Withington Manchester: Dangerous or Delightful?

[fireworkprincess88]

Hello everyone,

I am moving to Manchester from Paris and am trying to find the perfect area to rent a property in.

I have am expecting a baby, and my husband and I will be working in Manchester (near Pidcadilly Gardens).

We want to be able to get to work (Piccadilly), in 20 minutes, even in rush hour. To feel safe, and be near green space that I can go for nice walks in alone. And it would be great to have a high street with some nice bars and places to eat.

I have seen the most beautiful little house in Withington. It’s an adorable Victorian that has recently been renovated, with a private garden that I can just imagine playing with the baby in. Getting to work looks very simple by car and public transport. However, I have seen an article online that says Withington has the highest amount of robberies In Manchester (Didsbury being the second) and people get mugged their all the time. Is this true? Does anyone live there? Do you feel safe?

I’d really like to be able to walk safely and freely alone without worry, like I do in Paris currently (the area I live in is very safe- I’ve been here five years and never felt threatened or heard of a neighbor get robbed).

I can’t seem to find another place with a quick commute to work.

Altrincham has the most beautiful houses, green space, nice high street, but it’s way too far for us from work. Can take up to an hour in the car in rush hour and we are just not wanting to commute for two hours a day. Or 45 mins on the tram (30 mins tram then 10 min walk plus 5).

Chorlton is an easier commute to work, and it has a nice high street, and some park, but there really are not many rental options available at all, everything on right move looks horrible, because it’s very popular I don’t think nice places come up often. The places available look tiny and a bit studenty.

Thanks everyone :)

*there - oops

Altrincham is by far the ‘nicest’ of the areas mentioned but also by far the most expensive. Schools are great - the commute on the tram isn’t that bad as it’s the terminus, so you would get a seat.

Withington is absolutely safe, but not as say leafy and middle class. It’s a vibrant area though with lots of cafes etc. Also depending on which bit of withington you can easily walk to Burton Road which is a high street full of independent bars and restaurants. Check the street carefully as you do get student houses there.

Chorlton somewhere in between the two - very family friendly, more urban than Altrincham, but again loads to do.

All the areas listed are safe and I’ve actually lived in all of them - never felt nervous walking around. Will flag though burglary rates higher in chorlton and withington, but not so much it will impact on day to day life.

Didsbury have the most burglaries because people have the most to steal, not because it's rough. It's dead dead posh.

Withington is a place people buy in when they can't afford Chorlton or Didsbury (it's in between them). Some roads are lovely, parts of it are a massive council estate which ranges from scary to nice, and parts of it are practically Moss Side.

Anywhere on the tram is on the up. Buy near the tram.

Nowhere is actually dangerous or rife with muggings - what you do get that certain areas like Fallowfield, Withington, Longsight are full of students and student lets. Muggers tend to target foreign students who walk home alone late at night, on their phone, not paying attention. I have only ever really heard about this happening to students, they get targeted.

Burglary rates can be higher in certain areas like above poster said, but it’s because they are affluent suburbs in the vicinity of poorer/urban areas. It’s inevitable but definitely not rife.

Both Chorlton and Withington would be fine. Altrincham is lovely too but commute a lot longer and commuting by car a nightmare.

I really would recommend Chorlton or Didsbury but Chorlton is a bit more spacious and easy to walk around in. But if lets are hard to come by in Chorlton there is nothing wrong with Withington at all. Try to ignore the crime rates, it’s honestly not the sort of thing that would likely affect you as a couple/family.

All the places you’ve mentioned are absolutely fine.

