Lancaster, Lancashire.

Logain

Hello there, About a decade ago I visited Lancaster in England and I really liked it. I am now considering making the move to the UK and I can see that rent in the Northwest is significantly lower than in the South and East of England. So naturally I am looking into moving to Lancaster.

I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with Lancaster and the surrounding areas? and Hoping that they might be able to offer their thoughts on the following:

I know that Lancaster is a small university city but it's not that far away from some other cities as far as I can see. My area is IT support and I will be hoping to secure a job before I move. Surely there are job opportunity's in that area? (Commutable distances)

Is it safe in comparison to where I am used to? (North side Dublin Coolock/Santry/Ballymun).

I have lived in a string of not so nice areas in Dublin and quite frankly , I am tired of living in areas where the skanger/chav types out number the decent people. I know every city has it's rough spots but surely there are some decent places left that don't require a person to be a millionaire?

Myself and my wife have no kids but would like to start a family when we are settled into an area, would Lancaster be a good place for a family ?

We are not interested in night life or parties, in fact quite the opposite so we have no real desire to move to major city, but at the same time we want to be in civilization with plenty of shops and amenity's etc. Lancaster looks to be a quiet enough town but is just a train journey away from major cities Manchester and Liverpool.

Of course we are not ruling out other city's in England but the cheaper cost of living is definitely attractive in the Northwest.

Input and opinions welcome.;)

gnfnrhead

I was told recently by several different people who live in England that employment is better the further South you go, which rent etc are cheaper the further North you go. You may want to check the employment situation there before you set your heart on it. I'd imagine there is nothing worse than picking somewhere and then finding that there isn't any jobs in your field there.

getz

Logain wrote: »

Hello there, About a decade ago I visited Lancaster in England and I really liked it. I am now considering making the move to the UK and I can see that rent in the Northwest is significantly lower than in the South and East of England. So naturally I am looking into moving to Lancaster.

I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with Lancaster and the surrounding areas? and Hoping that they might be able to offer their thoughts on the following:

I know that Lancaster is a small university city but it's not that far away from some other cities as far as I can see. My area is IT support and I will be hoping to secure a job before I move. Surely there are job opportunity's in that area? (Commutable distances)

Is it safe in comparison to where I am used to? (North side Dublin Coolock/Santry/Ballymun).

I have lived in a string of not so nice areas in Dublin and quite frankly , I am tired of living in areas where the skanger/chav types out number the decent people. I know every city has it's rough spots but surely there are some decent places left that don't require a person to be a millionaire?

Myself and my wife have no kids but would like to start a family when we are settled into an area, would Lancaster be a good place for a family ?

We are not interested in night life or parties, in fact quite the opposite so we have no real desire to move to major city, but at the same time we want to be in civilization with plenty of shops and amenity's etc. Lancaster looks to be a quiet enough town but is just a train journey away from major cities Manchester and Liverpool.

Of course we are not ruling out other city's in England but the cheaper cost of living is definitely attractive in the Northwest.

Input and opinions welcome.;)

i live 11 miles south of lancaster,and i am happy to tell you lancaster is a very good city to live,just the place to live if you have a family,it as you say it is a student city with a first class university,lovely small city,just a few miles from morecambe,18 miles north of blackpool,on the west side of lancaster you have cumbria and the lake district on the east side you have the yorkshire dales,both are considered two of the most beautiful parts of england,try the local papers papers in morecambe and lancaster on line,for jobs and accommodation,in fact one of our regular boardies lives in lancaster ,cannot remember his name,maybe one of the mods could help

Logain

getz wrote: »

i live 11 miles south of lancaster,and i am happy to tell you lancaster is a very good city to live,just the place to live if you have a family,it as you say it is a student city with a first class university,lovely small city,just a few miles from morecambe,18 miles north of blackpool,on the west side of lancaster you have cumbria and the lake district on the east side you have the yorkshire dales,both are considered two of the most beautiful parts of england,try the local papers papers in morecambe and lancaster on line,for jobs and accommodation,in fact one of our regular boardies lives in lancaster ,cannot remember his name,maybe one of the mods could help

That's great to hear. I have a cousin there too, so I would have some support while I got settled in if I did make the move there. (I could use his address initially to get myself a national Insurance number)

I understand that Jobs may be harder to find in the North so this is a concern for me. I have a large mixed Irish/English family spread around UK so there are several areas I would be able to go to easily (Plenty of sofas to crash on while I got organized ).

