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Original poster

Im moving, but I cant decide where to move to..............

25 replies

busybusybee · 04/04/2006 15:22

To put it bluntly my dh is leaving me. We will both need to move from where we currently live SOON. I have little money/savings so it looks like council/housing assoc is the only option.

Thats not really the issue though!
The problem is the choice I am facing - Should I opt to move to town 'A' where there are lots of great things to do - seafront, park, museum, better shopping, better links to nearby city etc. But where the locals are on very low incomes, high unemployment, drugs/crime problems

Or should I pick town 'B' which has nothing much to do - except shopping, ie no interesting places to go/ park etc (I dont drive either so wont be able to get about that easily) but where there is much greater affluence amongst the people who live there

Im sorry if that sounds really snobby - I dont mean it to. Previously I lived on a mega huge council estate for three years. And for three years I felt like the only veggie/ uni educated/ broadsheet newspaper reading /radio 4 listener in the entire world.

Im feel like this decision will determine my future happiness.

What would you do??? Town A or B

OP posts:
compo · 04/04/2006 15:44

I think given that you are looking at council/housing accommodation you will probably have to go with whatever is available unless you can wait and save up

Kelly1978 · 04/04/2006 15:49

b, especially if you are going to have to live in council housing. IME council housing in places like A usually isn't pleasent. Can you get public transport from B to get to palces?

NomDePlume · 04/04/2006 15:52

B

Carmenere · 04/04/2006 15:53

B, the worst house in the best street is always better than the best house in the worst street.

MrsBadger · 04/04/2006 15:56

B
you will find interesting things to do, even if they're not immediately obvious now. The difference in school standards (don't know if this is an issue yet) will favour B as well, however unfair that is.

moyasmum · 04/04/2006 16:37

B
I think you really know this yourself, Don't you?

spacedonkey · 04/04/2006 16:40

city council/HA housing isn't always horrible - I live in a HA flat in Earl's Court and it's lovely. I would go for the town you like the most. Of course, not knowing where we are talking about, it's hard to say.

Original poster
busybusybee · 04/04/2006 21:39

Thankyou for all of your replies - much appreciated

I am still really confused what to do though!
Town A has so many more things to do, and its by the sea! Schools wise a large percentage of the children in most of the schools have free school meals - which i have read is a very good indicator of what the school is like etc. I cant find the stats for the school I am interested in but the two neighbouring schools have 39% and 49% free school meals Shock

Town B on the other hand seems so boring in comparison - very little in the town to do. But only 5-25% free school meals in the schools. And the residents are described as having average to above average income.

You are right town b seems like the better choice, schools wise and people wise. But town A is definitely more interesting in every other way I can think of right now

This is so hard...............

OP posts:
notasheep · 04/04/2006 22:34

I am a bit confused here!!!!!!!!!

I couldnt figure out what was what from your info!

ItalianJob · 04/04/2006 22:36

I'm going to go a bit against the grain here - I'm going to say Town A as if Town B not only has little to do there, but you're going to find it difficult to get anywhere there is something more interesting to do, that is going to be a bit demoralising.

bossykate · 04/04/2006 22:37

i'd go for A - for all the reasons you've mentioned. plus i live in an area that is v. mixed socially high and v. low incomes, drugs, crime, prostitution - but actually those disadvantages affect our daily lives v. little, whereas we reap the benefits of the advantages very frequently.

hope that makes sense and good luck with your decision.

bossykate · 04/04/2006 22:39

sorry i forgot to consider the schools thing.

well, fsm is one thing, and it is an important indicator, but only one. e.g. if your children were in a school with say 50% fsm and average results, compared to a school with 5% fsm and average results, then imho the first school would be the better one... so if it were me i would decide on school on a range of factors.

notasheep · 04/04/2006 22:41

Poor farmers=free school dinners!

jamiesam · 04/04/2006 22:43

What are the prospects of you being able to get a better job in town B (in time I guess) than in town A to enable you to get a car and therefore access to the facilities of town A ?

