfriendly place I've ever lived in my life. I've lived in London, too, and people say London is unfriendly. London had nothing on Cambridge for unfriendliness.

Leeds is good - nice city, lots going on, lots of interesting places nearby and good access to countryside.

I love, love, love Pembrokeshire ... but I think I would feel a bit cut-off from the rest of the UK there. It's truly beautiful, though - better than Cornwall, in my opinion.

Loads of lovely small to medium sized towns in North Wilts, and its very central. The schools are generally very good / outstanding too.
Not Swindon though.

Frome in Somerset been voted one of top places in Britain to live a couple of times. Has a strong arty scene but not ethnically very diverse. Not sure about schools, look on www.locrating.com
Glastonbury or Wells also spring to mind. North Wilts good but a bit on the expensive side.

Have a look at Warwickshire :)

it is, by a long, long way, the most unfriendly place I've ever lived in my life. I've lived in London, too, and people say London is unfriendly. London had nothing on Cambridge for unfriendliness.

My experience has been the complete opposite - I've found Cambridge a really friendly place, much more so than anywhere else I've ever lived (including London). It may depend whereabouts you live in Cambridge - I live off Mill Road and have made amazing friends. This part of Cambridge is quite village like - it can take 20 mins to buy a loaf of bread because you get chatting with the shop owner, you can't go more than a couple of minutes down Mill Road without bumping into someone you know - but also incredibly diverse. It has a lot of community groups, a winter fair, annual street parties, great places to eat and drink, including an amazing, tiny cocktail bar, and no town/gown divide that I've ever experienced. Most of the area is walking distance from the city centre and the station. Unfortunately, it is also now insanely expensive, though if the OP is moving from the SE it's probably affordable.