If you had to start again somewhere in the UK, where would you go?

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Cbatothinkofaun@reddit

Think a lot depends on where you are in life really. Are you set in your career/can you work remotely? Are you settling down in life or wanting to dive into a career? Do you drive? Are you single? If not, do you have kids/pets etc. I moved from Birmingham to Leeds and do like it for the most part. Decent sized city but compact with great access to nature. Not a million miles away from the coast and Scotland is fairly accessible for a long weekend away. Newcastle is supposed to be great for similar reasons. Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool all great options for cities with a lot of positive changes, but still have the city standard issues. Exeter and Bristol good southern options but more expensive.

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riverY90@reddit (OP)

Single, no kids, was an accountant but want out of that after travelling and not too sure what career move to make next really. I'd love my own zero waste shop but owning a shop in the UK seems ridiculously hard / expensive. Death of the high street and all that

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Cbatothinkofaun@reddit

Yeah - think it depends how much financial backing you've got for running your shops in the UK atm. Zero waste shops are also still fairly middle class - so you'd probs have to strategically rent somewhere more upmarket. Anyway, I'm aware you didn't actually ask for financial/business advice, sorry! I think I'd still recommend the list of places but I'd probably throw Norwich and Nottingham into the mix.

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nazman13@reddit

Does it absolutely 100% have to be the UK?

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riverY90@reddit (OP)

Visa options to remain in Aus are very limited for me. I'll probably do a year in NZ before I return so maybe an NZ oppurtunity will arise but ultimately immigration is harder than ever before and I need to make a plan for being back in the UK as odds are against me even though I'll try

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nazman13@reddit

Have you considered Rwanda?

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Valuable_Day_3664@reddit

Hampshire, Surrey, Leeds or Edinburgh

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Lord_Mucus@reddit

Sheffield. Planning to move there in 2-4 years after 20+ in London.

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oudcedar@reddit

Dorset near Bournemouth for work has a very similar vibe to suburban Australia, especially the new build estates from the 90s onwards.

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riverY90@reddit (OP)

Funnily enough Bournemouth is where I was living for 14 years (my whole aduilt life, as soon as I turned 18 I left my parents in Herts and went down) before going to Aus. Maybe I just need to do the suburbs of Bournemouth a bit more and stay where I was

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professoryaffle72@reddit

IF you can avoid going back, I'd check what your options are. Every time I return it feels like everything has got a little be worse.

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riverY90@reddit (OP)

I have one potential visa option with a high faillure rate so I am going to try it but I also need to face statistics and have a plan B mentally prepared

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Difficult_Iron_5540@reddit

Try Glasgow - it’s cold and wet but more than makes up for it with access to amazing countryside, friendly people and lower than average living costs.

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inverted_domination@reddit

Glasgow is really going down the tubes these days. The decline of the city has been dramatic over the last 4-5 years. Much more so than any other city of a similar size. When you compare it to Northern English cities like Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, and Sheffield, it's in a dire state.

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PraterViolet@reddit

In what ways has it gone down the tubes?

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sokorsognarf@reddit

I’ve heard this quite a bit recently and I’m dismayed. Was always my favourite UK city other than my hometown of London. Actually I possibly liked Glasgow more than London

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inverted_domination@reddit

90s 00s it was a really great city in terms of nightlife, shopping, music scene, the food scene was dynamic in this days. The place is falling apart these days. City centre is a shitehole. In social terms the haves and the have nots is incredibly stark, there really is a lost generation now in Glasgow/Clydeside. I'm in my 40s and in my younger days it was the best city in Scotland for students and young people starting out but these days it's miles behind Edinburgh and in all honesty probably Dundee.

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JennyW93@reddit

Shiny fresh subway though

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inverted_domination@reddit

Which just magnifies how bad the public transport is compared to most big British cities.

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PikaPikaPoka@reddit

I wouldn't.... 5 years ago yeah, but it's become quite the dump now in comparison. Really quite grotty, not particularly safe (at least in comparison to the past) and way behind most other UK cities. If adventerous though I'd recommend Inverness - that feels much more up and coming, safe, growing and just overall quite a positive place. Cold AF though and very remote.

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mrhippoj@reddit

Really? I went there two years ago and thought it was great

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Larnak1@reddit

The was another question recently where someone asked about the best non-London non-edinburgh cities and Glasgow came out top

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Dull_Half_6107@reddit

Like 10 minutes outside of Glasgow and you’re hit with stunning views of mountains, it’s incredible.

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Farscape_rocked@reddit

Very nearly moved to Cornwall recently, in the end we decided to stay put. We're currently ion Wigan, which I love. It's cheap, it's surprisingly nice with lots of green space, locals are friendly, and it's situated next to Manchester and Liverpool and has excellent rail and motorway links.

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Holtey_AV@reddit

I did once consider Wigan. What green spaces do you have?

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Farscape_rocked@reddit

Because it was so heavily mined there are a lot of very old mines that are now nature reserves. The Wigan flashes stretch nearly to the centre from the outskirts, and there are loads of parks (Mesnes Park is central but there are too many to mention).

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EnglandsGlorious@reddit

Killgoodie on the border. The numpties were pushed out years ago.

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retinoidz@reddit

Congleton

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DeifniteProfessional@reddit

I spent a week in Congleton last year, I thought it was quite nice. I'm a filthy Southerner at heart though

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retinoidz@reddit

I live here now. Spent 4 years in Guildford - can't justify the cost of living there, and more antisocial behaviour 🤣

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JAD4995@reddit

Hebden Bridge. Close to both Manchester and Leeds. Lots of nature a good array off independent businesses and a good local community.

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rngwilson@reddit

And lesbians

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BarnacleExpressor@reddit

And burlesque dancers!

