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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Lancaster or brighton?

135 replies

BrightonOrLancaster · 03/12/2021 16:06

For a woman in her 30s moving alone with her cat!
Brighton: very good friends, warmer sea, more fun, livelier, but all family in north and expensive, closer to London and handy for getting away
Lancaster: very close family, much cheaper, less bullshitty, but no friends to start with, more isolated

No need to talk to me about schools etc as irrelevant to me! I work freelance in something creative. I'm really torn!

Vote:
YABU: Brighton
YANBU: Lancaster

OP posts:
KaycePollard · 05/12/2021 20:22

I don’t drive and find Lancaster perfectly easy to live in. I have a big old house a leisurely 10 slow stroll Common Garden Street, and a 10 minute brisk walk to the railway station. And I walk all over Cumbria by train and bus - so I don’t add to the terrible day tripper traffic which is a blot on the perfection of the Lake District.

It’s such an easy city for non-drivers.

HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 05/12/2021 20:28

@KaycePollard

I don’t drive and find Lancaster perfectly easy to live in. I have a big old house a leisurely 10 slow stroll Common Garden Street, and a 10 minute brisk walk to the railway station. And I walk all over Cumbria by train and bus - so I don’t add to the terrible day tripper traffic which is a blot on the perfection of the Lake District.

It’s such an easy city for non-drivers.

That's good to hear, must have improved since I lived there, which is brilliant.
ErrolTheDragon · 05/12/2021 20:41

I dont have a car so as a PP pointed out it might be tricky for me to get out and about to the beach and the beautiful countryside around Lancaster.

If you cycle, there's an off-road cycle path to Morecambe.
And there's the train line from Lancaster through carnforth, silverdale (station right by Leighton Moss RSPB), Arnside then across the estuary to grange etc.... I've never been on it but want to (I crossed the track a couple of times on my walk todayGrin)

As for getting to Scotland - Lancaster is quite close to the centre of the country whereas Brighton is stuck way down right on an edge!Grin

saleorbouy · 05/12/2021 20:42

Lancaster.
Close to the Lake District, Liverpool, Manchester.
Great West Coast mainline rail connections to Carlisle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London.
M6 motorway to get North and South easily.

I like Brighton it has a great vibe but the property prices would put me off as the pros of Brighton would not outweigh the value and surrounding areas of Lancaster.

MrsHamlet · 05/12/2021 21:42

Arnside, near Lancaster is right on the sea, but you absolutely need a car.
Not to get from Lancaster to Arnside, you don't. It's about half an hour on the train! Rail links here are pretty good.

HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 05/12/2021 21:46

@MrsHamlet

Arnside, near Lancaster is right on the sea, but you absolutely need a car. Not to get from Lancaster to Arnside, you don't. It's about half an hour on the train! Rail links here are pretty good.
I meant to live. Unless the only place you want to go it Lancaster! But to go on day trip, yes doable by train.
IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 05/12/2021 21:56

@ErrolTheDragon

I dont have a car so as a PP pointed out it might be tricky for me to get out and about to the beach and the beautiful countryside around Lancaster.

If you cycle, there's an off-road cycle path to Morecambe.
And there's the train line from Lancaster through carnforth, silverdale (station right by Leighton Moss RSPB), Arnside then across the estuary to grange etc.... I've never been on it but want to (I crossed the track a couple of times on my walk todayGrin)

As for getting to Scotland - Lancaster is quite close to the centre of the country whereas Brighton is stuck way down right on an edge!Grin

The train from Lancaster to Grange is magical.
Goldenbear · 05/12/2021 22:01

I would say the Brighton is very 'southern' in it's outlook, vibe, politics. I am originally from London but my Mum moved to the Midlands in my late teens and when I visit her the contrast in outlook is refreshing sometimes as people are friendly in a day to day way but conservative with a small C in another way so there is a real culture shift for me personally. Lancaster I only know slightly due to one of my friends going to uni there but it was ages ago but I felt it was similar so more conservative with a small C. There are lots of people I know that live up to the Brighton stereotypes so it is not just made up but yes, lots of kissing on cheeks at the school gates, marketing, PR jobs or people working in those areas so maybe more convenient if that's what you work in.

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 05/12/2021 22:02

Bungaroosh is that like Prefab ? .. Brighton allll day long . I love it there , excellent links to london too

ErrolTheDragon · 05/12/2021 22:05

Arnside, near Lancaster is right on the sea

Um... well, it's an estuary. It's not 'seaside' in the sense of sandcastles or swimming. DD did a 'show and tell' in primary called 'Things that Live in the Mud' based on diggings near there.Grin

But great walking, and absolutely fabulous views from the
Knott - all across Morecambe bay, over to the Lake District hills, round to the Howgills and Ingleborough.

