Edinburgh or Bath?

[NotThatKindOfDoctor]

I know this probably isn’t the right place to post this, but I’m looking for as much input as possible and I know it gets traffic (plus it doesn’t really fit neatly into any of the other categories).

My family and I have been living abroad for the last 7 years, but we’re having to live back to the UK so I can open up offices for my company. As it’s my company, I can set the offices up wherever I like, but it turns out too much choice is almost as bad as not enough choice.

We’ve whittled it down to Edinburgh (and surrounding areas) or Bath ( and Bristol and surrounding areas).

The quality of the schools seem to be pretty evenly matched (we’ve 4 kids so that’s important!), and house prices are not too dissimilar. Family are closer in Edinburgh (within 2 hours) but we have a lot more friends in the South West (and my best friend lives within 2 hours which would be amazing).

Where do you think would be a better place for a family? And why?

Thanks!

I've lived in Bath for 30 years (most houses aren't damp - that's a bad landlord). It is a great place to bring up children if you aren't living on a low income.

It feels very safe where we live. DD has friends at most schools. The schools are all pretty good, though some are more academic than others. It is a university town (so kids benefit from access to the Uni sports facilities and coaches and outreach).

We are 5 minutes walk from the train station/Abbey yet 5 minutes walk from National Trust owned countryside (so it won't get developed). We love it. We don't really use a car (get heavy stuff delivered), so don't really get affected by the school run traffic jams and commuter traffic.

London is 90 minutes away, Bristol 15. We've not flown for a while but reckoned on 60-90 minutes between the plane landing on the tarmac at Bristol airport and us opening our front door.

Tourists are reasonably easy to avoid and they do help sustain all the restaurants, pubs, shops and theatre etc.

Downsides?

It's quite cliquey, but people are welcoming to newbies. There seem to be quite a few families moving back from Hong Kong and South Africa as well as the exodus from London.
Houses aren't cheap.

If you are set on the area, but want more house and garden for your money, maybe have a look at Corsham or Bradford on Avon.

I've only been to Edinburgh as a tourist

Edinburgh all the live long day. Yes it's colder but it's not like it's -5 all year round! I agree with some posters that Bath is very overrated. I lived in Edinburgh but have only worked in Bath so I may be being unfair as I've never actually lived there.

So many comments, thank you for taking the time!

We are thinking about private schools because having been schooled abroad for 7 years in the local system, our kids don't know UK history to the standard of UK schooled kids, maths is done a completely different way here (boggles my mind - although I have taught them the UK way as much as I can), they read well in English but better in French, etc, so potentially a private school would have the additional capacity to help them integrate more easily. Plus I would really like to get them enrolled somewhere before we move, and that doesn't seem to be possible for a state school without an address already - I have to look into that more, my kids have only ever gone to school here so I don't really know the UK system at all re: enrolling etc.

Where we live is incredibly hot during the summer, oppressively hot sometimes, and we're actually looking forward to a cooler climate, and maybe even a little snow (well the kids are at least). I think no matter when we decide, it will be a bit of a shock and will take some time to get used to, especially as we will be moving in December most likely - where here is can be 18C and no matter where we go in the UK, it most definitely will not be!

You've all given me a lot to think about.

I love the idea of being near a beach, the countryside, some hills and a city, but I think both areas can offer that - just in very different ways.

I realise that there is no 'right' choice, but I already feel a pretty heavy sense of anxiety about moving my entire family back to the UK when they are so settled here, and I want to make sure that the kids love where we go - my husband works from home so it doesn't matter to his work where we go.

I feel like a more vibrant place might be fun after being somewhere so sleepy, but I don't want it to be too much of a shock to the kids.

@Angelica789

Edinburgh is very cold. That would be enough for me to choose the south west. Not really a fan of Bath though. It’s stuck up.

I agree with this. Bath is just so pleased with itself.

Then again, so is Edinburgh.

.....not that either of those very subjective observations are much help to you in this context.

What kind of business are you running? Do you need access to good transport links for it? Do you need to travel at all - i.e. is proximity to a good rail line/airport/road system important?

Also interested that you settled on those two cities - I realise there's a huge amount of choice - but just wondered what your thinking was behind them? There could be other places that might suit your criteria better.

My company is a RegTech company so good transport links are not high priority. My investors are based in Leeds, so West Yorkshire made it on to the list and actually, I can't remember why it disappeared from it, so in fact, Ripon/Harrogate/Leeds are probably worth more consideration.

I do need to be able to attract good staff (vibrant, tech minded) so location helps with that.

Our original list of wants has probably morphed a little now, but we didn't want to be too far from either family or friends - having been abroad for so long, we wanted to be close (ish) to one or the other.

Schools are obviously the biggest priority but we have sort of resigned ourselves to having to opt for a private school just so the kids can catch up with the UK way of doing everything, and so I can get them registered sooner rather than later. I am 100% open to state schools but the whole 'oversubscribed - can't get your kids into the school you like' thing makes me anxious.

We want to be close to a vibrant city but not necessarily in one (I would love it but my husband is a country boy so that is the compromise) so we thought the SW gives you easy access to London, and Edinburgh is a beautiful and vibrant city in its own right.

I would LOVE to be near a beach. We are currently about just under 2 hours from a beach (it is an incredible beach) and whilst that isnt that far, traffic can make it up to 3 hours and that makes it a bit of a hassle when you have 4 kids! When we lived in the North East we spent a lot of time at the beach and I miss that.

Having lived in the North East before, as much as we loved it, we wanted somewhere new, so that ruled out a big swathe of the country. We also lived in Kew in London for a year, and whilst I enjoyed it, it was insanely expensive and my husband wasn't the biggest fan.

Having lived in a hot place for a while, I am a little nervous about getting used to the UK weather again, but I honestly think its not as bad as everyone feels like it is (although I will be wearing a flipping snowsuit in the winter until I get used to it again 😂).

We are looking forward to hiking, and outdoor sports, my daughter loves horse riding and my boys all play rugby. I would love to be able to join a rowing team again, and my husband wants a fight gym if possible. We are looking forward to British pubs and British people (I love the French but they have a very different temprament and sense of humour).

That is an absolute essay...sorry!

Any other suggestions welcome!

@NotThatKindOfDoctor

So many comments, thank you for taking the time!

We are thinking about private schools because having been schooled abroad for 7 years in the local system, our kids don't know UK history to the standard of UK schooled kids, maths is done a completely different way here (boggles my mind - although I have taught them the UK way as much as I can), they read well in English but better in French, etc, so potentially a private school would have the additional capacity to help them integrate more easily. Plus I would really like to get them enrolled somewhere before we move, and that doesn't seem to be possible for a state school without an address already - I have to look into that more, my kids have only ever gone to school here so I don't really know the UK system at all re: enrolling etc.

Where we live is incredibly hot during the summer, oppressively hot sometimes, and we're actually looking forward to a cooler climate, and maybe even a little snow (well the kids are at least). I think no matter when we decide, it will be a bit of a shock and will take some time to get used to, especially as we will be moving in December most likely - where here is can be 18C and no matter where we go in the UK, it most definitely will not be!

You've all given me a lot to think about.

I love the idea of being near a beach, the countryside, some hills and a city, but I think both areas can offer that - just in very different ways.

I realise that there is no 'right' choice, but I already feel a pretty heavy sense of anxiety about moving my entire family back to the UK when they are so settled here, and I want to make sure that the kids love where we go - my husband works from home so it doesn't matter to his work where we go.

I feel like a more vibrant place might be fun after being somewhere so sleepy, but I don't want it to be too much of a shock to the kids.

Then definitely Edinburgh.

It's more cosmopolitan than Bath, is right on a lovely beach and you'll get snow and even ski hills not too far away

In the SW you're much more likely to get winters of dreary rain and you're miles from the coast

I've lived in both!

They are both fantastic cities, and it's hard to choose between them, but my vote would go to Edinburgh.

Bath: Safe, small, very friendly, beautiful, good selection of state and independent schools, but downsides are it's lacking in real culture (music especially) compared to Edinburgh. It's also further from the mountains and sea - the Brecon Beacons are lovely but they're hardly the Highlands. It's expensive to live in and the parking/traffic situation is dreadful. Compared to Edinburgh it's a town, and feels like it.

Edinburgh: Only downsides I can see are the cooler weather (though it might well be drier than Bath), and it's not so safe feeling as a city. It's still fairly expensive, especially if you want a house, not just an apartment.

Definitely Edinburgh. Lots of emphasis on tech jobs here at the moment. Good choice of private schools although working within the education system, I'd disagree that the state schools are crap. Also very close to the beautiful beaches of East Lothian.

Edinburgh

I'd go Edinburgh then, if you like hiking etc. Near Bath the hills are rolling and pretty, you've got the Quantocks and Brecon Beacons within 1.5 hours drive but they're for leisurely strolls, not proper hikes. In the same distance from Edinburgh you've got proper mountains, and even ski resorts, although compared to the alps it's not the best snow - icy and shabby. A lot of friends go in for ski mountaineering in the Highlands, you get more powder that way, but take some winter mountaineering training courses first or you'll find yourself in an avalanche.

Portobello might be good, in Edinburgh, or Cramond. Both have beaches, and are a little outside the main city but IIRC with decent public transport links (Bath public transport is a nightmare by comparison).

There are some good state schools in Edinburgh and Lothian, if you move within the catchment area your children will be entitled to attend. Here is the Scottish league tables, you can see Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh is 7th.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotlands-schools-ranked-best-worst-24094774.amp

I don’t know Bath, but it’s famously got some lovely centre areas (very expensive) and outlying villages.

Edinburgh is much bigger and has a big financial services industry. What industry is your company in? If it’s related to FS then Edinburgh is your better bet. I think Scottish schools are - generally - very good, but you could just ensure you moved in to catchment of the best schools in Bath.

