What part of Lancashire?

[Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles]

We are planning on relocating to Lancashire, but don’t know which part.
We were swaying towards Preston, but after visiting we felt unsure because I didn’t like the city centre layout - it felt too easy to be run over, and it seemed a bit too lively on a Saturday!
We have heard only negative things about Burnley and Blackburn (can anyone confirm or deny?). We considered Chorley, but unsure. Lancaster looks lovely, but the grammar school system there has put us off as our eldest will already be Y7.
Obviously actually living in these places would be very different to visiting though anyway, so it would be good to hear opinions.
Also, if anyone could suggest other places that might be suitable that would be appreciated.

Our criteria is:

budget: 190k max

We need good public transport

somewhere that has a train station.

amenities - hospital vital, things for the DC to do, cinema, parks, supermarkets nearby

WFH so jobs not a problem.

DC in primary and secondary school.

Somewhere friendly - community feel, if that still exists.

Can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks!

@claphamnative We have sold our house (well at the start of the solicitor process, so anything can happen before the finish line!), so imminently. We just need to find somewhere ourselves.

I went to southlands !

@spikeandbuffy was it Rivi ?

@Peterbeardwy how did you find it? We're still very much in research mode so value any info!

I loved it but it was a long time ago. My own children went to Parklands

@Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles I would get in touch with the grammars asap just to see if there is any chance. Did your DC do the 11+ where you are?

as I say the primaries really are all good, wouldn’t worry so much about that.

I think your budget is likely to be an issue though, if you wanted to be in Lancaster itself and want a garden rather than a yard. The housing stock in Lancaster is generally terraced Victorian / Edwardian around the city centre and many houses have yards instead.

You get more for your money north of the river but it’s generally considered a less desirable area. There are also the ‘estates’ south of the river which have ex local authority houses where you get much more for your money. The Ridge / the Marsh don’t have the best reputations locally but again, they’re really not that bad. Having lived elsewhere the antisocial behaviour is generally fairly low level comparatively. I’d probably avoid the Ridge more than the Marsh but I’m not really sure I can explain why. I think the Ridge feels more cut off whereas the Marsh is close to Fairfield which is a lovely area and is well located for the train station too. Hala is a nicer area comparatively I would say but also has some ex local authority houses which are good value. But there have been flooding issues and it’s in a bit of a no man’s land between the centre and the university which means you’re not close enough to walk really to either set of amenities.

It was

@claphamnative There aren’t any grammar schools where we currently live, so no 11+. That’s why I was a bit unsure about Lancaster when I realised they had the grammar schools.
Thats so helpful about the areas, thank you. This is probably a silly question, but are the ex-council houses the houses that have the arched fronts? I noticed quite a few in that distinctive style and wondered if they might be.
The town we currently live in has a very bad reputation, and it’s deserved. So I think most places would be a huge improvement!

I went to Parklands too. As did my mother before me (we even had the same French teacher). Parklands used to be Chorley Grammar School many moons ago.

Some of my teachers at Parklands made a significant impact on my life. They were outstanding (in different ways). I was the first in my family to go to uni (I actually turned down Oxbridge and LSE) and I now work in the City earning 6 figures. So Parklands did a decent job with me. 😋

For what it is worth @hendoop my DB and SIL have a lovely 3 bed in St Annes. DB has a job where he has to commute to Lancaster and that is easy - I think their house was approx £170k but did need some work . Nice house nice road. Lytham is a bit more chi chi and they could not find within their budget. I can't speak about Lancaster itself.

@mateysmum was there in the 6th form. :-)
94-96.

@Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles If you're willing to do (quite a lot of) work, this house is in a very desirable village 3 miles outside Chorley. There are buses every 15 mins (to Chorley or Preston) from 2 mins walk away. Buckshaw only a few stops away on the bus if you need to get a train. Very safe for kids and lots to do with a real community feel (I know, I'm part of the village's FB group). Walking distance to the (new) GP surgery, a very good restaurant and lots of country walks.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145270838#/?channel=RES_BUY

Houses sell very quickly in the village - this one has been hanging around for a while as the amount of work is probably putting people off, and unless you know the area, you'd think it's really built up and urban from the photos.

I grew up in this village and actually lived on this road as a small child (and had the best childhood playing with the other kids there). In fact I was constantly in and out of the other house this semi is attached to as I was friends with the kids who lived there. My father is still in touch with the family actually.

I

Another one who is going to stick up for Burnley. Yes, there are areas of high depravation and places I would wander alone after dark (which also applies to other places I have lived) but there are also lovely areas and your money goes a lot further here because of its reputation.

Without being too outing - I moved here when I met my husband 20 years ago. The sense of community is great and the beautiful countryside is easily accessible on foot or public transport.

