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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask which town you’d pick to relocate to?

87 replies

Newstart2021 · 18/12/2020 05:44

2020 has shown us that family is so important so we’ve decided next year we’ll relocate to be closer to them.
We have a dd who will be starting school in Sep 2022 so we need to consider school catchment areas and a 3 month old ds who hasn’t met anyone yet!
Which town would you pick?
Town 1
Larger with lots of amenities like train station, a variety of shops/restaurants/hairdressers/a monthly market etc.
One outstanding primary school and several good ones but no outstanding secondary schools.
Some good areas but some to avoid.
I grew up there so likely to bump into people I went to school with (not necessarily a negative just could be awkward!)
A slightly bigger house for your money.
Likely to have more job opportunities.

Town 2
5 miles down the road from Town 1 but smaller and regarded ‘posher’ and has a villagey feel.
Small high street with butcher, hairdresser, small supermarket etc.
One good primary school and one outstanding secondary.
Slightly less house for your money.
Lower crime rate.

OP posts:
Branleuse · 18/12/2020 07:32

Town one

KiKiDeluxe · 18/12/2020 07:35

Town 2.

Bakeachocolatecaketoday · 18/12/2020 07:35

I think it matters where you are moving from, if it's London - provincial rural town or rural village (going of the extremes here!)my advice would be different.

On the face of it town 2

TENDTOprocrastinate · 18/12/2020 07:35

Town 2.

But YABU not telling us the actual towns or how to vote in the poll 😆

NewYearNewPlumbing · 18/12/2020 07:52

@MessAllOver

It's not Redhill and Reigate, is it?
Or Crawley and Dorking
myhobbyisouting · 18/12/2020 07:54

You've NC'd so might as well just say the towns

year5teacher · 18/12/2020 07:55

Town 2.
It also massively depends on when the Ofsted ratings were carried out. I’d probably rather send my kids to a Good primary and an Outstanding secondary. You can just drive to the things in town 1. That’s what we do.

2021hopes · 18/12/2020 08:05

Town 2. 5 miles is nothing when you want all the jazz town 1 has to offer.

littlemisslozza · 18/12/2020 08:06

Town 2. I have really appreciated living in a lovely village this year, lockdown didn't feel too bad when we had countryside surrounding us. We live 5 miles from our nearest town so lots of amenities that are still convenient. I would try to find a house with the potential to extend/convert loft when finances allow though. You will have to drive the children around more, however if the village has a secondary school it can't be that small? Likely to have more going on that many rural locations?

ByersRd · 18/12/2020 08:13

Sounds like the choices I made. We are in a town 2. Kids were really independent from a young age, could walk into the town themselves, primary and secondary within walking distance, library and their friends.
However we have a regular bus to town 1 which has made the difference. As they got older and had friends (through interests) in town 1 they could travel themselves too.

InTheLongGrass · 18/12/2020 08:43

Are the secondaries in 1 good?
Where are the relatives in relation to each town?

I'm veering towards 1.

altiara · 18/12/2020 08:51

Town 2.
5 miles is nothing to travel for the extra amenities. I think the lower crime rate and a villagey feel would swing it for me.

What are your priorities though?
And when you drive around both areas, do you feel you could live in either place?

missyB1 · 18/12/2020 08:52

Town 2. I would be perfectly happy with naice and boring.

emmathedilemma · 18/12/2020 09:05

5 miles is no difference to be considering job opportunities, surely you could commute from one to the other for work?

Strongswans · 18/12/2020 09:14

Town 2, sounds much nicer, better schools, and you can get to town 1 easily anyway.

TinselToedElf · 18/12/2020 09:19

Or Crawley and Dorking

That's more than 5 miles.

IdblowJonSnow · 18/12/2020 09:19

Town 2.
Could not be doing with bumping into people from school all the time.

TaraRhu · 18/12/2020 09:22

Town 2! Less house for a nicer environment.

Clawdy · 18/12/2020 09:24

Town 2 definitely.

WilsonandNoodles · 18/12/2020 09:30

If you are taking Ofsted inspections into account then you need to research further. We have schools around us that are Outstanding but haven't been inspected for 9 years and other only good but were inspected last year and the previous inspection,a few years before were outstanding. You can't really judge anything by a single word. Also its 12 years before you need to think about the secondary. A lot can change in 12 years.

Go with where you find a house that you fall in love with and that has the things you will use regularly a a distance that you are happy with.

Redwinestillfine · 18/12/2020 09:31

We live in town 1. If I could afford it I would move to town 2.

Sprig1 · 18/12/2020 09:34

2 definitely.

yelyah22 · 18/12/2020 09:38

Town 2 because schools can change a lot (my high school was great when I was last there, now it's in special measures 11 years later), and I would hate to be constantly bumping into the people I went to school with.

Veterinari · 18/12/2020 10:04

Impossible to assess without knowing the towns. Just say what they are

QueenieButcher · 18/12/2020 10:10

Town 2 without a doubt.
People are commenting as if moving to Town 2 cuts off any opportunities to be found in Town 1, but it's FIVE miles done the road for goodness sake! 15 mins in the car. Living in Town 2 doesn't stop you from getting your haircut in Town 1, or visiting the monthly market or bigger supermarket, or indeed working there. It just sounds a nicer community to be part of.