Relocation Advice - Where would you move to?

[Energetictriangle123]

Hello :)

So I've been offered my dream job with the option of where I could be based. Out of this very long list, where would you recommend and why?

• Milton Keynes
• Stoke Mandeville
• High Wycombe
• Wexham
• Adderbury
• Kidlington
• Oxford
• Didcot
• Newbury
• Reading
• Bracknell
• Alton
• Andover
• Portsmouth

A bit about me:
I'm a recently-divorced 30-year-old with no children and my small group of current friends are spread across the county. I love equal amounts of bustling cities, as well as the countryside, but I want to prioritise making friends wherever I move to.

Thank you in advance :)

Oxford is a lovely city so that’s the one I would pick- housing will be expensive though. It’s geographically quite central with good transport links to other places.

Definitely wouldn’t pick Bracknell or Milton Keynes - boring places full of roundabouts & out of town shopping centres, not much else. Didcot is likewise a bit of a dump so is High Wycombe.

I’ve offended half of Mumsnet now. I could go on but better stop.

I think you need to share your budget for a house, and what you'd like for that. How exciting though!

I came on here to say Oxford too. Its pricey, but a lovely city, and would definitely meet your bustling city/countryside requirements (its a beautiful city, with gorgeous Oxfordshire countryside on its doorstep.) It has lots going too, with a really vibrant arts scene, so I'd imagine it would be a good place to make new friends.

Thank you for your answers so far - I will be a renter for the foreseeable as I'll be taking a pay cut and want to ensure I'm happy living in the area before buying. All budgets are pretty low, however, but I'm happy living in a shared house.

If budget won’t stretch to Oxford I would also suggest Reading or Newbury.

Reading is quite busy with lots to do. A multi cultural area with lots of shops & restaurants, bars, cafes etc in the centre with a variety of housing options.

Newbury is a nice market town. Possibly a bit boring given your age, not sure.

MK easy to get around, has a theatre and lots of nightlife. I liked it when I lived there. Good transport links up and down the line from Scotland to London.
Oxford, gorgeous, expensive, touristy. Would live the in a heartbeat if I could afford to.
Stoke Man and high Wycombe have very nice bits that are costly but provide excellent access to walks and countryside if you like that.
Have friends in Newbury and they love it.
I like the idea of Portsmouth for the sea air!

It would depend for me how many days I'd need to be in the office and therefore what the commute would be. It would also depend on how well the location supported how I like to spend my free time, eg ease of seeing family, theatre, dancing, hiking etc. I also prefer countryside so would not actually be looking to live in any towns but would look at villages surrounding them.

Congrats on the job.

I think there is a lot of ignorance about MK, I wouldn’t discount it.

Oxford/Didcot/Newbury I would say.
Good mix of city and beautiful countryside and easy travel to London if you need it.

Of those I'm familiar with I'd definitely say Oxford if budget allows- lots going on and lovely countryside around.
Personally I wouldn't choose MK (lots of housing estates with no real heart although might be OK for families) Didcot, lots of new developments and not much else going for it, Kidlington (not much there and very much a satellite for Oxford). Adderbury is a large village and I'd choose Deddington, closer to Oxford and more going on, over it!

If Reading is an option then consider Caversham just over the river. It looked nicer to me when I used to attend the festival!!!

Depends if you have to live right in those locations or just nearby?
Alton (assume Hampshire?) is lovely, as is nearby Winchester.
Portsmouth itself is a bit grim, but nearby Emsworth, Chichester are nice
Andover, err no! But it is well located and there are so nice places nearby like Salisbury and villages that way.
Newbury and Reading Ive never liked particularly (as a visitor, not a resident), imo fairly soul-less and neither countryside or happening city.
(sorry to everyone happily living in those areas!)

Try somewhere like Twyford, Berkshire. Busy village with lots of restaurants, coffee shops and supermarket. Lots of open space and countryside. 5 mins to central reading on the train. Trains to Oxford and fasts to London. Great schools etc

Alton is expensive to live in and rural enough to have a piss poor nightlife. I lived in Winchester for several years as a young woman and nightlife is a bit grim there too. Portsmouth if you don't have a car might suit your age, plenty to do, reasonable living costs and good shopping if that's your thing. Andover is OK but nothing much to do on a night time and have to travel some way to get to places.

Oxford is expensive and not great for drivers but good for commuting but nightlife is good, Reading and MK are fine for living costs, commuting, and nightlife. Newbury is OK if you were older. Wexham might be OK as it's near Slough but Slough itself can be a bit rough in areas.

Sorry I don't know enough about the others to comment but congrats on the job! I hope it's fantastic for you.

Portsmouth is fantastic. Loads to do, cheap cost of living, incredible beach. The south of the island (Southsea) is the best bit.

She's 30 not 60!

I'd say Oxford followed by Reading.
None of the rest
This is based on your age & your post.
Surely you want a place either a decent mix of (single) people your age and lots potential for a broad social life/culture?

Portsmouth all the way! (Well Southsea actually) - we moved here two years ago and love it.

Southsea is the seaside bit of the city of Portsmouth - it has lots of pubs, restaurants and stuff going on and a really good vibe, has a young population of students and professionals and is (relatively) cheap for the South East.

In addition its fairly compact so easy to walk and cycle around. Plus you've got beaches, seaside attractions, the South Downs nearby, ferries to the Isle of Wight and France, reasonable trains to London, Brighton , Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff. Would thoroughly recommend!

😆😆😆😆😆😆 me too but I love it. It's really popular with people about to have kids. Perhaps dull but I can get to central Reading faster than people who live in the Reading suburbs. And they are quite built up and polluted relatively.

We all like different life styles, perhaps I'm 60 at heart (along with the other 30 year old that choose this)

I’m also voting Oxford first followed by Pompey. Oxford has everything and is a prosperous city full of life, and has a lot of accommodation due to the universities.
With the boring exceptions of Andover and Newbury, the rest have nothing going for them or could arguably be described as shitholes.