2 days a week in London if you live in Yorkshire - doable?
Discussion
Hi all,
Without giving too much away, i'm a product manager who's going through redundancy, i have a decision whether to stay or go. If i were to leave i'd get a nice chunk of change that would see me be able to live for 9 months.
My worry is all Product Manager Jobs i see these days are down in London and its 50/50 if they say they want you in the office a minimum of 2 days a week. I'm trying to figure out whether from a financial POV it would cripple me to get the train and probably stay over somewhere each week and whether it would kill you mentally from travelling so much.
I would hope i could find something closer to home but i feel the tech market in the UK is tough for Product Managers and most that come up are London based, plus the amount of supply means businesses can start to dictate more.
I'm wondering if anyone does a similar thing, maybe not from Yorkshire but in the UK and has to stay in london one night a week and how they've found it.
To note that i've been pretty much full time work from home since Covid so it would be a change none the less i'd need to get used to.
Thanks
Without giving too much away, i'm a product manager who's going through redundancy, i have a decision whether to stay or go. If i were to leave i'd get a nice chunk of change that would see me be able to live for 9 months.
My worry is all Product Manager Jobs i see these days are down in London and its 50/50 if they say they want you in the office a minimum of 2 days a week. I'm trying to figure out whether from a financial POV it would cripple me to get the train and probably stay over somewhere each week and whether it would kill you mentally from travelling so much.
I would hope i could find something closer to home but i feel the tech market in the UK is tough for Product Managers and most that come up are London based, plus the amount of supply means businesses can start to dictate more.
I'm wondering if anyone does a similar thing, maybe not from Yorkshire but in the UK and has to stay in london one night a week and how they've found it.
To note that i've been pretty much full time work from home since Covid so it would be a change none the less i'd need to get used to.
Thanks
My daughter's boss does that.
He lives in Harrogate and works two days/week in London staying overnight in a flat he owns. Some things which I think help
1. He's divorced and the kids have all grown up / left home (so no family commitments)
2. He's a (kind of) Partner in the business. Which means that nobody is telling him when he starts/leaves
3. He's actually retired and only working because he enjoys it.
I'm based in Manchester but have to go down to London 2 or 3 times a month. I'm usually knackered on the day (I catch the 6:00am train from Piccadilly and don't usually get back until 9:00pm unless Avanti do their usual Train cancellation roulette) and the day after.
TL:DR I wouldn't
He lives in Harrogate and works two days/week in London staying overnight in a flat he owns. Some things which I think help
1. He's divorced and the kids have all grown up / left home (so no family commitments)
2. He's a (kind of) Partner in the business. Which means that nobody is telling him when he starts/leaves
3. He's actually retired and only working because he enjoys it.
I'm based in Manchester but have to go down to London 2 or 3 times a month. I'm usually knackered on the day (I catch the 6:00am train from Piccadilly and don't usually get back until 9:00pm unless Avanti do their usual Train cancellation roulette) and the day after.
TL:DR I wouldn't
I did it from Manchester to London for 2 or 3 days a week for a while a few years ago. The company paid for the train and hotels but it wasn’t cheap. I’d get the 6 o’clock train from Manchester to get into London for just after 8 then get a train home at about 6 and get home at about 9. After a few months the novelty wears off and I got a bit sick of it but don’t let me put you off, I was doing a job I didn’t enjoy.
I always stayed in Premier Inns all about 20 mins on the tube from central London, in whichever one was cheapest. Usually cost about £50 a night.
The problem was that if I had planned to be down there for Wednesday and Thursday, trains and hotel booked, some clown would arrange a meeting for Friday morning.
Have a good think, maybe try it and see how you get on. It’s doable but price up the trains and hotels. Book the hotels as far in advanced than you can.
I was close to getting a train season ticket and just commuting to London from Manchester on a daily basis. From memory a season ticket was about £3k a quarter.
I always stayed in Premier Inns all about 20 mins on the tube from central London, in whichever one was cheapest. Usually cost about £50 a night.
The problem was that if I had planned to be down there for Wednesday and Thursday, trains and hotel booked, some clown would arrange a meeting for Friday morning.
Have a good think, maybe try it and see how you get on. It’s doable but price up the trains and hotels. Book the hotels as far in advanced than you can.
I was close to getting a train season ticket and just commuting to London from Manchester on a daily basis. From memory a season ticket was about £3k a quarter.
I regularly travel from Leeds to London, sometimes stay overnight, sometimes there and back in a day.
If you can get to Leeds (or Doncaster) train station there are a lot of trains to London Kings Cross which by and large run to schedule. Leeds to Kings Cross is about 2 hours 10 minutes.
