Moving with Beeb relocation to Salford quays... Anyone else?

[topsmart]

Okay, here goes, I am initiating my first proper thread.

DP's job is moving from london to salford quays next year. We finally have a move date of march 2011 (after signing up in sept 2010...) So it's all suddenly real and I have to shift our lives and get a nursery then school for DD who turns 5 next academic yr.

MN has proved invaluable for my manc research on areas to look at, so I wanted to thank anyone who's given anyone else advice on here as I have poached it all!

Now I'm wondering who else might be moving up as I'm sure some of you must be - or already have done. And I need heartwarming tales of how easy it has been to settle in. Or how much you need a new friend to go for a large glass of wine with!

Hi everyone, I have been lurking on these moving-to-Manchester threads for a while now - it's well past time I joined in! We (myself, DH and 3 year old DD) are moving up at the end of March. I will be a SAHM for the forseeable future whilst DH works in Salford Quays.

Can anyone advise on Timperley - is it a bit cheaper than Altrincham, and if so, for what reason? Any advice on what the commute from Knutsford to Salford Quays would be like? Have heard good things about Knutsford but also that it is very expensive. We have yet to visit these areas on a recce...our strategy so far has been to bury thy heads and pray for it all to go away We are slightly familiar with central Manchester having lived in Lancashire for a short time a couple of years ago. I really quite liked a lot about Manchester...it's just the climate I have big problems with!

I have found the support given to others on this thread wonderfully reassuring. Am very relieved my DD is only 3 so do not have to worry about schools - I feel for those of you moving older children.

Hi thentherewerethree, welcome!

My strategy, up until about 2 months ago, was exactly the same as yours so don't panic.You're in the right place.

I don't know Knutsford but we're looking in Sale,Urmston & Timperley as Altrincham is too posh pricey for us. We haven't definitely decided but so far Timperley has the edge at the moment, just in terms of ticking as many of our boxes as possible. We looked round Timperley briefly in the summer and liked it; nice houses, good schools, trams. I also don't want too live too far in the sticks as I've (finally) realised I'm a city girl and that I'll start to get cold sweats if I'm more than 10 minutes from a corner shop.

I completely share your thought about the climate. I spent 5 years in Preston as a student and all I recall is the bl**dy rain!

My only advice re; your daughter is to find somewhere with good schools to avoid having to move again in a year or so! The LEA in Trafford are very helpful.

Timperley holds the housing overspill from Altrincham. A lot of houses sprung up in the 1930's so there are a lot of houses, all the same, in streets which all look the same. As far as I can tell this is why it isn't as popular (not the worst reason in the world!) it has the tram and good schools. There is village.

Knutsford is nice, has a train station so is more accessible that it's more expensive neighbour Lymm. Lymm has an excellent high school, so it's worth checking it's catchment area for the future.

Are you renting or buying Thentherewerethree? March isn't far off is it? When will you be up for a reccy?

knutsford and Lymm are in Cheshire, not Manchester (sorry to be pedantic!)

Does anyone on here receive, or even know about, the weekly newsletter for Partner Support which is emailed?

And the Partner Support document which you can link to via the Relocation Company website? Has anyone seen that?

umm, I'm sure I left my email at one of the relocation meetings, but certainly not been receiving regualr emails, never mind weekly. Most of it comes via DP. Have asked him to check on the weekly emails.

They told me they'd asked DH for my email, but he hadn't been forthcoming.

I have now created a FB group for this. Anyone who wishes to join please PM me (don't forget to tell me your MN name!)

It is a closed group, so I think it will remain private at this stage. I think we will be able to see each other, but not our FB pages as though we were friends. I think.

For now I'll keep it as private as possible so that everyone is comfortable.

I should also add the beeb are supporting the FB page, and it will be linked via websites and intranets, so its not just us.

Hello again folks. Just back from our familiarisation visit to Manchester - sooo much to take in, my head hurts! Doesn't help that we can't really throw ourselves into it properly as we won't know what's happening to DH's job for at least a month. And if we do go we might not get the assistance of the relocation company, but will have a very short timescale in which to move. It's so so frustrating and stressful, but there were others on the trip in the same position so we're not alone!

Ohforfoxsake the Facebook group is a great idea; I had better hold off from joining until we know the job situation though....if we do get the nod to go, I will PM you then, thanks.

thentherewerethree we went through Timperley on our tour of the 'burbs' ... the thing I can remember our guide saying about it was that Frank Sidebottom came from there and the locals want to erect a statue of him which could be fun! We also spoke to a 'Manchester expert' and I think he said Knutsford does have some aircraft noise, so it might be worth checking that out, although he said it wasn't too bad.

I have a 3 year old DD as well as a 6 year old, and I believe we have to apply for the 3 year old's 2012 intake reception place in Dec 2011/Jan 2012, so it is worth taking schools into consideration when you move.

Good luck everyone with your moves....I will be back when I know what's going on with us!

Do join Wizzle. I met some people in your situation when I was involved in a fam visit a couple of weeks ago. It's not easy is it?

weekly newsletters????

I think I saw the Partner Support Document but thought it was pretty useless. I objected to the way it directed 'BBC types' to Chorlton, Worsley and Didsbury. But I think I was just being arsey

Might be monthly .. But there is something.

