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Original poster

Pregnant and moving house dilema

60 replies

imissbrie · 23/10/2011 00:21

So I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant and due to have my first baby in May (exciting). We are planning on moving house in January 2012.

So there's so much to think about, location, size, schools! I've lived in the west end for the last 5 years so I know the area very well. We are renting and hoping to pay 700quid a month for a 2 bedroom. Anyway all the flats I'm looking at just don't seem to cut it. They all look shabby and studenty. Also I don't want to live in a building full of 18 year olds! So I've been thinking maybe Partick, Whiteinch, Broomlands or Hyndland kinda area. My other half is a bar manager in the west end also and works anti social hours so living locally would save taxi fairs. The spanner in the works is the south side, Shawlands! I don't know the area well but the flats are beautiful and so much larger. Basically I get so much more for my money. And no students! Basically ideal, apart from the taxi prices which would be about 5 times a week. Can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
betheldeath · 23/10/2011 20:26

I like Shawlands, but then I'm not a west endy snob [hgrin]

There are parts that are definitely more desirable than others. All the flats around Trefoil Avenue are great. Relatively quiet but close to transport links/shops etc. Or if you want to be a bit swish look at Strathbungo (Just stunning-conservation area.)

You'll get more for your money-so it's easier to live! You don't want to be cooped up in a teeny flat. You are also next to the Glasshouses which are great for new parents and teenies.

IMHO W/End & children not an easy mix. I know others will DEFINITELY disagree Wink

AitchTwoOh · 23/10/2011 20:28

hahhh, all the people i know who live in the 'bungo dream of getting back here. Grin

betheldeath · 23/10/2011 20:32

I loved it... was all set to buy a house there but DH said the kitchen was too wee. I was SEETHING.

I liked how it was very quiet. Ended up in Clarkston but it's not far and more house for your money so I can't complain.

NormanTebbit · 23/10/2011 20:38

Kelvindale and North Kelvinside are less expensive than Hyndland. I live with my three DC in North Kelvinside and I love it. It's residential and while there are students, there are anough families/ professionals to stamp on any anti social behaviour.

Friends in Kelvindale really like it and the primary school is good I've heard.

AitchTwoOh · 23/10/2011 20:40

there was a big BBC-head exodus a few years back, poor bastards are now completely stranded and can't afford a room and kitchen in the west end.

i am baffled by the idea that children and the west end don't mix, i must say, what is it about the abundance of safe parks, children's groups, libraries, coffee shops, museum, outstanding nurseries/schools and brilliant public transport links that would put you off? Grin

PIMSoclock · 23/10/2011 20:44

Depends how long you are planning to stay there. Do you need to think about schools etc?
I stayed in Dumbarton road for a while in the whiteinch/scotston area. It's a stones throw away from all of the west end. But certainly not as costly. There is a lovely park, swimming pool and I loved going into Ashton lane for baby cinema and there were loads of baby massage classes mum and baby clubs etc.
I moved out of the west end before my oldest turned four as I wanted a house and garden decent school etc.
The new build in those areas are really nice and the area is not that bad. I never had any trouble. However when I lived on byres road my car was smashed and broken into 3 times and the noise from the pubs was terrible. Plus I could never get parked!!
I also stayed in a new build flat in hillhead. That was ok, but full of students and parking was included but only for one car.
I lived briefly on the southside and really didn't like it. I'm not a west end snob but I found it really rough.
Hth

AitchTwoOh · 23/10/2011 20:50

oh ignore the west end snob thing, ca c'est la jalousie, bien sur... Wink

NormanTebbit · 23/10/2011 21:00

And I quite like having the students around.

Op - if you can, stay around the WE it's a brilliant place with a baby, you will meet loads of people and your child's first word will be "babyccino"

betheldeath · 23/10/2011 21:10

Lol you can take the west-endy out of the west end but you can't take the west end out of the west-endy Wink

Nah, it's not for me. Don't mind going down for a day and visiting the wonderful made in the shade but couldn't stay at that end of town.

I was a city centre dweller previously so clearly loving the South Side for a change.... but it's competitive parenting at it's worst.

Although equally as entertaining as the 'knit your own lentils' lot in the w/end.

Actually, an acquaintance of mine has a fab blog. She was a staunch w/ender and misses it so- but moved to Dennistoun to get a bigger place for her family. She always knows the interesting things happening around Glasgow preciouseast.wordpress.com/

AitchTwoOh · 23/10/2011 21:15

lovely blog, but i note that she takes her kids to school in the west end every day... Grin

NormanTebbit · 23/10/2011 21:23

I know her. She's a laugh Grin

betheldeath · 23/10/2011 21:31

Haha yeah as I said you can take the west endy out of the west end....
I think everyone knows someone that knows her. I always see her at odd wee crafty events. I think she set up the Garnethill WI as well.

AitchTwoOh · 23/10/2011 21:41

with all your west endy chat, bethel, it sounds like you have a teeny chip on your shoulder... Grin

betheldeath · 23/10/2011 22:02

Lol. No. Couldn't be further from the truth. Grin
Southside is awesome, and doesn't have it's own pretend accent!

NormanTebbit · 23/10/2011 22:05

I'm intrigued (and English) what is the pretend accent???

I actually find the WE fairly down to earth - have you ever been to Brighton?

giggly · 24/10/2011 00:11

giraffe, how can you say Whiteinch is not so nice and in the same breath promote Scotstoun....unless you are in Scotstoun primary mummy mafiaWink

no midden fires here in Whiteinch and we even have our own wee cosy school.

giraffesCantDookForApples · 24/10/2011 00:43

Depends which part of Scotstoun! Although I do get to see lots of firemen! Giggly my neighbour moved from here to Whiteinch and was murdered, and whiteinch was where that terrorist was living Wink Sometimes we get drunks using our close as a pub. But then 2 min up road is where some rather famous Dr couple lived before they moved to England so can't be that bad! Oh and if there is nothing on the TV in the eve travel on the 62 bus - guarenteed entertainment for less than £3!

I switch between my Bearsen accent and my very Glaswegian accent depending on the situation I am in, I don't even know I am doing it most of the time!

Original poster
imissbrie · 24/10/2011 02:24

I don't like the idea of the competitive parents aaaand also (dare I say it) I don't want to raise a child to be snobby and have a west end accent. HOWEVER, I think the accent thing is more a student or err older person thing. And me and my friends who've lived in the W. End for years aren't snobs so there's hope yet! Just the idea of competitive power mums is a bit daunting! But I'm getting ahead of myself!

OP posts:
suzikettles · 24/10/2011 12:17

Well I live in the West End and I'm not a competitive power mum and neither are any of my friends (don't think I could keep up with a competitive power mum friend - it sounds exhausting Grin).

I don't live in "nice" West End (we're in Yorkhill), but one of the things I like about it is the wide mix of people from lots of different backgrounds living more or less side by side.

lizziebennet · 24/10/2011 13:35

Leaving aside the WE/SS bunfight.....what about Thornwood - those nice 1930's flats with the porthole-type window? Easy walking to the shops at Broomhill and still walkable to Byres Road, but much cheaper than WE central.

lizziebennet · 24/10/2011 13:36

Also, apparently the storage space in those flats is unbelievable.

Jergens · 24/10/2011 20:23

I'd avoid a top floor with a baby if at all possible. Not fun carrying baby and all their stuff up and down the stairs. We moved from our top floor tenement in Shawlands (which I loved) to a house in Newlands whilst pregnant (which i love even more). We also looked in Strathbungo which is lovely but have really narrow sidewalks - can't push pram down them!

Not sure if you have a car but west end and Shawlands can be terrible for parking. This becomes even more important when your lugging baby and baby paraphernalia about.

Also, loads of baby things going on south side. Gymboree, Baby Sensory, Imagifun, baby massage, Buggyfit, waterbabies, and many more!

macsaid · 24/10/2011 21:10

I have never heard of a separate west end accent. My personal experience of the west end is as one of the most diverse and inclusive communities in Glasgow where an individual's accent would be accepted as part and parcel of the mixture which makes up one of the most interesting, creative and dynamic districts in Glasgow.

I am actually quite gobsmacked to discover that individauls are still judged by their accents especially in the west end of Glasgow - home and workplace to many of the most important thinkers and academics in Scotland.

AitchTwoOh · 24/10/2011 21:15

let me help you with the gobsmacking thing... it's bullshit. there is no west end accent... and if there is, someone better tell the (off the top of my head) libyans, iraquis, lithuanians, hungarians, italians, canadians, americans and somalis who hang around in our local park that they're not fitting in properly. i'm not even counting the various hues and sounds of the weegies, from way back and more recently immigrated... Grin

tbh that is my problem with the rest of the city, much as i love glasgow. there just aren't enough different faces elsewhere imo.

macsaid · 25/10/2011 09:20

...thank goodness for that aitch, was a bit worried that we had gone back to the dark ages when ignorant attitudes to certain accents were the norm.

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