Moving to New Brighton

[Sussexbythesea777444]

Hi there,
We’re looking to move to New Brighton on the Wirral - we have a 3 year old starting school in Sept 2021. DH prefers West Kirby but the prices are so high! I want to live mortgage free if possible. We currently live near Brighton (down south) and believe we can get £320 for our house. Any comments on areas schools from locals will be really appreciated! Xxx

We moved to New Brighton not long ago and absolutely love it. There is so much going on, plenty of parks, events (obviously not at the moment), independent shops and cafes, great value period houses, really good transport links to Liverpool, seaside, good schools etc. Just a great place for children and we feel really lucky to have moved here. Lots of investment and lots of people moving here.

It doesn't have the prestige of some areas of the Wirral and there are some pretty run down and deprived areas close by but there are some lovely bits too. It depends what you prioritise and what suits you as a family. Some of the smaller villages other people have recommended would be too quiet for us but everyone is different.

@jamted thank you! Can I ask where did you move from? How old are your kids and what school do they go to? We have a 3 year old that will be starting primary school in September. I hear new Brighton is up and coming but so many have said it’s not and that many shops are boarded up, without coming up and seeing for ourselves it’s hard to know! My BIL lives in Birkenhead and raves about New Brighton!

We moved from the north east. I would agree it's up and coming, but think you really need to visit for yourself and see what you think. I was really unsure before we moved as like you heard different things from different people but we love it now that we are here. We visited a few times beforehand though.

My kids are not at school yet (eldest will start in sept like yours) but there are lots of decent primaries. In NB there are Mount, New Brighton and SS Peter and Paul (RC). All have a good rep. Then a bit further afield there are other good ones like Greenleas, Liscard, St George's. Lots of choice but depends what you are looking for. Secondary is a long way off for us yet but there are a few schools in Wallasey plus it is quite common in Wirral for kids to travel to secondaries so you also have the option of your child sitting the 11+ and accessing grammar school.

Fabulous! I love the houses and the old looking buildings in Wallasey and New Brighton and the parks look lovely. I’m hoping we can get up there soon to have a look around, I’ve been asking my SIL to drive around taking videos 😂 she sent some of the Vale Park area and near the Wallasey library too.

OH still wants to go to the west side but the prices are much higher! How long does it take to drive to West Kirby from New Brighton if we wanted to visit? X

I live in new Brighton near vale park and personally love it here, the old Edwardian houses are my favourite. It's diverse, I would say some poorer areas some not. The people are generally very down to earth and friendly. I love being so close to the beach (and have seen a fair few grey hounds being walked) so I think your dog would love it. My children love being so close to the beach and we spend hours down there and Leasowe gunsite beach in the summer is lovely, playing and doing water sports. I have friends in Birkenhead and Greasby and in all honesty I prefer Birky its full of character and yes definitely dodgy in some areas but its massive and Birkenhead park is very good (by day) but I find meols and Greasby nice and lovely houses but a bit dull imo, although my friend recommends the infant and jr school and says it's hard to get into if you are not right in the catchment area. Hoylake nightmare to get through and tiny. West Kirby and Heswall some stunning parks and walks, beaches which we visit regularly. Some beautiful property but a bit snobbish for my taste and I would say old people especially love it, it pricey to. New Brighton has had a lot of development and is more my taste. I love hearing the live bands from vale park in the summer. It's got a real community feel. I recommend New Brighton primary over Mount primary. To me it's especially proven itself with the teaching staff during this pandemic. I feel my children have been well taken care by the staff in general. Liverpool is right across the water and we love our day trips on the ferry or train over. Plus Wales a short car ride of an hour or two and great for mini breaks.

It's a 15/20 drive from new Brighton to west Kirby btw (Royden park is a lovely place for walks near West Kirby as is Thurstason beach Wirral country park). The M53 right down the middle is very handy for getting in and out of Wirral.

*minute drive

I’m on Wirral too
Moved when my eldest was 1 year old
I would come with an open mind - all the areas are so different and have different things to recommend them. Schools generally v good and my experience of the primary in Hoylake was great but that is many years ago now.
I live near the sea and love it plus so many green spaces to walk dogs
NB and Hoylake have good affordable period properties
Hope you come !

I've lived in both West Kirby and now New Brighton and I experienced more run-ins with crime, anti-social behaviour and drugs in West K. We've just bought a large 3 bed semi with a garden for an incredibly reasonable price. House prices are rocketing in the New Brighton area now as there's been tons of development. My friend bought a house for 100,000 in 2015 and has just had it valued at £150,000. There's soon to be a new Chinese restaurant, a burlesque bar and talks of a new lido. In addition to this, there's a new water sports centre opening up. I grew up next to Vale Park and it is a beautiful place to live.

@sunflower1993 @ipredictariot5 and @Supmama thank you so much for all this info!

I really would like a house in NB/Wallasey but OH is still leaning to WK, Hoylake and Meols, although the more positive reviews we get about NB is a step closer! I’ll have to get my BIL to do a drive around video once the weather clears a little to get more of an idea, we’re itching to get up there and have a mooch but I guess it’ll be a little while before we can do that 🙁 any more info is really appreciated! I’m banking it all! Xxx

I live in New Brighton and love it. My 3 kids have enjoyed being brought up here. I’ve lived here for 20 years now and would not choose to move. The people are friendly. The beaches are fabulous, I’m a 2 minute walk to the sea. There are a lot of independent cafes, bars and shops within walking distance. There’s a cinema, fair and bowling alley, soft play, the promenade and fantastic parks abound.

