To up sticks from inner London for the Highlands?

[hibbledibble]

I've lived here all my life, but am increasingly finding it unpleasant. Too many people, too much pollution, too much crime, too little outdoor space. Since lockdown it's just got worse, as crime has increased, and the amenities have been closed. House feels too small when we are cooped up in it, but I could never afford anything bigger here, despite working in a professional job. I'm already in a not ideal area. Schools are also a concern, especially secondary, as they are rough and full of gangs.

The Highlands seems idyllic in comparison, and I could get a huge house, for less than the cost of my modest London terrace. The children would love the outdoor space, and it would be great for them to have freedom they couldn't in London, due to the crime here.

My concerns are the cold (but surely just need to wrap up warm?!) And feeling isolated. My job is portable.

Aibu?

Of course I have been living here.

It is very sad that you can't meet your mother but earlier this year I also could not meet my late mother's only surviving relative ( a lovely person in her late 80s of whom I am very fond) except in a carefully-separated masked and gloved full distance apart open air situation. It's very definitely not ideal, but the alternatives are much more dangerous for all concerned.
And by saying 'advisory' the English government is expecting people to behave in the same way as Scottish people. It doesn't make the desirable and safe behaviour any different.

The business support programme "furlough" is open to all UK not just Scottish employers. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/work/
Similarly in the part of Scotland where I live I know of several freelancers who have received HMRC payments.

The Hate Crime and Order Bill is indeed controversial and I don't think the govt. has got all the details or the balance right, but it comes from good place - to protect the vulnerable. The answer is surely to work with pressure groups and legistalors to find something that protects outspoken free speech while also protecting gravely abused minorities.

As you well know, proponents of the "Named Person" bill were told - by UK supreme court judges, no less, that it was " undoubtedly legitimate and benign" but (in essence) needed a lot more work doing to it. And - you know what? - the Scottish Government listened to that opinio and is still trying to get the best balance of interests.

Still can't see all this as a dictatorship. Just like any elected government, it gets some bits right and others wrong.
And, as I said, you can democratically vote to remove it if you don't like it.

I should think a GP would be fairly welcome - for your skillset. You are going to have a lot of culture shock and your kids may have a hard time at school. Don't go too far north or you'll also struggle with language barriers. (D'ye ken fit ah meen?) I hope you all plan on driving; the countryside starts close to the towns. Anyway, best of luck to you.

Softplays in England are no more dangerous than Scotland yet they have had windows when they have been open.
Scotland have not.

Companies cannot pay rent, rates or other bill from furlough money.

Nobody voted not to be allowed to leave their council area.

We are never going to agree so I'm stepping back. However I hope the OP opens her eyes and has a good look before she considers Scotland (which I used to be proud of) as her new home.

Biking bear - I really do respect your right to express your views and agree that there is no point us going round and round about this. Agreeing to disagree is fine by me. That's the way democracy should work.

My main point was that in Scotland you can - like in other democratic countries - express your opposition to government policies without fear of reprisals. I'm far from saying that Scottish govt policies are all fine, but give me Nicola over Boris every day..... However, it might be good if we had a wider range of leaders to choose from.

Furlough money throughout the UK is (I think) for wages only - that may or may not be right, but it's nothing to do with Scotland.

About freedom to move - we voted for governments to take public health decisions on our behalf - although this was of course before the pandemic. But we surely have to give them the freedom to act as they see fit on the best scientific advice that's available.

Gosh @Bikingbear, I suggest you calm down a bit! I'm currently living in a tier 4 area myself so understand your frustration , but I'd rather suffer the restrictions in place meantime with an eye to reducing transmission and associated infections and deaths until the vaccine programme can kick in. If you don't agree with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP you have the opportunity to vote them out shortly, totally negating your comments that Scotland is a dictatorship.
Notwithstanding I'm sure that the op as a gp understands that a global pandemic affects living conditions throughout the entire United Kingdom and these conditions are not representative of the norm anywhere.

@GreyishDays

There’s a lot in between inner London and the highlands though.

This. Yanbu but there are plenty of rural places in between.

If you changed your job, like you were laid off etc, would you be able to find a new one locally?

@Mydogmylife

Gosh *@Bikingbear*, I suggest you calm down a bit! I'm currently living in a tier 4 area myself so understand your frustration , but I'd rather suffer the restrictions in place meantime with an eye to reducing transmission and associated infections and deaths until the vaccine programme can kick in. If you don't agree with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP you have the opportunity to vote them out shortly, totally negating your comments that Scotland is a dictatorship. Notwithstanding I'm sure that the op as a gp understands that a global pandemic affects living conditions throughout the entire United Kingdom and these conditions are not representative of the norm anywhere.

Read about the other things I posted. Hate crime bill, named person, etc.

More people voted against SNP than for it. Just as long as the OP understands exactly what she'd be getting other than tartan and heather.
Oh yes and the schools are worse than England going by the PISA results.

@bikingbear , as florascotia2 has pointed out you can of course have your views on all manner of political decisions , and I totally respect your right to believe what you like, what I was trying , obviously badly, to point out that you are able to disagree openly, vote how you like , campaign if you wish against any policy you disagree with. All things that , to me, say that Scotland along with all the other countries in the uk are not dictatorships. I dare say there are some Westminster policies that the op may not agree with , I know there are many of Boris' that I find hard to stomach. However, the op will not I'm sure base her decision on whether to move north of the border purely on the political landscape, so I'm stepping out of this particular line of chat

Yeah moving down a tier but still nobody is allowed to travel out their council area Scotland is a fucking disaster area

You seem to think these restrictions are happening in Scotland alone! Frankly, the UK should have been sealed off from all travel in and out to protect the citizens - instead of keeping borders open and allowing the virus to spread.

@laudete

I should think a GP would be fairly welcome - for your skillset. You are going to have a lot of culture shock and your kids may have a hard time at school. Don't go too far north or you'll also struggle with language barriers. (D'ye ken fit ah meen?) I hope you all plan on driving; the countryside starts close to the towns. Anyway, best of luck to you.

That accent is from the Aberdeenshire region. Not Highlands.

I'm about some of the posts on here. So much wrongly posted information about living in the Highlands. If you are planning to stay close to Inverness, the weather isn't that horrendous. We barely get any snow (much to my sons disappointment) or extreme weathers unlike the central belt area/south. 45 minutes south of Inverness is the Cairngorm mountain range where it gets more snowfall.

You would be surprised about the amount of English people living here. In my office of 15 people, 7 are English and 1 Welsh. They have all said they would never move back to their home towns. We are not all xenophobic honestly. I find it very offensive when many posters have suggested that we all are.

Midges are only a problem on the West Coast of Scotland in Summer. They are rarely a problem in Inverness.

Drug and alcohol problems I can imagine is similar in every town and city in the country.

Anyway, lots for you to think about. Hopefully all the negative posts have not put you off considering it. Good luck

One day. I too shall tell the capital to piss off. I will not look back. I will not miss it.one if the islands of Scotland so i can have a some chickens, sheep, small pets.. Bliss heaven. Anywhere close to the sea. ONE DAY MN ONE DAY

I know that earlier in the thread it was suggested that some of us may have exaggerated the drugs issues in Scotland but I thought of this thread this morning.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/dec/15/scotlands-drug-related-death-toll-more-than-35-times-rate-for-whole-uk?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other