Where to move In the UK?

[Einnie]

We just moved from Italy to the UK. We currently live in Rotherham, but due to my husband's work we didn't have much choice. We have a 5yo daughter and she goes to a pretty good school but we're not happy with this town. We will be able to move in a year and a half and are looking to buy a house. We're open to all of England but are looking for areas with a good community and nice cafes and good schools. Whatever it is, it needs to be within 20 minutes from a hospital (my husband is a doctor), easy access to shops so that you don't need a car for everything (I can't drive) and not extremely expensive.

So far on my list is... Dore next to Sheffield.

We do hope for somewhere nice south from here. We want a few places to check out and then go spend time there. Your suggestions are more than welcome!

Another vote for the coastal towns to the east of Newcastle, Tynemouth etc.. Beaches, Metro system, and the locals 'Geordies' (I'm not one) are special.

Another vote for the Sussex/Kent area. Good sunshine record, easy access to London and Eurostar, large geriatric population, some beautiful country/coast. Arundel, Chichester towards Brighton; (swerve the run down areas surrounding Bexhill and Hastings because of their poor schools and inadequate - but improving - transport access).

Bristol is lovely, as is most of the Southwest, but this area is a lot wetter (if greener) than the eastern half of the UK. Dorset..?

But I also like Sheffield for all the seasons NewName suggests, and the same parts of the city.

Bristol is expensive and it rains a lot there.
Cambridge is cold in the winter.
You won't get much for your budget in the South East.

For the Ops budget she could get a nice house in the south east. The South East is a big area and so many people make it sound like it is super expensive in the entire area, which just is not true.

I would look at North Leeds/Harrogate/villages around York known as the Golden Triangle. Harrogate and surrounding villages are beautiful with good schools and communication links. There are the big Leeds Teaching Hospitals but also Wakefield and York hospitals .

Boston Spa

Mike Bristol is expensive compared to the NOrth but not compared to London/Surrey and even Bath. Prices going up for property but then it's a good place to invest.
I had lived there for two years quite recently and honestly didn't think it rained more than the UK average - I came there from long time in London, and it was fractionally more wet but nothing like Manchester/Wales/NI gong by weather forecasts.

flirtygirl interesting! can you recommend places that aer not expensive but relatively nice (not rough at least)? and not on the coast.

Ely next to Cambridge is really nice and a very easy commute. Everyone I know who lives there likes it. They also have an all through private school and I’ve never heard anyone complain about the state schools. We seriously considered moving there but our kids go to a really good school and we didn’t want to move them.

OP, you said 'we are open to all of England'. Did you mean to exclude Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland ?

Where is your DH applying for permenant positions? I know you said his particular field is in high demand but are the posts out there?

Once he's got to the interview stages , then would be the time to look rather than trying to fit his job round the house or area?

And bear in mind , if he works for a Trust he could be posted in two or even three different sites .

CatAndHisKit

Rightmove shows loads. I personally know of pockets in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Essex. Some places are overall lovely like St Ives, St Neots, parts of stevenage and hemel Hempstead, Baldock, Bedfordshire villages , large areas of Bedford itself, Clapham and some parts of Essex. Lots of Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and Buckinghamshire are quite nice too. Obviously some very pricey areas and some normal parts too.

For the £400k budget a 3 and 4 bed is within reach.

The southeast is expensive but not as out of reach as some areas that people on Mumsnet mention. My home town is cheaper than a lot of areas in Leeds and Manchester. And that's for nice houses with good schools.

There is a huge difference between a good, safe place to live with good schooling and normal amenities compared to naice, very picturesque and exclusive. And a lot in between.

I was going to say Ely, cambs too and many of the cambs villages. Lovely and not too badly priced.

Cat, I used to live in Bristol and it is not the cheapest and property in the desirable parts are £££. Going out is expensive.

Liverpool!

I live in a place called West Bridgford which is Nottingham. It's a fabulous town, great cafes and restaurants, excellent schools and huge teaching hospitals QMC and City Hospital

We have great sports too (Trent Bridge, football, National water sports centre, ice skating) all in throwing distance

Nottingham is good for going out, cultural places, theatres, cinema etc loads to do and keep a family busy

Northamptonshire though considered the Midlands is an hours train from London in many places and has lots of lovely villages, some nicer towns and some areas of Northampton itself are nice.

Cheshire is lovely

flirty thank you - I meant to say, I@beautifulxdisastersHemel of course is a short commute, but I@ve never heard people liking it - any specific areas? I@whatsthecomingoverthehillI do agree that OP would haevv choice.

MIke I know it's not the cheapest and said so, but OP never said that her critreria is a 'cheap' place, by all accounts her H will have a good salary. And although they wouldnt buy a lot for that in Clifton, they could well afford Bishopston / Redland etc especially if it's not a big garden they want.

flirty sorry no idea why part of my post has been cut out and all the @ got there somehow!
Start again. I should have said I would be looking only for towns, not villages. And needs to be a quick-ish train to london, maybe the cheaper places are a long commute. I don't mind if not naice or especially picturesque!
Hemel gets bad press from whaat I've seen, but a great commute - any specific areas that you know of?
Will look up St.Neots too.

Another vote for Derbyshire! Derby has a large hospital - The Royal Derby. Plus several psychiatric facilities in other parts of the city.

Darley Abbey, Allestree/duffield/Belper (basically anywhere along the A6) are all lovely areas to live in with lots going on and an easy commute. Plus you're on the doorstep to beautiful countryside.

Some examples here:

The Forge, Town Street, Duffield, Belper
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74995285.html

Ferrers Way, Darley Abbey
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-78020794.html

I would say Sheffield considering your wants and budget, look for houses in the south west of the city. Its a lively Student city with 4 world class teaching hospitals Surrounded by great countryside. Sheffield is also 2hours on a direct train route to London for weekends away.

@GreyGardens88 Agree. Boston Spa is very nice

Look at bury st Edmunds as previous poster suggested. Lovely town and great hospital. Not too bad for Stansted airport

Is there a chance you could learn to drive? It will make your life as a parent an awful lot easier in the long term, even if you are somewhere with good public transport links.