To ask Black MNers where to move if I leave London?

[IMissVino]

We are a mid 30’s Black couple, expecting our first DC (yay)! We want to move out of London, for all the usual reasons (better life for kids, bigger house, access to countryside) but the bits of the South East that we’ve liked and looked at haven’t seemed particularly diverse and we’re not looking to be the village oddities.

If you’re a Black person and you don’t live in London or another big city, where do you live, are you happy there, and would you recommend it to young Black families?

We’re not from the U.K., so no particular ties to any area (although the SE is what we know, so will probably stay round here), we can both mostly wfh and money isn’t really a factor. So, please, all suggestions are welcome.

I’m hoping to get firsthand lived experiences from other BW, please.

The UK isn't that big and if you drive, which you must if you desire to live in a more green area, then depending on your budget you could:

1. Move to the outer boroughs of London and some of the borders of London e.g. north west end of the Metropolitan line, certain towns in Surrey and Kent.
2. Move to other large cities e.g. Manchester, Edinburgh, Cambridge and large towns e.g. Reading in the UK that historically have black populations and also tend to be university towns.

This what have the advantage that you won't stand out and more importantly your child(ren) won't face anymore discrimination at school than if they were in London. (Do seriously check out the schools from primary to secondary.)

I've lived in such places and/or have family/friends who live in those places with their children.

However you really do need to do real life research by talking to any racially aware contacts you know in the areas you are interested in and go to visit. I've been told not to go into certain places, or live in certain areas by people in other cities/towns.

I saw your other thread and some of the suggestions made me chuckle. Richmond is very white.

I live in Surrey but grew up here, it is much more diverse than it was when I was younger but it is still very white but I haven't really had any issues.

Increasing numbers of west African families are moving to towns in Kent to be closer to the grammar schools. I've not been myself, but I know Black people in towns like Rochester and Ashford. If I were you I'd pop down on the train and get a feel for various places.

Manchester area.

So many African families are moving to the homes counties of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire not just Kent and Essex.

The irony for us was that 2yrs ago we declined an area cos we thought it had no black family and it turned out two of my friends desired to move there as well but thought same so they moved somewhere a couple of neighbourhoods out instead.

Another area where we viewed a beautiful house we loved but felt it was too far out so didn't offer, turned out months later when I put a photo of the house up on my status a friend messaged me asking my connection to the property. Turns out she moved to the area a year ago and the house was adjacent to her road. Few weeks ago another friend tells me they're moving to that area in a few weeks.

So it turns out a place we felt was too white and far from familiarity now has two lovely families I'm friends with. 🤷🏽‍♀️ So going forward I won't let my perceived lack of diversity discourage me anymore as it turns out we're all looking for similar things anyway. State schools that are like public/private schools, quiet clean areas, spacious houses and garden, 15mins walk to station, not more than 40mins train into London, diverse church community, diverse market not more than 30mins drive etc.

In other words, you'll be fine with Surrey, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and of course most of Essex and Kent.

I would add Reading and Newbury, Berkshire. Portsmouth and Southampton, Hampshire. Worthing in West Sussex is also surprising. I actually live in Winchester which is not so diverse but I am noticing more black families. It has great links to Southampton and the coast.

Hi all

totally agree. We’re in a similar situation and most people we know are looking to move to Home Counties. Lots moving to Kent (Dartford/Ebbsfleet) and others moving to Essex. All the best with the search!

I'm not black but hope you don't mind me replying.
Don't come to Suffolk.
I love my county but not so much the other people in it, I am constantly appalled by the attitude towards anyone different from the tory voting, white British folks. It's just not a diverse place and in a school of 500+ you can expect maybe one or two black students. We don't have any cities and the biggest towns are still tiny so the bigoted twats have never been forced to change their attitudes.

Hello, so I hope you don’t mind me jumping onto this post. It’s been very insightful, I think I’ve narrowed it down to Reading and was wondering if anyone had more info on like places to avoid, places which come highly recommended for having lovely big houses, good schools and diversity.

Thanks

Anyone have any insight on Brentwood Essex for black families?

@afnatG here: www.mumsnet.com/talk/black_mumsnetters/4429247-Anyone-know-what-it-s-like-to-live-in-Brentwood

Scotland. Definitely

You cannot be serious.

Glasgow and Edinburgh have black people living there.

Don't know about other cities and towns.

Lots of west Africans in Aberdeen because of oil industry.

It's a nice please to stay .

Although I am not black my dp is and we share dc together.
Originally from London no moved to Kent - near Maidstone.
Predominantly white people but there is more and more African and Jamaican people every day which I love so our children are not brought up in a racist area. They're are African and Caribbean supermarkets and restaurants popping up too which is a bonus. We no longer have to travel far to buy a bit of plantain or ackee anymore!
The living here is cheaper than London but then that comes with wages are less too...

It is a much easier & accepting country in which to be non-white. There just isn't the overt racism and anti-immigration attitudes as down south.

I’m white, but live in Cambridge, and it’s a very international city. Many people of different races report living here very happily. Hairdressing used to be a problem for black residents but I believe that’s now sorted.

Are you a Black person who lives in Scotland? As none of that is true. The stats on racism in Scotland are utterly terrifying.

I’m hoping to get firsthand lived experiences from other BW, please. 🙄

I’m hoping to get firsthand lived experiences from other BW, please. 🙄

Ah, the racial hegemony approach to communication. Thank you so much for pointing out the inappropriateness of white people caring in any way about things like the fair provision of black hairdressing services in their own place of residence. I’ll stick to being interested in white people’s problems.

FFS

If a Black woman explicitly asks for the firsthand lived experiences of other Black women, then your opinion isn’t relevant.

What part of that is unclear to you? Black MN was created for a reason - to give us a space to discuss issues specifically affecting Black women. You are welcome to visit and comment, but if you interject your opinion where it is explicitly not what is being requested, you will be called out for it.

Not everything is about you. Ffs, indeed.