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ChampionshipOk5046@reddit

And flood drama

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dmmeyourfloof@reddit

"flood drama" occurs when Lesbians congregate.

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FoxesFan91@reddit

it's a bit Disney-fied, I'd choose Todmorden or Mytholmroyd personally. Plus, Royd has Barbary's which is the best pub in the whole valley imo

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Impetuous_doormouse@reddit

Walsden is a good place, too. Close to all of the above and beautiful scenery.

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Cbatothinkofaun@reddit

Agree with everything but I think you'd be hard pressed to find somewhere to live in HB, even if you were buying, unless you have a fairly high budget

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Impetuous_doormouse@reddit

Possibly some part of Bristol? It's a lovely part of the country, has decent transport links and a really vibrant city centre. I'd probably head that way if I were starting over.

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MiddleAgeCool@reddit

I would recommend the North East of England. Regularly tops North East as England’s friendliest place to live in England. Easy access to Northumberland, The Peak District, The Lake District and Scotland. Flights from two airports to other UK regional airports, Europe (Amsterdam is 50 minutes flying from Newcastle) and as far a Dubai. Work wise, other thank stock broker you can find work in no end of fields. What do you want to do?

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Fair-Spare-2798@reddit

Moved back from Aus to Newcastle. Great beaches , countryside , cheap housing , friendly people, airport/seaport, close to Scotland, plenty of hospitals.

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2c0@reddit

New Zealand

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kwakimaki@reddit

Probably somewhere in Wales. Currently in Newcastle.

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Minimum_Airline3657@reddit

Let’s swap I’m in wales and I love Newcastle lol

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Farscape_rocked@reddit

I really liked living in Newcastle. It's a proper city so has everything you need but it's small enough that you can get round it easily and northern enough that it's affordable.

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Will_Rage_Quit@reddit

Scottish highlands. I’d love to buy a plot of land, build a homestead and never have to deal with society again. I hope everyone else is having a fantastic Monday :)

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smushs88@reddit

Newcastle often comes up on great places to live when similar questions are asked. On that basis, I think I’d have a go a starting again up there.

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CeresToTycho@reddit

Somewhere on/in the peak district. I love Matlock, Buxton, Bakewell, maybe Sheffield if I fancied a city. Maybe Scotland, some town around Edinburgh in a similarly stunning landscape.

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Jam__Hands@reddit

Lincolnshire

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VunterSlaush_117@reddit

Cumbernauld

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rendothebrave@reddit

What's it called?

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PikaPikaPoka@reddit

How adventerous are you? I'd recommend Inverness if you're comfortable with someone not particularly connected to other major cities (although there is an airport, albeit flights are expensive). Very much "up and coming", safe, amazing access to nature, house prices are decent etc. Winters are cold and dark though, but the summers can be lovely. Employment a little more challenging, but it's much easier to find a job there than some major cities (e.g. Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds etc) from what I've heard.

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TheCrunker@reddit

West Berks (hungerford area). Close enough to London for work and the West Country for weekend trips and staycations. Surrounded by beautiful countryside

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random_banana_bloke@reddit

Second this, I am near Newbury and have the perks of lots of employment options with London/Oxford/reading etc. I am also very outdoors type person so the areas around are lovely. Downside it's the south so expensive.

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Beautiful-Self-7897@reddit

Prolly Cardiff nice city life

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GRox7667@reddit

Somerset

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LifeMasterpiece6475@reddit

Devon or Cornwall, its a bit warmer

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thecornflake21@reddit

Employment options and housing costs are an issue though. I've been considering the Gloucester area because travel into London for a hybrid role is plausible and weekend trips to Cornwall or North Wales (our favourite holiday locations) are possible. Somerset for the same reasons although you have to be really careful to avoid areas that flood a lot

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TheArtfullTodger@reddit

Dunno. Scotland, Wales North of England or South west. Mine would feature specific geography rather than anything else purely due to what hobbies I would want to try. I find it strange that for a lot of people their basis for what makes a town/city etc a good place to live is purely down to what it's high Street is like. It's the end of the world for some people because their local Primark is having a closing down sale lol. Or that they don't need another poundland or charity shop as it's reflecting the state of their janky little town centre. As if where you can spend your money is any benchmark of quality for where to live. Give me countryside and wide open spaces to explore not crappy little shops.

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UniqueAssignment3022@reddit

Bath or bristol.

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rawcane@reddit

Devon. Beautiful beaches, Dartmoor.

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ArapileanDreams@reddit

Happy in my part of Leeds, but would choose Endclffe Park Area of Sheffield, Tynemouth in Newcastle, Bristol or Brighton if I had to move. Need a bit of city action, Tynemouth for Sea, Sheffield for the climbing, and B&B for city and community. Another poster mentioned Hebden Bridge and the Calder which is awesome but I can cycle there in the morning and get there on a train easy from where I'm at so I will skip it.

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SectionSad4385@reddit

I’d start again at Heathrow airport, so I have a swift exit from this hellscape

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homeofthe_dave@reddit

I loved Cheltenham, good culture and dining, Cotswolds nearby and within 1 hour and a bit from 3 major cities for a change of scene, not too far from London for weekend trips.

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Annual-Ad-7780@reddit

I'd move to somewhere Coastal where there's a possibility of a job as a red coat at Butlin's or a blue coat at Pontin's. Meh, as someone who used to watch Hi De Hi in the 80's, it's a job I'd love.

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Therealladyboneyard@reddit

Where were you living?

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HotelPuzzleheaded654@reddit

Bradford

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CrazyCoffeeClub@reddit

Yorkshire, Oxfordshire or somewhere in Scotland

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Accurate_Prompt_8800@reddit

Depends on what you can afford and where you’ll be able to find a job that meets your skills, expectations and experience.

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