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Original poster

Moving to North Wales (Coastal area)

59 replies

nitz84 · 28/02/2022 13:00

Hello

We are a young family with 2 little girls and planning to move from Berkshire to North Wales and buy a house there.
Last week we viewed a few houses and find one house that we like in Rhyl.

We stayed there for a few days to get the feel of the area and it seems a nice place to live, it has what we need such as school, shops, sandy beach. We also talked with the locals and they are nice people and they suggested it is a nice place to live with family.

Once we back home, we checked it online and it tell us the opposite especially due to high crime which concern us. But when we stayed there it seems pretty safe areas.

We would like to get first-hand experience about the pros and cons for those who live/lived in Rhyl so we can put this as our consideration.

Thank you!

OP posts:
tanstaafl · 28/02/2022 13:47

Where did you stay in Rhyl.
Did you visit the town centre by chance?

Prestatyn is seen as the nicest area on the coast until you get to east and upper Colwyn Bay ( Rydal Penrhos school and zoo ) then Rhos on Sea.

Original poster
nitz84 · 28/02/2022 14:22

@tanstaafl

Where did you stay in Rhyl. Did you visit the town centre by chance?

Prestatyn is seen as the nicest area on the coast until you get to east and upper Colwyn Bay ( Rydal Penrhos school and zoo ) then Rhos on Sea.

The town center is the one with the White Rose Shopping center? I did go quickly to Boots.

We went to Prestatyn and Colwyn Bay as well, yes they are also nice. It just at the moment we haven't found the house that what we like other than Rhyl.

As we are not in a rush, we like to take our time and make sure we have the right decision before we moved as this is will be our first time buying a house.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Donotgogentle · 28/02/2022 14:27

Rhyl has quite a few difficulties tbh. Do a thorough Google.

Oldtiredfedup · 28/02/2022 14:28

Rhyl is bloody awful. I used to work there. I really really wouldn’t want to live there.

Llandudno, Rhos on Sea, Penrhyn Bay, Delaney, Conwy all quite nice. Junction - meh, ok and not as bad as Rhyl. Mochdre - meh, Colwyn Bay and Old Colwyn are alright. Once you go past Old Colwyn and head East it’s all downhill from there.

Donotgogentle · 28/02/2022 14:29

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58029524

This for example.

TupilaLilium · 28/02/2022 14:36

Rhyl schools are challenging. There is a very high turn-over of people moving in and out and high rates of social deprivation.

I would not move to Rhyl. I don't much like even visiting Rhyl.

Itsthemaybelline · 28/02/2022 14:37

Rhyl is a shithole has many social problems.

Londondreams1 · 28/02/2022 14:37

Currently live here Smile Love it.

Yep. Drugs and other issues, but probably less than the small villages to be honest as there’s more going on here.
People might say I’m mad but I think it’s one of the only places with a city vibe in N Wales.

Young population and tight knit , very friendly community.

I hated Llandudno when I lived there last year even through it’s more upmarket. Most people move there upon retirement so have no history with the area, buy beautiful houses but then Welsh first language people are selling the big issue, and nobody knows each other.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 28/02/2022 14:38

I saw you thread title and thought wow, lucky you, then saw you were thinking of Rhyl and thought eek.

Londondreams1 · 28/02/2022 14:42

It is (or was) regarded as one of the two most deprived towns in all Wales (Caerphilly being the other in the South) but ironically it means there is huge investment in people’s start up businesses and getting people into decent work.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 28/02/2022 14:45

@Itsthemaybelline

Rhyl is a shithole has many social problems.
This. Where in Rhyl is the house OP? The town centre and west end are awful and I wouldn't live in either even if you paid me a million pounds. There are areas that aren't as awful that might be worth it, if you accept that if you want to have a pleasant shopping experience or want to go to a nice cafe /bar /restaurant you'll probably need to leave the town.
Londondreams1 · 28/02/2022 14:54

It is very sunny, it’s own microclimate.

It would take a lot for me to go back to one of the perpetually grey-skied areas of N Wales, like the place that I was raised in.

OldEvilOwl · 28/02/2022 14:54

No - it doesn't have a good reputation. I wouldn't want to live there

Londondreams1 · 28/02/2022 14:57

its

bigbluebus · 28/02/2022 15:04

Rhyl had a huge supply of accommodation due to a downturn in the UK holiday market because of cheap holidays abroad. As a result, Local Authorities from all over seized the opportunity to house many 'difficult to house and vulnerable ' people in the area because it was cheap. The result of this was inevitably a rise in drugs, crime and deprivation.

