People who have moved around a lot in the UK, where's the best place you've lived and why?

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Krasus74@reddit

All the places i;ve lived in order from best to worst (or nearest town to a village** i lived in)

Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes**, Southend (by the sea) Norwich, Slough, Redditch, Southend (not by the sea), Dudley, Dunstable**, Bury St Edmunds**, Peterborough.

Peterborough is the only place I absolutely hated living in.
Southend is ok if you live by the sea front, but if you live on the edge of Southend its horrible as the traffic is so bad it can take 30 minutes to do the 5 miles in to town or to the beach.

Milton Keynes is the best for so many reasons. Grren spaces, canals rivers, lakes, parks, woods, forests. The redway system, dual carriageway roads with roundabouts, tins of leisure, tons of under cover shopping as well as traditional high streets at wolverton, stony, newport pagnell and bletchley. Excellent transport links north and south with the A5, M1 and Railway and improving links out east towards befordshire and cambridgeshire. Some fantastic countryside around it and beautiful villages with tons of history. The only bad thing about it is its stolen football team but thats more than made up for by the presence of concrete cows.

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Medical-Fox2471@reddit

What you are describing about Milton Keynes is very similar to Peterborough

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Abject-Plankton4620@reddit

Christ you’ve lived in some shitholes.

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Romeo_Jordan@reddit

Grew up in Swaffham (small, rough village in west Norfolk), moved to Dundee (really nice now, cheaper housing, amazing nature), moved to Perth (quiet, cheap, near the mountains) moved to Ely (very commuter and a bit souless), then to Norwich (really arty, close to the coast, warm summers). Also lived in London during uni summers.

If I was single and childless I'd move back to Scotland, maybe the north coast if I could get a job

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Medical-Fox2471@reddit

I wouldn’t call Ely soulless ?

It’s a beautiful little place

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Romeo_Jordan@reddit

I guess I was working in london and renting a townhouse on the outskirts. If I worked locally then it might have been better. My wife said it was fairly dead in the day.

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Croolick_Floofo@reddit

Newcastle is stunning. Not what I expected at all! ❤️

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maersyl@reddit

Born: Leicester.

Moved to Durham.

Moved to Newcastle.

Moved to Leeds.

Moved to Exeter.

Moved to York.

Newcastle will forever be the best place out of all of them. Thankfully I'm just a train ride away, now.

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ImpKing0@reddit

up tha fucking toooonn! I love Newcastle's hooliganism culture

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Beautiful_Resolve897@reddit

Yep I live in Northumberland edge of Newcastle it’s probs my favourite city

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DrakeManley@reddit

Born in Merseyside, moved around a lot when I got to working age, worked and spent time in,

South Wales, North Wales, Midlands, Scotland,

Moved to Lancashire and spent 15 years living between Preston & Chorley then moved to Gateshead and absolutely love it here.

Been here 20 years and don't think I would live anywhere else in the UK.

15 minutes from Newcastle City centre,

15/20 minutes from amazing beaches and incredible coastline.

Northumberland not far away.

Wonderful place

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SnooozeFezt@reddit

I want to move there for a while, just because I love a Geordie accent!

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Jturnster89@reddit

Seconded (or thirded or fourthed by now). From Lancashire. Lived in what I considered similar cities - Manchester and Liverpool. But Newcastle wins.

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Fred776@reddit

Best place I have lived too. Was fortunate to spend a few years of my 20s there but the job went, and there weren't enough other opportunities around for me to be confident of being able to settle long term.

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NunaKhan@reddit

Same, I worked in Newcastle and when my contract ended I tried so hard to stay but had to move back to London, love the people and the area... chester-le-street.

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Psychological-Bag272@reddit

Honestly... I am pretty happy and settle in South Lincolnshire. It is hardly the most exciting but given the cost of living this area has allowed my money to go so much further which overall improves my quality of life. I am just in Stamford/Bourne area.

