Move Back Home to Glasgow?

[Somefantasticplace]

I was born and raised in Glasgow but have lived in the south of England for many years (husband's job, kids in school). I have close family on the southside and a large extended family all over the city.

My marriage has broken down and my kids are away at university, I'm in my fifties and I suppose I'm free to live and work where I like for the first time in decades.

During this time of being forcibly separated from my family in Scotland I've been thinking more and more about moving back home but I haven't lived in Glasgow for such a long time that I wouldn't know where to start.

If you could choose somewhere to live in Glasgow as a single, mature woman where would you go? I should make some money from the sale of my house here and be able to buy something almost anywhere in the city.

I'd like to be nearish to shops, restaurants etc. and decent public transport (train, underground, bus) would be a bonus.

I have to admit that the weather puts me off a bit but the thought of being able to spend time with family would make up for it.

Any thoughts/ideas would be really welcome.

Hyndland (or Kelvinside). But certainly somewhere in walking distance to Byers Road. If you can tolerate close neighbours, one of the red brick tenement flats (main door ideally) would suit you.

I agree with PP the West End also consider Finnieston or Merchant city depending on your budget

I wouldn't move to Glasgow now to be honest things will be bleak there for a few years and the West End although still lovely is not how you will remember it. Have you thought about a small town ? There's plenty of trains into Glasgow for the cultural experiences but you have a better chance of developing close networks of support and getting access to doctors, dentists may be easier.

@grumplass eh? Which city are you living in? OP I think it sounds like a great move. Lots of places you could consider; personally I would focus in around Dowanhill, Hyndland, Cleveden areas if the West End takes your fancy, avoiding Hillhead and Finnieston if you don’t fancy noisy neighbours...

If you have family in the southside why not there? In the last decade it has really flourished and is now a very desirable place to live.

I love Glasgow and know loads of Scots leaving England to come back.

Also the weather REALLY isn’t that bad; we’ve had an absolutely beautiful summer and although it’s rainy now... it is in lots of other places too!

@SacreBleeurgh I just think having been away the OP will see real changes to the city- it's better in many ways but also the poverty ,drug abuse and beggars even in the west. Certainly I would think twice about walking about on my own at night and there are still some very rough edges in many places.
It's only going to get worse in the recession we are heading into. A small town would definitely be my choice and have always loved Glasgow

As a Southsider I would recommend Shawlands/Pollokshields and I daresay @prettybird will be along soon to back me up. Having said that - I now live elsewhere and would definitely consider the West end if I was to move back to the city.

I would be much more like to move to Glasgow than a small town, there is not much going on now but lots more opportunities to join groups once COVID is by.
I've lived in both and found small towns much more cliquey and harder to meet people. Glaswegians on the whole are warm and friendly, I am also the same age as you, divorced and single and wouldn't live anywhere else.
If money was no object I'd move to Hyndland within walking distance of Byres Road and the subway.

Following as having similar thoughts myself similar situation I'm already in Scotland but I don't like it where I am

I've also done the move from England to Scotland

Pros

Cheaper housing

Cheaper everything! Pretty much (except flights, they sting you there)

Closer to family

LOVE the culture/social side of glasgow. There's loads to do and much of it is cheap or free.

LOVE the food, as well as Scots food lots of international cuisines at very good quality and reasonable prices in glasgow

Folk are friendly and welcoming generally speaking

Excellent public transport inc generally very easy to get a cab, I'm disabled too and I've found bus drivers and cab drivers very helpful

Glasgow is a great location base wise for accessing other parts of Scotland

Cons

Healthcare can be very hit and miss but that's true across uk

Weather - took me a while to adjust to SO MUCH RAIN but if you invest in good waterproof coats with well fitting not loose hoods (too windy for brollies), knee high boots and waterproof gloves you should be fine. The summers are generally better these days

Can be tricky when applying for jobs if most of your qualifications are English specific as there CAN be a lack of knowledge/prejudice there. Having lived back in Scotland several years now I understand why.

@grumplass genuine question do you have knowledge of other Uk cities? Pretty much all of them have "gone downhill" in the way you describe to some extent as that's the result of current and recent governance. Glasgow as far as I can tell (based on what friends/family who live in them are telling me) has actually been less hard hit than many English ones

I have less choice as I'm on benefits so would need to consider a cheaper area, but that's never been a problem for me I've lived in the cheaper areas and suburbs before.

Not significantly more worrying in my experience, people are people wherever you go, some nice some not so much.

My family are originally from a notoriously and infamously "rough" part of glasgow yet we all managed fine living there.

Of course some areas are more desirable than others and for various reasons the "rough" and "posh" areas can change over time. The same happens in other cities too.

I was just discussing the other day with a friend as they posted on Fb they were moving to a part of a city I used to live in, that when I lived there you avoided like the plague! Apparently due to major council decisions and investment it's now a very desirable area.

But, as I say, following, as I'm not overly familiar with how certain areas that my family don't have knowledge of are these days.

Areas which are still cheaper due to old reputations can be a savvy place to move to - if anyone glasgow based can advise of such areas I'd be interested to know and could be useful for op too

I've lived in both and found small towns much more cliquey and harder to meet people

Definitely!

This is the main reason I hate where I am now. Due to high unemployment over many decades most people here were born, raised, went to school (And church/chapel) here, very few went to uni, EVERYONE knows everyone - it's seriously spooky!

I've noticed odd links via Facebook been shocked to learn x is friends with y because y married x's cousin when they're people I suspect (and quite often had confirmed) would not get along at all!

