Where Should I Move To?

[scarlett]

So, I have to get away from here ! Its been driving me insane for 15 years and I need to move away, but where to ??? That is the problem ! How do I decide where is the *best* place ?

I currently live in a village in North West Essex/right on the border of Hertfordshire. I hate it for the most part - I'm surrounded by tracksuit wearing chavs who like R'n'B and fake Louis Vuitton (sp?) handbags :rolleyes: There are no decent stores for vegan bits and bobs, nowhere decent to eat out, no vegan groups at all and nobody of a like mind anywhere near me :(

On the plus side - there is really good public transport here, its easy to get to London (if rather expensive), there is some nice countryside around and a most beautiful, unique forest which I love !

I had considered St Ives (Cornwall), but thinking realistically - houses are expensive, employment is not at all good, the toursist season would drive me nuts, the dog could only go on the beaches half the year, public transport is awful .... but it is beautiful there ! :D

Canada also had been considered by me - I'd love to go back - for a while at least. I hate not being near my family, but I can't persuade the o/h at the moment.

So basically, after all that waffle - I'd love some input from you lovely folk ! I know that nowhere is going to be perfect, but still ... Where is it a great place to be a vegan in the UK ?? Where I can easily take the dog for long walks, meet nice people, get around using public transport easily (I don't drive) and be able to find a decent house to rent.

Countryside is a big must - we all love walking, being surrounded by trees and greenery. The coast being not too far away would be great.

Employment *shouldn't* be a problem - I can turn my hand to most things and have lots of great experience in many different jobs :) Although I know in this present climate I couldn't take anything for granted !! My o/h is self-employed and can take his business anywhere hopefully.

Any ideas ??? Does anyone LOVE where they live, and if so why ??

[BlackCats]

I currently live in a village in North West Essex/right on the border of Hertfordshire. I hate it for the most part - I'm surrounded by tracksuit wearing chavs who like R'n'B and fake Louis Vuitton (sp?) handbags :rolleyes: There are no decent stores for vegan bits and bobs, nowhere decent to eat out, no vegan groups at all and nobody of a like mind anywhere near me :(


(I wouldn't recommend where I live then!;) I have only lived in London, Essex, Birmingham and Staffordshire so I probably can't help you much.)

I would like to move to Cornwall as well but not at this age I don't think, it's too far from London because I like going to gigs and there are lots of good vegan restaurants in London. If I moved away from London it would have to be somewhere not too far away from it. What about Sussex? It's near Brighton and has countryside I think.:confused::)

[veganbikerboy]

you can come and live with me, vegan house in the country with a lovely motorbike in the back garden ;):D

seriously, this part of the world is lovely, beautiful countryside, if you pick the right place transport links are good (london 1 1/2hrs, birmingham 1hr, manc 2hrs etc..), loads of vegans round here, although you'd have to put up with living near 'wellies:p, the coast is only about 1 1/2hrs away aswell, and you have to drive through the black mountains get there:)

also employment levels are good round here. If you live in a rural area, you really need to drive, but some of the small towns or even cities like Hereford, you might get away without driving.

*considers career change, could be an estate agent*

[cobweb]

i would also suggest Sussex - east Sussex is still near London, has nice coastline and plenty of trees and green spaces around, should be good for employment, hotbed of veganism in Brighton, and i would have thought would be a great place for your husband's business.

[scarlett]

Thank you :)
Hadn't thought of Sussex, so that is definitely somewhere to look at - thanks BlackCats and cobweb x

Although, I am very tempted by vbb's offer ;):D (can I bring the dog though !!?? - what would Colin say :lol:)

I have been seriously contemplating Herefordshire/Worcestershire - its definitely on my shortlist ! I could even *takes deep breath* consider taking my driving test !

[Hemlock]

I live in East Sussex Scarlett, it totally fab, we've got it all - good jobs, great links to London, seaside, majestic cliffs, rolling hills, I wouldn't live anywhere else!!! Brighton is too expensive for us so we live in Seaford around 20 miles away. It's a lovely place and cheaper than anywhere else in the South East with Brighton just a short bus ride away. Lewes which is more expensive and upmarket is around 10 miles away and great for jobs and vegan shopping, we go there all the time.
Kent is pretty good too, property is cheap. Corum lived in Kent with his previous partner and liked it a lot.
If you fancy having a look round come and stay with us for a weekend!:)

[cobweb]

I think Lewes must have changed a bit since i lived there! :p

i lived in a house right by the old racecourse where the helicopter used to land with the prisoners, and i used to be a local at the Pelham Arms spit and sawdust pub :D.
I haven't set foot there for about 17 years i must confess.

