AIBU to consider moving to Dorset?

[surreygirl1987]

DH and I are ready to change jobs and would like to move in time for our oldest to start primary school. An opportunity has come up in Dorset, near Poole. However, I've never actually been there. We currently live in Surrey. Is Poole really dull or is there plenty to do down there for young families / a couple in their 30s? We like sports events (runs, mudruns, obstacle course races, open water swimming), events (like food festivals and Christmas fairs type things), games like escape rooms and treasure hunts, national trust places, restaurants, watching theatre.... Outskirts of Brighton would be ideal for us but job just hasn't come up there. Would we find Poole / Bournemouth okay?

I love it down here

I think Bournemouth is quite similar to Brighton in lots of ways tbh. The thing I didn't like about Bournemouth was it was quite dominated by hen parties etc in the town centre on an evening but Brighton is similar!

Def not being U - You can do all of those things here, come on down!

Having lived in both Dorset and Surrey, I would go for Dorset every time. I was never short of things to do. I immediately felt at home in Dorset whereas I never really settled in Surrey. It was over 10 years ago so I can’t answer your question on escape rooms but plenty on National Trust places.

I live in Poole. Right on the boundary with Bournemouth. I love it here. Yes it has a few issues but particularily when the sun is out I would not live anywhere else. This summer due to covid we have really made the most of Poole, the purbecks and the new forest. Poole is home. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

Dorset is lovely. Poole itself is quite mixed, and very very busy in summer, but I’m sure you will find somewhere to settle and I’m sure you would settle well. Where exactly is the job?

I can answer specific questions via PM if you'd like

Really?! Wow thanks for all the quick replies. All sounds very positive, much more so than expected! We're not partiers and don't do the club's/bars scene but we do like a bit of liveliness and a social life... Sounds like the Poole area might suit us!

Oh and @Watto1 escape rooms aren't a deal-breaker, was just trying to explain the sort of people we are / interests! Thanks for sharing - I've never really settled in Surrey either ..

Running wise Dorset is the home of White Star Running.

Plenty of outdoor pursuits, The New Forest is on the doorstep. As long as you have an income that allows you to do activities there is plenty.

Just look at school catchments, check that the schools near you are what you want for your kids. Mine were teenagers when we moved here but 2 were boarders out of the area and 1 was day pupil at a school in the area but I know that the state ones vary. (mine are grown up now)

To be fair we are very low income and there's loads to do for free (apart from parking) which is one of the things I love. We filled our entire summer on a non-existent budget which I was pleasantly surprised about!

I would move there in a heart beat OP. We have spent many happy Summers there. Mainly based at Hoburn, Christchurch and spent lots of time in Poole/Bournemouth. We have talked about it this year. We're in a seaside town in Kent and our DD16 (only child) has just started college and has a great group of friends so we have to consider the upheaval for her too.
Why don't you visit and have a look around? I say go for it - it's beautiful down there

Poole is the best. Near the sea and country but not far from main rail lines. Houses are expensive but it doesn't cost as much to live when you can just go outside for nice walks.

I live in Poole, we love it, beach on the doorstep and plenty of activities to do. We're actually booked into an escape room in Bournemouth soon so they are available here. There's water sports at sandbanks and Hamworthy, lots of parks, purbecks up the road, Theatre in Poole and Bournemouth. Poole town centre is needing some tlc but there is supposed to be plans for that.

Yeah good luck!
My DH and our 2 DCs tried to move to anywhere in Dorset (renting) between 2016 and 2018 when we gave up.
DH had a job secured, taking over a business belonging to a friend of his who was retiring. We had excellent references.
We ended up wasting about £3000 on fees and other stuff and got precisely nowhere.
One house we were sure we would move into, the agent took a holding fee, she took a reference fee. We told the owner on the spot we wanted it. We got excited. Passed all the checks. Started packing and gave notice. Agent said we had it.
Then they went totally cold on us. 2 weeks after the agent said they had changed their minds and offered it to a local family instead. So we lost the holding fee and the reference fee. It's only through luck our current landlord is lovely and let us back out of our notice.
They really have a huge mistrust of anyone not local. An agent actually told me as much.
If you're buying you may be ok but prepare to be blanked at first.
The business we intended to take over got wrapped up in the end.

Husband and I spent a week in Bournemouth a few weeks back (our holiday to Ibiza was cancelled but we still wanted to get away) we travelled from London - omg we loved it there! Way nicer than Brighton - the beach is unreal - people are so friendly! Lots of nice places to eat - had a lovely day in Poole & brownsea island.

We were both just saying how we’d move there in a second if we could find suitable jobs!

Wow! You all sell it well...I'm actually getting really excited about the prospect after reading this! It does tick a lot of boxes of what we'd want in an ideal home. As we live in an expensive part of Surrey we'd find the area more affordable so that's not an issue. I wish we could go and visit but won't get time before job application deadline... Which is why I'm asking for info on here. I can't believe we would consider committing to move somewhere without actually having a really good look round first but that's likely the case unfortunately.
One frustrating is being far from international travel... We are close to Gatwick here and have got used to that. I guess the nearest 'big' airport is Bristol? But being closer to Devon / Cornwall is a bonus so I suppose you win some and you lose some!
Thanks again for all your help... I really appreciate it!

I live on the outskirts of Bournemouth (New Forest side) and regularly fly for work (at least I did...) Bournemouth airport and Southampton are good for either European holiday destinations (Southampton for snow, Bournemouth for sun) but in reality it’s only just over an hour and half’s drive to T5 at Heathrow for a wider choice. Never found it an issue.

You can fly from Bournemouth or Southampton, or get the train direct to Woking then rail-air bus link to Heathrow. For Gatwick, change at Clapham Junction. Or you can drive quite easily.

Bournemouth & Poole have some big financial companies there - they wouldn't be there if the travel to Heathrow was too tricky.

Southampton and Bournemouth airports between them have a fair range of destinations. Southampton airport is really easy by train (station literally a 30 second walk from terminal) or driving.

I moved from Surrey to Dorset 10 years ago, absolutely love it. A little further west than you, but never looked back!

I live in Poole and love it. Grew up here and have young children. Happy to answer specific questions about particular areas/schools via pm if you like

I find it hard to believe you've never been from Surrey to Poole - it only takes about 2 hours in the car (if you don't get one of those awful jams).

@MollyButton nope! But I'm not originally from Surrey and I've only owned a car for the past few years. I've lived abroad too. There's a fair few places I'm sure you'll be horrified I've never been to!

Okay - I forgive you. If you were born and brought up here...
Bournemouth Poole is a big conurbation, lots to do. I think Poole has 11+ and Bournemouth doesn't. There is the sea! To the west its more rural. And if you go to Brownsea, beware of the Ants.