I haven't been to Rhyl for many years but it is not somewhere I would want to live (I was brought up further along the coast). I do know 2 people who are from Rhyl originally but one now lives in St Asaph (inland from Rhyl) and the other in Holywell area (inland and back towards England).
Have you looked at Abergele, St Asaph or Rhuddlan if you want to be in that area?

SugarDatesandPistachios · 28/02/2022 15:16

Rhyl is not the one.

tanstaafl · 28/02/2022 15:18

Yes @nitz84 the one with White Rose shopping centre.
What did you think of the place.

What about schools OP, have you looked into that?

There’s a few modern estates roughly between Rhyl and Prestatyn where you could live for years with no particular issues with crime.

Just how close to the sea do you want to be versus good schools for the children

Original poster
nitz84 · 28/02/2022 16:21

@JayAlfredPrufrock

I saw you thread title and thought wow, lucky you, then saw you were thinking of Rhyl and thought eek.
Grin Which area not far from the coast that you can recommend moving to North Wales?
OP posts:
Original poster
nitz84 · 28/02/2022 16:22

@Donotgogentle

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58029524

This for example.

Yes, I read this before, that's why this is the reason I started the thread to get first-hand experience of who actually lived there. :(
OP posts:
Original poster
nitz84 · 28/02/2022 16:23

@Oldtiredfedup

Rhyl is bloody awful. I used to work there. I really really wouldn’t want to live there.

Llandudno, Rhos on Sea, Penrhyn Bay, Delaney, Conwy all quite nice. Junction - meh, ok and not as bad as Rhyl. Mochdre - meh, Colwyn Bay and Old Colwyn are alright. Once you go past Old Colwyn and head East it’s all downhill from there.

Is this because of the crime rate?

Those other areas you have mentioned, we are looking into that areas too, it just we haven't found a house that ticked our boxes. Currently, only 1 house that we like and it's in Rhyl :(

OP posts:
OldMMC · 28/02/2022 16:46

I live quite near but never visit, it's a town with a lot of issues. Would you consider the Welsh language school? It has less problems than the other schools in the town.

Original poster
nitz84 · 28/02/2022 16:47

@tanstaafl

Yes *@nitz84* the one with White Rose shopping centre. What did you think of the place.

What about schools OP, have you looked into that?

There’s a few modern estates roughly between Rhyl and Prestatyn where you could live for years with no particular issues with crime.

Just how close to the sea do you want to be versus good schools for the children

I didn't look much into it as I just need to buy something from Boots. But most of the time I did shopping online for groceries and clothes. So this is not something of the priority for us. Same as a restaurant/pub/bar, we like to cook at home and don't mind driving outside the town to find a good restaurant.

Our main concern is the school and safety enough for me and my kids to enjoy our time at the beach or just walk home from school.

The house that we like is not in the town center and far from the caravan holiday park. Is more in the east part of the city.

OP posts:
JustAnotherPoster00 · 28/02/2022 16:50

Always loved this meme

Moving to North Wales (Coastal area)
Original poster
nitz84 · 28/02/2022 16:52

@Londondreams1

Currently live here Smile Love it.

Yep. Drugs and other issues, but probably less than the small villages to be honest as there’s more going on here.
People might say I’m mad but I think it’s one of the only places with a city vibe in N Wales.

Young population and tight knit , very friendly community.

I hated Llandudno when I lived there last year even through it’s more upmarket. Most people move there upon retirement so have no history with the area, buy beautiful houses but then Welsh first language people are selling the big issue, and nobody knows each other.

This is the impression we got last week. Nice sandy beach with jogging track, a bit windy but this is expected.

The house that we like also has a nice neighborhood and not too far to go to the beach.

We even speak with some locals (young, middle age, senior) and all of them said they were born and grew in this area and never had a problem with a serious crime. Bicycle theft and some anti-social behavior during the summer as the tourist came to instill at a normal rate but not really affecting the locals who lived there.

Then I googled it, and bang! all those scary articles made me think hard now whether we want to consider Rhyl and pursue the house that we like.

OP posts:
augustusglupe · 28/02/2022 16:53

Rhyl?
I lived in North Wales for over 30 years and there are so many beautiful areas, Rhyl not being one of them.
What's your budget?