[Hemlock]

I think Lewes must have changed a bit since i lived there! :p

i lived in a house right by the old racecourse where the helicopter used to land with the prisoners, and i used to be a local at the Pelham Arms spit and sawdust pub :D.
I haven't set foot there for about 17 years i must confess.

It's very nice now and very upmarket even despite the credit crunch. Good shops, you can always find a really original present there. Great vegan food too both to buy in grocery shops and also eating out.

[cobweb]

the actual old bit always was pretty nice, it must have spread out, sounds very interesting, i wouldn't mind visitng now!
(i wonder if 2 of my old bosses still have their stables at the old racecourse...hmm)

[scarlett]

I live in East Sussex Scarlett, it totally fab, we've got it all - good jobs, great links to London, seaside, majestic cliffs, rolling hills, I wouldn't live anywhere else!!! Brighton is too expensive for us so we live in Seaford around 20 miles away. It's a lovely place and cheaper than anywhere else in the South East with Brighton just a short bus ride away. Lewes which is more expensive and upmarket is around 10 miles away and great for jobs and vegan shopping, we go there all the time.
Kent is pretty good too, property is cheap. Corum lived in Kent with his previous partner and liked it a lot.
If you fancy having a look round come and stay with us for a weekend!:)

awww, thanks so much Hemlock :)

[veganbikerboy]

still, dont reckon it beats my offers:p:D

yes, you can bring the dog:D hehe

[cobweb]

they're fighting over Scarlett and her hound :p

[Risker]

seriously, this part of the world is lovely, beautiful countryside, if you pick the right place transport links are good (london 1 1/2hrs, birmingham 1hr, manc 2hrs etc..), loads of vegans round here, although you'd have to put up with living near 'wellies:p, the coast is only about 1 1/2hrs away aswell, and you have to drive through the black mountains get there:)


I'd like to know what your definition of 'this part of the world' is, because it's definately not 1½ hours from your house to London.

A much better place would be East Surrey :p

[veganbikerboy]

it is! 120miles to the centre of london. at 80mph on the motorway, 11/2hrs. easy:D i've actually done it quicker when working nights in south london:)

[Risker]

I knew you were gonna say something like that, I don't think most people would count averaging 80mph down the motorway as a transport link.... Unless you do it on a regular basis and take passengers?

It takes an hour to get to the centre of London from here (by train) and I'm only about 20 miles away.

[veganbikerboy]

thats a fair point, it does only take a couple of hours to drive, and just over 2hrs by train (obviously, depends which train you get!).

For the vegan fayres at kensington, I can drive there in 1 1/2hr easily. I usually drive to west london and tube it to the centre, which takes about 2hrs total.

I do understand, not everyone drives and few of those that do, drive like me:p

[Marrers]

Such spurious claims VBB! :eek: When I drove to RW & Cumin's it took over 3 hours one way and much longer on the way back due to traffic.
Even the AA routefinder says 3 and a quarter hours (and 140 miles) from London to Hereford and that is without precise addresses.

[veganbikerboy]

balls, dont believe routefinder, its too slow:D


thats about the right distance, i live 20miles east of Hereford, right on a motorway junction, it takes 40mins to Hereford from here.

[cobweb]

oh vbb you've been caught lying again! :eek::D

now if you hire a private jet you can probably do London in under 2 hours from my house too! :p

[Gorilla]

i would say Sussex too - it's easy to get to Brighton and London, it's also easy to get to the seaside, public transport's pretty good in most places and most of the towns are surrounded by countryside. if you look outside Brighton you can still find reasonably priced houses because lots of people would rather live in the city. i've been looking at moving and you can get a large family house in Hastings for about half the price of a similar one in Brighton (not that i'm recommending Hastings particularly, i personally think it's a bit of a dump, but it's just an example!).

[Mr Flibble]

Sussex or Surrey (have lived in both). Quite like where I am at the moment (Warwickshire), but not near the coast. I lived in Essex for 4 years and wouldn't rule it out again, but do think there are nicer places.

[Zorillo]

Herefordshire's beautiful! If you can put up with the crap music scene, fine. It has been a case of Status Quo in Hereford Leisure Centre and not a lot else for quite well known and very well known musicians. Oh... and living in the countryside, you have the muck spreaders stinking your newly cleaned washing :P I still like it, though!

[Frank]

So, I have to get away from here ! Its been driving me insane for 15 years and I need to move away, but where to ???
Any ideas ???

Australia.

[missbettie]

Frank, have you ever seen or read the children's book "Alexander and the no good, horrible, very bad day"? This little boy is having such a bad day, everytime something bad happens to him he tells his mom that he is going to move to Australia. Then at the end his mom says "you know Alexander people have bad days even in Australia."....ya you just reminded me of that....


sorry...

[Frank]

^ So is Australia a better place then???