To ask where you’d move?

[LusaBatoosa]

Young family, Black, infant DC, looking to leave London. Where would you go?

Following criteria:

• In England.
• Budget of circa £1.1m gets you something nice.
• Culturally and ethnically diverse.
• We want all the usual - green spaces, good schools, decent transport links.
• We like nice stuff. Farmers markets, museums, nice shops and cafes.

Does this magical place exist?! I’d love to hear your recommendations! If you could be as specific as possible, that would be lovely - so, as opposed to ‘Brighton’ (for example), I’m hoping for areas in places.

Especially interested in responses from Black or mixed race mums with lived experiences of the areas recommended. How have your DC found it growing up there?

St Albans has farmers markets and museums, art centres, cinema, sports centres, theatres, indie shops, good schools

Marple Bridge is lovely but I don't think i'd ever class it as ethnically diverse!!

Do you need to still have access to London? Woking is 20 mins by train to Waterloo and Guildford 45mins. Both nice places to live. Woking is more diverse than Guildford.

I would come to Bath- we live there- it's not mega diverse but two of my friends have mixed race children and one friend is a black family and they have no issues at all as it's a very liberal city. Tons going on, small city, beautiful and very regular train to London - great schools and you would get a lovely house - we have 5 great farmers markets within 6 miles

My other pick for you would indeed be Hove .

Moseley, Edgebaston, Solihull (particularly Knowle/Dorridge) and I’ll get flamed for this, but Earlsdon in Coventry! Trains less than an hour to London and Cov as a whole is very diverse with beautiful countryside on the doorstep

Another vote for that side of Sheffield! Especially with that budget. A really friendly place on the edge of a city with lots to do. Also good links to London if required! Also got great schools including private schools a stones throw away.

Otherwise Trafford in south Manchester? Great schools (albeit grammar system!).

Agree with @Lovelylydia and @Medivia re; the Peak District side of Sheffield.

The nice part of Watford around Cassiobury, St Albans, Northwood, Pinner, Radlett, Elstree are all great options. St Albans is probably the least diverse but still multicultural, all areas have professional black families, high number of South Asian families both 1st /2nd gen and others who are 3rd or 4th, lots of Jewish families, Eastern European. Good state and private schools.

Agree with those, apart from Coventry.

Moseley, Kings Heath, Harborne are very diverse. Solihull, Warwick/Warwickshire, Worcester/Worcestershire are quite diverse.

Hi OP!
I'd suggest the Trafford area (Sale, Altrincham). I'm South Asian (mostly).
Altrincham is one of the few areas in the rest of the country that has 'London' house prices but we're talking the outer zones not Central. You can get a lot for your money. 30 min tram to Manchester for everything you want. Dunham Massey park, the Altrincham market sells great produce and there are other smaller farms (not farmers markets. actual farms) 10-15 minute drive away.

There are lots of shops and cafes in the vert walkable town centre nearby there's also Disbury. Indepdent butchers, greengrocers etc etc all very acessible. There are also quite a few Caribbean food shops in Stretford! Timperley has an Indian grocer

No city in the UK is equal to London. The latter's not just a big city, it's a metropolis. However, you have museums, National Trust sites etc easily accessible across the whole of the NorthWest from Manchester. if you were going to live an hour away from London. Which would arguably mean you take 1.5 hours to get anywhere ( train in + tube/bus to the actual attraction.).
There is nothing stopping you from doing the same by going to Manchester and then to Leeds, Liverpool, etc.

Altrincham area is very diverse thanks to the big Barclays Tech Center that recruits a lot of young graduates, ethnically diverse people, internationals etc. Most don't want to stay in Knutsford so choose the Trafford area. There's been an influx of Hong Kong migrants as well.

Despite people claiming the 'diversity' of other places, St Albans etc is NOT more diverse than Altrincham. 2021 census:
St Albans:
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/about-the-council/data-and-information/equality-and-diversity/equality-and-diversity-profiles-st.-albans.pdf
Trafford:
https://www.traffordjsna.org.uk/Life-course/Start-well.aspx

The second is kids, the first is all adults but I'd expect the figures to not differ so wildly neither are the sort of place where one family has a lot of children.

I'm South Asian (with SEA and Black blood as well from my great grandparents). I moved out of London because it was too big and busy for me. Sadly I couldn't afford to buy in Altrincham either (one day!) and moved elsewhere but for your budget it won't be an issue. The North West is great.

I'm so annoyed at people proclaiming that anywhere outside of London has diversity issues, just go on a night out in manchester or liverpool! There are loads of us here. A lot of people tried to scare me from moving but I'm glad I did... my bank account is laughing while they're still stuck paying London rents thanks to the fear. And I earn a good salary too.