Or - can you find one nice area and school in town A that you can live with.

I suspect I would go with town B as it appears to have better prospects for you - doing 'great things' would just have to be a great treat at the end of a train/bus ride instead of a spur of the moment thing at the end of the school day???

Original poster
busybusybee · 05/04/2006 15:21

Thankyou for your replies everyone - Notasheep I have emailed you to explain the confusion. Your town is town C!!!!!

Town C I would love to live in. But it is remote and tiny! But has a fantastic MA/PGdip course i would love to do - which would definitely give me better job prospects.

I have filled out the form and put both towns down on the wish list. Ill leave it up to the people who make decisions to decide what the future holds for me!

ATM though I want to live in town A - I think!

OP posts:
Rhubarb · 05/04/2006 15:22

I'm going to Cumbria, it was voted on Mumsnet as the best place to live with kids!

wessexgirl · 05/04/2006 15:44

Free school meals don't say anything about the school - it says that lots of people in the area are on income support, but that doesn't mean the school is bad.

I live in a seaside town with a largely seasonal low-wage economy but it's a fantastic place to bring up children. Socially there is a great mix, there are bags of things to see and do, people are friendly and approachable and you can't beat walking down the esplanade on a sunny day (as I just have) with a little one jumping on your shadow behind you.

Sure Start & other government agencies will provide activities and there will be more housing available, presumably, so you'll get more of a choice. I live in an area which is a mix of council and private housing and have never had any problems. Everywhere is different though, so I guess it might not be the same in Town A.

But only go for dormitory suburbia if you really like that kind of environment. I couldn't handle it (& I'm a veggie, uni, Guardian, R4 type myself Wink).

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

notasheep · 05/04/2006 16:32

Got your e mail-to be honest i have never been to Town A and I am not keen on Town B at all,a bit dull and nothingness

MrsBadger · 05/04/2006 17:38

You're braver than me if you've never been to town A but still want to live there - would at least do a day trip to see if it's how I imagined it...

MrsBadger · 05/04/2006 17:39

doh - sorry, realised it's busybee who's moving, so it doesn't matter where notasheep has been or not been.

Am just having a Day of Incompetence Blush.

Original poster
busybusybee · 06/04/2006 19:58

Notasheep - Yes thats just it!!!!!! Town B is dull and full of nothingness
TBH it bores me senseless. The shops are fine but beyond that there is very little to do. Economically it is supposedly better than Town A but I went there today and really didnt notice that the people were any different tbh!

So Town A it is folks - I sent the application forms for council housing off today - Town A has a long list of ticked boxes, only one for Town B.

I have yet to find the inspection report for the school I hope ds will go to so cant study the results yet to see if Bossykates theory is a good one

OP posts:
Skribble · 06/04/2006 20:13

TBH I would go for what suits the kids best, you can always move when they are older and get bus to town A when you want to do stuff, rest of the time they will be at school for large percetage of day and possibly playing out with school pals. Perhaps schools would be the main consideration for me.

I would look at the areas in each town that are in your price bracket at all times of the day, town A may seem lively and interesting but where do the teenagers hang out and get in to trouble. Where I live in a very small village looks lovely and quite but at night there are up to 20 teenagers roaming about and hanging about across the street from us.

Skribble · 06/04/2006 20:15

OOps I am saying price bracket and you are looking at council, and cross post i see you have decided, why not apply to both areas and see what you get offered.

bubblerock · 06/04/2006 20:40

Having moved from a town similar to B, to Blackpool, which is similar to A, I would definately go for A - much more fun, lots to do, people are skint but friendly, school is actually very good... I'm happy anyway Grin

notasheep · 06/04/2006 21:26

busybusybee-Nothingness,now i like that word,hit the nail on the head eh!

hope it all works out,I am in a rented house at the moment but the Landlady has put it up for sale,so its all a bit stressful!

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