Can't comment too much on accommodation, I'm usually in Premier Inn which my company pays for.
If you can get to Leeds (or Doncaster) train station there are a lot of trains to London Kings Cross which by and large run to schedule. Leeds to Kings Cross is about 2 hours 10 minutes.
Can't comment too much on accommodation, I'm usually in Premier Inn which my company pays for.
Countdown said:
Just to give you an idea of hotel prices - Ive booked Premier Inn at Euston for the last two days in September and it's £210 a night.
Travelodge is always cheaper but it's usually quite grotty.
That's pretty expensive unless there is some kind of surge pricing going on for those dates? Typical prices for Premier Inn's in central London should be around 100 cheaper per night for a standard room with BreakfastTravelodge is always cheaper but it's usually quite grotty.
I’d say proceed with caution. It’s easy to evaluate the quantifiables (so the extra money) however if travel + overnight costs come out of your pocket then double them to evaluate the salary, as you are paying out of net pay.
The more intangibles are the impacts on your quality of life, I went to 4 days a week a while ago and for a few weeks I was putting pressure on what i spent my day off doing, as it was costing me £x per month, then I realised it’s the whole you need to evaluate, so how does a 4 day week feel.
Unfortunately, as someone else said, you will always get someone wanting to stick a key meeting in at an inconvenient time, I took Friday off and if we were trying to schedule a meeting for multiple colleagues, Fridays were the obvious day. As every other f
ker is trying to illegitimately get themselves a 4 day week…!
The more intangibles are the impacts on your quality of life, I went to 4 days a week a while ago and for a few weeks I was putting pressure on what i spent my day off doing, as it was costing me £x per month, then I realised it’s the whole you need to evaluate, so how does a 4 day week feel.
Unfortunately, as someone else said, you will always get someone wanting to stick a key meeting in at an inconvenient time, I took Friday off and if we were trying to schedule a meeting for multiple colleagues, Fridays were the obvious day. As every other f
ker is trying to illegitimately get themselves a 4 day week…!Jamescrs said:
Countdown said:
Just to give you an idea of hotel prices - Ive booked Premier Inn at Euston for the last two days in September and it's £210 a night.
Travelodge is always cheaper but it's usually quite grotty.
That's pretty expensive unless there is some kind of surge pricing going on for those dates? Typical prices for Premier Inn's in central London should be around 100 cheaper per night for a standard room with BreakfastTravelodge is always cheaper but it's usually quite grotty.
kiethton said:
20% of my firm do It, albeit for 3 days/2 nights a week but not from the UK - generally fly in from Amsterdam/Geneva on a Mon/Tue and fly back on a Wed/Thur evening, all have young families
I can see how it s doable without a family and/or divorced but doing it with family commitments must be very hard. I only have go down to London from Leicester on odd occasions. The fast train is just 1hr, but its often delayed/late, than there is the travel in London and getting to the station. If I have a meeting starting at 9am in London, it’s 7am start leaving the house and not getting back in till 7-8pm, I can manage it for the odd meeting once a month, absolutely zero chance I could do it every week, I rather find a different job even if it means a drop in pay.gangzoom said:
kiethton said:
20% of my firm do It, albeit for 3 days/2 nights a week but not from the UK - generally fly in from Amsterdam/Geneva on a Mon/Tue and fly back on a Wed/Thur evening, all have young families
I can see how it s doable without a family and/or divorced but doing it with family commitments must be very hard. I only have go down to London from Leicester on odd occasions. The fast train is just 1hr, but its often delayed/late, than there is the travel in London and getting to the station. If I have a meeting starting at 9am in London, it s 7am start leaving the house and not getting back in till 7-8pm, I can manage it for the odd meeting once a month, absolutely zero chance I could do it every week, I rather find a different job even if it means a drop in pay.When one of their kids told their new reception teacher that daddy had gone away it set up a few few awkward questions at collection a few days later as she'd assumed him and his Mrs had split...
If I stay in London, I tend to stay near Paddington / Marble Arch - And a Tuesday night hotel booked a week or so in advance is regularly found for ~£110 a night. I've not yet had one that I would avoid in future.
The commute is harder than you think it's going to be but it's also true that you get used to anything commute wise - I only commute from Cambridge to Oxford Circus, and that takes ~2 hours each way door to door and I do this 3 days a week if not 4 now.
In some ways, I'd prefer fewer, but longer & more comfortable train journeys if that makes sense - so in that way I'd say it can be done your way.
For the right role (and I am also a Product Manager (at a tech startup)) where flexibility is OK, it can be done - Tech PM roles are increasingly wanting more than 2 days in the office in practice from what I can see though?
