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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU - Relocating to Lancashire

239 replies

Rmivuxg · 13/01/2019 21:43

Hello, my DP and I have an almost one year old and we currently live in the South East. We are renting a one bedroom grotty flat and dreams of ever owning our own home in the SE seem pretty far away. We've been thinking that we'd be better off relocating to Lancashire as it's cheaper and seems nice. However, we don't really know Lancashire that well and so thought
I'd ask which areas of Lancashire are nice and which areas to avoid. We are currently looking at the Chorley/Preston/Wigan area but are open to some nice, family-friendly areas. We both work in healthcare so we think that it wouldn't be too difficult to find jobs in the area. We have saved up a good chunk of money and are planning to rent somewhere for 6 months or so and get a feel for the area and then buy somewhere after that.

So my AIBU is AIBU to want to relocate to Lancashire in the hopes of owning our own house?

OP posts:
XiCi · 14/01/2019 09:31

I agree with the pp who said minimum wage workers struggle everywhere. There's not that big a difference in prices in the North that you will have a much better standard of living on MW, especially if you are looking at nice, family friendly areas. Areas with good schools, facilities etc tend to be populated by the more affluent and prices reflect that. I live in one of the areas recommended above and you wouldn't be able to rent a house for £600pm. From your OP Southport seems a good bet but as pp said probably not in a very good area unless you have a big wedge as a deposit

Justaboy · 14/01/2019 09:35

Lancashire = God's own country.

White roses rule OK:)

Not everyone liked it there;!

Bowchicawowow · 14/01/2019 09:43

It’s a wonderful part of the world. I would look at Ormskirk, Formby, Chorley.

ohreallyohreallyoh · 14/01/2019 09:48

I grew up in Lancashire, moved South East for many years and then back here post-children. It is cheaper to live, there is no doubt about that. However, be aware that jobs are not as plentiful and if you are thinking you would like promotion etc. there will be that many more people after the job. There is definitely a huge amount of work in the care sector on the Fylde Coast as has been pointed out above as it is somewhere people retire to. However, it is a little odd from a land-shape point of view and during rush hour can be difficult to get in and out of.

If you can get reasonably close to the motorway, the outskirts of Preston make a good bet as you can get up to Lancaster and down to Chorley, Blackburn etc. without too much difficulty and it opens up a huge area with relatively easy commuting. Although all the usual caveats about the M6 apply.

For travelling home, use the Toll motorway section of the M6 every time. It is not worth the grief otherwise.

FiveShelties · 14/01/2019 09:53

BigBum - I was brought up within site of Pendle Hill - lovely part of the world.

FiveShelties · 14/01/2019 09:55

sight not site!

mateysmum · 14/01/2019 10:05

BigBum I live in a little village in east lancs, right on the m65. It's beautiful, I can see Pendle hill

You must be very close to my home turf. I so miss Pendle Hill and the area round it. One of the most atmospheric places there is. Used to ride my horse all round there and still have family there. Such a shame that some of the towns like Burnley are struggling economically.

Buckyball · 14/01/2019 10:10

East Lancs here. I am looking at Pendle Hill as I type, I am also very close to the M65. I commute to Blackburn.

spidey66 · 14/01/2019 10:13

My sister lives in Lytham St Annes and loves it. Her and her husband have an 8 year old who is thriving in school. They like being near the sea. Blackpool on the other hand is down the road and is a mess! She also lived in Whalley which is a nice village/small town.

Bowchicawowow · 14/01/2019 10:18

Lytham St. Annes is one of my favourite places in the UK. I would love to live there.

ErrolTheDragon · 14/01/2019 10:25

We moved from Preston as it was going down hill. The outskirts are nice though although rents are more expensive. Penwortham is a good place to be

Our perception is that Preston has improved over the time we've been here (>20years). Agree Penwortham is nice - still seems to have local shops etc.

TornFromTheInside · 14/01/2019 10:54

Whalley is a really nice place. The whole M65 corridor is quite nice, but it's interspersed with old mill towns like Blackburn and Burnley - beautiful countryside, but generally deprived towns. As with most towns like this, the posh parts are out in the edges, in the countryside.

Lytham / St Annes is (perhaps wrongly) perceived as a retirement type place. It's a little unfair but it's a nice place if you like the coast and nice restaurants etc.

