From Glasgow to Hove or North Berwick

[jodes7001]

Hi all - I am from Los Angeles but have lived in London for 15 years. During the pandemic my Scottish partner and I moved to Glasgow to be near his parents (they're in Oban, 2 hrs away) to help with the kids who are now 1.5yrs and 4. We've been here 3 yrs now and while I like Glasgow, I do not want to settle here as I find the weather very hard to adjust to. I am a city person and really long to be back near London and want to move to Hove area as I have a lot of friends who moved there and I want my kids to go to the bilingual primary school. My partner thinks we should move to North Berwick as it's 'similar' to Hove and will be better to raise the kids in. We don't really see his parents that often to help with the kids as its not actually that close! The small population and weather really puts me off.

We have a budget of £600k and both work from home. Which place would you think would be better?

They are not similar at all but if I had the choice it would be North Berwick all the way. Thats mostly because I live on the east coast of Scotland anyway and am used to the weather. I find it too hot in the south of England. I also really love NB. O also love Glasgow. We said to have a static caravan there. My SD used to live in Brighton and I found the whole area, including Hove, to be too busy. I rather suspect you and your DH are on very different pages. If you want better weather you are not going to find it in Scotland although it does rain less on the east coast.

OP Glasgow has bilingual schools (gaelic - surprisingly similar to Latin and just as useful when training the mind) and several prestigious private schools where several languages are taught.

The weather in Scotland is what it is - but compared to Hove I think I'd be prepared to be put up with a bit of rain for the fab culture that Glasgow has, plus it's famously quick and easy access to all kinds of outdoors/nature.

I don't know what 'a city person ' means, but SURELY Glasgow with all its grittiness and glories and its overcrowding etc must fit in somewhere pretty near to the top of that stereotype.

I don't know Hove but I do know North Berwick and from what you've said in your OP, it's not for you.

North Berwick is nice but pretty tiny. If you're from LA, I can see why you'd rather live in London.

North Berwick's lovely. The climate's much better than in the west of Scotland. There are surfers and string bikinis on the beach in summer. It is small but you're half an hour from central Edinburgh by train (2 trains an hour). And the beaches are fine yellow sand rather than shingle.

Hove is great but you won't get much for £600k whereas I think you'll get a LOT for that in Scotland.

You'd be looking at a flat at that budget or possibly a very small house further out. The bilingual school is in further out hove so that could work.

I think your DH is stretching it a bit comparing North Berwick and Hove 🤣 (I love NB btw)

I'm also confused that you're a city so want to leave Glasgow...it's a city. Which means there are other reasons. If you want to live in London then move to London. You're not going to get somewhere else that feels the same.

Nowhere in the UK is going to give you the LA feeling.

You won't actually get much for 600k in North Berwick if it's a house you're after. It rains less than the west coast but I wouldn't say the climate is better - it's cooler and has the haar.

If you are from LA and weather is important then I'd say the south coast is better for you (though I'm not a fan of Hove, personally).

Having lived in LA and NYC and also London I have to say the only place I feel happy living in the UK (apart from London) is Brighton first pre-kids and then Hove. I have friends with DC at the Bilingual School and they love it. Hove has the perfect combination of feeling leafy yet in a city that has good things going on in terms of culture and lifestyle and also next to the sea. Having moved from central Brighton to Hove a few years ago I was pleasantly surprised by parts of Hove that pre-kids I wouldn't have considered! For 600k you could get a house in Hangleton or a 1930s house to the North of Poets Corner near Aldrington Station which is better for walking into town/the beach rather than driving or bus from Hangleton). North Berwick to me is a great place to visit and if you want a quieter life it's lovely to but if you like to have some culture and action nearby then Brighton and Hove can't be beaten. Also - south for weather.