Reasons NOT to move to Scotland

[AprilHeather]

Hello all, have come across Scotsnet from some google searches - didn’t know it existed! And after some advice please. DH to be and I have considered moving out of England for a while and never taken the plunge. We originally looked at Denmark a few years ago but couldn’t afford at the time. Now my DS’s (11 and 13) are worried about the language, especially with getting behind at school and making friends. Scotland was our next choice. We like the scenery the outdoors and the more left leaning politics. We wanted to move to Kintyre or Arran, possibly Ayr, though we would like to be more remote really. My mum would be moving up with us too and we will build her a granny flat. I am an early career academic so I will be keeping my job at my institution in England (8 hour drive from Kintyre) and stay over at my Dads when I need to. Majority of the week and all weekends and holidays I will be in Scotland with my boys, OH and Mum. I’d like reasons NOT to come to Scotland - especially the areas I mention. The cold hard reality please! It’s so easy to see the life we want (Remote, peaceful, outdoor walks and not too many people to get to know, a small community) versus the reality of the life we will have. Also, can someone please please point out where I can go online to work out what year groups my sons would be in as my eldest would start/have started study for Nat 5s if he was in Scotland I believe? I can’t work it out! Thanks all xx

I’d love to go live on an isolated estate in Assynt or Sutherland but I never will because it wouldn’t be fair to my children.

Medical care is a major issue, particularly as you get older. Not to be underestimated.

Kintyre's a hoor of a way away and diversions can be many, many miles when a road is shut. Have you thought about Dumfries & Galloway? Some lovely bits round there and you're not so far away.

Some schools do 8 nat 5s from S3 for two years. My DD’s state school does. I agree you could be in a Scottish city and very near nature. I love living in Scotland (moved from London) but we live in a city. With a commute like that, it sounds like being near an airport would be a better option?

I've read the whole thread and no one has mentioned the differences in certain tax rates....I'm thinking the slightly higher income tax rates for higher earners compared to England/Wales and the higher LBTT when you purchase a property.
www.gov.uk/scottish-income-tax
www.gov.scot/policies/taxes/land-and-buildings-transaction-tax/

A beautiful country and some lovely people!

On the downside there is a lot of anti English sentiment and your children will get hassle over it. Winters are lovely but being further north the dark evenings are magnified and a bit depressing. Did anyone mention midges?

Just don't. Miserable dark wet weather miserable people very negative.Least thats how it was for us on the West coast . Most of the villagers were alcoholics not much else to do, rain freezing cold midges galore You have to make an effort to integrate which we did, but in the end they were very narrow-minded and close knit. Couldn't wait to escape down south.

“There seems to be active football teams in Campbeltown so I’ll have to check those out”

Campbeltown is really high on the index of multiple deprivations, with all the social problems that go with that.

Extra delivery charges on EVERYTHING. Or they just dont deliver at all.

Kintyre can be a ballache to get to. Arran is an island. You will get stuck there at some point.

The awful weather.

On the downside there is a lot of anti English sentiment and your children will get hassle over it.

I don't agree with this.

Most of the villagers were alcoholics not much else to do, rain freezing cold midges galore You have to make an effort to integrate which we did, but in the end they were very narrow-minded and close knit.

Possibly because you sweepingly called them all alcoholics?!

Midges, weather, damp houses, dourness. But I love Scotland, it's one of the best places in the world.

Are there any statistics to substantiate the claim of alcoholism? IME people don't tend to drink more or less in Argyll than elsewhere in Scotland.

I used to travel to Campbeltown to visit family and it is a bitch of a road. It just feels as though it goes on forever. Having said that, the beaches are stunning.

I'd worry for your sons I a few years time- I was a teenager west of Inverness and Christ it was bleak sometimes. There was nowhere to go, nothing to do. I read a lot and was.musical so did that. But loads of kids just ended up getting stoned and driving around in their shitty old cars.

Sorry that's such a negative post- there were things I loved about it too, but teenage boys in cars is something you need to think of when you have rural roads in the winter, and.not.much to do.

applesandpears33 Fri 05-Jun-20 19:35:20
Are there any statistics to substantiate the claim of alcoholism? IME people don't tend to drink more or less in Argyll than elsewhere in Scotland.

^^

That’s not really saying much though, is it? I think Scotland in general has an issue with alcohol.

Oban is depressing too

Rain

Short winter days - although actually they don't bother me so much now I cycle everywhere and still get out for exercise when it's gloomy. You also have an excuse to make Christmas really festive

Rain (And cold)

Train fares/time to get to London and south

Can be hard to make close friends. Quite a lots people socialise a fair bit with family

Some anti English feeling from extreme nats.

Lack of job opportunities for some sectors. Thinking of your kids moving away for work.

Secteranism in Glasgow.

Further to travel abroad. Higher air fares.

And rain....

And cold

That’s not really saying much though, is it? I think Scotland in general has an issue with alcohol.

I think the uk in general has an issue with alcohol.

There, fixed it for you.

And on kids getting hassle, DD1 gets called posh a lot because she has an English accent. Not a huge problem but she doesn't like it. And we live in a naice area

I live in the Scottish highlands. Only downsides for me: the weather, no real summers. And we are a good 3hr drive to big cities but, apart from that I love it

Dumfries and Galloway is a fairly easily accessible area although I found services fewer and things more expensive than the rural area of England I moved from. The coast is fairly free of midges and there’s hardly any anti English sentiment as a large proportion of the population are English.

Quote Jingstohang Fri 05-Jun-20 19:58:35

You’re not wrong, but this is Scotsnet so I tailored my comments to that.

Racism against English. Prepare yourself for lots of tradespeople trying to rip you off because you're English.