Hopping on to recommend Bath and the surrounding area.

Absolutely stunning city, beautiful Georgian buildings and town centre full of history and museums. Lots of green spaces as well as a canal. Surrounded by countryside and short drive to many walking spots and National Trust properties.

Great schools for primary and secondaries - some state, some private, so you have options.

Lots of farm shops, walks, museums, things for kids to do. Great for teens as good bus service into the city for some independence. Very safe in my opinion.

It can be very busy in the city at weekends/Christmas but I don't mind it. Lots of secret pockets of the city that are absolute hidden gems if you explore hard enough ;).

Fantastic churches as well if that's your thing.

Your budget would get you a very nice house in Bath/outskirts...

@LusaBatoosa

There are certainly loads of options to choose from throughout England with your budget but I guess a lot depends on your definition of "big city" when you say you are not a big city person.

In reality bigger cities do tend to be more culturally, ethnically diverse, with good schools, decent transport links, museums, nice shops / restaurants etc.

But big cities tend not to have the green spaces, slower pace of life that you are looking for.

At one extreme you could move to say rural Dorset which would definitely have the green spaces and slower pace of life but not the other items you want. Or you could move to say Manchester which would definitely give you all the city things you want but not the green spaces and slower pace of life and are you simply swapping for a smaller version of London?

I would suggest maybe a few weekends away with your DH to check out various cities in the SW, SE, East and Midlands and further North to see what you like and don't like.

As a starting point I would agree with other posters on Bristol- but again there are a lot of different areas to choose from within Bristol as well.

Do you need to commute or frequent travel to London for work? If so then distance / ease / cost of travel to London will be a factor.

Good luck on your search but remember it's a personal choice and what works for someone else may not work for you.

A ninth or tenth (?) vote for the South West of Sheffield, it's a wonderful place to live and exceptionally friendly.

I lived in London (for the posters angsting about how ex London folk can possibly cope away from the place), and we're very, very happy here. I wouldn't go back - life is so much better and easier here. Manchester, Nottingham and Leeds are an easy hour-ish away.

The schools are excellent, brilliant theatres/restaurants/etc, and of course, you're a five minute cycle ride from the gorgeous Peak District. There are loads of beautiful parks and endless stuff going on for kids - check out Sheffield Music Hub if they like music or singing - and an ice stadium and big sports facilities across town.

Ecclesall Road for shopping (the city centre is only good for cultural stuff), Abbeydale Road/Nether Edge for cool cafes and quirky shit, and with your budget, an absolutely cracking detached house 😁

I would suggest South Liverpool: Aigburth, Allerton, Woolton, Gateacre. You are still close to the city centre but have all the amenities you wanted. We are a mixed race family and have lived there very happily.

Liverpool is diverse for a Northern city and fiercely liberal. Loads going on, diverse communities and an annual African music festival called Africa oye in section park that is very well attended.

You would get a lot for your money!

New Forest. Close to forest and sea. Southampton and Bournemouth both quite close. Direct links to London via road and rail,

Your budget would work x

i agree with @altygirlie about Altrincham. I think you've got a good balance of small town facilities whilst being on the edge of the countryside and on the metrolink line into Manchester for theatres, museums etc. It's also got an international airport on the doorstep. Whilst the grammar schools are a draw for a lot of people it's now really quite hard for local kids to get into them as they've opened up the catchment areas beyond the Trafford boundary (it's a weird system where they're still state schools but set their own admissions policy and exams, more like the independent schools). But the non-selective high schools in Trafford are still very good and many get better results, or as good as, schools in neighbouring authorities that don't have the grammar school kids creamed off.

Diversity is lacking in the city too, you rarely see a black face in Cambridge. I’d be looking at the outskirts of Leeds, it’s a vibrant, diverse city with easy access to the Dales. Sheffield looks a good call too.

Lots of wonderful suggestions, thank you all so much! I like the suggestions of a few weekends away, we’re definitely going to do that and get exploring. Sheffield sounds particularly intriguing.

I’m quite excited, now! 😊

...another thing about SW Sheffield, is the Royal Hallamshire Hospital (and the Children's Hospital) and lots of university buildings here. It helps a lot with diversity - many people moving to this part of Sheffield from the rest of the UK and abroad, because of all the reasons posters have mentioned, but also the hospital and uni.

Hardly anyone leaves though, in a good way😁

Good luck, OP! Have a fabulous time exploring your options.

You haven't mentioned it but factor in how often you need to go to London and job situation too

Definitely Sheffield
My cousin went to university in Sheffield and never left.

Cressington?

Cressington as in, Liverpool. Add to previous vote for Liverpool.