Thanks ohforfoxsake - I will join the group then, as long as you don't all think I'm an interloper

Mummyisamonster there was loads of emphasis on those places on our visit - particularly Chorlton, which is apparently BBC central! We asked the tour guides to take the coach through the suburbs we'd read about as being good for schools - Sale, Timperley etc - and they were almost 'what do you want to go there for?'. They were more interested in showing us trendy (sorry, 'vibrant') places with nice bars, restaurants and boutiques - sadly not our priorities these days!

Sorry if it takes me a while to add to the group. I don't know how to do it without friending everyone on FB! Might be that I change security settings - anyway it's there!!

We moved up here almost 3 years ago from Kent - first to Withington then West Didsbury. Unless you have young (nursery) children it is almost impossible to break into the friendship groups here as they seem to be formed at that stage - my dd (9) plays sport in Sale and the parents there are so much friendlier. I am now thinking of moving out to Trafford - Sale, Brooklands areas as I am friendlier with the mothers I see weekly than the ones I see daily at the school - most of whom are quite insular with their own groups and do not welcome outsiders!! Just thought it might help to give you my experience - btw I am very sociable and talk to everyone

Thank you all for the warm welcome and really useful feedback, it's appreciated.

Mummyisamonster - I used to think I was a country girl until I lived in Lancashire, then got so fed up with constant rain I realised I wasn't really country material at all! We now want to look somewhere with nice dry warm cafes we can while away the hours in. Glad to hear you liked Timperley, think it's definitely worth us having a look around there.

Ohforfoxsake - Tram, good schools and village are big pluses, thanks. Lots of houses that look the same isn't a reason for us to discount Timperley at all, if that's the only 'downside' to the area then that's fine! We are going to rent initially, are currently renting which also makes our move quite a bit easier than what a lot of you have had to deal with...we don't have the stress of trying to sell. Trying to find enough enthusiasm for a reccy in early Feb. Our lack of enthusiasm doesn't come from not wanting to live in the north - it's just that we have already moved twice in the past 18 months so are a bit jaded from shifting. I have heard good things about Lymm secondary school, definitely seems to perform better than Knutsford secondary (used to be head of maths in a secondary school in my pre-child life, so have been scrutinising all sorts of data...)

WizzleTheDiva - we are currently living quite close to the Heathrow flight path, maybe Manchester flight path would be quiet in comparison! Hope you do not have too much difficulty finding a school place for your six year old. Am hoping that we will be up there in time to attend open days etc, need to get on and check it all out. Have been researching secondary schools but not so much primary yet.

reikizen - had not meant to imply that Knutsford and Lymm were in Manchester, rather that if we lived in either of those places that we would still spend quite a bit of time in Manchester as it is the nearest metropolis (and am quite happy about this as enjoyed visiting Manchester when we last lived north)

Iskra - I live in stretford and will bore you with good bits/better bits. We moved here a few years ago and I was a bit unimpressed, I now love it.

the worst bits: ugly in parts, a little rough in others, no pubs/cafes

the best bits: great schools, lovely park, great playgroups, great community feel, definatley 'up and comming', good size hosues for money, chorlton 5 mins in taxi, city centre 12 minutes in tram,

love it more and more and actually glad I'm not in other bits now.

Tralalala, I am intrigued! I saw some details of houses in Stretford and yes, you do get more for your money but I'd heard from esate agents and others that there were bits to avoid. Any areas to look at in particular? Ta

I've still seen lots of nice places in timperley which look fab but are at top end of our price range.

Every time I think we've decided on an area I see a house elsewhere...DH liked Urmston but has now come round to Sale/Brooklands/Timperley..and I'm now looking elsewhere!

Woke up this moning feeling excited by the move. Yesteday I was feeling weepy. The roller coaster has begun!

Things will become a lot clearer once you've spent a few days up here, I promise! You really need to see the areas (tho I admit I hadn't even been down the high street before the removal van had left!)

Yes, that's what I'm thinking Fox, now I just want to get up there for a good nosey look around.

Operation de-clutter progressing well. It's quite cathartic actually! We've got quite a nice house when it's clear of rubbish all of our stuff

Tralalala

Just seen googled a house in Derbyshire Rd,do you know that area??

Thanks in advance

Don't start appreciating your home now FGS! It'll only make leaving it harder!!

What I found hard to get my head around is that there are lots of roads, with the same name, in adjoining areas. Moss Lanes, Park Roads, Derbyshire Roads .... God knows how many times we ended up in the wrong place. Quite stressful when you're on a tight house-viewing schedule!

I know, I am trying to be ruthless and not emotional. Ha! At the moment I'm just wondering how we've got so many clothes! I think they must reproduce in the night..

Hello all, taking a quick tea break from the de-cluttering. DP has been to the tip already with all the 'useful one day' things we've kept for years and have NEVER used, or are too old and tatty now. Plus several bin-bags to the charity shops full of old/unworn clothes, I know what you mean! We might even be able to see the spare room floor again soon, ready for viewings.

Finally dropped hints to the girls that we were thinking of moving, probably to a bigger house. Avoided having to say where, will wait a bit before getting around to that. But they are both planning the decor for their new room(s) and DD2 wants to move tommorrow! So, worst job done, and not as bad as I feared. Time for lots of reading books about girls who move house and make lots of lovely friends!!