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!)

44 mins to Reading is insanely good! I’m really impressed with that!

@upthem5

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

++++

The grinding poverty I see when I go back to Cornwall is heart breaking and demeaning.

The Cornish are asked to come to places like Padstow or St Ives to work in the restaurants or tourist trade in the day but then have to bugger off at the end of the day to poor accommodation in the likes of Bodmin or Redruth It reminds me of South African apartheid townships.

As they say "pretty views don't pay the bills ".

Pretty views definitely don’t pay the bills 😭

I feel really low about the whole situation. It’s bleak. It’s depressing.

I cried earlier after seeing that job advert. I’m degree educated, mid 30s with experience and I’m worth more than £16,000.

I wish the relocation process was next day 😆

Bath is so lovely (lived near there for many years), but is pricey. I knew a lot of people that lived in Chippenham - we lived between the two. It’s a lot more affordable house wise and still on the same train line as Bath. Lots of people can be a bit snobby about it, but I knew loads of lovely people there who couldn’t afford Bath prices, but still wanted to be connected. Schools are good there too. Just another one to add into the mix!

I can see that Exeter area has been suggested. I would look a bit outside of Exeter, maybe places with a rail connection like Teignmouth, Exmouth or Newton Abbot. Or villages like Exminster, Chudleigh or Broadclyst if you don't need to be on a train line but 10 mins away from the city. So much more going on all year in Devon.

@naturemumma I agree- that's another ok option OP- only 12 minutes on train to Bath too- and even quicker to Swindon and Reading if needed work wise!!

Bath is lovely but very expensive. Salaries obviously do increase the closer to London you get, but so do house prices.
Maybe Frome? Have friends there & they love it. But the thing they miss are beaches - it's over an hour+ to get to any type of beach.
Definitely look at lots of Civil Service jobs as often they allow hybrid or remote working so location is less important.

@APurpleSquirrel Thing is though whilst Bath is pricey- there are lots and lots of nicely done up ex council/ha or 70s type semis around that £300-£400k range -- and to be honest I've seen things as much as this in much less 'special' areas with less going for them . Frome is a good option too although not on a brilliant train line so limits options a bit more if you need to get into a city work wise.

@upthem5

" feel really low about the whole situation. It’s bleak. It’s depressing.

I cried earlier after seeing that job advert. I’m degree educated, mid 30s with experience and I’m worth more than £16,000"

+++

I know what you mean it really is bleak but please please don't let it get you down. I always operate on the "don't get mad get even" principle 😀.

Look the fact is you have at least recognised that you need to move out of Cornwall in order to improve your own and your childrens chances in life as schooling also tends to be considerably better in places like Exeter and Bath than Cornwall.

This is a start and positive acknowledgment and far better to see this now than when you wake up one day in your 60s in a static caravan in Stenalees going "oh crap was that my life.

The first step in solving a problem is recognising there is a problem. You will be absolutely fine and dancing come this time next year I promise you.

Big hugs and stay strong.

PS/ £16k really really is taking the piss, I'm tempted to apply for the job just so I can say stop treating people like crap and get some decency.

What about a proper remote job? You'd still be stuck in Cornwall but at least it will pay the bills!

Chichester is lovely but you won't be able to buy a family home on OP's budget

I wish we could live in Newcastle / Durham area. I love it there.

But DHs boss said he can live anywhere but feels that the NE is too far from the London office.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and advice / ideas x

You wouldn’t get a lot for 350 in Winchester or Salisbury.. And both of these and Southampton a bit dull IMO

I think the idea of finding somewhere affordable around Bristol eg Yate as above is a good idea. Bristol is pretty great.

@Onlyrainbows she wants to leave Cornwall, that’s the whole point.

You could also look at a bit North of London - areas like Northampshire are great value compared to West equivalents like Wiltshire. It might be worth a specific post asking about that if it’s of interest

Just had a look at Chichester out of curiosity and I didn’t swoon over it like I did with Exeter and larger towns further “up the m5” …. So I’ll cross that one off! x

I agree with Sheffield. You'd get a lovely property there on your budget and there's loads going on. Easy train in under 2.5 hours to London, great fit kids, parks, festivals, theatres, restaurant scene etc etc. Beautiful houses in some areas and lots of trees. And also really near the beautiful peak District.

I have nothing of use to add but think this thread is really interesting in a "grass isn't always greener" type of way. In the last few years there have been a lot of people wanting to up sticks and move to Devon/Cornwall etc because of remote working or a better life/work balance. But you want to move after the reality and downside of living there. I'm quite amazed at the salaries you're quoting because I've always got the impression (mainly from MN) that IT was well paid. What are the wages for entry level or hospitality/retail if IT is just about minimum wage??
When we last went to Cornwall there appeared to be no phone signal/WiFi for about a 3 mile radius of where we were staying. It was good for us to have a more screen-free type of holiday but not sure it would be helpful if you had to work remotely (obviously I know not all if Cornwall is like that!!)

@Fizbosshoes we moved away for university but we’re actually Cornish and have lived here all our lives.

Growing up here isn’t easy. Being a teen here is hopeless and depressing. I broke free for University and wish I never returned. We’re excited to be leaving. (Eventually!)

If you move from the SE with a shit load of equity in your pocket and a £55k+ remote job - then Im sure life is rosey here.

A Cornish family is lucky to ever get a mortgage here. What is there left to save per month for a deposit if you’re earning £16-18k and rent is £1000 a month?

Grass isn’t greener. And it’s usually full
of arsenic 😂

(the word Arsenic makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and “home” - Poldarky!) 😍

fizbo I work in IT (sort of) and there are not that many jobs of this sort in Kernow. There's been a couple of CSM openings here and the highest salary was about £27k (industry average is more like £40k). My husband works in a shipyard he's unqualified and his salary is £25-26k. My salary for a local company was £22k at its highest. COVID was great for me because it opened the doors to industry average salaries. I still hate Cornwall though.

@Onlyrainbows I saw an SQL admin role for £25k, more like £50k everywhere else. I applied and they said they were inundated with applicants and I wasn’t selected due to “not fitting in”

i.e I’m old and they only employ graduates.

I’ve just drowned my sorrows with a Da Bara Cinnamon Bun. 🤣

I’m thinking about side stepping into digital marketing. But I don’t know where to start. Even so, only £18k-£23k here. But it may open the doors to remote working which means I can move anywhere within reason.

I’m going to check out Sheffield right now ☺️ My best friend is from there!

There are loads of IT jobs in Sheffield so you should have no problems finding something which suits you. The main issue with Sheffield , coming from Cornwall is how far awayi it is from the sea. It is about 2 hours drive but there are rivers, dams, streams, waterfalls etc.

Well I just SQUEALED at the houses in Sheffield at £300k

And then almost cried at the abundance of work and the decent salaries 😭

Going to talk to DH seriously about this when he’s back!! Thank you

My other suggestion @upthem5 besides bath/Chippenham /Stroud kind of area (which gives easy access for well paid work all along Thames valley and Bristol/bath). Is to go properly up north and somewhere like York- great train links to London plus easy for work in York/Newcastle or Leeds. I'm trying to think of areas I think have most work potential for all of you in the areas you are in

You get a decent house in York area for well below your budget and lots of choice. It's also a very lovely city/ York and bath are my two faves in uk for livability for families -

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125272979

Best of luck op!