If you could live anywhere in the UK...
Discussion
A tricky one, I grew up in York and the majority of my family live there still so visit fairly frequently. Not sure I'd want to move back to it as a city though as it does suffer from poor road infastructure and realistically the main work prospects in the IT field would be Leeds. It's pretty and nice to visit but as a place to live and work, it is a bit lacking.
I went to university in Stirling, and wouldn't consider moving back. The weather was too wet in winter, too dark and generally didn't like the atmosphere with a lot of the locals in the area. Again not the largest access to cultural events bar going to Edinburgh or Glasgow and work would be a similar issue. Better transport than York though to a major city.
I now live and work South Oxon / West Berks area, and have to say despite the flaws I find it a good mix. We live on the edge of a science park and the rest is pretty rural for the moment. The roads are a bugger at peak times with the A34 being massively over subscribed. Culture wise, we've got Oxford a short drive away, as well as London via trains. Countryside wise is fantastic, with the downs on our doorstep. House prices aren't quite as high in the part of South Oxon we live in but still well above national average. The biggest concern with this area is the massive amount of homes on the local plan and how they'll implement those without knackering the local area.
I went to university in Stirling, and wouldn't consider moving back. The weather was too wet in winter, too dark and generally didn't like the atmosphere with a lot of the locals in the area. Again not the largest access to cultural events bar going to Edinburgh or Glasgow and work would be a similar issue. Better transport than York though to a major city.
I now live and work South Oxon / West Berks area, and have to say despite the flaws I find it a good mix. We live on the edge of a science park and the rest is pretty rural for the moment. The roads are a bugger at peak times with the A34 being massively over subscribed. Culture wise, we've got Oxford a short drive away, as well as London via trains. Countryside wise is fantastic, with the downs on our doorstep. House prices aren't quite as high in the part of South Oxon we live in but still well above national average. The biggest concern with this area is the massive amount of homes on the local plan and how they'll implement those without knackering the local area.
AC43 said:
GetCarter said:
AC43 said:
GetCarter said:
smifffymoto said:
Get Carter's house.I would kick him out if I didn't have other commitments.
Watch it you, I have a vicious puppy 
But as stated, great for old gits like me, but round here all the teenagers can't wait to get out. (As I would have done).
As for Hampstead - I lived there for many years, and for London it's as good as it gets (apart for the school run), but it's still London, which I HATE.
Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 15th February 15:11
If anywhere I'd happily more further in.
Hampstead would be my top choice but I wouldn't complain about being based in Marleybone High Street of just off Holland Park.
Money no object I'd do it tomorrow.
Each to their own and all that.
...and in fact, I regularly get e mails asking me how their kid can get into the music industry and the first thing I say is get them to move to London!
There are so many downsides to living there, which we all know, the traffic, the crime, the dirt, the air quality, the price of everything, the astonishing anger that seems to pervade, the anti social behaviour - and so on for ever... but there is a really big upside (apart from museums and theatres which everybody mentions but hardly ever visit).
And that is: You can sell your 4 bed detached in Hampstead for £3+ million and buy a 14 bed house with 5 holiday cottages and 568 acres up here and still have a million in the bank to live on. And a bit of a view.
https://www.torridonestate.com
I should add... not my place, a neighbour's.
Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 15th February 17:03
(1) one hour's sunshine a year
(2) a billion midges
(3) Nats
(4) Nat tax
(5) Bored teenagers
:-)
Indeed. Many billions of midges (but only in summer)
Nats.. and Nats tax, sadly yes.
Bored teenagers... you bet, but no associated crime.
..and it's actually really sunny here, (see my photo a day for a decade)... but it ain't warm!
GetCarter said:
AC43 said:
GetCarter said:
AC43 said:
GetCarter said:
smifffymoto said:
Get Carter's house.I would kick him out if I didn't have other commitments.
Watch it you, I have a vicious puppy But as stated, great for old gits like me, but round here all the teenagers can't wait to get out. (As I would have done).
As for Hampstead - I lived there for many years, and for London it's as good as it gets (apart for the school run), but it's still London, which I HATE.
Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 15th February 15:11
If anywhere I'd happily more further in.
Hampstead would be my top choice but I wouldn't complain about being based in Marleybone High Street of just off Holland Park.
Money no object I'd do it tomorrow.
Each to their own and all that.
...and in fact, I regularly get e mails asking me how their kid can get into the music industry and the first thing I say is get them to move to London!
There are so many downsides to living there, which we all know, the traffic, the crime, the dirt, the air quality, the price of everything, the astonishing anger that seems to pervade, the anti social behaviour - and so on for ever... but there is a really big upside (apart from museums and theatres which everybody mentions but hardly ever visit).
And that is: You can sell your 4 bed detached in Hampstead for £3+ million and buy a 14 bed house with 5 holiday cottages and 568 acres up here and still have a million in the bank to live on. And a bit of a view.
https://www.torridonestate.com
I should add... not my place, a neighbour's.
Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 15th February 17:03
(1) one hour's sunshine a year
(2) a billion midges
(3) Nats
(4) Nat tax
(5) Bored teenagers
:-)
Indeed. Many billions of midges (but only in summer)
Nats.. and Nats tax, sadly yes.
Bored teenagers... you bet, but no associated crime.
..and it's actually really sunny here, (see my photo a day for a decade)... but it ain't warm!
One of the problems I have when I visit in having to continually stop the car to take a picture of yet another mentally beautiful incredibly lit view.
It's genuinely one of my favourite spots on the planet.
Edited by AC43 on Saturday 17th February 19:42
Glasgow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0E6fLJixUs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0E6fLJixUs
Edited by drainbrain on Saturday 17th February 19:56
JPJPJP said:
York and its surrounds are all horrible places. The worst of the ‘up north’ stereotypes are all real life everyday.
Everyone is horrible, the balance of town / country is over rated. North york moors, pah ! Wolds, double pah!
The coast is miles away and rubbish. Whitby, pah! sandsend, double pah!
Beer is top dollar everywhere and there is nowhere to eat anything except chips and black and Yorkshire puddings
Driving anywhere is a real ball ache. Helmsley to stokesley, pah! Pickering over to goathland, double pah!
Do not move here
:-)
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/16095319.York_is_best_place_to_live_in_Britain/Everyone is horrible, the balance of town / country is over rated. North york moors, pah ! Wolds, double pah!
The coast is miles away and rubbish. Whitby, pah! sandsend, double pah!
Beer is top dollar everywhere and there is nowhere to eat anything except chips and black and Yorkshire puddings
Driving anywhere is a real ball ache. Helmsley to stokesley, pah! Pickering over to goathland, double pah!
Do not move here
:-)
AndStilliRise said:
Nerve gas is the big problem. You’re going to be stepping over dead neighbours and having to wash your pocket square every five minutes for the foreseeable future. I'd tend to go to the dorset coast. We've spent the last few summers there (well a week here and there) and like it. But we haven't done the height of summer and I suspect that might be a tad different.
Rural wales seems to be the only place left with nice places and sensible prices. The little 3 bed terrace I wanted as a bolt hole sold for £500k
A little less than half that would be ideal please.
Rural wales seems to be the only place left with nice places and sensible prices. The little 3 bed terrace I wanted as a bolt hole sold for £500k
A little less than half that would be ideal please.DKL said:
I'd tend to go to the dorset coast. We've spent the last few summers there (well a week here and there) and like it. But we haven't done the height of summer and I suspect that might be a tad different.
Rural wales seems to be the only place left with nice places and sensible prices. The little 3 bed terrace I wanted as a bolt hole sold for £500k A little less than half that would be ideal please.
We have been to Charmouth/ Lyme Regis the last couple of May bank holidays and enjoy it around there. Only disadvantage was a city close by which could be used on an evening.... getting back from Exeter on an evening meant someone had to drive.....Rural wales seems to be the only place left with nice places and sensible prices. The little 3 bed terrace I wanted as a bolt hole sold for £500k
A little less than half that would be ideal please.Used to live in Yeadon (North Leeds/ Otley area) which made easy travel to the Dales or Leeds itself, so pretty good. However Yeadon was soulless as a town and the seaside was quite a trip to mediocre resorts (even for the UK!) So I quite enjoyed it there, but it missed 'something'.
