Where to live in Harrogate? Help!

[Whereinharrogate]

We would love to move to Harrogate but finding house prices a bit disheartening. Anyone know Harrogate or the surrounding area who can recommend where to look?

We'd like a 4 bed house with garden and ideally garage, hard top end budget £650,000. Near to good schools (primary and secondary) and walking distance to amenities. I guess the kind of area mn would describe as "naice". I would like those amenities to be central Harrogate but I think for a house of the size we would like we may need to look further out. Would consider living 2 or even 3 miles out of centre if there were things in that locality other than housing estates. E.g. would like pub, cafe, shop, maybe restaurant, park - things to do outside our front door. Don't really want to be in a village. Have looked at starbeck and wasn't keen.

Anyone got any recommendations?

And aside from Skipton and Ripon North Yorks doesnt have grammar schools. the vast majority of the very large county is fully comprehensive!

What about Beverley if you could head out east? A better town center than Otley and probably somewhere in between there and Ilkley for range rover driving dick heads

Boston Spa

I was literally about to type the same - Boston Spa.

Is there going to be anywhere affordable for folk on ordinary wages ? Like key workers ?
Fwiw I grew up in Horsforth, live over the other side of the Pennines. Hope to move back in a year or two but we are absolutely priced out. Most of the family members and locals I know hate it nowadays. Massively overdeveloped, all the green space built on with executive 5 bed houses and a few trendy coffee shops. Rant over, sour grapes I guess.

Have you looked at Weatherby?

This is true. I was thinking more of balancing the OP's needs and schools and her work situation and her budget. I'd say HG and York are ruled out due to expense, which leaves a load of not very inspiring places, and North Leeds. Of those, North Leeds is the best.

Boston Spa is lovely, but it's useless for people who want to be able to do things and travel around easily. You're entirely car-bound, and that's a flipping nightmare. I wouldn't have wanted to have lived there when my DC were teenagers.

I agree. I would totally rule out Wetherby, Collingham and Boston Spa for that reason.

Adel is lovely.

Cross Hills/ Glusburn/ kildwick/ Sutton in Craven are lovely neighbourhoods south of Skipton. Another poster said don't go further than Cononley, but I disagree. It's a great place to live.

The main street in Cross Hills is up and coming with new shops, cafes, craven brewery and I hear a wine bar is on the way. A lot of new people are moving in. Secondary schools for Skipton have school buses. South Craven (secondary) has an amazing reputation. Nearly all the primary schools are good or outstanding. Countryside all around. You can get train from Steeton to Leeds (One day they might re open the station in Cross Hills).

It's down to earth, but you can get your naice Waitrose order delivered and drive to Ilkley in 15 minutes for any cuisine you could want and shops include Jigsaw/Oliver Bonas/Whistles/ Attic etc

Keighley is under-rated, with some beautiful locations, but I'm thinking you're better suited to a nice area with good state schools, which is most likely Ilkley with your budget. 😉

Wow thanks everyone for your thoughts. Really helpful to hear from people who know the areas. I haven't got time to go into all of this right now but I will go back over this thread in the coming weeks and have a good look at all the options you suggested. Lots of food for thought here!

I've narrowed it down to one house for you - as you described in your OP. A few minutes walks to shops, train station to Leeds, and true Grammar school (boys) and Skipton Girls. Arguably the best street in Skipton, certainly for large victorian terraces.

I'd describe Skipton as more canal boats and sheep than naice boutique shops, but you can find many coffee shops and restaurants.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136259207#/?channel=RES_BUY

Potential to update this home and add value.

I'd really recommend the Saints area of Harrogate. I was actually shocked at how great the NHS services (doctor rather than dentist) are around there whenever I visit family, have always been able to get a same day appointment. You have two outstanding Christian secondaries there (CofE St Aidans and Catholic John Fisher). Seems like a lovely place to raise children. Good luck with your search.

Up that area I would go to York- well connected and good for older children too and nicely buzzy - one of my favourite places in UK .

I've got a different perspective. Our family moved to Harrogate six years ago, and love it, can't recommend it more highly.

We didn't have family or friends there, but it's worked out well. We live in the Cold Bath Road area. Kids in primary and secondary, two dogs. Yes there is rush hour traffic, but what town doesn't? We walk or bike every where, work from home a bit and commute to London as well so don't use the car much at all Monday-Friday. Harrogate scores high for walkability if you can live close to the town (very much achievable with your budget). Many local independent shops, lots of after-school clubs (sport, drama etc) and the older kids can cycle around to see their mates across town. It's a safe place for teens to push boundaries and practice teen-ing, and Leeds and York on the doorstep when they're old enough. Several top state schools. Local buses and trains are good too.

It's friendly, rich in culture and events - a stream of literary, food, beer festivals, two brilliant theatres, galleries, markets. Beautiful place, very green with gorgeous parks, woods, the Stray. The Turkish Baths. And it's a stone's throw from open countryside - we often spend weekends walking in the river valleys, Dales, Moors or at the coast.

We've found folk here to be very welcoming, didn't struggle to make friends even in middle-age, and the population is becoming more diverse. Growing levels of social activism and engagement esp around climate, refugees, homelessness. Harrogate will likely get a new MP in the next general election. No probs seeing GP. No NHS dentist for adults but that's neither new or unique to this town. Had some minor ops at the hospital and it's been fine.

We've lived in many other places in the UK and to be honest I'm always surprised to hear people complaining about Harrogate as its got to be one of the nicest places to live in the UK. Many people in our country would give their right arms to live here (and would suck up the traffic too as a small price to pay). New blood coming in (yes including Londoners!) brings new energy. Feel free to DM me if any questions and good luck with your search, OP.

Harewood, Spofforth or Collingham? Wetherby is close to Leeds and very very different!

there were non for new patients in Harrogate 17 years ago either.

Incorrect! I managed to get a new NHS Dentist 5 years ago, my mum 6 years ago and my child 2 years ago!

@Dalesfun we live in Bath and I see folks saying similar things. Yep we do have heavy traffic but it's not all the time or every day- June to September and Xmas market- awful. On the other hand no problems getting doctor, dentist and we have a cracking hospital with A&E . The upside of somewhere like this is lots going on, we still have decent retail, it's buzzy - downsides are can be very very busy at weekends, traffic at times, tourists and rubbish and it's not cheap- same applies to most nicer places I guess.

Ripon, great schools, very good gps (same day appointments for urgent things) and a community hospital where consultants from Harrogate, York and Leeds hold regular clinics. Lots going on for kids and adults.

I actually got a NHS dentist in Ripon last week - after my surgery closed down earlier in the year.

My commute is a 20 min drive to Thirsk for a 40 min train to Leeds. Plenty of parking at Thirsk, never any traffic en route which is why I drive there rather than Hornbeam Park.

Harrogate town centre is, like everywhere else, dying. The place where more county lines cross in the whole of the uk.

In 2006 there were no NHS dentist accepting new patients in Harrogate.
A couple of extra clinic were opened afterwards- 1 next to Morrisons for example but in 2006 there were none. I have emails from the NHS to evidence this.

Your experience of 5 years ago isnt 17 years ago?

Rightmove link in Harrogate

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140499593#/?channel=RES_BUY

Isn't it really bloody depressing that "you can get an NHS dentist" has become a selling point when choosing which town to live in?

The tories really have flushed this country down the toilet

People like you are the ones who are destroying the town my family have lived in for generations

@DogLover24 I think that was somewhat uncalled for !!