I lived in Manchester for 12 years. Withington for 8 of them. It’s mostly fine, there’s some nice shops and restaurants. I would have preferred to have lived in didsbury or chorlton or Heaton moor, which are generally posher with better high streets but the rent reflects that. We chose withington because we could afford a nicer property and it’s a stones throw away from didsbury. Crime rates are high throughout Manchester and south Manchester has a high proportion of students so there’s a lot of burglaries. We never got burgled in withington but did many times when we were in fallowfield- which is literally next door to withington. There are areas of withington that are less nice than others. The side that stretches in the direction of moss side with the two big circle estates (I’ve forgotten the name) I would avoid. The part that runs towards east and west didsbury is nicer. And the part that stretches to ladybarn is ok to. Traffic isn’t great in rush hour. Not sure if you are using public transport or driving but I worked at the university and I would say on the bus it was 30 minutes average from withington to there- so more like 45 into the city Center during rush hour.

Old Moat Estate

Is that a place to avoid?

It’s not the best area but it’s not terrible. There are a lot worse places in Manchester. The thing with withington- like many areas in south Manchester is that one street seems fine and then literally two streets over it isn’t. I lived at the junction of parsonage and wilmslow road which if you look on a map doesn’t seem that far from old most estate but it those two areas are quite different. I’m not a huge fan of old moat park though.

Oh, sorry, that was a bit cryptic. I was replying to the previous poster who said "The side that stretches in the direction of moss side with the two big circle estates (I’ve forgotten the name) I would avoid." to say that place is called the Old Moat Estate.

They are 1950s houses, not Victorian terraces, though, so it won't be where you looked. And sorry, I missed that you were renting, so ignore my rubbish about buying near the tram.

I'd agree with the advice to pick a house near a tram stop.. Don't drive into Manchester... Its very congested so slow even if close and car parks are expensive.

The 20 minute limit is a little unrealistic to be honest... Unless you live right in centre of Manchester in a flat and he walks to work. Not great when baby is older.

Have you dismissed Whitefield and prestwich around Heaton Park?

Thank you all so much for your tips and advice. I really appreciate it.

@happytoday73 it is feeling like the 20 min commute isn’t going to work unless we live in the center as you say. I haven’t looked to Whitefield or Prestwich so will check those out.

@lojoko thanks for the advice, I looked up that estate and it does seem quite close to the house.

@Zippy1510 I know what you mean about one street being nice and another being a bit dodgy.

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate your time and advice 😊

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-74262637.html

Too expensive? Good location though. Equidistant between two tram stops and all those green spaces - plus great restaurants on Barlow Moor Road.

Google claims 20 minutes Firswood to Picadilly at rush hour.

@lojoko urgh this house is the absolute dreaaammmm! Our budget is 1k per month... but I’d love to stretch it for a place like that

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-57243975.html

This is a lovely location if you don’t mind a 2 bed

@tigger03 that is a lovely little house, we would be happy with something like that. It’s currently under offer but I’ve messaged the agent just in case - and at least it shows that things like that do come up on Chorlton- just need to keep my eyes peeled!

And thank you for sending @Tigger03

How about Urmston? I lived in Withington actually on the Old moat estate and we got burgled several times and ended up having to move. I also lived in Chorlton which I really didn't like it's so crowded and there is one nice big Park there but I wouldn't say it's a leafy place to live. It's really mixed you could have really grotty neighbours or really lovely neighbours. Didsbury as mentioned is very expensive but a nice place to live. Altrincham and sale and Timperley are all really lovely safe places with lots of green spaces. But you say they are too far out. Trouble is the closer you get to the city centre the more crime there is and the less greenery.

You should consider Monton. It is a village in the suburbs. Very well served for green spaces and has good tram and rail connections to MCR. I used to live there until recently and it is a good place to be with growing children. Lots to recommend it.

Not a problem! Parking round there can be a bit tight but it’s a really pretty, vibrant area.

@Campervan69 is right to suggest urmston....lots of local independent shops, restaurants etc... But there is very little to rent. Its about 14 minutes on a very congested, often late, train into Manchester Oxford Rd. Would then need to walk to pic gardens.

Many get the fast bus (x58) instead or tram to Stretford mall and then bus... Not faster but often less hassle...

Have a look at Heaton Mersey, Heaton Chapel & Heaton Moor, tram & train stations on your doorstep. Lovely coffee shops, restaurants, parks & schools. Great area for raising a family