Moving to Belfast Megathread

pow wow

The card itself is £1.50 though they occasionally run promotions where it's free. The journey prices vary depending on which zone you're in, there's a link here. From recollection you can either buy the initial card online or at the kiosk by City Hall, after that you can top it up in newsagents and the like.

jimbo007

Hi
I've been offered a job in the titanic quarter and know very little about belfast, apart from what i've been reading on the internet (and boards) the past few days.

I have a young family, and a child who's going to be starting secondary school.

I'm looking for recommendations of where to live, either in belfast or a commuter town, with a good secondary school nearby. We're catholic and moving up from the south. I'm finding it very difficult to find advice on schools from the internet.

Also does anybody have any advice about living/commuting from banbridge? Downpatrick? Dunno, just trying to work out options.

Also a lot of advice seems to be centred on living in stranmillis / malone rd., but I can't figure out if there's any secondary schools near there...

Thanks a lot.

Berns

if gonna use public transport can only get to both by bus. Downpatrick more Catholic than Banbridge I think :rolleyes: Maybe ask in Down but prob get the same ppl chkin.

jimbo007

thanks, anyone else? anyone know what carryduff is like as a place to live and if there's a secondary school near there? or any schools near malone?

pow wow

Re. Banbridge, everyone I know who commuted from there into the city drove as far as the Sprucefield park and ride and then came in from there on the bus. Banbridge is pretty small itself but it has lots of new housing estates so it's on the up and would probably be good for young families. My boss used to commute from Downpatrick and the traffic can be a bit heavy at times but if it's somewhere you have your heart set on then I wouldn't let that put you off. It's a lovely part of the world!

Actually in the city Malone is nice and leafy, as is Stranmillis but you will have more students living in Stranmillis which may be a problem. The more established roads out near St. Mary's have less students and a good mix of amenities for young families again. Commuting into the city would be easy by bus as it's an area served well by public transport.

Re. schools if you take a look here the Belfast Education and Library Board has a list of all schools. Those in BT7 and BT9 would be very close to the Stranmillis area. Malone College is the only integrated secondary in the city. There's one senior gaelscoil if the language is important to you, it's on the Falls Road in W. Belfast (bus into town and another one out if you're coming from Malone area).

I don't know that much about Carryduff, sorry!

jimbo007

that's great pow wow, I hadn't come across that list of schools before..!
some very helpful information, anybody else with any more information would be brilliant, thanks.

the_doctor199

jimbo007 wrote: »

thanks, anyone else? anyone know what carryduff is like as a place to live and if there's a secondary school near there?

I live about 2 miles away from Carryduff and would recommend it to a young family. There's primary and secondary schools within a few miles, 2 large shopping centres within 5 miles, regular buses into Belfast. It's about a 15min drive into Belfast, probably 40 at rush hour though.

Berns

pow wow wrote: »

Malone College is the only integrated secondary in the city.

Can't be Lagan College at least as well? Dunno where abouts in Belfast exactly but prity sure it was one of the first integrated. Remember the Down captain comin down from there to Shimna for a day or sumfin.
Was Malone not private too? Might be thinkin of sumfin else Maybe they changed

the_doctor199

Berns wrote: »

Can't be Lagan College at least as well? Dunno where abouts in Belfast exactly but prity sure it was one of the first integrated. Remember the Down captain comin down from there to Shimna for a day or sumfin.
Was Malone not private too? Might be thinkin of sumfin else Maybe they changed

Lagan is indeed an integrated school.

pow wow

I was referring to BELB schools in the link I gave. Lagan is SEELB

6679

I want to join a gym in Belfast anyone have any recommendations?

pow wow

Which area of the city are you in?

6679

Live in BT7 but work in Queens Island.

Was thinking of getting something in the City just in case I move after my lease runs out.

Also who is the best to get broadband and cable off? Was thinking Virgin.

pow wow

We had Virgin and it was the cheapest we could find at the time. If you register with one of the cashback sites (eg topcashback.co.uk) you get a kickback which usually offsets the connection fee or thereabouts (if you care )

I don't really know of any good gyms in the area but if you're willing to go a bit up the Lisburn Road I've heard very good things about Peak Physique. I was with Fitness First in Connswater and I wouldn't recommend it!

ShowMeTheCash

pow wow wrote: »

We had Virgin and it was the cheapest we could find at the time. If you register with one of the cashback sites (eg topcashback.co.uk) you get a kickback which usually offsets the connection fee or thereabouts (if you care )

I don't really know of any good gyms in the area but if you're willing to go a bit up the Lisburn Road I've heard very good things about Peak Physique. I was with Fitness First in Connswater and I wouldn't recommend it!

I would not recommend connswater either, never liked the vibe in that place... But if you are going into town LA Fitness is handy, in Adelaide street, has a pool and the staff are always very friendly.

ShowMeTheCash

jimbo007 wrote: »

Hi
I've been offered a job in the titanic quarter and know very little about belfast, apart from what i've been reading on the internet (and boards) the past few days.

I have a young family, and a child who's going to be starting secondary school.

I'm looking for recommendations of where to live, either in belfast or a commuter town, with a good secondary school nearby. We're catholic and moving up from the south. I'm finding it very difficult to find advice on schools from the internet.

Also does anybody have any advice about living/commuting from banbridge? Downpatrick? Dunno, just trying to work out options.

Also a lot of advice seems to be centred on living in stranmillis / malone rd., but I can't figure out if there's any secondary schools near there...

Thanks a lot.

