Recommend somewhere to live. 1.5hrs from london

[wafflyversatile]

So I have a friend who is currently living in London and doesn't like it. He finds it too big and unfriendly. It's also, of course very expensive.

He is newish to the UK, from Africa. 20 years old. He is currently studying English and working part time. He should be able to transfer with his job. He is hoping to go to university in a year. He would like to stay close enough to London to visit relatively cheaply and easily. 2 hours max.
Ideal would be somewhere with an fe college and uni. Somewhere with reasonable rent or a real chance of getting a council flat. Somewhere friendly. Big enough for a night life. Somewhere with some ethnic diversity preferred. Hes been to Northampton but doesn't want to live there. He hasnt articulated why.

Where would this place be?

I can understand why he doesn't want to live in Northampton. It's a shit hole.

Has he thought about Milton Keynes?

I’d say Coventry but it’s much like Northampton and Reading

Doubtful he’d get social housing though as he’d be very low priority

Coventry.

Bedford? 45 mins on the train from London, good college, university, far cheaper housing than London (or Bristol), pretty big town, so adequate nightlife. Apparently the most multicultural town in the country...

I might add Portsmouth to the list (Reading would've been one of my other votes). It has a Uni, is relatively diverse, and you can get to London in under 2 hours. It also has a good mix of areas. Gosport is incredibly cheap rent for example. Or you could easily get a room with students in a house share in the centre...

Birmingham!

Forget the social housing aspect. You need several years residency to qualify to join most areas housing schemes.

He won't get social housing in any of the cities - complete non priority. How about looking into becoming a property guardian? I would also say Birmingham sounds suitable or Coventry - easy train to London and diverse so no integration issues.

Birmingham, Coventry or Leamington Spa if town is better than city.

NOT Nottingham. Nice parts are expensive and cheap ones are shit.

Leamington spa he doesn’t stand a hope in &8£ of getting on the list for social housing let alone bidding

Or you could easily get a room with students in a house share in the centre..
Not a great idea to share with students- you get landed with the entire council tax bill as a non student

Thank you all for your suggestions. It gives us a starting point to investigate further.

Not bristol, it’s expensive and the train to London is also v expensive.

What about something like Derby? Quick train to London, and on the east coast to come to Scotland to visit you?

Where are communities from his home country congregated? Wouldn’t that make life easier for him?

Leicester is a good option, quite cheap to live too

I would suggest Birmingham too. If that is too big then maybe Leicester or Loughborough (a bit quiet maybe).

Birmingham springs out for me. Easy to get to London, diverse, food value for money and loads of educational establishments.

I don’t know it really well myself but last time I was there it seemed very young and fun too.

I feel like I should know more about Birmingham but I've never ventured out of the station! I hear mixed things.

I haven't had a chance to go over these with him, maybe this weekend.

Thanks again.

Birmingham is a big city! Nice bits, not such nice bits. Very diverse. Lots of Universities and colleges. Friendlier than London, less busy and less overcrowded.
You cannot judge anywhere by its station (and anyway which one do you mean? NEC, New Street or Snow Hill?).

Peterborough.
It's 1hr 20 max on the cheap trains from King's Cross.
Plenty of pubs and bars.
Cheap.
It's ethnically diverse.
The FE college also does some degree level courses now.

What's his budget pcm for rent?