Brighton vs Norwich, make the decision for me?!

[Lovelyhousepig]

AIBU to ask mumsnetters to make the decision of living in Brighton or Norwich for me? Been going round and round and driving ourselves mad! We are quite an alternative family living in Brighton but we can't really afford to live here! Cramped in a small flat, no garden and soon to be 4 children (pregnant with twins). We love everything Brighton has to offer, the overall feeling of the city is brilliant. However, we love Norwich and think we could be happy there. We could afford an actual house and garden, schools seem good and we could both get work there. Is it a no brainer? Any thoughts?! And thank you for any input, can't think straight anymore!

We live in Portslade having been priced out of Brighton like lots of people. Lots of different family set ups in that way similar to Brighton. A lot less students and renters is the main difference.

Our house is A 10 minute train ride to Brighton, 20 Mins from the sea, my daughters nursery is next to the downs which is my favourite thing for walks after work.

we have a 3 bed semi with a 70 foot garden which we bought for 250k less than your budget 4 years ago.

I could never not live by the sea which would rule Norwich out for me but I know that’s not for everyone.

Shoreham and Worthing both changed a lot recently and we’d definitely consider moving there in future.

Didn't we already do this? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3219244-To-be-scared-of-moving-Norwich-as-a-same-sex-family

Brighton: "By the 2011 census 20% of our population (53,351 people) were from a BME background" www.bhconnected.org.uk/sites/bhconnected/files/City%20Snapshot%20Report%20of%20Statistics%202014%202.pdf

Norwich:
"Total Black, Asian or minority ethnic group *9.2%"

www.norwich.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/2673/equality_information_report_2016.docx

Thanks so much everyone, I feel a lot clearer about making some tentative decisions now! Renting out makes a lot of sense, I think we will go down that route. Overall it sounds like Norwich will really suit our needs and in some ways is similar to Brighton, obviously no two places are the same. And yes, Brighton is very 'white', very little ethnic diversity here. Will take a look at the other thread too, glad I'm not the only one considering it. Thanks again!

OP, I have experience of both Brighton and Norwich and I think both are nice places to live but please don't move to Norwich thinking that it is "in some ways similar to Brighton". It really isn't, they are very different. I can't really see any similarities at all. You will get a much bigger property for your money in Norwich but don't expect a similar feel to Brighton at all.

I live in the GT. Never noticed same
sex family or gayness in the area. It’s not hippy type area either actually a traditional area with the best catholic primary schools.
Also the most expensive part of Norwich
Unthank road starts with Victorian terraces at the city end getting bigger as the road leads out of the city.
Lot of student rentals but mostly white middle class.
Norfolk people aren’t particularly friendly to outsiders and consider anyone without a Norfolk accent posh. It took me years to get used to being told things like London is unsafe dangerous full of foreigners etc.
If you like the alternative lifestyle of Brighton in all honesty Norwich couldn’t be more opposite.

I love Norwich, if I had to live in a city it would be among my top choices.

I started visiting in the mid-70s, and even back then it had a bit of an alternative, studenty vibe. I think that's even more the case now, although I haven't been for about 4 years (my Norwich resident friend has decamped to Bungay).

It has great pubs, restaurants, shops nice open spaces, a river, a castle and some lovely historic buildings. Imo, it's cleaner, has less crime and nothing like the numbers of rough sleepers that Brighton has and, while it doesn't have the arts scene that Brighton does, it's far from being a cultural desert.

DP loves it too. He had never been to Norwich until 6 years ago, and said it reminded him of Brighton in the 80s and 90s "before it got ruined".

You may not have the downs on your doorstep, but the broads are lovely and very accessible. And while the beaches are a drive away, I'd take the Norfolk coast over Brighton seafront any day.

Kisbot do you actually live in Norwich? Because it’s absolutely nothing like you describe. And if that is how your experience of it is, you need to spend your time with different people, clearly!

Oh dear, kisbot description is a bit worrying! But lots of other positive experiences. When we've visited Norfolk before we have actually noticed how friendly everyone is, more so than in SE, but that's only on our visits, not from living there. Thank you!

Do they have a naked bike ride in Norwich?

I adore Brighton. I quite like Norwich but I think it's very parochial and "out of the way". I'd do my utmost to stay in Brighton.

I've lived here for 2 years. I think I have heard a proper Norfolk accent a handful of times, normally from the older generation! None of the parents or kids at my kids school and maybe about 2 of my work colleagues have a Norfolk accent, and it's so mild as to be almost unnoticeable. I don't know who you are hanging out with!
I was invited to my first same sex wedding in Norwich! What you describe is unrecogniseable from what I see too!

