Portobello

[Hottoddy1]

Anyone live in Portobello? What is it like for a family? I have fantasies about living near the beach and have heard anecdotally it is a friendly area, anyone with first hand experience? Is the high st rough in the evenings at all? Also any insider knowledge about schools. Family with kids aged 1 and 3 and contemplating a move there but it’s pricy and wondering if it’s nice enough under the surface to justify the price tag! Any experiences welcome.

Lovely, slightly arty area, great community, prices lower than equivalents elsewhere in Edinburgh due to rough areas surrounding (portobello / Joppa itself not rough) BUT the schools don't compare to those in south Edinburgh or Trinity. I'm sure some people will come on to disagree with me here but that would put me off moving there as much as I love the area!

It's twenty years since I left Porty (dh work) and I would go back in a heartbeat. It was a fantastic place to raise kids, ds1 was a babe in arms when we moved, ds2 was born at the Eastern General (now closed, I think). Both went to Towerbank Nursery and primary, which may not have been the very best but certainly didn't attract any complaints so far as I knew.

We were in Bath Street so very central, everything you needed was within walking distance (though a Big Shop meant Asda at the Jewel, that's probably changed now) including Findlays, the award winning butcher next to the police station. (He's still there, you must try the haggis.) There were two pubs at the foot of the street back then, the Marine and the Beachcomber, but it was still pretty quiet of a weekend night. It's a very safe place, the neighbours were friendly, lots of "Hello"s when you walked down the High Street.

I loved living there, but it's a bit posher now and we couldn't afford to buy the place we used to live in these days. Just as well we're happy on the west coast. :)