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Original poster

Jesmond or Gosforth

51 replies

user1485263432 · 25/09/2017 16:16

Relocating to Newcastle, don't know the area at all, please help! Been told the best areas for families are Jesmond and Gosforth, is that correct? I don't drive so want somewhere accessible with good schools - any suggestions would be great. Thanks so much

OP posts:
Teenageromance · 26/09/2017 14:39

Why not look further out - there are much better areas (less built up) and better schools. Try the coast - Whitley bay and tynemouth and also look at Ponteland. You would get a really nice house with lots of garden on your budget in both these places

Northumberlandlass · 26/09/2017 16:57

I'm further down the Tyne Valley......You'd get a great house for that money!

Pluckedpencil · 26/09/2017 17:11

If it was me, and I lived there ten years, and if I had the budget,
i would go, in order, Tynemouth, Gosforth, certain little bits of Jesmond, and then probably Low Fell. Ponteland is full of millionaire's houses set back on leafy roads, and from what I can see, not much else. But it is very near the airport if that is a consideration, and the houses are beautiful if you like McMansions.

Ninjakittysmells · 26/09/2017 18:44

I was coming on to say tynemouth / Whitley bay (and some parts of North Shields that border tynemouth) BUT also, hexham! Love it there too, think it was voted one of the loveliest places to live at one point.

Northumberlandlass · 27/09/2017 08:56

Hexham
West End - near busy road

West End - quiet estate

Good area - no garden

good area

just some ideas further down the valley!

Original poster
user1485263432 · 27/09/2017 11:08

Thanks so much, I hope everyone in Newcastle is as friendly as you lot!

OP posts:
asilikeit · 27/09/2017 11:13

Another one to say head to the coast- transport is great with either busses or metro getting you into Newcastle city centre within 30 min. Great schools down this way and still plenty to do with the benefit of being by the beach! Tynemouth, North Shields( as someone above said certain areas bordering tynemouth) monkseaton, cullercoats and Whitley bay. I wouldn't live anywhere else! Smile

Northumberlandlass · 27/09/2017 12:08

Everyone in NE is Grin
Hope you find what you are looking for!

Creambun2 · 30/09/2017 19:11

Avoid Jesmond. Full of annoying, ill behaved students even in some of the so called "best streets".

Not sure what the obsession some people have with Whitley bay too. Rubbish town centre and its like a war zone on the weekend and friday nights.

rainbowduck · 30/09/2017 19:18

I would avoid Gosforth (too close to Fawdon and Kenton) and concentrate more on Jesmond and High Heaton which are both lovely areas. Student heavy, but I am originally from Durham, so it doesn't phase me at all. In fact, I quite enjoy the energy students bring to the area.

Creambun2 · 30/09/2017 19:20

Yeah when I was there I loved the "energy" of people screaming and shouting at all hours, endless house parties and vomit and piss down the alley at the back of my terrace. Lovely.

rainbowduck · 30/09/2017 19:22

Ha! True... it's been a while, I might not be so tolerant these days. 🤣

pootlepootle · 30/09/2017 20:19

seriously disappointed that no one has mentioned Fenham........

Creambun2 · 30/09/2017 20:49

Fenham is rough and cheaper for a reason.

WheresMyTaco · 30/09/2017 21:09

Thank god. I thought this was a baby names thread

rainbowduck · 30/09/2017 21:30

Wheresmytaco GrinGrin

rainbowduck · 30/09/2017 21:37

But on a serious note, DH's family live in South Gosforth. In the two years we lived there, we were burgled, car broken into, garage broken into and motorbike stolen, nails put beneath tires, someone even STOLE our dog!!! (And had the cheek to argue with me that she wasn't mine!)

The final straw for me was when some kids got a fridge shelf, tied it with string to our fence and then used it to smash every single panel in my new greenhouse.

We lived around the Salters Road area.

As I said earlier, am from the north east myself, lived in a few different areas without any hassle. But Gosforth was absolutely my worst and I would never ever go back.

Creambun2 · 30/09/2017 21:56

Wouldn't call salters road south gosforth tbh. I have lived on the freeman road side of sg metro and have had zero crime problens.

wonkylegs · 30/09/2017 21:59

We lived just off Gosforth high street until a few years ago and never had any issues with crime or anti-social behaviour in the 10 years we were there. We still have an awful lot of friends in the area. The only issue we had was parents -abandoning their cars in the middle of the road- parking/ dropping off their kids. Oh and once a teenager graffitied the yard gate but his mum made him come back and paint over it.

We've moved to a 'quiet' village and crime & anti social behaviour seem to be rife, it's been a bit of an eye opener.

Fenham - bits are quite nice, other bits are a bit rough, I had my first house there and it was nice with lovely friendly neighbours. I had no problems there even when my idiot lodger left the front door open and went away for the weekend Angry
I don't think it has as good schools or facilities and there are only buses no metro, which let it down on the connectivity front so wouldn't necessarily recommend in your circumstances

AccrualIntentions · 01/10/2017 16:45

Gosforth is a big area. I've lived near High West Jesmond with zero problems, I know people who live more over Fawdon/Kenton way who have had loads of problems. But every suburb of Newcastle can be like that. I second the PP who says there's a good reason Fenham is cheaper...

YouTheCat · 04/10/2017 20:56

Another vote for High Heaton. I wouldn't touch Jesmond or Heaton as, although they are nice, there are thousands of students.

From High Heaton you are in easy walking distance of some amazing parks. Transport links are frequent. The primary schools are very good too.

gwhizz75 · 05/10/2017 09:30

I would head to the coast if I was you - next to the beach but also just a 20 minute drive/train into the city centre. You'll get way more for your money than you would in Gosforth and I agree with others re: the issues with students in Jesmond and Heaton.

I'm not sure when Creambun was last in Whitley Bay on a Friday night but there are actually very few bars left so it's much quieter on weekends now. The area is going through somewhat of a revival at the minute, lots of money being spent renovating the seafront and the dome and lots of fab new restaurants popping up. There's Omni, Elder and Wolf, Hinnies, Kith and Kin... and Papa Ganoush are about to open their first restaurant here too (they do delicious middle eastern street food). There are also some lovely micro pubs like the Left Luggage Room at one of the metro stations and lots of amazing cake shops/deli shops/bakeries.

I agree that the town centre itself needs a lot of regeneration, but Park View which is one of the main shopping streets is lovely. I think the area is going to continue to improve over the next few years so you could bag yourself a bargain if you moved here now! I don't have children but know that the schools are great and there's a nice sense of community in the area at the minute with all the changes that are going on.

I have lived in Gosforth too and it is lovely but overpriced. There isn't that much going on on the high street (some nice pubs) but the proximity to town is a plus. Tynemouth is beautiful but again, you don't get much for your money and to be honest, it's getting to be a victim of it's own success as lots of people head over there for food/drinks at the weekend so it gets really busy. They don't tend to be a lairy crowd! But everything's so close together on one little street so it kind of feels even busier than it is.

Sorry for the sales pitch Blush It's just a really nice residential area and having lived round Monkseaton/Whitley Bay most of my life, it's lovely to see it start to thrive again.

Flowershower · 07/10/2017 10:48

Gateshead is nice too - look at places like Whickham, Ryton, Low Fell, Rowlands Gill. You get more for your money, commute isn't far and the schools are good.

OpheIiaBaIIs · 13/10/2017 09:32

We lived around the Salters Road area

That's not actually South Gosforth - SG is over the High Street and further east, near the Metro station. Salters Road is quite studenty and (at the top end) closer to less desirable areas. South Gosforth, OTOH, is lovely. The area between the Metro station and Matthew Bank is very family orientated and there are some fantastic houses.

Agree with pps who suggest Tynemouth/Whitley Bay. Tynemouth is especially lovely - lots of little coffee shops, gorgeous houses and of course the coast. So easy to get into Newcastle too - lots of buses and regular Metros.

Jesmond I'd avoid. Too studenty and gets horribly busy in term-time. Also the bars and clubs on Osborne Road are a magnet for hens and stags.

Re Gosforth schools - DD went to Gosforth Academy and did very well there. Gosforth Central middle school has a good reputation but the staff are unpleasant and unsympathetic to bullying. DD was terribly unhappy there.

Original poster
user1485263432 · 06/03/2018 13:05

Thanks so much everyone you’ve been amazing. That’s our house on the market now, so we’re going to start looking - thanks so much for all the suggestions

OP posts: