York, Leeds, Sheffield or somewhere else?

[Eastender123]

Hi, I’ve reached the point where I am no longer enjoying living in London and would like to move back north closer to family. My family live rurally - I don’t think I could manage that, but I would like to be in a smaller city or could do a village very close to a city. Ideally would like to be somewhere that is left leaning, has a good community vibe and has good secondaries (will be applying next year). We don’t know anyone in these cities - so openness is equally important. Feels a bit daunting to be starting over again in our early 40s. Thanks all.

Your budget would buy you a lovely house in the suburbs in north Leeds. Close to countryside views, access to Harrogate and York but with the benefits of Leeds city centre and closer access to M62 and other major transport links

RE Leeds being hard. Im sorry but I’ve lived in multiple cities and I can compare. Maybe brash is a better word?
Maybe people moving from London to one of the leafy North Leeds suburbs (and being surrounded by other incomers) don’t see it but there’s always been a brashness in the city and money is king.
Possibly it’s because Leeds has always had a mixed economy and survived the Thatcher years better than most Northern cities.
Whereas Sheffield was very grounded in the steel industry and the union movement, and has had more of a community and communal mindset. Cities grow from their histories.

None of them. I’d choose Harrogate - has everything you need in walking distance and the train to York/Leeds if you want bigger.

I would avoid Sheffield but penistone is lovely and still close enough to Leeds to benefit from it when needed. Newmillerdam, Honley, Holmfirth, Harrogate, Ilkley, alwoodley, Adel etc are all great options.

Waves to @Hs2Issue

You live near me. I'm also originally from the South.

Come to Sheffield. Not as flash as Leeds, not as expensive as York, friendly people, good transport links, plenty of well-rated schools, on the fringe of the glorious Peak District National Park. What are your interests?

Depends where you want to be and how big a house you want. Look at S10 area which is handy for several good secondary schools, you can get a beautiful house within your budget. Also relatively handy for direct bus routes into the centre, several main hospitals, and the University of Sheffield.

What do you mean “ money is king?” I lived in Leeds most of my life and I cant understand this comment.

I’ve lived in Leeds since I was 20 , I’m now 58 and I don’t understand the comment either. Leeds has some nice shopping and some of it’s inhabitants probably like to buy designer items. That’s not unusual in cities tbh. There’s choice, it doesn’t mean everyone is money orientated and brash!

If you like left-leaning walkable cities and have a decent budget, York is great, and has excellent schools. The outlying villages work as suburbs and they tend to be more conservative in both politics and social attitudes.

If you are a more outdoorsy person who likes to drive places, then I'd probably go for Sheffield, because there is amazing walking nearby.

I don't understand the negative comments either. I don't recognise the city they are describing, except for the one way road system that my satnav hates.

I think the OP might struggle with penistone coming from London. It's nice enough but it's got the 'people have never left' vibe which means it's not very diverse (as in people have not had diverse life experiences). Sheffield on the other hand (with the large Unis and the big hospitals) has a diverse popualtion which the OP might appreciate coming from London.

You are right @IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads .
Barnsley in general is not very diverse. Mind you, parts of Sheffield have England flags on every lamp post.

We have made the move from London to Sheffield. The jury is still out to be honest but we're giving it a bash to be nearer family. Look at S10 / S11.

We wanted to be quite central so looked at Broomhill / Broomhall (Collegiate crescent and adjacent streets).

Some examples -

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/168699755#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166436819#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162130190#/?channel=RES_BUY

If you want a bit more space you can look a bit further out.

Im not trying to offend anyone and it’s just my opinion and experience.
I guess it’s a vibe thing, partly, but also, historically, anything commerce related is a go-er. Shiny office buildings and shopping centres spring up on every inch of space in the centre, drive in McDonalds sure thing, but the poorer suburbs are left to rot.
Other cities seem to have more of a balance.
The Victoria quarter is a good example of restoration done well, so it’s not all bad, but take the Market. The chamber of commerce whacked the prices way up for the stall holders to force them out, so it’s half the size. Then they renovated the shops by the side of the market which (as far as I know) are still empty years later as no one can afford the rent.
Its all fur coat and no knickers.
For a city the size it is there’s appalling public transport and few amenities like public pools etc.
Whereas Sheffield and York seem to try harder to encourage independent business and community stuff.
Theres also a general confrontational and defensive attitude to the people which makes it draining at times.
Leeds has tremendous energy and resilience but warm and fluffy it is not!
All cities have a vibe and if you get to know them well you feel it.
Loads of my family were from Leeds (not the North Leeds enclaves) and would agree with me.

See I think you have a fundamental misunderstanding of Leeds… the centre of the city is a business area and commerce. Yes that’s what the centre was built for and remains to be. The softer parts of the city are its many many suburban zones where people actually live and go to school and dine out and walk in the large parks. Nobody really lives in the city centre 😂 Leeds is enormously wide residentially in that you can drive 40 minutes out of the centre and still be in Leeds.

Roundhay and Wetherby, Chapel Allerton, and Barwick/Aberford, Kirkstall, Meanwood are all nice. I’d agree that you wouldn’t want to live centrally because that’s where all the businesses are… and the students are up in Headingly

Eh? Im not suggesting that op would be trying to live in the city centre! Obviously. (Although there are tons of flats there).
Im comparing Leeds as a whole (including the centre) to the other cities mentioned as I have knowledge of all 3, but especially Leeds.
OP, I’d go and stay a couple of days in each place, have a proper explore and see what you think.

Rutland Park is so beautiful. But spoilt at pick up time by the Girls High.

Agreed!

We live in Broomhall (around collegiate crescent) and one of the things we love about it is the lack of traffic due to the various calming measures round there (and the fact there are no schools!).

@UnimaginableWindBirdi live in Leeds but work in York. I struggle with this view of York as ‘left leaning’ tbh. Over the last few weeks the amount of flags that have been erected in any area with a diverse student population has been sickening, I occasionally shop in McCarthur glen and its lack of diversity of shoppers is stark. I actually find many York residents to be quite small mindedin their attitudes and in the next election I predict there will be a massive Reform vote there. I would personally steer clear.

And other parts have lots of Palestinian flags. It’s a very diverse city, and the poorer parts are somewhat segregated.

None round where we’ve suggested op live though.

We live in a very diverse city in the midlands. DC is a student in York and one of the first things they noticed was how ‘white’ it is. They feel it’s vastly different to our multi cultural city.

York can be busy (but not unbearable) both with tourists and traffic but it has a nice feel. Safe and small. Friendly community feeling. Property is expensive. I’m biased as I live in York within city walls.

Leeds more busy and maybe less friendly overall but that may be because it’s bigger. Very diverse with obviously more bigger shops, restaurants and obviously more bars.

Sheffield’s a student town and definitely geared towards students. I don’t know much about the area in terms of where housing is. Only been to the main shopping area which is okay. Some good shops but probably third in terms of city centre shops in this list.

No.