Thinking long term, Scotland may go independent, so may eventually rejoin the EU, but the economy may also be poorer or even just wobbly in Scotland for a few years. The SNP’s latest “hate crimes” legislation is also pretty sinister and has bad implications for women’s rights and freedom of speech.

Do you have family in the U.K.? Where are they and how close to them do you want to be?

I love Edinburgh, but given uncertainty over Scotland’s long term future I’d probably pick Bath.

If your kids are into walking and skiing and rugby, Edinburgh is great for all of these. Cramond is lovely, and in catchment for the Royal High, but it’s expensive and under the flight path.

Edinburgh is amazing. Very dry climate. Currently experiencing a fab heatwave. We did last year too. Great schools, especially if you are looking in the private sector. Close to some amazing beaches- Cramond, Portobello, or over to Fife, Ellie St Andrew's etc.
If you like walking and hiking, many amazing local walks in the Pentlands and beyond. Less than a couple of hours and you are in. The highlands or Loch Lomond.
The city itself is small enough to walk around easily, and after awhile you'll start recognising familiar faces as you pass by, always discovering new shops, interesting closes, quirky amusements, museums, fantastic bars and restaurants. Amazing theatres and performances, even outwith festival season. The best international festival on your doorstep. You need to see it to believe it.
Michelin starred restaurants,
Great transport links with an international airport three miles from the city centre. House prices are expensive though.
Lots of open spaces and parks, such as Lauriston gardens, the meadows, inverleith, Botanic gardens. Princess street gardens are gorgeous!
Snow in the winter. Head up to Aviemore or Glenshee for skiing. A great family friendly place. The zoo is fantastic, as well as the many smaller attractions such as farm parks, museum of Scotland, Dynamic earth, ratho climbing centre, water sports in south Queensferry,

The new St James' quarter has just opened with lots of new shops and restaurants. Harvey Nics and Edinburgh grand, the new Johnny Walker centre, all with rooftop bars. Already a large tech city, there are 6 universities in Edinburgh, producing plenty of new graduates, not to mention some serious established talents.

Dry climate? I don’t think so. I agree with the rest of it.

Edinburgh, I would love to live there right close to a beach and near art galleries, and lovely bookshops. We visit often, and my kids love being there. It is very windy though.

@actorbynight - 6 universities? Edinburgh, Heriot Watt, Napier and QMU. Edinburgh College does award a couple of degrees, in Dance I think.

Ok, fair enough 😂maybe not a dry climate, but I read somewhere that it's very sheltered in terms of rainfall due to it's geographical position.
Bath has approx 131 days of rain annually, and Edinburgh 124

Bear in mind too that Edinburgh house prices are also extremely expensive - do not go by the ‘offers over’ prices as house will almost invariably go for significantly more than that, as much as 10-20% over the Home Report value which tends to be several (sometimes tens) of thousands of pounds more than the o/o price, especially for larger family homes in desirable areas. If you have links to the north east, given that you mention Yorkshire, parts of the Borders and East Lothian may well be worth considering too - property tends to be better value (though prices particularly in the latter have also rocketed)

In terms of private schools, almost all of central Scotland is accessible for one or another of them, and most of the larger Edinburgh schools and also Dollar academy run a huge bus network bringing children in from all over. State primaries do however tend to be of a decent standard wherever you go, though obviously there is some variation.

edinburgh.org/study/edinburgh-universities/

@BirdsandBeesmakinghay

Dry climate? I don’t think so. I agree with the rest of it.

Compared to Glasgow it's practically a desert 😂

Compared to Glasgow it's practically a desert 😂
Yeah. Glasgow 170 days of rain annually!

I love both places and have lived in/near both.

I would live in either again in a heartbeat.

Bristol and Bath are really known for the tech industries.
Both have great rugby teams. Bath Rugby runs a fantastic academy if your kids are serious players.
It's warm and wet. Bath v small, but punches above its weight culturally, and close enough to London to go to eg ballet and be home that night. Bristol small for a 'proper city' but incredibly diverse. You would have to choose very carefully where you lived as the school run could take for ever.
My friends in Bath send their kids to mix of state and private. All good. On private side KES best academically; Monkton small, nurturing, Christian; Prior Park too up itself. No current intel on Kingswood.
Bath not particularly 'stuck up' or 'rough'. I've found obnoxious people everywhere.
As already said, easy access to Bristol airport or Heathrow.

Edinburgh is obviously a capital city with all the joy and pain that comes with that. Like Bath if you like a stunning old building you will be happy. Most downsides already mentioned. Biggest upsides for me are free university compared with England, and proximity to a decent beach! Obviously much colder but then the sea in winter is a joy. As long as you don't live too close to it!

After taking a quick tally, Edinburgh is ahead. And a lot of you have said some really helpful things that has made a big difference to how I am thinking about this.

In a lot of ways I think that Edinburgh is pulling ahead. The only way at the moment that the SW is staying in the mix is that we know more people down there/my best friend lives near (ish). So I suppose we have to weigh up if that is enough to tilt it.

You've all made me feel a lot better about both places, and I think that we would be very happy in either, which helps a lot, so thank you, I am really grateful!