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Medical-Fox2471@reddit

Stamford is one of the nicest towns to live in the uk

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Ok-Hovercraft9348@reddit

London but accommodation is very expensive

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MessageSelfdestructs@reddit

I wouldn't want to be found dead in London...

And to be fair, with all the stabbings going on, that's quite a likely scenario too!

But yeah, I quite like all the entertainment that's in London (from pubs/venues to museums), but fuck me: the constant rat race that I feel in that city. Nope, not for me.

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Ok-Hovercraft9348@reddit

It doesn't feel like that if you live here as Londoners live in areas that each feel like a little town and you can choose the vibe you want. Mine is 20 minutes to the centre by tube but quiet and residential, safe for children to play in the street. I feel safer here than outside London and I can take my dog out any time of the night and see other women out on their own without fear. I was attacked more when I lived outside London as there are more isolated spots. I also got my life saved by a passing woman when I collapsed in the street and an ambulance was only a street away or I would have died as I couldn't breathe. There are also so many hospitals. There are a lot of advantages

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iMac_Hunt@reddit

People love to shit on London but if you can afford to live there it’s one of the best places in the world, especially in lots of Zone 2/3.

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Dr_Lahey@reddit

For me it’s just different strokes for different folks - I get the appeal and did enjoy living there, but big city life is not for me, value peace and quiet too much. And I don’t mean that in a negative way, just london, like all major cities, is always on the go

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Ok-Hovercraft9348@reddit

There are very peaceful neighbourhoods like mine so I think you can find most things here, apart from the sea so I go to the river. I grew up in villages and on a farm and I like to be within easy reach of more things now But I understand if people want to be somewhere more rural or by the sea

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Ok-Hovercraft9348@reddit

I love it. If you have accommodation and know London well you can actually live and socialise here quite cheaply. There are so many things that are free or inexpensive. Even restaurants have good deal

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Swayze94@reddit

3rd World London? 😆

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Ok-Hovercraft9348@reddit

I work in one of the most beautiful and historic areas and live on the borders of another with gorgeous parks and woodland. I don't know where you've been but I love it here. Brought my sons up here and they also find it impossible to beat

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WavyHairedGeek@reddit

Depends which bits you've been to. Like any massive city, it's gonna have some bits that feel like they're 30 years behind the rest

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Foolsgolduk26@reddit

Bradford, Leicester and Birmingham are beautiful I’ve heard

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_Walt_Jabsco_@reddit

I've lived in the West Midlands, East Midlands, London , Brighton and Bedfordshire. If I was in my 20 and single I'd move to London. If I was in my 30s and starting a family i'd move to Brighton. I would avoid East and West Midlands and Bedfordshire at any age.

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niloc100@reddit

Just on way back from Liverpool. Awesome place. If I was a younger man without ties I’d love to try it there.

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Whiryourselfaround@reddit

I have been almost three years in Liverpool after growing up in London, spending one year in Bristol, and five in Newcastle. I could not be happier with my choice :)

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Physical-Sector-3172@reddit

Birmingham.

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MessageSelfdestructs@reddit

lol, good one!

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funeralpageant@reddit

North wales. I like the peace and quiet and the mountains. Slower pace of life

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gse2026@reddit

Heroin heaven. The whole of the north coast is flooded with junkies

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Behold_SV@reddit

Not true. Live in Flint and lived in Connahs quay, garden city. Not even close to what I’ve seen in Liverpool or Manchester City centres.

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WavyHairedGeek@reddit

Apples, oranges there. Go to city centre of any big city at night and you'll see plenty of junkies

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Behold_SV@reddit

Ok, but insurance companies can’t be wrong. Put your car reg to insurance at random address of a small town and any address of Liverpool or Manchester

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WavyHairedGeek@reddit

Again, completely unrelated topic.

If you worked with insurance companies, you'd know that they are the masters at finding loopholes to charge more. It doesn't necessarily mean they're warranted.

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Behold_SV@reddit

Yet you cannot ignore the fact that insurance prices for the car relate to a crime rate and crime rate relate to a drug addicts in area. I lived in different places and seen correlation.

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Capital_Bid7389@reddit

Right so every single mile of the entire north coast of wales is FULL of heroin junkies yeah. Most insufferable thing I've ever read Jesus Christ

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gse2026@reddit

No there's lots of space in between towns with fields and beaches

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funeralpageant@reddit

Not in my experience, lived there for three years 🤷‍♀️ there’s a fair amount of drug use but I think that’s the case everywhere

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gse2026@reddit

I spent 25 years living and working all across the north coast. I've been gone now maybe 6 years so it may have got better but I couldn't say further than my own experiences

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Gent415@reddit

And Welsh 😱

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OkPosition20@reddit

Such a beautiful place

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Demiboy94@reddit

Yep. Moved here 3 yrs ago and it's pretty nice.

Plus close to Chester and Shrewsbury for days out.

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NewtRider@reddit

Absolutely this

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Still-Process-2527@reddit

North Yorkshire. Within commuting distance of Leeds and Newcastle and access to two national parks within half an hour to an hour each.

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Moist_gooch90@reddit

I persuaded my my wife to move to North Yorkshire last year from Essex/London border. She was hesitant prior but within a month agreed she loves it.

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impamiizgraa@reddit

Norwich as a city but my mental health was not good. I was deeply depressed in Norwich so I missed a lot of happiness.

That isn’t its fault because it’s truly a wonderful place to live — affordable, great vibe, artistic, walkable, scenic, near epic, emotional broads and seal beaches and great foodie scene.

Always happy to visit but been happy for years now in London.

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voluotuousaardvark@reddit

I moved around loads since I was 15, the south East is absolutely the most comfortable but obviously rent is much worse.

Colchester was absolutely the worst, but I fell in with a bad crowd almost immediately.

Salisbury is beautiful bit a bit slow for younger people, but if you enjoy a pint and pub games you're set

Carlisle, Sheffield and birmgham were all great around the universities and have amazing history- going a little further out the Midlands and north has beautiful countryside and is significantly cheaper in terms of rent.

Weather is always worse though.

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WavyHairedGeek@reddit

Brum is a dump, mate. I was with you until you mentioned it.

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geoakey@reddit

Harborne, Moseley, Kings Heath, Edgbaston, Bournville, Sutton Coldfield etc. would like a word

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Clarky_Carrot@reddit

The Birmingham university area is gorgeous. Harborne across to selly oak. But as someone who lives in the center and has for years, the center is sadly mostly an absolute mess.

Floozy/council building across to Brindley is lovely but the rest is.... Not so nice.

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voluotuousaardvark@reddit

I absolutely agree, it wasn't 20 years ago when I was hanging around there though- I don't wanna say anymore and I'm sure you know why.

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nonlocality1985@reddit

Big up Salisbury!

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ChefGrouchy8538@reddit

grew up in andover (bad), then moved to winchester (too hilly) now live in dorchester (LOVE it) but im moving back to andover coz my gf left me lmaooo

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sio85@reddit

Over Andover again

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zmpart@reddit

Do you have to import your own girlfriends to Dorchester? Do they not have any there?

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ChefGrouchy8538@reddit

yes you do, £14.99+ VAT 😂

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OkPosition20@reddit

Oh no, Dorchester is lovely

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ChefGrouchy8538@reddit

i love it here :(

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OkPosition20@reddit

Shame to leave

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chesterrrrrrrrrrr@reddit

winchester is lovely I've lived here for almost 6 years now and I love it

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Long_Repair_8779@reddit

It’s a good place to go while waiting for things to blow over

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firemanlala@reddit

kudos for the Shaun of the Dead reference 👏👏

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ChefGrouchy8538@reddit

winchester is lovely i agree and it had everything I needed, we had a uni flat and that hill was the death of me!

I do wish I’d stayed and moved closer to town, would have liked to stay

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voluotuousaardvark@reddit

Hard luck mate- I left my home town for that reason though and it was the best decision I ever made.