If we could get work there I’d move to Norwich in a heartbeat! Love it and have family on the Unthank Road. Go for it!

Norwich is split really. There is a huge community of slightly alternative interesting bohemian types. Back in the day Houses were cheap, jobs were a plenty. The uni was great. It attracted those kind of people.
I think Brighton used to be similar, but it’s just been taken over by wanky Londoners and the old alternative types are dying out.

But there are a lot of “townies” in Norwich too. But I think that’s fine! At least they haven’t been pushed out by all the rich people pretending they’re hippies

For 450 you could get a bloody nice house is a bloody nice area of Norwich. Amazing things to do for kids. Great schools. Close to a much nicer seaside (imo)

Who wants to compete with people commuting to London if you could avoid it.

Deffo nr2. Golden triangle area
Where I grew up. And all of my friends had alternative parents, arty hippy, booky folk. No one that rich as were mine!

lovelyhousepig Whilst I can’t give you a comparison between Brighton & Norwich. I would say go for it. We are hoping to relocate early next year (but with two teens ) from the south east - we love it there.

If I may be so cheeky, I have a very lonely post on MN Norfolk local talk board, if any one of you knowledgeable East Anglians have a spare 5 mins to wander over there and help me out I would be very grateful

I've lived in Norfolk for the past 8 years, previously fairly rural and more recently the city with a pretty well spoken Essex accent and nobody has ever mentioned it.

No don’t be worried! I’ve just not noticed but I wasn’t looking.
You’ll make friends and yes people will talk but so what non of their business.
Norfolk is just quite removed from trendy Brighton/ London.
My children love it here ( from ascot)
I worried much less about them being out and about.
It’s not a rough city it’s just not super friendly to outsiders.

DS2 lives in Norwich and we’re thinking of moving there in a few years. DS2 is just about to leave UEA but loves Norwich so much he’s not moving back home so has got a job in the hospital there.

I love it there. The city is nice yet within half an hour you can be sitting on a lovely beach.

I lived in Brighton for a few years. It is an absolutely awesome place. You wouldn't regret moving there. It is expensive though, and parking is a NIGHTMARE everywhere but you can walk most places with no trouble and get your shopping delivered on line and all is well with the world 😁.
I miss Brighton. We will move when our kids are older for sure!

What about somewhere like Bristol? More of a Brighton feel.
I love Brighton but if you want to be in more central areas and can't afford the space you need then I think you have to look elsewhere.

Norwich is amazingly diverse compared to almost entire rest of the county.

I'll stand by that. Given that much of rest of county is UKIP stronghold. Norwich has pockets of enormous diversity in comparison. I don't know what Sussex is like around Brighton.. similarly monocultural?

I'm rearing up in defence of the fine city - no, it's not the most ethnically diverse place in the world, but it is an absolute gem of a place to live, especially if you're in the Golden Triangle (which is Earlham Road to Newmarket Road, out as far as the ring road, 'very NR2' is the phrase to bandy about).

Because it's too far away from other cities to compete, everything gets compacted into one tiny, walkable city where people are friendly, accepting, and quite interesting. The main library is something like the most used library in the UK for the last six years, it's the most active place in Heritage Open Days, you're not much more than twenty minutes from the coast, and it's not too touristy to get overrun, because it's too far away from anywhere else. It's known as the graveyard of ambition because people like it too much to want to move away to further their career.

It's a fucking brilliant place to live. And I'll flick chips from the market at anyone who says otherwise.

For £450k you could get somewhere really nice in NR2 (trust me, I'm in the Triangle)

Kisbot's description of Norwich doesn't resonate with me at all. There are certainly same sex families; maybe their 'gayness' isn't explicit enough . I think this is an agree to disagree subject as I believe your circle is what you make it; maybe subconciously. We are a mixed race family not from Norwich; our circle of friends is similar. OP perhaps do a week or two here over the summer; Eaton or Angel Rd park will give you a good idea of Norwich families and pm me if you want the lowdown on schools

Beware of recurring 1.5 degrees of separation. The people you meet will usually know the other ppl you meet. Very normal for Norfolk.

I completely agree with you sadeyedlady . I love the fact that everything is compacted in the city. We get the bus in most weekends to do or see some exhibition or event in the forum The independent shops and cafes are great, there are 4 fab theatres and tons to do with the kids. I can't compare it to Brighton because I've only ever visited for the day. I don't know what Worthing and some of the places around Brighton are like but when I was young and lived in South London, they had a proper dodgy reputation for racism. Brighton is so expensive now it's probably spilled over and gentrified those areas now though.

This is very funny- Everyone sleeps with everyone but there's nowhere to park your car - Brighton !

I love Brighton

m.youtube.com/watch?v=My5K1GWzcls