Where to live - North or South?

[christmaspringle]

Need help on making a decision.

I'm 27 and single. Have about 6k in savings. Own a house and let it out, currently share.

Currently I live in a northern city - my university city - I moved here last year. I thought I would enjoy it but I hate it. People seem very 'local', the city seems small and backward and I haven't made any new friends really.

I want to move to London next year. Probably around July when my current tenancy ends. This gives me 6-7 months to find a decent job. I'm quite established in my current career, would be looking at 45-50k.

But my parents are putting me off. They think I'm looking for something that I will never find - as I've moved twice since leaving university. Also that London is too expensive, I'll be lonely and I'll never buy another house.

Wwyd?

I'd move. What do you have to lose? I lived in London from 22-30 and had an amazing time. You only regret things you didn't do.

In my OP if you read it I also said I already own a house, so this respect of 'settling down' is sort of done. It's the meeting someone, having babies type that I'm not ready for.

Glasgow or Edinburgh would possibly suit you.

2 people dissing Newcastle, generally thought to be one of the friendliest cities with some of the best nightlife in the country...personally I can't think of anything worse than living in London but each to their own!

Neither was I at 27 op but I think it's who you mix with and what your colleagues are like at 27 as was working as a nurse and working with a very sociable bunch maybe I was just lucky but I don't think it's representative of an entire city .

they accept some cities just aren't for some people...

Which would be acceptable had you said "I'm not settling in Leeds" rather than "the city is backwards" especially as you appear to be extrapolating out your experiences at work to the entire population.

I still don't understand why settling down at 27 is backwards

If I was 27, single, and earning 50k, i'd live in London no questions asked

Ok, I'm not settling in Leeds, because I don't want to settle down and I do find some parts of the city quite backwards. For example, the transport is poor. Also, I'm struggling to find people on my wavelength despite working in a pretty young industry, which isn't helped by the fact all my colleagues are engaged/married and therefore don't go out so much.

Better?

OP I live in London Zone 2 on that type of salary, I am 28, single and I absolutely love my life in London.

I think in other cities I might feel a little "out of place" for not being settled yet at my age, but here I find I am very much the norm, not the exception.

Not really.

You need to miss the backward bit.

I'm chuckling at transport being poor though

The transport is terrible... last train to my suburb at 11pm, buses infrequent and ridiculously unreliable.

I'm originally from Leeds area and still have a lot of friends there. I am 27 as well. None of the people I know in Leeds are settled down..... so you're generalisation doesn't fit.
If you wanna live in London then move, just don't justify yourself by calling a whole city of people backwards cause that's just plain rude

Leeds is an awesome place to live and certainly not backwards. Though I might be biased as I was born, raised and still live there. There's plenty to do and the social scene is great terecare many socialising groups you can join that are for the over 25s. I joined one when I split from my ex and I was never at home.

I left London at age 28 just as I was running out of housemates - folk were coupling up and grabbing 1-bed studios between two. I ended up with a lovely South African and an Australian for my last year there but they were clearly passing through on a big adventure. I didn’t earn enough in London to live alone so the housemates issue was very important. I viewed some who didn’t want me as I was too old for them 🙁

"I'm finding it hard to meet people over 25 who are still single and not interested in settling down, and I think I'd meet more people like me if I were in London" - that says "nobody's fault, I'm just not happy here and wonder whether I'd be happier in London"

*People seem very 'local', the city seems small and backward...I do feel like Leeds is a few decades behind...But I find the mindset of people quite backwards.• ... do you really not see how offensive those comments are?

I would move to London. London (Zone 1/2/3) not suburbs/outskirts. 50K won't get you far, but at least you'll have tried it.

When I opened the thread, I thought I would say Manchester or Liverpool. Liverpool is friendly and housing is probably less expensive and Manchester is commutable.

The south isn't completely hostile but northerners do appear to more friendly.

Have you thought of using cabs to get home after 11 p.m?

I think London can actually be quite a lonely place and full of transient people. I'd personally look for another city on your budget too.

No Mike, I normally just wander around wondering how on earth to get home

The transport is terrible... last train to my suburb at 11pm, buses infrequent and ridiculously unreliable. ... you do know that the North of England gets only 40% of the public subsidy on transport that London gets? OK, I get that you want to live somewhere with 2.5 times the subsidy so you can get better public transport, and that's fine. But it's ridiculous (and rude) to say that the city is backwards because it doesn't get as much public subsidy.

London is fun in your 20s. Move now enjoy now but do try to save some money. You can always move out later when you want to settle down.

But if a city doesn't get as much public subsidy then subsequently it is backwards?

Sometimes a 90 minute+ wait for a bus in the direction of my house from 5pm. That's poor.

I'm not saying that's anyone's fault but it is backwards.

Seriously 'backwards' is offensive. It's just different that's all. I'm beginning to see why the people of Leeds havent taken to you...

Since for the last 10 years the aim has been to public subsidy as far as possible, then it would be equally valid (and stupid) to say that Leeds is far more advanced than London.

You've been told be several posters how rude they find it for you to label a city and its inhabitants as backward, and your response is variations on "but Leeds and the people who live there are backward ... why are they so defensive". I think you're being deliberately goady and am not going to waste any more time on this.

I did 13 years in London (23-36) and wouldn't have left if I hadn't met someone that didn't want to live there. I agree with PPs that it does feel like it's the centre of things, and I felt a bit Peter Pan when I was there, didn't have to grow up! I was on similar money to you OP and lived zone 2-3 border, loved it.

I'm guessing your a Southerner ? I'm a Southerner as well living in the North. Guess what when I arrived people did seem mighty suspicious of me with the whole Southerners are stuck up stereotyping. You seem to fit that stereotype well.

I settled well and call this place home now and have some lovely friends.

I'm with CricketQueen I don't think it's geographical at all.