Help me move away from Cornwall

[upthem5]

I’m Cornish, but lived away in a nice city during my university years.

I then moved back to Cornwall about 10 years ago, we got married and had DC.

ever since the pandemic, I’ve been feeling this lack of “something” in my life and I’m beginning to realise that I prefer being up country, well connected with more job opportunities. I miss that “buzz” of things going on.

DC and DH have also said that they’re tired of Cornwall. DH and I grew up here in the 80s and 90s & the bleakness keeps coming back to us. I’m struggling to find employment here and I’m sick of the sexism in my industry (IT). Salaries here are still at £18k - £22k.

Anyway, DH has a great job and it’s fully remote. We need to be 2.5 hours from London via train or car.

Apart from that, we’re entirely flexible. Our house budget is about £350k.

I think living in a City Centre would be a huge culture shock so am thinking suburbs or a town near a City? A bit of both?

Can anyone recommend anywhere? ☺️
(sorry this is the first time I’ve ever collated all my thoughts so apologies if it’s bitty!)

I'd move to Exeter in a heart beat,it's lovely there. I lived there manu moons ago but very different these days.

Thank you! I didn’t know this! I’ll definitely have a look (I mentioned Cheltenham the other day!!)

I’ll have to change my username to “OntheM5” or if I move to exeter “theM5startshere” 😂

Although I think Exeter is a wonderful place to live - I think it is right to warn you that:

"927 AD

William of Malmesbury, writing around 1120, says that Athelstan, , eldest son of Edward the Elder and grandson of Alfred, attacks the south western Celts, evicting the Cornish from Exeter and perhaps the rest of Devon - "Exeter was cleansed of its defilement by wiping out that filthy race".

The area inside the city walls still known today as 'Little Britain' is the quarter where most of the Cornish Romano-British aristocracy had their town houses, from which the Cornish were expelled.

Under Athelstan's statutes it eventually became unlawful for any Cornishman to own land, and lawful for any Englishman to kill any Cornishman (or woman or child). "

But hopefully the English will have forgotten about these laws by now - or maybe not!!!

@1dayatatime 😂 let’s hope so. Not sure if you can trust a Devonian though 😂 Just out of interest, where did you end up living if not in Cornwall?

@upthem5 😂 I like theM5startshere - or maybe ends here!

Hahaha!! This is the type of history I live for! I bloody love it.

theM5endshere 😂 that’s way more apt!

My family member brought her children up through primary years in Exeter st Thomas and loved it. They only moved to be closer to parents. Kids loved their primary school.

Can't wait for that!!
We're avoiding driving up for the summer, last summer it took us 1hour to go from Redruth to summercourt one friday!

So bad isn’t it. We tried to drive from Chivvy to Trerice and had to give up! 😭

It makes me feel really claustrophobic, especially when you’re stationary in traffic in the heat and huge dumper trucks are kicking up clouds of dust next to you as they build the new A30!

Somerset, its 2 hours from London. I moved here 2 years ago with my son and daughter in law and love it.
The house prices are still doable, rent is low in places like Crewkerne.
Its close to London , Wales, Bristol, Bath all places I like to go when I'm off work.
Don't bother with the south east. Its horrifically expensive and everyone is properly bad tempered. I could not wait to get out of there.

Also close to Exeter which I love too.

Sorry me again, my budget was £350 also with DS and daughter in law and we have a lovely 5 bedroom house inc granny annexe with two kitchens, three bathrooms and a nice garden in a nice village between Bridgwater and Street.

Hi @upthem5 I've lived in Brighton, Chichester, Southampton, Bournemouth, now Devon (basically moved a county West every ten years). I'd vote Exeter, great connections, really close to country and coast.

Or maybe Wellington

You can get something like this 3 bed semi in Bath within budget- which I think sounds like it would suit. Great train link to London 1 hr 20 mins and easy for working in Bath, Bristol and Swindon

It's an ok area and handy for town- not the swankiest but not awful and good schools

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124655927#/?channel=RES_BUY

Sheffield is about 2 hours drive from London and you could afford a nice 3 bed house in the catchment for an outstanding secondary school and within walking distance of the peak District and the city centre for £350,000.

Surely if you’re an IT type person with surveying experience then Ordnance Survey is the obvious choice and South Hampshire would be a good location with the requirement for London.

Bristol is brilliant but I think it comes with a lot of issues and considerations. It's great in the more expensive areas but you can also end up paying loads to live in a crap and/ or soulless area. Schools are also really hit and miss. Getting across the city is a nightmare - the traffic is awful. There are a lot of drug and alcohol problems (I know many cities also have these issues but believe me, it's huge in Bristol).
Everything is heaving with people - swimming lessons, doctors, holiday clubs, museums, even the lovely local festivals are rubbish now as you just spend the whole time shuffling around in a massive crowd or queuing for the loo / bar / food stall.
This might be a controversial but I think it's overrated as a place to raise kids.

Sorry - I just saw your update about Bristol! Avoid Yate (a PP has recommended this), but have a look at Clevedon, Stroud, or Thornbury - they're all lovely

@tinkertailor2 I totally agree. We lived there for 18 months and then moved to Bath - we lived in Henleaze , so not a bad area- but it was a fag to get anywhere , and we ended up rarely going out. Lots of very scruffy areas too . My son developed an over fondness for weed at the best 6th form in town and it just wasn't for us- I know lots love it but we just didn't. I liked Clifton but that was about it .

@Crikeyalmighty thank you for your honest post. It actually fits in with other stuff I’ve been told too!

I wish I could move away tomorrow 😭 Cornwall has really tested my patience today. Job in my sector advertised at £16,000 looking for someone with experience who is willing to give a full PowerPoint presentation if selected for an interview.

£16,000 a year. Rent nearby is £1000 PCM for a 2 bed.

Im so proud to be Cornish but this takes the fluff (and yet it’s so common!)

I hear you. I could not move back as I earn 4x that and am often outraged by the skill expected for £20k pa in Cornwall. It’s an utter insult. Especially when some of the sectors advertising have healthy profits in the region. Cornish people have learnt not to expect better and so are taken for a ride by those who already have money.

Sorry, no advice but following your thread.

I think my employers pay more than 18-22k for IT but still low compared to the rest of my the UK. I saw a finance role in Hayle advertised with a whole page of responsibilities paying £9.5 an hour the other week 😢

@upthem5 I hear you. I know someone with a really responsible job down there paying around £30k that they would easily be on £60k plus if in Thames valley area . I would def look at Bath and Keynsham - as per the property I posted before- there are things in that budget- not amazing I admit - but not too bad , but it gives you the ability to maximise much better paid work opportunities from as far west as Bristol to as Far East as Reading (44 minutes on train from Bath) Bristol is 15 mins and much easier than driving there!!! also gives you lovely countryside on your doorstep. but easy to pop to Dorset etc - whilst also possible to go to Devon or Cornwall if you need to , either on train or driving. I really like Exeter too but think you might be a bit more limited to jobs solely round Exeter.

@Crikeyalmighty i think you might be right about the limitation around Exeter. I’ll have a look right now at Bath!

@transformandriseup oh my days! It’s just so shite. There was a marketing manager role near Truro recently. The ad stated “must have HR experience”

what Marketing Manager with HR experience (unusual mix) is going to bother driving through Chiverton / Penstraze / Highertown, get stuck in 30 mins of congestion for £23,000 a year and then pay Truro Car Park prices for the privilege?

Ridiculous 😭 I just wish it could work out for us all.