Having worked and/or lived in various parts of the NW and West Yorkshire, it definitely isn’t so much worse that you should avoid it.

it just depends on exactly what you are after? Happy to answer questions.

If you are looking at the Lancaster area and the grammars then I would highly recommend LRGS. I have had 2 boys go there and one is about to start at their 6th form. Both have chosen to stay to do A levels despite it being 20m away. The teaching is excellent for kids who can cope with the academic challenge. The sports and extra curricular are also good. I love that they aim to give a balance of academics and other activities rather than focus purely on academics. They do have some issues like all schools but the difference is in how they are dealt with. There is very strong leadership and loyalty. Many teachers are ex pupils.

As pp have said i have also heard very good reports about Ripley. To be clear there are a very Ltd no of grammars in Lancashire so they don't really affect the ability of other schools to also attract bright kids.

I have also wider family experience of St Michaels in Chorley which is another very good school. 2 of my nephews went there both were very academic.

@olympicsrock 6th form for me too but 77-79. We were a very select group in those days. Only the second year of girls.

It’s so fascinating! It’s a cruel dark period of history which has links to Guy Fawkes and to Lancaster Castle in which local women were murdered for being a bit wild and for using herbs to heal as that’s all they would’ve had as medicines. Most of them were middle-aged ‘crones’ persecuted by men in power 😡

Someone mentioned Newchurch-in-Pendle which is a beautiful village near Burnley which has a shop dedicated to it, there’s also a walking trail at Barley which has sculptures and information related to the ‘witches’ and a visit to Pendle Hill is a must if you move to Lancashire. 🧙🏻‍♀️ 🖤

@Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles
please don’t listen to the poster saying all East Lancashire towns are deserted with boarded up shops. Burnley isn’t like that at all. It’s a busy, thriving town centre.

@Mumski45 Thank you so much for that information about the schools, it was very reassuring. I loved the look of Lancaster but was quite concerned about the schools. Do you know if they are likely to all be oversubscribed? My biggest worry (because I can’t drive) is that my DC might not get a place in the town we move to at all, and might have to travel elsewhere.

@burnleylasses I’ve been looking at ordering books about it all, you’ve really started something mentioning them! It’s interesting that the people they were accused of harming/killing seemed to be men, and using their child to testify against them so they they were hung was just shocking. And if I’m remembering what I read yesterday correctly, the history is based on what a man recorded! I will definitely visit the places you mentioned.

I would phone up Ripley & Central and find out about their waiting lists. Schools have just ended so I would call Monday and hope they have inset days.

Also Our Ladies, Bay Acadmey & Morecambe. All the schools are accessible by bus because of the nature of having the Grammar x 2 and faith schools.

Grew up in Preston and my siblings and I went to the Lancaster Grammar schools. My favourite areas surrounding Preston are Clitheroe, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lytham + St Anne’s. Lancaster is a lovely place to live, very safe and lots of beautiful older terraced housing rather than new builds. Transport links are great there too.

Personally I didn’t have a great experience at the girls grammar, but my brothers did. Obviously it was 15+ years ago now but I struggled with mental health issues especially in my a-level years and received no help at all, I was told at the beginning of my final year that if I failed my mock exams I would be kicked out. I felt a lot of the time they didn’t care about the girls, only the results they were receiving. But my brothers thrived at LRGS.

@didistutter56 That’s interesting - you felt the grammar school was more results driven rather than ‘pupils as a person’ driven? I wonder if that’s changed since you were there? That’s something I hadn’t considered.

@Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles yes the arch houses are on the ridge I’m pretty sure

. Our DD would not have fit in with the girls grammar way of working at all and went to ripley. Our DS thrived at LRGS.

Big but though, lots of my friends now went to the girls grammar and loved it and have sent their DDs there who also love it. My DD is very sensitive, and does not do well with exams / testing or much pressure on her at all. She hated the whole experience of the 11+. She has thrived at Ripley though.

My DD is 25 now so relatively recent - that doesn't chime at all with how it appeared to us. She thrived at LGGS.
But of course a school that thoroughly suits one person can be wrong for another.

One thing to note, looking ahead, is that quite a lot of the secondary schools in Lancaster don't have a sixth form, there are a few large colleges eg Cardinal Newman in Preston and Runshaw in Leyland. The grammar school sixth forms take in more pupils (and lose some of their original cohort). It's probably as well to be aware of this when working out where to live.

My DD went to LGGS for 6th form and likened it to a cult 🤣 she said no one admitted if they didn't understand or ask questions etc. Many continued with tutoring throughout their time there 😬

There is no perfect school and what suits one doesn't suit another.

Well for sure she wasn't sharing a classroom with my DD then!