From Lancaster, walking or cycling out along the Lune gets you this view of Ingleborough

Lancaster or brighton?
TheRigatonini · 05/12/2021 22:09

@Goldenbear

I would say the Brighton is very 'southern' in it's outlook, vibe, politics. I am originally from London but my Mum moved to the Midlands in my late teens and when I visit her the contrast in outlook is refreshing sometimes as people are friendly in a day to day way but conservative with a small C in another way so there is a real culture shift for me personally. Lancaster I only know slightly due to one of my friends going to uni there but it was ages ago but I felt it was similar so more conservative with a small C. There are lots of people I know that live up to the Brighton stereotypes so it is not just made up but yes, lots of kissing on cheeks at the school gates, marketing, PR jobs or people working in those areas so maybe more convenient if that's what you work in.
I’m from the midlands and agree with this in relation to the places I know (just one small corner).

However lots of northern cities are pretty left-wing / labour-voting - Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, etc. Not sure about Lancaster but I suspect it’s more a city vs town/village thing than North vs South!

HundredMilesAnHour · 05/12/2021 22:13

Lancaster has Booths. Brighton does not. Decision made surely?!

TheRigatonini · 05/12/2021 22:16

Hang on, you just mean something else by ‘Southern values’ @Goldenbear – I’ve just read back and feel silly stating that there are left-wing labour voters in the north as well as the south Grin

KaycePollard · 05/12/2021 22:19

Lancaster has Booths. Brighton does not. Decision made surely?!

Sadly much of the UK is Booths-deprived, poor things. They have to make do with Waitrose.

Goldenbear · 05/12/2021 22:44

TheRigatonini, yes, definitely there are very left wing areas of the North but I don't really mean just politics. People are left wing here although lots of Green party supporters. It is hard to express really but people's concerns go beyond politics, I'm in some groups (due to friends suggestions) where the emphasis is on emotional well being and concerning yourself with carving out time for yourself if you are a woman. Paying lots of money on life affirming training. I can't even give the title somebody gave to that 'me time' running one of those sessions as it is too outing. To be fair, my references are the Midlands in contrast where I think most of this would be considered BS. I don't know, it is hard to explain.

TheRigatonini · 05/12/2021 23:12

@Goldenbear

TheRigatonini, yes, definitely there are very left wing areas of the North but I don't really mean just politics. People are left wing here although lots of Green party supporters. It is hard to express really but people's concerns go beyond politics, I'm in some groups (due to friends suggestions) where the emphasis is on emotional well being and concerning yourself with carving out time for yourself if you are a woman. Paying lots of money on life affirming training. I can't even give the title somebody gave to that 'me time' running one of those sessions as it is too outing. To be fair, my references are the Midlands in contrast where I think most of this would be considered BS. I don't know, it is hard to explain.
I think I get what you’re getting at.

I think there’s a suburban mundanity to much of the Midlands. And a lot of conformism. (This is a sweeping generalisation tho obvs.)

I would not live there again, and have lived mostly abroad and in the north of England since leaving home a few decades ago. Also lived in London for a bit years back and love Brighton (would also consider a move there).

I’d say the Midlands is quite different to the North though. I’d imagine too there is more in common between say South Manchester and Brighton than Brighton and Bury St Edmonds or Hebden Bridge and Hull.

tenredthings · 06/12/2021 07:22

Lancaster weather is shite. It rains and rains. The town center is small and run down. The traffic is awful and if you want to go anywhere South you have to deal with the M6.

RedRobin100 · 06/12/2021 07:28

I’ve never been to either place, but for where you are in life and what you want right now - I’m voting Brighton

(or close to Brighton that is cheaper to live in but close enough to let you enjoy it)

pilar3 · 06/12/2021 08:27

Do NOT move to Lancaster. Grey, grey, grey and more grey. Day in day out. Grey houses and grey skies and grey sea. A LOT more rain in the NW than somewhere like Brighton. This really affects your mood, energy and general mental health.

If places are cheaper there’s generally a whole set reasons for this!

pilar3 · 06/12/2021 08:34

Also, where the North has this Booths, the South has Wholefoods surely?

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 06/12/2021 08:38

Don't get the love for Lancaster, it's grey, wet and miserable.
Town is run down and rough, it's completely student dominated, stinks of weed. House prices have shot up for anywhere half decent. I could go on.

JustDanceAddict · 06/12/2021 08:47

Brighton, or nearby. I love it!
Only been to Lancaster once on a uni open day but looked a bit boring!!

Pinkdelight3 · 06/12/2021 09:47

I love them both, but Lancaster is bloody freezing. And I'm from the north west and can handle the cold, but given the choice, screw that. I remember going to up Lancaster to visit mates there and always had to put extra woolly layers on then sit right up to the fire. Which is cosy now and again, but everyday... Nah. Brighton is just as nice, warmer - and much buzzier and better connected for career and dating options.

KaycePollard · 06/12/2021 12:14

Also, where the North has this Booths, the South has Wholefoods surely?

You've clearly not lived near a Booths. I used to shop at Wholefoods (Wholepaycheck) in its original Austin TX (USA) location, and subsequently in its big shops in the USA. It's OK, but not a patch on Booths for a proper day to day excellent supermarket.

Nanoo1234 · 06/12/2021 15:18

Lancaster is very friendly. If you regularly go to say the gregson community.and arts centre and the dukes cafe bar theatre.. you naturally make friends. Its arty and academic and quite politically liberal.
The train lines are exellent.
If we didnt live were we live now , we wd only ever live there.
Amazing countryside amd easy access to places.