Brighton or Cambridge?

[carolineofcanton]

Hi. I am a mum of two from Hong Kong. DH and I are planning to relocate the family to Britain. We are grateful to the BN(O) scheme for giving us this opportunity.

We've narrowed down to Brighton and Cambridge as likely locations and within our budget. DH knows Britain as he studied in the U.K. as an undergraduate and then again as a Master's student in the 1990s. He has warm feelings to the U.K. However, he is not familiar with Brighton or Cambridge.

We want our children to have a laid back upbringing and an escape from Hong Kong's competitive schooling system. While we have heard great things about Cambridge, we worry that the city might have an overabudance of an 'academic' atmosphere. That said, we also want decent state schools. We've heard great things about Brighton. Because it is near the seaside, my oldest might have an easier time adjusting as Hong Kong also has nice beaches :)

To me, Cambridge seems idyllic while Brighton has more going on. Can anyone give a broader overview of the two cities?

What a weird comment about Cambridge being cold! It’s in the driest part of the country and often the hottest days in the country… it held the record for hottest day ever for quite a while.

Whereas Brighton seafront is freezing in winter - the wind there is something else and nothing like I’ve experienced on beaches in East Anglia.

Cambridge is full of people from China and Hong Kong. It’s a very cosmopolitan city with people speaking many languages.

I would suggest not Cambridge itself but Ely, which is just outside. That way you get the benefits of Cambridge but the more relaxed atmosphere of Ely. There are a number of HK families in the area.

Brighton and Cambridge are very different cities - how did you narrow it down to those two? If it was based on commute times to London it might be worth looking somewhere like St Albans, or the outskirts of London if budget allows (someone mentioned Twickenham above, which is lovely).

That said, I live on the outskirts of Brighton and I love it! I’ve been happy enough with the primary schools but we went outside of the city for secondary.

I grew up in Cambridge and think it was a great place to be a kid/teenager - safe, you can cycle everywhere so get a reasonable amount of independence.

The main negative is that huge swathes of the center are taken up by the university and so not accessible to the public, but the uni is also a great source of theatre/festivals/exhibitions/activities.

Haha I’m no talking about the summers! It’s generally a flat town so when it’s the middle of winter…

Still I take the point about Brighton seafront being colder because of the winter winds. I lived in a seaside town for 10 years. Beautiful and sunny in the summer but it can be bitter in the middle of winter.

There is an urban legend that there are no mountains between Siberia and Cambridge to block the winds. I don’t think it is quite true but it has persisted so long because it feels plausible. The flatness of the Fens makes Cambridge feel very exposed and the winds can absolutely knife you in the winter.

I would also like to know how you narrowed your choices to Cambridge or Brighton, OP. They are quite a random pair.

Seems as if there are more balanced destinations between Cambridge and Brighton

I'm torn between wanting a laid back lifestyle, without taking away opportunities from DCs. I know I will regret that. After the competitveness of life in Hong Kong, which has been growing due to population numbers, and a political situation that threatens to undermine all that we treasure, me and DH want a simpler life. However, we don't want to turn around in ten years' time and regret not having given our DCs the best opportunities. A large part of that inevitably is education. Of course the standard for a 'good' education varies depending on what you value. I can't see myself being completely free of cultural norms, however (and the culture I grew up in does value educational attainment, although I try not to push my oldest too hard).

We want a wholesome family environment, with good schools and hopefully warm lol. However, we don't want somewhere snobbish and competitive which is how previous posters have described Cambridge. That's exactly what we're trying to get away from (and in some ways the British version of snobbiness seems worse than Hong kong's)

I think Cambridge could be what you are looking for. We were there for years. Certainly not colder than anywhere else ik winter and hardly cut off - there are regular trains to London!

Our ds was the only white British boy in his large friend group, it’s a very cosmopolitan place. State schools are good and there is loads to do for families. It’s clean and safe and easy to get around. Lots to do at weekends in the city and surrounding area.

I also like Brighton but have never lived there.

But is it really as posh and snobby as they say? It's hard enough adjusting to a new life in a new country without subtle one-upmanship.

Me and DH are quite intellectual. We think we'll enjoy the atmosphere.

I grew up in Cambridge but never considered it snobby. Academic, yes, but most state schools aren’t overly pushy. It is a cosmopolitan city and fairly laid back

Cambridge is not posh or snobby, I don’t know why people are saying it is. It’s very expensive to live centrally but there are lots of villages to live in which are lovely.

Cambridge has a lot going on, for both adults and kids; much more than other cities I have lived in. There are lots of art events and festivals, sports teams, all sorts. There is lovely greenery and the beautiful architecture never gets old.

It is small, but you have London on your doorstep if you want to visit a big city.

There are a lot of tourists in summer. As it’s so flat the east wind is quite chilly in winter but you just have to invest in good gloves and coat (it’s not artic!). The worst thing about Cambridge is the public transport when you live in a village but I don’t think that’s an insurmountable issue and many villages are well connected thanks to the guided bus route and train.

I’ve got friends in Cambridge and I know people who grew up there. I think any snobbishness is confined to private schools.