If I've had a bad experience with someone I've had to be VERY careful who I mention it to if anyone at all!

Certain families/cliques are "local royalty" and nobody ever speaks against them no matter what they do! Many are still in small friendship groups with and even married to the people they went to nursery with!

Suggesting they might extend that is met with type looks as if it's an outlandish and unrealistic idea.

They're pleasant and civil mostly in terms of manners but my parents have lived here over 30 years and are still viewed as and even described as "incomers", I've only been here just over a decade and my accent is a bit odd (army brat so lost much of the Scots aspect though not all of it) so I'm viewed with quite a bit of suspicion.

Now dd is an adult and has moved away herself I'm thinking whether I want to move in the next few years, I'm housebound at the moment with several health issues so need to sort those first, but I really feel my location is contributing to those.

Thanks everyone, so great to hear your thoughts.

@SacreBleeurgh and @LizzieMacQueen and the others who suggested the West End, that's what I was thinking too. I realise that it will have changed, I was up last year and saw that Byres Road had changed but I still like the idea of being quite central and able to get to the shops, concerts and all that. Also easy to get through the tunnel to visit relatives and I love those sandstone tenements with the high ceilings and big windows.

@graphista I grew up in one of the 'rough' areas too, makes me aware of my safety so I'm careful, as I would be in any city.

@SacreBleeurgh I'm in Essex, close to London but in commuterland really. I know what you mean about the weather, it's just that I've been living in one of the driest parts of the UK for years so I'd have to readjust 😀

@readsalotgirl63 Shawlands and Pollokshaws are the other 2 areas I was considering, will have a look at properties there.

Lots to think about. Lots of pros, seems like fewer cons the more I think about it.

@Graphista that kind of thing puts me off small towns too. I've lived in a couple of them in the West of Scotland in the past and always felt like an outsider. People were nice, but everyone was either related to everyone else or had known each other since birth so I mostly socialised with other newcomers.

Yes very similar experiences and backgrounds then. Even English people would recognise the name of the part I'm from as a certain tv show with a very "rough" character made it famous which was quite annoying.

Lucky you, so love the West End of Glasgow. Vibrant, independent and creative. Some of my most favourite venues, bars and restaurants are in the West End and Hyndland.

We often take a holiday let for a month every now and then. I'd move in a heartbeat.

This post caught my eye. I hsvdb been to Glasgow for a couple of years though!

My mum moved back to Glasgow from Essex when she retired aged 60. Her and my dad had separated a couple of years previously and he'd moved out of Essex too.

She rented to begin with, then bought a flat in Langside. Glasgow was home to her and a lot of stuff was better than where she was in Essex - didn't need to drive, she did a college course, volunteered, good shops etc.

Her health was always a bit dodgy(!) but she had excellent care. But from my pov, it was hard to be able to rearrange everything to go be with her when it was a crisis situation. 4 Children and 400 miles

What's your budget, OP?

And are you looking for a bustling area? Or suburb?

Flat or house?

I'm biased towards the south side too. If Shawlands is too busy, grad a little further out to Newlands or Giffnock. Pollockshields is lovely too.

The Park district or Kelvindale (near the Botanics, off Great Western Rd) or Hyndland are nice in the west end - but your money does not go as far!

@Graphista

If you want my opinion, Ibrox and Govan will be the next place to become super popular. Especially due to the regeneration planned down at the Clyde.

I would suggest south side- Pollokshields, Strathbungo, Queen's Park (but only certain streets), Shawlands. Lots of amenities and good public transport access.

@Graphista yes ... lots of experience of other cities but definitely think Glasgow is not in a good place atm. It still has some of the highest deprivation in Europe and the person suggesting Ibrox or Govan . How about Stirling or Perth- they are cities but compact. Edinburgh is lovely although the centre is filled with air B and B s so would need careful thought but Stockbridge or Duddingston are lovely.
Dundee is on the up but the deprivation there is still horrendous.
I would still feel safer in Dundee or central London than Glasgow.
Still think a small commuter town like Blanefield or similar would be better.

@grumplass

Graphista specifically asked for areas that have a bad reputation that are on the up. Which is EXACTLY what Ibrox and Govan is. Just like Dennistoun before it. Clearly you know very little about Glasgow these days.

I am in Mount Florida which although a very busy area I love, has great transport links and good local shops as well as a large supermarket within walking distance. I am not particularly sociable to be honest so I like the fact most people keep to themselves but are perfectly pleasant! I am out most of the day at work anyway so don't know some of my neighbours as well as I should but I am on a couple of local facebook groups and it does create a sense of community as everyone looks to help each other and offer advice. Don't know the west end that much but think it's a lot pricier than the southside.

@fluffmonkey82

We are probably on the same pages and I agree, it creates a lovely sense of community! I love the southside

[quote GallusAlice79]@fluffmonkey82

We are probably on the same pages and I agree, it creates a lovely sense of community! I love the southside[/quote]
We probably are! I am on a couple of local groups and it does make you feel less isolated. I grew up in Dennistoun and there was a fantastic sense of community there but this was back in the late 70's and early 80's when I think things were different but I do love the Southside, has some fantastic pubs/restaurants just hope they are able to open again when things are safer.

@GallusAlice79 yes that's what my family reckon too, but it's also worrying them that they might be priced out of their own homes if rents shoot up

@grumplass I feel far safer on a night out in glasgow than I ever did living in London and I was in a relatively "naice" part of London