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Original poster

Manchester, Birmingham or Newcastle?

45 replies

Mirrorxx · 17/10/2021 19:47

I’m hoping to get sone advice from people who live in these areas. We currently live in north Manchester but have the option to work in any of the 3 cities. It feels like if we don’t make the move in the next couple of years we will never will but we just can’t seem to decide what to do.
We like living in Manchester but since getting our dog we have found it to not be that dog friendly, especially with dogs not being allowed on the tram. House prices have also got very expensive in the areas we want to live in.
So if you were looking for somewhere dog friendly, good public transport, good schools and vegan friendly where would you live?
We would ideally like to spend no more than 500k but could go to 600/650.

OP posts:

Original poster

Mirrorxx · 18/10/2021 15:39

@RampantIvy he is only a puppy and can be left fir short periods but I wouldn’t leave him for 4/5 hours every Friday night. He really enjoys going out and being around people

OP posts:

Original poster

Mirrorxx · 18/10/2021 15:40

@WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor That is a good location but I wouldn’t want a kitchen at the front of the house, the living room floor would always be filthy

OP posts:

LuLaLeggings · 18/10/2021 17:05

Birmingham: Large parts of Sutton Coldfield (North Birmingham suburb) is close to Sutton Park, a dog friendly massive open space. Dogs are allowed on the cross city line. £500k would buy you something in Sutton. Not something amazing but nice enough.

Cannon Hill park is also a good size and is close to Moseley if you prefer more lively, "hipper" suburbs.

To the south is the Lickey Hills but I'm not sure what decent suburbs are close to there.

LuLaLeggings · 18/10/2021 17:06

Sutton schools, primary and secondary are generally good. Not sure about other areas of Birmingham.

Autumnbaths · 18/10/2021 17:41

We visited Newcastle a few weeks ago with our dog. Stayed in Jesmond - really loved it but the number of places we could eat in was quite limited - just as well it was warm and we ate outside. Can't speak for Birmingham or Manchester...it has improved in London since we got our dog and in Leeds...maybe Newcastle will in time.

RobinPenguins · 18/10/2021 17:47

You can take dogs on the Tyne & Wear Metro and it’s a brilliant network. Newcastle always seems fairly dog-friendly to me, you can’t move for them at the moment! Proximity to the coast is a big plus for friends with dogs, the beaches nearer the city (Tynemouth, Whitley Bay etc.) are generally dog-free in the summer but the longer beaches further up the coast allow dogs all year round.

There are some decent schools, although no grammar schools in these areas unlike some of the NW (that’s a plus for me but I know others actively want the grammar system). Bits of Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland are 3 tier if you’re not keen on primary/secondary.

No idea about vegan options, sorry!

TattiePants · 18/10/2021 18:21

I've lived in South Manchester and Newcastle and would recommend both. In Manchester I lived in Withington and Heaton Mersey so you're within walking distance of Didsbury without paying the price although I imagine prices in the Heatons have risen lots since I lived there. Both the Mersey Valley and Mersey Common would be good spots for dog walking or it's a short drive to the Peak District.

Newcastle is a lot more compact than Manchester. Jesmond or Gosforth have lots of open space, great bars/cafes and easy access to the city centre but are not cheap. Alternatively, as pp have suggested, coastal areas such as Tynemouth or Whitley Bay are on the Metro line.

RampantIvy · 18/10/2021 18:26

@Autumnbaths

We visit Jesmond a lot as DD is a student. I have never seen a dog in any eating establishments that I have eaten at - in Jesmond and in town.

TBH the only places that we have eaten at anywhere where dogs are welcome tend to be pubs, not restaurants.

SwedishEdith · 18/10/2021 18:55

What about this one? Search under East Didsbury and expand out a bit.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/114670109#/?channel=RES_BUY

RobinPenguins · 18/10/2021 18:59

I can think of a few places in Gosforth and Jesmond that allow dogs but they’re pubs that serve food rather than restaurants.

RubyFowler · 18/10/2021 19:05

You can definitely take dogs on Tyne and Wear metro, and in a lot of pubs and bars in the coastal area. Its very dog friendly with some beaches allowing dogs all year.

LatteLatteLatte · 18/10/2021 19:07

Op have you considered Trafford? Like chorlton (I love it there, but dear lord the property market moves toooo fast). Dids is £££ obviously. I had family in birm and never fell in love with it but that's just me. Years of living in mcr and I never realised dogs weren't allowed on the tram . Gatley is nice, and a colleague of mine liked Cheadle.

If you're thinking of kids - check catchments for schools is my advice, one street away and you cross over to a different catchment.

LCDP · 18/10/2021 19:27

Check urmston, ‘up and coming’ and has the train into Manchester. Also around the heatons and Stockport where you can also catch the train. Chorlton really would tick all of your boxes so long as you don’t mind the bus. I often took the bus from Chorlton to town with my dog and it doesn’t take much longer than the tram.

userxx · 18/10/2021 21:52

Altrincham is very dog friendly, I see loads in the market house, never taken my boy in as I'd be barred instantly.

Autumnbaths · 18/10/2021 22:54

But I will shout out caffe 1901 in Jesmond, Newcastle. Interesting creative menu and dog friendly, SMSing food - can’t wait to go back! I wish Newcastle had more places like this for fogs and their owners!

Autumnbaths · 18/10/2021 22:55

Amazing food not SMSing food - that’s not right is it?

RampantIvy · 18/10/2021 22:55

@Autumnbaths

Couldn't get in there at the weekend. The queues were too long. We live rurally, and I love eating out in Newcastle. The choice is fantastic.

bubblepond · 18/10/2021 23:01

We live in Newcastle and have a dog - as others have said dogs are allowed on the metro, and the possibilities for walks are endless - coast/countryside/city parks and denes.
I can think of several good pubs off the top of my head in the city centre/Gosforth which allow dogs, and many cafes are dog friendly now. Newcastle is a great place to live but is much smaller than manchester.
There are at least 2 vegan restaurants in town that I can think of and more which have decent vegan offerings on their menu. There are also 3 vegan bakery/cafes in the suburbs I can think of again just off the top of my head, and a fully vegan pub by the river. I'm sure there are more.

yoshiblue · 18/10/2021 23:12

Stay in Manchester and move to Trafford. Urmston or Sale, Altrincham is very expensive.

Lots of good quality local parks and increasing numbers of cafes/restaurants. Close to bigger places like Dunham Massey too.

Urmston has train to Manchester but also very close to park and ride tram into city (Parkway)

People are super friendly, schools are excellent, lots of things going on in the community eg sports, kids activities too.

RampantIvy · 18/10/2021 23:19

Maybe it is because we live rurally, but I don't think the fact that Manchester is bigger than Newcastle is necessarily a good selling point. When DD was looking at universities she disliked Manchester simply because it was too big. She loves Newcastle because it is compact and walkable. She loves being walking distance from the university, and walking distance or a short metro ride to everything else. A major plus is being near Tynemouth as well.

Much nicer than a 40 minute train ride to the nearest city from where we live.

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