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 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 !

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 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.

[veganbikerboy]

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

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, 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 (can I bring the dog though !!?? - what would Colin say )

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!

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 .
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!

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 .
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

yes, you can bring the dog hehe

[cobweb]

they're fighting over Scarlett and her hound

[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, 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

[veganbikerboy]

it is! 120miles to the centre of london. at 80mph on the motorway, 11/2hrs. easy 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

[Marrers]

Such spurious claims VBB! 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


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!

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

[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???

[missbettie]

well...besides orginally being an continent meant for convicts, and having the worlds deadlyest snakes...and of course still having bad days there....

...i'm not sure...i'm no help...

[Manimal]

Yes come to Australia

Yes we have some mean wildlife but you will rarely see them if you stay in the metro area. I've spent most of my life here (11 yrs spent in UK on and off) and I've never been bitten by anything dangerous, nor has anyone I know! Plus, the UK has asbo chavs which are far more dangerous than our wildlife

And missbettie: it's true convicts were sent here just over 200 yrs ago. 'Oh aren't you a naughty boy for stealing that loaf of bread. Let's send you to Australia!'

I reckon once the word got around, loaf crimes went through the roof

[cobweb]

^ i think you are right there, Manimal.............

and i liked your story, missb (i've moved around a lot and i can definitely see the point to it)

[missbettie]

i loves you guys.

[RubyDuby]

everywhere i go... there i am.
v good point missb.

i hope u figure it out scarlet. could be a fun adventure.

[Corum]

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.

An hour...?
We can get the train from Seaford and be in Londinium in an hour and a half and we're 60 miles away – for example, the next train to leave Seaford sets off at 17.58 and gets to London Victoria at 19.29 according to the National Rail website

[Corum]

balls, dont believe routefinder, its too slow


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

It took about four hours to get to VBB's from ours and that was due to a slow M25 (tragic roundabout)

[Risker]

An hour...?

OK, bit of an exaggeration, it takes about 40 mins, as we're fairly close to London there's lots of commuter towns so the train stops every 5 minutes for each one.

[veganbikerboy]

The thing is with the time v miles argument, it is Dependant on so many things.

Personally, I drive alot, I have averaged about 40 000miles per year for the last three, and about 60 000 the three before that. I'm not necessarily a better driver than others, but I am certainly more experienced, I know my way around, I know the best routes to take, I know what places to avoid at what times etc etc. I also have a decent car, which helps. I admit 1 1/2hrs to london is lucky, but I have done it, I am pissed off if it takes me 2hrs. I was in Kent (nr sittingbourne) the other day, it took me 1hr 50mins to get there and thats alot further than London!!

[alisont]

I am happy enough with where I live - a large village on the Worcs/West Mids borders, I dont drive works 3 miles away by foot/bus/train.

Train station is 10 mins walk away and takes 30 mins to Birmingham or Worcester.

Have to say Worcester/Malvern/Hereford areas nice - Worcester has many more vegan friendly places to eat these days I like towns with a bit more character like Worcester, but if living there would want to be a bit more country based but with good public transport.

Within 2-3 mins of my house there is a overgrown nature reserve and a little further there are fields/woods, the Clent hills are 2-3 miles away, good for walking on.

Hope you decide on/find somewhere nice to move to Scarlett

[orangefirefairy]

How about near glastonbury in Somerset, it is somewhere that appeals to me, it is a very beautiful area, life is a little calmer and simplier and lots of good vibes in the area...bit of a treck into London but still quite a lot of work

[genisis]

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 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 !

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 ??

[genisis]

dont know what happened to my reply
i live in sheffield.its a great place to live.the people are very out going and friendly and it has great eating out places for vegans,which is a bonus its a very interesting place to live and i LOVE it

[Verencemos]

Hello
Well I live in Cornwall and love it. The scenery is fantastic and revitalising, there are loads of places to buy fresh locally produced veggies, there are a few vegans around I think, though I hardly know anyone!
St Ives is really expensive - there are cheaper areas around - the lizard, round St Just, round Camborne / Redruth if you want to be in the west (I'm not an estate agent, just sometimes think of moving within Cornwall!). I think there might be a few vegans in that area. There is the lovely Archie Browns shop and restaurant (veggie rather than vegan) in Penzance. I live in Truro, and we have a few places to eat that do overtly vegan food
- Lettuce and Lovage (aka the Feast)
- Fodders
- Archie Browns
and there is the Baba Indian restaurant which doesn't sell itself as vegan, but the proprietors girlfriend was vegan and knows exactly what is and isn't. They use vegetable ghee in most things, but the nan have something non-vegan in - yoghurt I think.
On the negative side, there aren't many jobs around. All that beautiful scenery is farmland (well, apart from the cliffs, beaches, sea, sky etc!) and so there are lots of people making their living from animals - including most of my family (farmers and fishermen). There are vegans around, but also people who have absolutely no comprehension of why one would be vegan, and see us as an economic threat. There's not much cultural diversity. There are no exclusively vegan places, if that is your thing. But the people are pretty good on the whole. People still smile (I find London spooky, no-one smiles back at you).

If you've gone off Cornwall, I've a friend in Hebden Bridge, nearish to Leeds, who says thats a marvellous place!

V

[cookey]

Well I love living in Bristol and we have the worlds biggest vegan fayre! It's a small city with a diverse population and is very easy to get out of - into the countryside.
Veganwise - it has a large vegan group which meet regularly and lots of vegan eateries.
It's got this cycling city status thing, so is meant to be promoting cycling.
For veganism, I would say I've found both Brighton and Birmingham to be good too, but have never lived there.
If being around other vegans is important, maybe you should have a search for vegan groups and see which one you like the look of.

[Marrers]

(I find London spooky, no-one smiles back at you)

So you are one of those weirdoes walking around London smiling!

[Verencemos]

I am! I am also to be found staring bemusedly at escalators wondering how anyone has the courage (and how people with pushchairs manage). And those big silver snakes under the ground......


Lets face it, I am a yokel!