Northern Ireland Mums I need your advice

[lookingforwardtospring]

Apologies for posting on this board but I know some of the NI crew hang out here!

I'm possibly relocating from London to NI within the next year and I need recommendations from you regarding where to live! I just don't know where to start. We need to be within commuting distance of Belfast, not too rural, in a nice town with good park, school, shops etc. Was thinking of the Co Down area, ideally, although would also consider parts of Co Antrim (not too far north tho with regard to commute!). DH is nervous about the move as he worries about the weather (and he is not wrong!) but I know that there are many other great things about the place that would make up for this

Any top tips and recommendations would be welcomed hugely

x-posted there sorry. I have three, youngest will be 2 in a few weeks so tantrums becoming very familiar occurence around here again!

Rojak, yes, the campus is massive now.. I am in 2nd year & still get lost But that could be blamed on my useless sense of direction

don't talk to me about 2yr old tantrums, that boy of mine is a master at them!!

ds2 currently having screaming fit on my knee

ds @ c/minder getting broke in for me going back to Uni on Monday

dd here as she is ill.

Awww, hope she's better soon fireflyfairy2

hi there back again
I am about 7 miles from Belfast city centre towards Comber but have lived in South and East and central Belfast and north Down before.
I am no stranger to Lavery's gin palace.

Know lots of estate agents if that's any help although propertynews.com is pretty good.Can give you the name of a friend estate agent if you need specific help. he would be a good person to chat to about areas and what you could get in your budget.

Holywood has a lovely nursery school( kind of little town where people walk with kids rather than drive).It also has a number of good schools Helen's Bay has a Montessori Nursery but you would really have to drive to any school/shop.( only a chemist and sub Post office)
Belmont / Ballyhackamore in east belfast (suburbs) has 3 lovely Infant schools with nursery age places.Belmont Greenwood and Dundela. The area is full of local shops and seems to be a new cafe or restaurant opening up daily.( and recently a mini M&S) It is very popular with young families probably because of good schools( grammar secondary and integrated) although house prices often reflect this.

Right you NI lot-do you want to meet up? Or shall we remain annonymous for ever?

We should have a meet up sometime really shouldn't we?? I'm busy now for a couple of hours but if I get the chance I'll bump this tonight.

WELL, i'M UP FOR IT [GRIN]

oops caps

Wow Cremola - great stuff cheers! Yes, I would appreciate the details of your estate agent mate as it would be brill to chat to someone who knows what's what! Do you want to CAT me? Yes, you lot need to get some serious meet-ups going!

Thank you, everyone for all your marvellous help Just nipping into the kitchen to pour myself and DH some emergency wine - DD's bedtime tonight a complete 'mare ...

Northern Ireland being such a small place, we'll probably find out we all know each other already

Hi bethron, mine are 7,6 and nearly 2

sorry- back now but up to my oxters in stuff at the mo -so am too busy to mumsnet

anyway
LFTS i will see the aforementioned estate agent tomorrow as he is coming for dinner( also reason for being busy- that and finding big school for dd who just did her 11+) and will have a word with him about how best to get in touch with him- then i will CAT you on saturday if that's Ok. Cat me anytime -no bother.

re meet up - yes we will all know each other or you'll know someone I know- i am sure.
loopity if you went to the Cres and Lavs its a distinct possibilty i know you - although i am ancient so maybe not.
still i'm game if you are! should we wait for lfts to move here then?

That's brill - thanks Cremola and good luck with the dinner - what's on the menu?

I think you should get some boozy NI dinners going and hopefully I can tag along when we finally make it over! Although I'm a very cheap date these days

agree schools all very good.

there is a pull out property section in tonight's belfast telegraph .i can post it if you like- cat address
It would give you an idea of what's out there. just noticing terrifying prices BTW.
Masses of new development in every direction also.

menu entirely local produce! rather coincidentally!
mackerel salad with rhubarb
irish roast bacon with our own spuds and purple sprouting broccoli
cranachan- raspberry/whisky/oats & cream
cos it's near Burn's night.
i am having 12 people and a nervous breakdown- why do i do it?...

Cremolafoam, good luck for the dinner party - that menu sounds really yummy (made me hungry just reading it!) I cooked for 21 on Christmas day this year so know the feeling [totally stressed out emoticon]! However, enjoyed several large glasses of red wine once everything served up so chilled out pretty quickly, lol. Then spent the rest of the night hogging the mike on ds1's Singstar ps2 game

BTW, we could well know each other if we were both Lavery's/Crescent frequenters as I'm feeling pretty ancient these days too

Wow, thanks Cremola - will CAT you
Sorry for quick posting, at work today - it really does get in the way of my mumsnetting, arf!

Dinner party food sounds YUM

nice one lfts

now gotta do something with a mackerel
cu

Cremola, many thanks for the property pull-out - makes interesting reading! Think I am going to have to start doing the lottery! Seriously though, thanks a million, and also for the contact details which I'll follow up with. Will keep you posted!