I was 'dragged' up in northern Cardiff - which again was good with access to a good city centre/ food/ entertainment and the Brecons/ Gower not too far away - but they are some trek away especially on a bank holiday weekend.
We now live in Ryde, ten minutes from a lovely beach, ten minutes from stunning countryside walks, short journey on hovercraft to Portsmouth or Southampton (doable for an evening trip). Loads to do in the summer - unfortunately not so good in the winter months......
I don't see anywhere in London as desirable - the few times I have been, I left with an acrid taste in my mouth and totally overwhelmed by traffic/ people. Nice for a weekend, but......
Mike
Unfortunately the aspirational places I would like to live are currently out of reach, locally I would go for St Alban's or harpenden, Fulham or Bath a bit further out.
I live in a nice village at the moment, schools are good, the commute is fine and I don't see us moving for a while yet. That said, if the wife and I can get another promotion in we might start looking.
I live in a nice village at the moment, schools are good, the commute is fine and I don't see us moving for a while yet. That said, if the wife and I can get another promotion in we might start looking.
Pete-mojsh said:
Unfortunately the aspirational places I would like to live are currently out of reach, locally I would go for St Alban's or harpenden, Fulham or Bath a bit further out.
I live in a nice village at the moment, schools are good, the commute is fine and I don't see us moving for a while yet. That said, if the wife and I can get another promotion in we might start looking.
I can see Bath as aspirational, but commuter suburbs of St Albans / Harpenden...not bad towns but aspirational?I live in a nice village at the moment, schools are good, the commute is fine and I don't see us moving for a while yet. That said, if the wife and I can get another promotion in we might start looking.
Vaud said:
I can see Bath as aspirational, but commuter suburbs of St Albans / Harpenden...not bad towns but aspirational?
In a local sense, yes. I spent years working in St Alban's, nice restaurants, nice pubs, nice parks, it's a nice place to be. Harpenden is a bit snooty to say the least but has a nice high street, both have easy train links to London and the commute to work is pretty easy.I like the Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire villages so if we were to move I think that's where we would look, my wife likes wendover and I like the cluster of villages around harlington and Woburn.
Pete-mojsh said:
In a local sense, yes. I spent years working in St Alban's, nice restaurants, nice pubs, nice parks, it's a nice place to be. Harpenden is a bit snooty to say the least but has a nice high street, both have easy train links to London and the commute to work is pretty easy.
I like the Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire villages so if we were to move I think that's where we would look, my wife likes wendover and I like the cluster of villages around harlington and Woburn.
I guess so. I spent most of my years in the Home Counties trying to find a way to escape. I guess Tring and Woburn are pretty nice, although pricey!I like the Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire villages so if we were to move I think that's where we would look, my wife likes wendover and I like the cluster of villages around harlington and Woburn.
Amateurish said:
It's got to be the Cotswolds. Proper countryside, picturesque villages, nice hills and even decent rail connections to London.
I can't be doing with the cold wet weather up North (I grew up in Manchester). West country is too isolated. Wales too rainy. Anything within 50 miles of London too built up.
I live in the Cotswolds it’s lovely. Some downsides if you have a family, eg for us 12 mile round trip to school bus stop and 45 mind on the bus for the kids. (Mind you the 12 Miles only takes 6mins each way)I can't be doing with the cold wet weather up North (I grew up in Manchester). West country is too isolated. Wales too rainy. Anything within 50 miles of London too built up.
Landscape is stunning, we often get deer in the front garden and have owls and wood peckers living in our trees.
Property isn’t cheap and because you live in the Cotswolds tradesmen think you are loaded and hike their prices.
There is a disproportionate amount on tweed jackets and mustard cords on the train to and from London - you need to own a horse and a shotgun to engage in conversation with the tweed and cords types.
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