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Green_Toe6320@reddit

I live in the north east in a smaller town not city.

It’s easy to get around/traffic etc It’s near: the sea River Countryside hikes etc Whilst also having all the shops needed.

Its affordable

Train to London in 3hrs direct if needed

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Curiousferrets@reddit

Deal in Kent ❤️. I miss it so much. A lovely unspoiled town on the coast you can live in.

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spicyzsurviving@reddit

EDINBURGH. Haven’t moved around that much I can’t lie but I can’t imagine living anywhere else

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Mental-Mission-472@reddit

Edinburgh for me, I probably shouldn't have left but not sure I could afford to move back anytime soon

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HydraCentaurus@reddit

I loved living in the North- Newcastle and North Yorkshire. But I couldn’t get a job in my field so headed back down south, but considering ditching and going back up lol. I liked living a “normal life” it felt like somewhere I could settle down for real.

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donkeyheart451@reddit

The North is fantastic!

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Wensley1963@reddit

Moved around a fair bit. Midlands (Derby)growing up, then Colchester, meh, had a couple of glorious years in Wensleydale, but currently loving life in County Durham!

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Cressyda29@reddit

Northern Ireland. We live in the middle of nowhere and it’s bliss.

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Loose_Deer_8884@reddit

Lived in quite a few places in the UK. Cardiff has some lovely spots in it (Roath Park, Rec and Lake, Bute Park and the parks going up the Taff, the Bay). Edinburgh’s architecture is a must see, the old and new town are very pretty, as well as the 7 hills (especially Blackford Hill). And on to Brighton. Lovely coast, Seven Sisters nearby, South Downs way and the Lanes)

I’ve been very fortunate to live in some lovely areas, and recommend every single one of them.

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TyphoidMurphy@reddit

I live just outside of Cardiff in a medium sized village now and I'm not sure I'll want to permanently move anywhere else for a long time. People are brilliant and welcoming, beautiful surroundings and cost of living is generally low. It feels like home.

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OrganizationStill135@reddit

Whitchurch is nice. The problem with Cardiff is it’s full of the Welsh!

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FeelingSimple331@reddit

Bristol. Amazing city. Not too big, very green, not far to the coast, Cornwall within easy reach, every suburb has it's own very distinct vibe and character, loads going on - seems to be a different festival every month.

Only downside is property prices have shot up like Japanese knotweed in the 20 years since I left.

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Ill-Opportunity8918@reddit

I've lived in a few places. Lived in Nottingham and then downgraded to Mansfield. Except I loved the place. I much preferred it to Nottingham. Some nice country parks nearby even if some are actually in Nottingham. I liked the town centre. There were some really nice areas and honestly nowhere near as many rough ones as you might expect. It was very well situated for getting up and down the country. The people were great.

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NormallyNotOutside@reddit

Funny you should mention Mansfield. I live in Kirkby in Ashfield. I moved here 3 years ago. Wasn't sure what to expect but I love it too. It's just a decent quiet place with everything I need close by. People are down to earth and friendly. Green areas all around plus Peak District close by and I can roadtrip to anywhere in the country from here easily.

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Ill-Opportunity8918@reddit

I know Kirkby well. It's a decent area with a lot of nice places nearby like newstead abbey and the country park, silverhill and thieves wood. Used to drive through quite often.

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padylarts989@reddit

Manchester, by far!!!

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National_Wallaby_820@reddit

Easily North Yorkshire

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xxNemasisxx@reddit

South coast near Brighton with Norwich being a close second. Both lovely cities that appeal in different ways but Brighton edges it out by having the picturesque cliffs

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No_Hawk8947@reddit

I've moved about 28 times, and I am 32. This year I moved to Broadstairs in Kent and it is by far the best place I have ever lived.

I am right by the beach, we have a real sense of community, and it's just idyllic. I can't see myself living anywhere else now, I don't think.