Preston, Bolton and Wigan are all dire in the center, but the outskirts of them all host some gorgeous locations.

RogueV · 14/01/2019 10:58

We are in a village in Preston (Ribble Valley) it is lovely.
Preston is a fantastic city. Some great schools here too.
The only issue i won’t lie is the traffic. It really is awful.

There are good motorway links to Manchester and Liverpool. And you have the wonderful lake disctrict at your door. What more could you ask for?

Dixiechickonhols · 14/01/2019 10:58

Ribble Valley - Clitheroe and surrounding villages. Easy commute to Preston, Manchester etc. London is just over 2 hours by train from Preston. Good schools, beautiful countryside. Always scores highly on best places to live surveys.

Mashedpotatobutty · 14/01/2019 11:09

Tornfromtheimside I recently visited Boltob town centre and it was lovely, a good choice of shops, cinema, restaurants and play area all in one place. Some nice areas around it too with a villagy feel. Had a look and you can get a 2 bed terrace for £550-£600

lancashirebornandbred · 14/01/2019 11:11

Although a few people have mentioned the rain, not many have mentioned the fact that it’s usually quite a few degrees colder than the south too. I lived in Lancashire till I was 22, and have been down south for forty years. When I go back to Preston I find it much colder. People do acclimatise though- am usually the only person in a cardigan.

I also think Preston has improved in the last 4/5 years, though I think Penwortham is losing the local shops.

NurseryFightClub · 14/01/2019 11:12

We did this two years ago, from se London to Chorley, rented, then bought in south ribble. No regrets, the northwest esp south ribble is great for families, check out Sarah beenys place to live programme last year. Be aware of Chorley though as schools are oversubscribed. There are 15 softplays for us to choose from within 20 mins drive, loads of fab play parks, as they get older lots of longer walks. Feel free to PM if need any specifics

HouseOfMouse · 14/01/2019 11:42

The Ribble Valley is beautiful - have a look at places like Whaley.

HouseOfMouse · 14/01/2019 11:42

Sorry Whalley (typo).

SovietKitsch · 14/01/2019 11:52

I think you might be being optimistic about the cost of housing - Southport is a good suggestion, inexpensive, lots of care home work, direct trains to Liverpool and Manchester, but it’ll still cost you at least £600 for a two bed house.

tillytrotter1 · 14/01/2019 12:02

That's why Heathcliff was such a moody bugger. He would have been so much nicer and happier if he were a Bolton lad

If Heathcliff were a Bolton lad he'd be playing at Macron Stadium on Saturday, they need all the help they can get!

CowJumping · 14/01/2019 12:18

This thread is making me very homesick. Another Lancastrian in exile.

ForalltheSaints · 14/01/2019 12:25

I would not personally move back to the north of England (lived there for 8 years in my 20s) because there is earlier evening darkness in the winter. However, if this is not an issue for you I would suggest you think about how near you want to be near a town (and place of work), and also if the coast is for you.

Justaboy · 14/01/2019 12:41

This thread is making me very homesick. Another Lancastrian in exile

Not a Norttherner here rather very home counties, but I use to have realtives up in Newton-le-Willows and it was "champion" to go and see them whenever possible. This was some years ago now but they were all loverly people and what surpised me was that it was the done thing to nip next door to borrow a cup of sugar or milk if you had run out, and if next door wasn't in then it was OK to let yourself in no one seemed to mind. Gerat atmosphere down the "club" was treated like royalty but it was that the warmth of the people that made it so pleasent.

Used to love wondering over the moors up at Winter hill and the trains going by at Rainhill all that history there too.

Mind you Yorkshire is quite pleasnt too in its chosen way.

What does make me annoyed is that the south is so overcrowed and the north if it had a bit more emploment would be great more industy to be attraced up there but whilst Londonium is located where it is, nowt will change:(

sashh · 14/01/2019 12:58

I would avoid Blackpool to bring up a family, there are a lot of drugs and as one police officer in "999 what's your emergency" said, all towns have idiots, but we import other people's.

Heathcliff was wrong from the start, the Earnshaws would have been better off without him.

I think if yo pick the coast then you might have fewer opportunities to work because west has no jobs just sea.