Didsbury or Wilmslow? Or some other recommendations...

[k4mi]

DH, DD and I are looking to relocate from SE London to Manchester shortly which we are excited about. Priorities are:

Good primary schools

Not feeling like our life is over because we have left the big smoke...ie would like to be near some cafes, bars, restaurants, cinema, exercise classes etc but but obviously would be happy to drive a short distance to some of these things.

Garden/outdoor space for kids

Easy ish to commute into Manchester and get train to London (happy to commute up to 30 mins or so/drive that to train station)

We ideally need a 3/4 bed for approx £330-350k. From research looks like this should be do-able if we are happy to go for a more modern semi in Didsbury particularly (which we would be).

I would like to hear opinions on what differs between these two areas? is one more 'family' than the other? Also are there any other (perhaps smaller) areas / villages that would be easily accessible to either of the above / central Manchester that we should also look at? We don't know the areas that well so would value some local advice.

Thanks very much.

I think it also depends on what kind of people you are.
Chorlton (where I live) has a more alternative feel, lots of young families (the children are young), professionals, and pugs. Very gay friendly, lots of beards, not many students. There are good primaries but secondary is not so good IMO. (Chorlton c of e is excellent, and you don't need to g to the church)
Didsbury is young couples and families, students and yummy mummies. Good primaries, I don't think the high schools are too good. Nice restaurants, bars and vibe.
Hale (yawn) amazing schools both primary and secondary, but it can cost half a million for a 3 bed terrace and you won't get much of a garden or parking. You may also die of boredom or at least I would.
The heatons and knutsford are (I hear) lovely but I don't know first hand.
Welcome to the north!

My family are all down south and tease us about the weather, but it is the unpredictability that amuses them most. However, they admire our and our offspring's attitude having been out feeling like they are the only people who have noticed downpours that would have cleared any park in Surrey. Also good fun is, experiencing said downpour in Surrey and being the only parent with a full set of cagoules that are never removed from the buggy!

I like Chorlton, Didsbury's massive road through the middle gets me down, same with lots of other village-y centres. Chorlton centre is more broken up, so less focus on the transport routes.

Willian Hulme Grammar might be a possibility from here:

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/31444307?search_identifier=9a7c00a8f4259df931ddf837d769f5e8

Roads around Longford Park are good value too, or the roads off Ryebank Rd and the very south end of Seymour Grove too.

Was the huuuge thread on this my 'ohforfoxsakes'?

There are two big threads on moving to Manchester -

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/695442-Moving-to-Manchester-and-I-have-no-idea-where-to

local.mumsnet.com/Talk/local_manchester/1098585-Moving-with-Beeb-relocation-to-Salford-quays-Anyone-else

Where do you live in SE London and what is/do you like your lifestyle to be like?

My BFF (and family) moved from S London to Wilmslow 10 years ago. She found the readjustment pretty tricky.

Wilmslow seems to be full of very aspirational younger adults and true blue older people. More Bromley-style

Didsbury is cooler and more urban - more Brixton (but with less of an ethnic-mix)

Sorry, just seen that you are in ED.

Wilmslow is a very naice area

Sale, altrincham and hale are your best areas for primaries. I live in Sale and we love it. I have about 6 outstanding primary schools within a mile. Lots of activities for kids locally. Tram takes about 20 mins into Manchester town centre.

We live in Cheshire and when i was younger i always wished i lived in Didsbury because Richard and Judy lived there

Didsbury, urban? bigTillyMint
More 'yummy mummy' than urban I'd say. I lived there before moving to Sale. If you like that kind of thing, go towards West Didsbury. Didsbury village is full of crappy chain bars and gets quite rowdy on a weekend night (there are some nice little shops but it's better in the day imo).

I have a friend who worked in a school in Wythenshawe, and she told me that an amount of kids from Didsbury ended up in Wythenshawe schools because they are so oversubscribed. If you pay for a Didsbury postcode, you definitely won't want your kids going to school in Wythenshawe.

Wilmslow/Knutsford is very 'naice'. I can't bear it personally.

Hale is similar but a bit less so iykwim. Altrincham is nice, the town centre is a bit run down but the council is starting to invest money to bring it back to life again. Sale is the best all round imo.

Lots of parks around all these areas and Dunham Massey (Nat Trust) is a popular Sunday afternoon walk.

All these areas are popular with families and the commute into Manchester by car isn't pleasant. The tram is much quicker. Dh works in town and it took him 45 mins at least to get form town to Sale. He has started using the tram and it takes 15 mins (plus a walk to and from the stop which is about 10 mins but it's much less stressful). Trams get busy but no more so than the tube at rush hour (lived in London for 8 years so know how bad it gets)

mama, it's been a while since I've been to Didsbury - I'm sure you are right Have to agree with you re Wilmslow/Knutsford! And I agree, it's a drag into Mancs on the train. Easy to get to London though

bigTilly Didsbury used to be hip but it's deteriorated recently. There are one or two decent pubs but overshadowed by the Varsity/Slug & Lettuce's of this world. West Didsbury has half decent pubs but the attitude of the locals leave me cold.

saying that, I lived in Brixton about 13 years ago so it may well have upped it's game and be like didsbury these days.... totally unhelpful to the OP though!

Mama, Brixton is still pretty edgy! They have redeveloped the market as Brixton Village with lots of cool bars and cafes and restaurants and the area around the Ritzy has been redone.

I spend a lot of time in Brixton & Didsbury - I wouldn't say they were that similar I much prefer Brixton

Sounds better bigTilly. When I lived there we had junkies doing heroin in the garden and defacating in the bin shed. Also going for a meal and the restaurant went into lockdown as someone started waving a gun around! I only managed a year before moving back to North London!

There are some great areas and you've got some fab advice...but just to throw something else into the mix, have you considered north Manchester? I'm in Prestwich and love it. More house for your money up here and still a great community feel and good schools, plus easy commute and near some lovely countryside.

Was also going to say, there is a north Manchester you know! Can't believe no one has mentioned Ramsbottom. Don't worry, we'll keep it to ourselves

Ha! Yes. It's often overlooked isn't it - Ramsbottom, Tottington, Edenfield...some lovely areas. Shh ;)

We killed the thread!!

Ha ha! I love in SM but I love NM too - Prestwich, Rammy etc. I used to go out with someone from Simister- it was really nice.

Can't beat the schools in Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme. Nice villages, bars, restaurants and coffee shops. John Lewis, m&s, etc just down the road. Manchester direct on the train, 20 mins to Trafford Centre and airport. I think Bramhall was named Britains happiest village wasn't it? £325k will get you an estate style 4 bed detached or a more interesting 3/4 bed semi. If you fancy a bit more countryside there is a bit further along point on, Macclesfield or even up to Highlane/Disley with Lyme Park round the corner. Bit of a pain with the A6 though.

Thought I'd update this after a visit up North this weekend. After all your advice we looked at Knutsford, Hale, Chortlon, Didsbury and the Heatons and I think we have settled on the Heatons. Heaton Moor seemed exactly what we are after, more villagey / green that Didsbury but still close too town / not remote feeling. Saw some great houses but nothing quite right and so the search can properly start now. Thanks for all your tips!

You checked out a good range of areas (in terms of different types etc). If we were more urban then Heaton Moor would be one of my top - lovely parade of shops/going out places and better housing stock than some other areas. All the best finding somewhere.

Oooh might see you soon then? Houses seems to be flying off the shelves recently , one just up the road from us went up last week, checked today sold!!!

Sure you will get sorted soon- good luck!!

Hi, just wondering if you made the move as we are considering this move, one child in primary the other has just started secondary