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fmeupdad@reddit

I’ve only really lived around the south-

Worthing (home town) - it’s okay if you want a slower pace, close proximity to London, it’s better now as you get the Brighton commuters living there so there’s a bit more going on now but when I was a teenager it was so boring and the public transport sucks

Guildford (uni town) - lived here for 8 years, it’s expensive but it’s lovely, young crowd from the unis and a older liberal crowd, not a huge amount to do but just enough to not get bored, would recommend if you have the budget

London - I’ve lived here for around 2 years, Walthamstow, Stratford and Leytonstone. It’s a huge change of pace compared to other places I’ve lived but it’s so convenient having everything on your doorstep. If I could afford it I’d live in nicer areas, I’m a big fan of Hackney Wick/east London though

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Numerous_Zebra_4740@reddit

South-East of Scotland (East Lothian, Borders). It's beautiful, rural but conveniently near Edinburgh, stunning scenery of rolling green and purple hills, moderate weather (spring is divine), lots of beautiful Georgian era architecture. My parents own a farm cottage. House prices are very affordable too because it's in the north. (Generally speaking, house prices go down the further you are from London)

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MintyPinkDreams@reddit

Newcastle (Gateshead)was by far my favourite and would move back there in a heartbeat.

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Mysterious_Song_48@reddit

Durham. It's like a piece of the south accidentally got dropped in the North. It has a beautiful cathedral, lots of lovely places to eat, easy reach of the North York Moors and Durham/Northumberland coast if you're outdoorsy, it's on the train main line, plus it has the benefit of affordable housing. Only 12 mins from Newcastle so plenty of work opportunities but it has a small town feeling. Also the people are just so friendly in the north east!

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Pixji@reddit

I've moved around A LOT as a child, by far the best place was Leicester. Sutton too grey, Brum too.. well... Reading too unwelcoming, the people in Leiecester (admittedly the nicer areas) are so warm and friendly, the landscape is gorgeous too

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98675436856@reddit

Why was Reading unwelcoming

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KatVanWall@reddit

I moved to Leicester when I was 23 for work. I haven’t lived or worked there for 10 years now but it was fine when I was there and Leicestershire as a county is massively slept on imo, some really nice scenery!

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a-plan-so-cunning@reddit

Bradgate park and beacon hill are a couple of my favourite place

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Abject-Plankton4620@reddit

Edinburgh. Lived in London for 12 years and absolutely loved every second, but moved on now.

Edinburgh is a great place to live, city vibes but small enough to get around easily, right by the sea but an hour or so to the mountains and entry to the magnificent Highlands. I use the train to London quite a bit for work and it’s generally decent and pain free. Can’t see us living anywhere else in the UK.

One thing I do miss about England (although Scottish I grew up in Bucks) is the English countryside and country pubs. Here is more spectacular, but down there is just beautiful

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Square_Priority6338@reddit

Ive lived in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, Staffordshire and Wiltshire.

Wiltshire was my favourite county, with great scenery and close to numerous cities and cultural sites, but the price of property reflected that. Left as I couldn’t afford to live except in a HMO.

Staffordshire was my least favourite, lot of places still suffering from the loss of industry under Thatcher and still relatively expensive as it’s close to Birmingham.

Suffolk and Norfolk are similar to one another, personally prefer Suffolk as I feel Norfolk is a bit more stuck in a time warp, it also seems a little more of a backwater (except Norwich, Norwich is great if you ignore the ring road!)

Essex was ok, generally expensive though. Mid tier, suffers from TOWIE and distance from London.

Having said that, there were good and bad spots, cheaper and more expensive areas everywhere. Some absolutely cracking scenery in each county, so generalising them is a bit unfair.

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Relative_Dimensions@reddit

Sheffield, especially on the west side if you afford it. Brilliant city, loads going on, world-class theatres, and easy access to the Peak District.

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Norfolk-Red@reddit

Sheffield was great while I was younger. Now with my kiddo Norfolk is amazing. It depends on you and what your requirements are :)

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JonnDublu@reddit

Norfolk is great place to live. Norwich is a brilliant, friendly city. Not too far from Laaandon if you choose a day out.