The commute is harder than you think it's going to be but it's also true that you get used to anything commute wise - I only commute from Cambridge to Oxford Circus, and that takes ~2 hours each way door to door and I do this 3 days a week if not 4 now.
In some ways, I'd prefer fewer, but longer & more comfortable train journeys if that makes sense - so in that way I'd say it can be done your way.
For the right role (and I am also a Product Manager (at a tech startup)) where flexibility is OK, it can be done - Tech PM roles are increasingly wanting more than 2 days in the office in practice from what I can see though?
A bloke I worked with many years ago did it, but he did 4 days in London and drove back Thursday night, then back to London Sunday night. He had a B&B type place for years the landlady basically kept his room each weekend. I think personally you lose far too much time travelling but..
Thanks so much for everyone’s experiences so far. Honestly at this stage I don’t know what to expect or whether it’s feasible to travel. Like you say I’m going to need a fair salary increase to afford £100* on tickets and then a hotel once a week.
Hopefully we’re still in an era of flexibility and them wanting the right person rather than location.
It’s good to know premier inn is a good option and maybe I can convince them to pay train and me accommodation.
Hopefully we’re still in an era of flexibility and them wanting the right person rather than location.
It’s good to know premier inn is a good option and maybe I can convince them to pay train and me accommodation.
I did Leeds to London for 3 days/2 nights every week for a year covering a maternity leave.
Firm paid for 1st class, parking at Leeds. Wednesday 0720 down, arrive London office 10am.
Either hotel or company flat (!) if it was available. £50 per night to pay for 'a meal and a show'.
Friday 1610 back to Leeds. Home by 1830.
I enjoyed it to start with but it got old really fast.
Firm paid for 1st class, parking at Leeds. Wednesday 0720 down, arrive London office 10am.
Either hotel or company flat (!) if it was available. £50 per night to pay for 'a meal and a show'.
Friday 1610 back to Leeds. Home by 1830.
I enjoyed it to start with but it got old really fast.
I used to work 2 days in Brum commuting from London for approx 10 months.
It wasn't what I wanted, but I was doing my boss a huge favour, plus it was only temporary.
My boss came from Brum and had an empty 2 bed apartment + reserved parking in Egbaston, so he offered his gaff for free as a small compensation (he still paid for all utilities and broadband etc..). I used to drive up on Sunday evening and drive back home after cob Tue. I usually don't mind driving, but the 2.5 hours commute on the M6/M1/M25 did get tiresome pretty quickly!!
Staying in a "proper" accommodation definitely swayed my decision on this temp role i.e. fully kitted separate living and cooking space, plus I was able to leave / store some personal items, but I couldn't imagine living long term out of a box/hotel room for any length of contract!
It wasn't what I wanted, but I was doing my boss a huge favour, plus it was only temporary.
My boss came from Brum and had an empty 2 bed apartment + reserved parking in Egbaston, so he offered his gaff for free as a small compensation (he still paid for all utilities and broadband etc..). I used to drive up on Sunday evening and drive back home after cob Tue. I usually don't mind driving, but the 2.5 hours commute on the M6/M1/M25 did get tiresome pretty quickly!!
Staying in a "proper" accommodation definitely swayed my decision on this temp role i.e. fully kitted separate living and cooking space, plus I was able to leave / store some personal items, but I couldn't imagine living long term out of a box/hotel room for any length of contract!
Edited by chip* on Friday 28th August 00:01
I’ve done similar mad commutes over the years.
Trains: am guessing over 150 quid a week and most likely delayed much of the time, which will boost your stress levels. Hotel another 150 quid a week on average. So you’re 1200 quid a month out of pocket for starters. But if there aren’t many other jobs around then do you have a choice?
I guess it also depends on your personal circumstances: partner, kids, current mortgage,… etc?
I wouldn’t do it again, but now I’m in my late-50s I guess I am more picky.
Trains: am guessing over 150 quid a week and most likely delayed much of the time, which will boost your stress levels. Hotel another 150 quid a week on average. So you’re 1200 quid a month out of pocket for starters. But if there aren’t many other jobs around then do you have a choice?
I guess it also depends on your personal circumstances: partner, kids, current mortgage,… etc?
I wouldn’t do it again, but now I’m in my late-50s I guess I am more picky.
Junglebert said:
It depends where in Yorkshire
Also depends where in London. It's a big place with an equally big spread of cost implications.North London I'd say is very doable in terms of access from the North by rail or car and 'reasonable' accommodation costs.
Soho/Central - great fun but unless you commute is going hurt cost wise.
South London, 'reasonable' accommodation costs again but will add 1 to 2 hours to total travel time.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff