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.

Why do you think that is? Hmm? Possibly the same reason a Black MN is required, but not a White MN? Seriously take a moment and really ponder it before you come here and spew your unwelcome and unasked for ignorance.

No, please follow the MN instructions. Understand that this is primarily a Black space and post respectfully. If a Black woman has explicitly stated that she wants the firsthand experiences of other Black women, interjecting your opinion is disrespectful.

What I’m saying, quite literally, is 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.

Nothing you have written here is respectful. The fact that you commented on a post where your voice was unwanted is disrespectful. The fact that you’ve gone ‘well I couldn’t have a whites only post’ indicates a fundamental ignorance of the issues at play (to a quite astonishing degree) and is disrespectful. The fact that you continue to centre yourself is disrespectful.

Nobody is required to discuss anything with you - you’re not entitled to our time. If you are wholly incapable of understanding that not everything is about you or must involve you, and not everyone wants to hear from you, then no, there will be no growth.

Hi! I'm British Caribbean myself, and we live in Watford Hertfordshire and love it. Very diverse. However Watford is getting abit like London now in regards to the prices. Further out Hertfordshire such as Hemel Hempstead, Hatfield you'll be able to get alot for your money. Also Essex is quite diverse (Colchester, Chelmsford, Romford etc.)

I think Southampton is quite diverse because of the University. Oxford too.

Don't move to Norfolk! It's incredibly racist!

Did you ever get any insights on this, thinking of moving to Brentwood/Billericay but looking for any lived experiences of black people who have lived there

I know 4 families living in Brentwood and they've not complained. I'm close to two. The one I'm closest to is moving to Chelmsford. One of her sons attends a school in Upminster as they lived near there briefly when they initially moved to London. That school is the only thing she complained about.

Thank you! Makes all the difference, it's the second set of people I've heard are moving to Chelmsford though from the area so might look into Chelmsford.

Brentwood is in the catchment for good grammars + it is easier to commute from than Chelmsford from what I’ve read. I believe Brentwood is also generally better regarded though that’s never really mattered to me (though I know it does to some which is why I mention it). Like many places, if your child doesn’t get into the grammars, I’m not sure how good the other state options are

Thank you for posting this question. I have been trying to find an area with affluent black families in a semi rural setting. I’ve lived in London all my life and my children have all grown. Last one is about to go to uni. I’ve always heard about “white flight” out of London for mortgage free, large properties and I want to join on the band wagon of this financial savvy trend but I suppose I’m looking for “Black flight “ areas if such a thing exists. I’m sure it does! I want to be in an area my children may decide to move to in the future, but I know they won’t come anywhere too remote or where it’s “count the ethnic person”. I also am reticent about leaving my diverse North London for a place where I stick out or feel those under currents. I’m on the wrong side of 40 so quite comfortable in my ways. There are lots of suggestions here but the areas are so wide and when I visit it’s not quite what I’m looking for. Anyone know of a Wakanda in the South of England? 😆Joking but not joking!

Move to Milton Keynes it's one of England's hidden gems. Surrounded by lots of green spaces, less than 30 mins by train to Euston and you are in the catchment area of all the Grammar schools in Aylesbury and Buckingham. My son attended Aylesbury grammar, majoring of their students commute from Milton Keynes, the bus stop was literally 5 mins walk from my house. Choose your neighbourhood wisely though. Good luck, but seriously, consider MK. I moved here from London 25 years ago. My last goes to university in Sept so hubby and I are now considering moving to a proper rural location in herefordshire away from everything else

Is MK still in the catchment for Buckinghamshire grammars?
From the map and last/furthest distance admissions it doesn't seem so.