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Wobblypeanuts@reddit

Isn't it like nearly 2 hours on the train to London? Is that "not too far"? If so I suppose almost everywhere in the UK can be given a point for being not too far from the beach

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Norfolk-Red@reddit

It's an hour and 15 from Norwich to Liverpool St. I can go to London for the day, see a matinee, get food and then be home for like 10pm. It's pretty great!

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Intrepid_Bearz@reddit

I loved Devon, South Hams, but when I could no longer drive (nerve damage in hands) it became a bit hellish, as there was no public transport where I was. Also, it’s beautiful, but so rainy. 20 years of soggyness. I’ve only been away for 10 years, and I’m only just starting to dry out 😂

Grew up in Surrey (birth - 10 and age 16-21) - snobby, overpriced, cliquey. Everyone too important and busy. Would not go back,

I thought I’d enjoy York, but did not. Spent 4 years there. It’s beautiful to visit, but as a resident in a slightly rougher area, that thought it was rougher than it really was, it was unpleasant. So many people with chips on their shoulders screaching about how much friendlier they were than southerners… a lot of unhappy people. If you can live somewhere nice there, you;ll probably have a different experience.
Hull - 3 years. Oddly it was friendlier than York, but is a bit of a craphole. Sure, they’ve revamped certain parts, but it’s a bit like putting lipstick in a pig.

I’m now in Suffolk, near Bury at Edmunds. , and it’s a lovely area. Bury St Ed’s is big enough to be interesting, but not crazy busy. Public transport from where I live is a lot better than it was in Devon. People seem genuinely friendly. The climate is a lot better than Devon, as there’s not quite so much rain. The first weekend we were here, I was walking back from the coop and a bunch of kids walked towards us. I was used to where we were in York, so it was don’t make eye contact and pretend you don’t see them. - so they don’t call you a pedo or throw things at you. As the group passed by, they all said “ Good afternoon” ! 😮. I was genuinely shocked. Said to my husband “We’re not in Tang Hall (York) anymore!” People seem genuinely much friendlier here, so it wins for me, and I don’t want to go anywhere else.

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HappySmileMillion@reddit

I’m pleasantly surprised the majority of comments are saying Newcastle. I ended up here by unexpected circumstances from London and it’s actually great

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DelGriffiths@reddit

Yeah, people need to keep it quiet. It is our lovely little northern secret.

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DB-DanCooper@reddit

Keep your inside secrets amongst yourselves, none of us can even understand what you're saying. Newcastle? What's that?

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Organic-Violinist223@reddit

Aberystwyth was fantastic!

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SnooozeFezt@reddit

I really enjoyed Surrey. It was just far enough away from London, yet still in close proximity.

However I was a student then and the prices are crazy now. But those were good times.

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Dr_Lahey@reddit

I’ve done Birmingham, Torbay, Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton, London (not in that order). Torbay and Exeter are head and shoulders above the others for me. Hard to pick between but maybe Torbay as I loved living at the coast.

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Alert-Smile-1783@reddit

York as a kid sadly my dad thought promotion was a good idea and in 1974 moved us to Bradford. Seriously.

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_DoubleBubbler_@reddit

The Highlands thanks to the landscape and welcoming Highlanders!

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I-live-in-room-101@reddit

London.

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LatentF@reddit

I've done a fair few bits of Scotland and England. Dundee, Edinburgh, Basingstoke, Reading, Bournemouth, some smaller towns and London. In London I'd do weekend stays to Europe and honestly preferred European cities. If I had to pick UK, Edinburgh. Great night life, expensive but not London and most things are in public transport or walking distances

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OldLevermonkey@reddit

I have loved and loathed things about every place that I have lived both in the UK and abroad.

I now live in SE London (far enough out to have clean air but close enough in to have all the services and transport links) and I think on balance this is my favourite place.