Hi Jimbo,

Titanic quarter I am guessing citgroup or one of those other IT companies in that area.
I used to work there. Thing to watch out for is you are travelling in from ravenhill road or ormeau road direction for work is the traffic bottle necks there which is a nightmare at 8:30 to about 9am, If you are coming in on the M3 you are sweet.

I have lived in 3 locations in Belfast, Ravenhill, Lisburn Road and am now out in newtownabby /Glengormley direction some people rule out the north of Belfast but if you have a car it is easy and the bus will have you in town in 30 mins from these areas.

6679

pow wow wrote: »

We had Virgin and it was the cheapest we could find at the time. If you register with one of the cashback sites (eg topcashback.co.uk) you get a kickback which usually offsets the connection fee or thereabouts (if you care )

I don't really know of any good gyms in the area but if you're willing to go a bit up the Lisburn Road I've heard very good things about Peak Physique. I was with Fitness First in Connswater and I wouldn't recommend it!

How does the cash back site work?

There is a few that my works offers discounts on so I will post them up here and see what you guys think of them.

pow wow

You register and when you want to buy something from one of the cashback partners you just go via their site first - the link you click takes you to the legit retailer website but the cashback site notes that you went via their portal. The cashback amounts accrue (there's usually a delay of a month or two from when they log you having made the purchase to when the amount actually hits your cashback account) and then you can withdraw the money either to your own bank account or by cheque. I've had it about a year and got £115 back so far on just everyday shopping etc.

Sorry for going slightly off-topic

paky

6679 wrote: »

I want to join a gym in Belfast anyone have any recommendations?

i recommend the city council gyms. once you register you can use any of the gyms in the city which is very handy if your at the other side of town

6679

Yeah just looked at the ones my company offers

Fitness First
David Lloyd Leisure
Reebok Sports Club - think that is only for the London office.

I see LA fitness have a 3 day free pass so I might try that out.

On a side note in my house we have one of them cards for your electricity but I went to top it up there last week with £20 and it said on the receipt £12 went on to my meter and £8 went on PC Contribution. What the hell is PC Contribution?

ShowMeTheCash

6679 wrote: »

Yeah just looked at the ones my company offers

Fitness First
David Lloyd Leisure
Reebok Sports Club - think that is only for the London office.

I see LA fitness have a 3 day free pass so I might try that out.

On a side note in my house we have one of them cards for your electricity but I went to top it up there last week with £20 and it said on the receipt £12 went on to my meter and £8 went on PC Contribution. What the hell is PC Contribution?

You need to get the name of the electicity changed over into you're name.

There has been an outstanding amount owed on that account. So basically 40% goes to settling the pervious bill.

Exact same thing happened with me. Phone NI electric tell them you have just moved in and you new a new account. They may require a landlords letter etc.. You can have the 8 pound refunded also.

With me what happened was I moved in same thing. I called and found out that peopel pervious had not paid a bill and was why the metre was installed.

6679

How do I go about getting an GP in Belfast? Any recommendations?

Berns

6679 wrote: »

How do I go about getting an GP in Belfast? Any recommendations?

Any use? Got link from council website which lists some with postcode. Don't live in Belfast myself so can't recommend any there though sorry.

catweasel10

6679 wrote: »

How do I go about getting an GP in Belfast? Any recommendations?

There's Dunluce Health Centre (a few different practices) on the Lisburn Road, or if you're going to Queen's, the University Health Centre is really good. There are loads of medical practices around, so maybe check to see which ones operate appointment visits, and which ones have morning clinics that you just turn up to. Morning clinics on a first come first seen basis can be annoying. Phone up, ask if you can register and make an appointment so that they can go through your medical history. You'll get a buff-coloured medical card in the post. Hope that's of some use.

6679

catweasel10 wrote: »

There's Dunluce Health Centre (a few different practices) on the Lisburn Road, or if you're going to Queen's, the University Health Centre is really good. There are loads of medical practices around, so maybe check to see which ones operate appointment visits, and which ones have morning clinics that you just turn up to. Morning clinics on a first come first seen basis can be annoying. Phone up, ask if you can register and make an appointment so that they can go through your medical history. You'll get a buff-coloured medical card in the post. Hope that's of some use.

That is about an half hour walk from where I live but still pretty close. Once I register with one can I then switch my GP?

These are the two that are closest to my house, any options on them?
http://www.ormeauhealthcentre.co.uk

http://www.ormeauparksurgery.co.uk/

catweasel10

I don't know much about either of those, sorry. There's a pharmacy very close to them, which is a plus when you're feeling rough and not up to walking all over the place to get your prescription filled. If you register at one of them,and decide that you'd prefer to go somewhere else, you can just re-register at another practice, bringing your medical card with you. If you mean switching your GP within the practice, that shouldn't be a problem, just ask to for appointments with that GP, otherwise you'll just be given whoever's available soonest.

6679

Does anyone know of any outdoor type of clubs I could join such as Rock Climbing and Kayaking in Belfast?

pow wow

The council run facility on the embankment (Ozone Centre I think?) has a climbing wall, not sure about clubs and the like. QUB has a vast array of them run out of their facility nearby but I'm not sure if non-students can join the groups.

nedzer2011

6679 wrote: »

Does anyone know of any outdoor type of clubs I could join such as Rock Climbing and Kayaking in Belfast?

Would like to repeat this request... Given the resources around the city there must be a canoe or watersports club of some sort??

el tel

This information is not hard to find at all :rolleyes:

http://belfastkayakclub.co.uk/about_us.html

Also

The Boat Club at Cutters Wharf, off Stranmillis, certainly has rowing (and tennis, gym etc.) would say they could point you in the right direction of canoeing if they don' offer it themselves.