I moved to Northern Ireland, but was the biggest mistake of my life. The people are vile, so I came straight back. I am not in Stockton, because it was the quickest option to get away from my daughter’s racist father. I am not looking at Stoke-on-Trent for a permanent move. I love it there. Cheap, diverse, a city etc

beachcitygirl
Scotland. Definitely

I love Edinburgh and Glasgow. Lived and worked there for a while. Met a lot of African and Caribbean families, some Im still in touch with. Im no longer permanently in UK but if I ever came back longterm Id move to Scotland in a heartbeat. & before going there Id never have said that. Going there was an eye-opener for me.

Aside from that London suburbs seems fine. I find Reading and Slough a bit soulless. Aylesbury is ok. I like Hastings, friends have moved there wanting to get away from inner London, and they're fine. I've been there to stay a few times, easy drive or rail from South London. I wouldn't touch Kent .

I'm White but do live in Reading and can vouch for its diversity. Some areas might be more appropriate than others though - west Reading feels more diverse than east to me.

Reading itself can feel a bit souless it's true, but at least London is not far away 😂

@HalebiHabibti Ahh sorry, didnt mean to slate Reading. I used to go raving in Reading and Slough more years ago than I can remember..! as a friend lived there and it seemed all grey concrete. But its likely changed I guess. I actually lived miles away yet still got to Reading so yes, near London and travel links are good enough I suppose even better now

Honestly I agree with you about the soul status 😂 it has all the shops you could need though, and schools are not that terrible!

Hi Everyone,

thanks for all the suggestions. I have started actively looking and Harlow seems to keep coming up. Anyone live in Harlow or Hertford and what are you experiences?

Oh and Sawbridgeworth?

My experience is too atypical to be helpful but honestly, where you’ll find most satisfactory now is anywhere within spitting distance of a globally recognised university.

You know already, only 4% of the UK population is black, so it’s no surprise that the majority population everywhere is not going to be black (unless something artificial skews the figures). But places that attract an educated international population are going to be much better to live in. So … the environs of Oxford (but traffic!), Cambridge, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, etc would be good places to start a search. And then dig down to the specifics of schools, health care, availability of whatever’s important to you in terms of environment and entertainment, etc.

@ProperDeep - that's a good point. We moved from Tottenham to Sheffield to get a better quality of life and a better property. The diversity is quite good. I have found though that there is a good African/African Caribbean community because of the two universities and teaching hospitals. We were the only black people in my street a few years ago, now the area is very mixed. There are Lebanese, Ethiopian and Caribbean restaurants.

Yes Scotland
Parts of it are awful but parts are welcoming, non judgemental and pleasant. The west end of Glasgow, a city with three universities, at least four hospitals and a variety of good state schools.
On the edge of some beautiful scenery, ideal for walking and enjoying. Yes it's cold I'm the winter but not any worse than parts of the north of England. Grey though, very grey.

Look around and ask. Ty here is a scotsnet here and I've not come across any racism there.

Hey all!
My husband is really excited about our move to Ashford, Kent. Me...not so much lol.
I have been in London all of my life and worried about the culture shock. I have seen 1 black lady in the 3 times we have visited the area to see the house (she was lovely and to be fair, she said she enjoyed living there - yes, I did stop her to ask 😂) Anyways my question is, does anyone know what its like to live there?
We will be moving there in March...the house is beautiful and it will be so nice for our daughter to have the space to grow up and ride her bike around the area - its a new build/development called Conningbrooke lake. Also, she is only 5 months but I worry she will be the only black kid in the class when she starts etc.
So I just wondered if anyone had any experience of living here, or even Kent in general as a black female.

I have been looking online and have found a black hairdresser and an afro caribbean shop which is a start but also came across a thread on student room from a young black female 7 years ago who stated how much she hated it and she felt like people were always staring etc. and now I am panicked🙃. Please help if you able, even bad feedback about the area is welcomed as i would rather know what we are possibly walking into. Personally i wanted to go to Dartford where I know a lot of afro caribbean people now live, but Hubby fell in love with the house.

Thanks so much

@SELZBELLZ

Kent is HUGE and so different depending on which part of the county you live in.

Can you give an idea of roughly where you will be?