There is just so much to see and do in London. I love the fact that it is such a cosmopolitan ants nest where I can eat from and experience culture from every corner of the globe. I honestly can't see me leaving.

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Thin-Response-3741@reddit

My peak of childhood was living in a rural area of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. I know it's a shit hole now as an adult but as a kid, being able to play in the whole of Sherwood Forrest seemed magical. Obviously I have gotten too used to living in a larger town with better public transport links so I couldn't go back but it really was the best part of my life.

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gse2026@reddit

Best was probably near newcastle. Loads of countryside, cheaper living costs, loads of snow!

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WavyHairedGeek@reddit

Ew, you lost me at snow

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WavyHairedGeek@reddit

Depends what you like. I personally enjoy city life, as country life makes me feel isolated (need to drive EVERYWHERE) and out of control (ie can't go to the shops whenever I feel like as shops have reduced opening times compared to shops in cities).

Glasgow has heart, and there was always something or someone that's make me laugh and think "Never change, Glasgow".

Edinburgh felt like a mini London, but in some ways classier and more genuine (likely because even Posh Scottish folk are more direct than their English counterparts).

London is, in many ways, a beautiful mess. There's something to be discovered on almost any random walk, and I feel like I could live a lifetime and still not fully explore even one of its boroughs. However, if your job requires you being in an office 5/5 days, you end up living half your life on the tube, and that's not fun.

If I were you, I'd think about what your life is like and what you want it to be like, what you would compromise on, and take it from there.

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lumiere108@reddit

I moved around a lot, but for me, the best place I ever lived was Norwich. It’s simply beautiful and safe, the people are lovely, and the city has a character all its own. It’s not particularly vibrant, but it’s reasonably diverse while still feeling very British.

Norwich gave me a lot—divorce, love, marriage, and so much more. I learned some of life’s biggest lessons there. Every street is familiar to me and filled with memories, which is exactly why I couldn’t live there anymore.

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No_transistory@reddit

Hull. University city that feels like a big town. Friendly people, if a bit rough and ready. Everything you could ask for and need. Amazing culture of independent shops, especially food and drink. Great value. Tucked out the way and not bombarded with tourists like York.

I've mostly loved around Yorkshire and Cumbria. Even living in the Lakes, I miss Hull a lot.

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Fit-Return2142@reddit

North Dorset

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dynze@reddit

Cardiff for me, can get to mountains and beaches relatively easily.

Lots of green space, good pubs and restaurants.

Cheap parts, expensive parts.

For me personally, the public transport is great.

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Taucher1979@reddit

Places I lived I would return to happily are Newcastle upon Tyne, London or Bristol. All quite different but great in their own ways.

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mangoadagio@reddit

It depends what you’re after. Newcastle is fantastic though. Great city, great culture and then it’s near the sea, near the incredible Northumberland countryside and the airport has a load of destinations

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SofaJockey@reddit

I've lived in Scotland, Wales and the North, Midlands and South of England.

For me, I want to be close enough to London and close enough to the country, so i ended up in Berkshire.
Though retiring at the coast is a possibility.

Work drove my decisions and then i chose a location with that as a framework.

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Future-Dance7629@reddit

York, and Leeds. Different but only half an hour on the train between the two. If I had to pick I’d go York and Leeds for shopping or a night out. I also liked living in Newcastle and Brighton, but I think Brighton is better for younger people. I’m not so young now.

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Sparkykid324@reddit

I’ve lived in Scotland in Glasgow, down in Devon, then moved up to Newcastle, absolutely love it, been here for 9 years already, and will be staying to have a family here

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hellopo9@reddit

Lived in: Belfast, Swansea, Chester, Norwich, Colchester, Dublin, Birmingham and Manchester. I've close family in Aberdeen, Bath, London and Cornwall.

I need to move to Scotland for a bit to tick off every part of the isles.

Manchester is the best for a young person. Lots of opportunities without being too expensive. Tons of little festivals all the time. Great array of theatre, musicals, museum exhibitions, international food, etc. All the stuff a good big city provides but with a certain style too it. Nice buzz about the place too 🐝.