Lots of large Victorian and Edwardian properties.

We are very happy here.

Hi all so we’re hoping to come up next month to look at some properties and have a look around 😀

I joined some local Facebook pages just to see what things are happening right now and was concerned to hear about a ‘sinking sand’ incident! Is this type of sand all around or just located in one space? The thought of me and the kids or my dog getting stuck in sinking sand petrifies me.

I do hope you guys can put my mind at rest a little xx

So nice to see so many others from the Wirral on here!

@Sussexbythesea777444

Hi all so we’re hoping to come up next month to look at some properties and have a look around 😀

I joined some local Facebook pages just to see what things are happening right now and was concerned to hear about a ‘sinking sand’ incident! Is this type of sand all around or just located in one space? The thought of me and the kids or my dog getting stuck in sinking sand petrifies me.

I do hope you guys can put my mind at rest a little xx

There is some parts of Hoylake, Thursaston part Egremont to the ferry which has patches. But I don't think it's much different to any other coastal location.

I can't say I've ever encountered it before and I walk on the beach with dogs and kids almost daily!

The coastguard do post regular updates about all sort of incidents but as a general rule they tend to be about people who have gone exploring in boggy bits, or walked out to a sand bank.

If you stick to dry sand and regular routes then you won't have any problems. Hundreds of thousands use the beaches here regularly and only a very small % get into trouble. One thing I do find useful is a tide times app.

There is no sinking sand here, if people get stuck It's in mud. My DH is on the lifeboat crew and has had to dig out someone stuck in the mud so I've just asked him about it. If you're on the beach and find yourself in mud, walk away from the mud! Or if you got stuck (very rare) you'd call the coastguard and you'd get picked up by the hovercraft!! I really wouldn't be worried about it, the beaches are crawling with people and dogs 7 days a week and this sort of thing is very unusual and easily avoided.

@emsyj37 and @Crabwoman thank you, I feel much better and thanks for speaking to your DH @emsyj37 if anyone knows he will :)

I live by the sea now and when the tide is out there is sand, it’s always wet sand and we walk on it frequently as our beaches are pebbles. I’ve never heard anyone get stuck in the sand here before but we don’t have much of it lol.

I just watched a lifeboat rescue of 2 horses stuck in the sand on the Wirral but maybe that was mud also?
I’ve seen some gorgeous sunset photos on there the past few days, I really can’t wait to visit now!

If you watch the episode with the man stuck in the mud (third episode of the series before last i think of Saving Lives at Sea) you'll see what it's like. DH is the hovercraft commander on that rescue - they had to dig him out by hand, you can see in the video that it is thick mud not sand! Yes the horse was in mud too, DH wasn't on that shout though.

Hi there, bit late to the party but I live in New Brighton too. There’s been lots of investment here. It’s not the run down hovel some would have you believe. Local primaries are great and access to grammar schools is easy- school buses run from all over the Wirral to the grammars. Both of my older boys use this transport and it’s fine.

Heswall is nice, so is Irby. West Kirkby is nice but property prices are inflated and there are issues with pubs and bars in the evenings. Meols is a pensioners paradise, probably not ideal with a young family.

Meols is full of young families!!!!
Irby is nice but has poor transport connections. I suspect that's what keeps the property prices a bit lower.

Really? Everyone I know that lives there is elderly, but maybe that’s just a coincidence. Either way it’s quiet and not a great deal to do. Wouldn’t be my choice despite it being viewed as a “better” area. If you’re interested in period properties, NB has some real gems. Full of character.

@Mumbun73 I suppose given that I have primary aged children, the majority of people I know here are around my age with young kids too. There are a lot of elderly folk on our road but that's because it is an expensive road of big houses so there's not much movement- they tend to only come up for sale when the occupants die or go into a care home. It's starting to change over though - we have had a few families move in over the last 2 years.
There are some beautiful period houses in New Brighton, yes. One thing DH would like is a large, period house but they are all on the main road round here so not ideal. I'd love an Edwardian house.

@Mumbun73 thank you for your post, most people that replied who live in New Brighton say wonderful things about it! I love the parks esp Vale park and the beach and houses but when we come up I still want to explore the Meols area too as it looks so pretty along the coastline. It’s our budget that concerns me as don’t want to move up with the same mortgage as down here xx

My brother lives in Wallasey and I love it . I also have friends in Birkenhead and New Brighton an would move to any of these places in a heartbeat . I'm not from there either but found the people absolutely sound and so friendly . Compared to where I am just now (South East ish ), folk aren't that friendly here . Yes there is some poverty and rundown areas but Liverpool is an amazing city . If you are from Brighton ,Op , you know they have housing estates there and it's just people , some good ,some bad ,same as in better off areas. Anyway good luck

@Jumpintothefire thank you, we hope to get up there next month - and take a good look around. It’s going to be a really tough decision! My OH is a property surveyor so a whole new city to learn and work to find also. My little 4 year old will start school in September and our middling will go to uni in Nottingham at the same time! A lot going on for all of us right now but something just tells me it’s the right thing to do! Xxx

Hi all,
Could I have your I pinions on further south on the Merseyside, down the Wirral? I saw a nice property by Eastham Country Park, looked really lovely. Thank you in advance