I live near v near Cambridge and I really don't think it's snobby - the university is a big bit of the city and lots of people work there but vast majority of them are lovely - state school in the main are great and no state school would be in any way the same pressure as you are talking about - however it is expensive and super flat (good for cycling) I moved with young children and found it v welcoming. That said am curious how you decided- there are loads of potential places - parts of London might be good, I would go as far as to say not Brighton- its good points but some how dont think it would suit some friends have moved to lewes if you are looking round there

I love Brighton but I wouldn't recommend moving unless you have spent time here as it's a quite unique city and the high rate of homelessness and associated issues is a reality. I find it easy to avoid the crowds in the summer and sometimes it's fun to be part of the bustle.

My children's experience of school is very positive. Encouraged to think and enjoy learning rather than a pushy environment.

I'm not a fan of the pebble beach. I would much rather live by sandy beaches. Its still lovely to be by the sea. I don't know Cambridge well but do like the city centre and university area. I'd miss being by the sea.

When I last visited Cambridge it was a hot summer's day and it was absolutely rammed but that wouldn't put me off, I thought it'd be a nice place to live if you can afford it. I know Brighton better but prefer Cambridge.
On the snobbish thing, I wouldn't have thought that's an issue. It's obviously highly educated but very liberal, the central ward had the highest remain vote in the country.

Cambridge is one of the hottest places in the UK, and has the least rainfall of anywhere in the UK, it is warmer than Brighton.

I grew up in Cambridge and would recommend it as a place to grow up. Great culture, Liberal, lots to do and beautiful. Friends who have stayed there raise happy families, and it's also pretty safe when a teen going out. Brighton is a totally different vibe-i've only been there to party though! I actually don't agree with the comments about bad state schools in Cambridge either-not my experience, although compared with where I live now I may be comparing from the other end of the spectrum!

We live near Brighton - I love it but it’s very different to Cambridge. Would be good to know why those two choices as they’re quite different.

Where is work likely to be? Assume you are looking at state schools but you may find them very daunting and chaotic compared to HK as well as academically less rigorous.

Hi OP welcome to the UK as you can see we have a lot of opinions about your chosen cities!
I grew up in Cambridge many years ago, my family were ordinary non university people and I didn't notice any snobbishness.
a word about education, the state sixth forms are brilliant more like junior universities than schools.

My cousins who still live near Cambridge say lots of people relocate with children to the villages they live in and are all overwhelmed with the peace. Its like being on holiday so they say!

I had to spend a lot of time in Cambridge recently for family reasons and I noticed how cosmopolitanism is is and how young! That was the students but still it does have a nice vibe.

For example while I was walking in the town centre, a little child dashed across a narrow street and knocked an older lady off her bike and literally everyone in the street stopped to help one or other of the parties, who were both fine.
I am a Londoner now but I honestly thought about moving back!

Bit be aware public transport in villages can be sporadic and unreliable, would you be planning to drive and own a car?

If you could list the points of your ideal life, what would they be?

I'm wondering why the UK? Do you need to be there for work, or because you're able to get the right visas etc for immigration?

I'm asking because it sounds like you could move anywhere in the world. There are more options than just Brighton or Cambridge within the UK, and many other possible countries, if you're able to be flexible.

Btw, the guided bus into Cambridge gives some villages easy access to the city center, and housing is dramatically cheaper out of the city. St Ives, for example, has great schools, is laid back and slightly hipster, is beautiful to look at, and you can get the bus to Cambridge for City life.

I grew up in a village just outside of Cambridge. I really don't get the snobby comment like a few other posters have also mentioned. I moved away at the age of 19 but visit frequently as my family are all still there. I think the snobby comment is generally the perception of people who haven't spent huge amounts of time there or who have only socialised within the wealthier population. I can recommend living just outside of Cambridge. The Village College schools tend to be good or outstanding schools.

As a geography teacher, the cold comment made me laugh. The east and south east of the UK are the warmest and driest parts of the UK. Yes there are anomalies but the variation is not as drastic as some people seem to believe. I live in north Essex now and it is colder in winter months than Cambridge.

However saying all of this, I have been looking to move back to Cambridge so I can be nearer my parents as they are getting older and I can't afford to buy a property in the area. It is considerably more expensive than where I currently live.

OP is moving to the UK as we are welcoming people from HK with British National (Overseas) Status following the handover to China in 1997. The visa route opened up in 2021.

OP - I hope you and your family have a fab time in the UK. As others have said, where are you likely to be working as people might be able to offer other options besides Brighton and Cambridge?

I am in almost exactly the same position and thought exactly the same. Grew up in a village, moved away mid-20s, go back often to visit family and friends but now can't afford to buy anywhere near them (at least not a decent size family house like we have).

Cambridge isn't cold. I'm honestly baffled by the idea, have people confused it with somewhere northern? It can definitely be breezy, but it's very dry and often the hottest place in the country in a heatwave. I went to uni two hours north and was always surprised how much colder/warmer it was when travelled between them.

Your budget will make a huge difference to where you can live, but Cambridge is a lovely place to settle. Personally I would choose to live within walking distance of town because traffic is a nightmare, but there are some lovely villages and it's a very nice way of life. Decent schools too, according to friends. The town itself is compact, young and multinational.