Norwich is good for person with kids who wants to settle down. Cute little city, quite but big enough to have some stuff on. Just outside of the London commuter belt to have it's own vibe, whilst still being an easy day trip to London by car or train. Nice beaches close by, the Norfolk broads are lovely. Norwich has a nice regional capital vibe for such a small city.

I know Newcastle and Bristol are also nice cities. Newcastle is criminally underrated.

Haven't lived in London but its fantastic if you're rich or don't care about saving money. Most Londoners I know eventually leave as it's not a good place to raise a family or settle down due to the cost. You could live there for a bit with the expectation to leave, I've known many who do that and had a great time for a couple of years.

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missyesil@reddit

My favourite places were Swansea (summer! Not sure what winter would be like) and Sheffield.

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Ant-Western@reddit

Love where I live now in the South East but very expensive. Did not like Newcastle - it's actually quite expensive compared to what I expected. Cardiff is where I'd go back in a heartbeat

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Small-External4419@reddit

Feedback from cities where I’ve lived:

Stoke (2/5) Glasgow (5/5) Cardiff (4/5) Bristol (4/5) Birmingham (3/5)

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Nikotelec@reddit

Grew up in north surrey (nice but expensive).

3 years in coventry. Enjoyed it at the time, probably wouldn't bother now.

3 years in stafford. Quite liked it but I think it's gone downhill since I was there. My gf at the time was in stoke, that was better than its reputation but I wouldn't bother living there.

1 year in berkshire. Nothing wrong with it, wouldn't really bother to go back. Felt quite similar to surrey - too close to london to develop its own personality, too far from london to benefit from London investment.

2 years in Cardiff. Probably my favourite in general, but not much in the way of jobs so ended up moving away.

1 year in Dorset. Brilliant countryside but not much else. Probably didn't stay long enough to really get a feel for for the place.

6 years in bristol. Good balance of jobs and things to do, downside is that it's expensive.

Bonus round - have spent a lot of time with family in north scotland, love it up there but need to get my pension high enough before I can retire up there.

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Zealousideal-Low3388@reddit

If you’re making good money, London is fantastic and has culture and amenities that no other city in Britain can match.

If not, Bristol is very cool

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pintsizedblonde2@reddit

Grew up in the South East of England and I've lived in West Wales, South East again, London for a bit, East of England and now Central Belt of Scotland. Personally I am happiest where I am. Relatively low cost of living with easy access to a vibrant city (Edinburgh) by public transport within 20 minutes and 40 minutes to an hour to Glasgow (depends if it's the fast train or not).

There are lots of places like this. London is probably the one place it's unaffordable to live close enough to pop in or commute to.

Different parts of the UK vary widely in the availability and affordability of transport so I'd recommend doing your research.

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I_done_a_plop-plop@reddit

London. And I’ve been all over

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ZippyLondon@reddit

Started off in Dover (shithole-on-steroids), now in Chiswick, west London (gorgeous), retiring to Bath next year (big city infrastructure with small town vibe… mostly).

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Funny-Force-3658@reddit

Newcastle upon Tyne. The toon itself is has some great architecture and tons of history, geordies have a great sense of humour, and the surrounding areas are beautiful.

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CupCakesNFlatWhite@reddit

Grew up in W Yorks, lived near Guildford, then abroad, then to Aldershot, then Colchester, then London (Holdborn, East Finchley, Surrey Quays, Worcester Park), then Woodbridge east of Ipswich, then Tidworth and now Marlborough.

Loved living in Holborn, hated growing up in the North.

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AXX-100@reddit

London

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boomer465@reddit

Manchester!

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reo_reborn@reddit

Southport.

A really nice place, amazing parks, amazing scenery not far from Liverpool (amazing place for shopping trips), mostly friendly people, plenty of things for kids to do and the place just Ozzie's a lovely vibe. I'm in the process of trying to move back

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