AIBU to want to go north?

[CountArthursgroupie]

I'm due to retire in a few years, and there's no way I can afford my present rent. Northern rents are much fairer, but where to go? I've hardly gone north of Watford in my life! Can you MNers recommend anywhere? Have any of you made a similar change of location?

Whatever you do, avoid west yorkshire

I mean the big towns and cities of west yorkshire, pontefract im looking at you

I promise you you'll be able to understand people in Scotland

I'm not ruling anywhere out, (apart from Gravesend, I nearly topped myself there it was so bad). I think I'll try and have a few little holidays, check out a few possibilities. But I've got to ask - what's so terrible about Blackpool?

Some bits are nice. But generally if you live in blackpool it can be a bit of a shithole. Outside of it is good but then youre not living directly in blackpool

I used to live in Glasgow and it kicks arse. Big enough to be exciting, small enough to be manageable. Green parks and beautiful architecture. Good shops/cafes/galleries/general culture. Great people. Amazing coast and country in reasonable distance.

If Scotland goes independent and stays in the EU I'm moving back up there like a shot.

Blackpool suffers a lot from being a resort out of season. There are lots of social problems due to high levels of unemployment (seasonal work) and a lot of waifs and strays end up there.
There are nice areas, but if you go back a few streets it can get quite bleak - drugs etc.

Then there are the stag dos and hen parties.

What appeals to you about Blackpool and Sheffield? Because we can try and find similar places.

Eg if you head down the coast to Lytham, or a bit inland to Preston/South Ribble you’ll get the same value, access to the seaside but a nicer area.

I would largely avoid Lancashire but then I’m from Yorkshire so I would say that . Much of Manchester is great but the other places I have visited in Lancashire (Bolton, Chorley, Blackpool ... not so great).

I’m from Leeds and it’s great here but in retirement I would much prefer North Yorkshire. York, Whitby, Scarborough and lots of little quaint villages between. Very beautiful.

Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Ilkley, Otley, Knaresborough and Skipton are also lovely places in Yorkshire.

Really Mouse? I (and Sarah Beeny) would beg to differ!

www.stylist.co.uk/life/uk-life-home-house-buy-where-live-best-town-city-neighbourhood-prices-family-home-south-ribble-property-ladder/68906

Why Blackpool? If you must consider it, visit out of season.

Given you can make a choice, there are places a million times better if it’s the sea you want.

Blackpool is grim. Very dirty, crappy shops, high levels of alcoholism etc.

But nearby is Lytham st Anne's, 10 mins on bus / train down the coast. St Anne's is cheaper than lytham for housing. Lytham is more lively with cute, shops, restaurants and pubs, but also 10 mins bus / train ride. St Anne's is a retirement hot spot. There are lots of flats to let. There is a lovely sandy beach, lake, parks, golf courses etc.

www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2015/may/22/lets-move-lytham-st-annes-lancashire

Saltaire, I love it there. Quite Bohemian and loads to do. 20 mins direct to Leeds on the train.

Mouse - your comments about Bolton and Chorley are bollocks

Blackpool: imagine all the trashy seedy aspects of brighton but without the hipster effect or weather to make things nicer.

I'm in County Durham in Weardale it's beautiful and the people are lovely but to echo a PP cuts to services can be a problem. Our local secondary have just lost there 6th form and a few villages up have just lost the chemist.

I have retired family in both Wolsingham and Stanhope which love it there.

I'd visit citizens advice and take your pension statements and state pension paperwork, my auntie gets a fair amount of help with her rent on some sort of housing benefit - she only found out about it randomely as she volunteers for age concern and a woman who works there got her the information

Well worth a go and you might be pleasantly surprised and mightbmake some places otherwise too expensive affordable x

Saltaire and Hebden Bridge are both lovely. We're off to N Yorks, easy access to Leyburn, Masham, Bedale. Gorgeous countryside, 30 mins into York from Northallerton and a couple of hours into London. Can't wait.

We moved from London to Nantwich in Dec, beautiful market town, great amnesties, loads of stuff to do, countryside on your doorstep, beaches an hour away, trains to London & Manchester.

Another vote for Newcastle suburbs and Hexham here. I grew up in the south east and for all my adult life have lived in the north (when not overseas). Cumbria is lovely but much wetter, I now choose to live in Northumberland and visit the lake District when the forecast is good!

great amnesties

Southerners don't actually require an amnesty to be allowed to move north

Not the Peak District. It's so grim.

Peak district grim? You're having a bloody laugh

Bellabutterfly it's not just the economics, I feel like a complete change would be good. I've read all the posts carefully, please don't think I'm not considering the ones I haven't mentioned. I really am grateful to you all for taking the time to add your comments.