It's just about finding that job before I commit.

I was also considering Wolverhampton , I see rent is cheap enough there compared to London but I understand that Wolverhampton has a reputation for being a bit rough. It certainly doesn't look quite so nice as Lancaster, but I am sure there are more job opportunities there.

I have some IT qualifications and am very close to getting another (within a month) so then it's just a case of me getting myself over there and having a look around. If I can get myself into an entry level IT support role or similar It would be ideal.

Thanks for your advice I will check out the local newspapers for Morcambe/Lancaster/Blackpool and maybe Preston.
Anyway, maybe if the Lancaster Boardsie see this he/she might give me an inclination of where to look for IT jobs in the Northwest.

Thanks for the replies.;)

getz

Logain wrote: »

That's great to hear. I have a cousin there too, so I would have some support while I got settled in if I did make the move there. (I could use his address initially to get myself a national Insurance number)

I understand that Jobs may be harder to find in the North so this is a concern for me. I have a large mixed Irish/English family spread around UK so there are several areas I would be able to go to easily (Plenty of sofas to crash on while I got organized ).

It's just about finding that job before I commit.

I was also considering Wolverhampton , I see rent is cheap enough there compared to London but I understand that Wolverhampton has a reputation for being a bit rough. It certainly doesn't look quite so nice as Lancaster, but I am sure there are more job opportunities there.

I have some IT qualifications and am very close to getting another (within a month) so then it's just a case of me getting myself over there and having a look around. If I can get myself into an entry level IT support role or similar It would be ideal.

Thanks for your advice I will check out the local newspapers for Morcambe/Lancaster/Blackpool and maybe Preston.
Anyway, maybe if the Lancaster Boardsie see this he/she might give me an inclination of where to look for IT jobs in the Northwest.

Thanks for the replies.;)

there are aways jobs for those with skills,if you are looking to rent a house flat ect cumbria is very cheap,[i know the wife is always checking it out] it may well be worth checking out barrow-in-furness for work, there are a few big companies like kellogs ect based in the area,[a old mate of mine works on their security,] preston is only 26 miles down the motorway, kendal is only two junctions north and penrith is not that far as well,all worth checking for work.nice part of the world and very nice and friendly natives.

getz

after a quick scan,[not very good at this but] a IT recruitment agency conveniently located in lancaster www.mountrecruitment.co.uk

Logain

getz wrote: »

after a quick scan,[not very good at this but] a IT recruitment agency conveniently located in lancaster www.mountrecruitment.co.uk

Thank you very much Getz for your help:). That agency looks perfect I will forward them a CV, maybe they can set me up with something to get me going. I will look around the areas you suggested. Your input is really appreciated, I can search the web all I want but as you know there is no substitute for local knowledge.

I'll let you know how it goes.

getz

Logain wrote: »

Thank you very much Getz for your help:). That agency looks perfect I will forward them a CV, maybe they can set me up with something to get me going. I will look around the areas you suggested. Your input is really appreciated, I can search the web all I want but as you know there is no substitute for local knowledge.

I'll let you know how it goes.

wish you all the best in your new life,it would be nice to know that you have found something,and welcome to lancashire.[red rose country]

OS119

Logain wrote: »

...Wolverhampton...

the city itself is a dump - a real, tatty, unpleasent dump.

however, the areas around it - Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, are gorgeous. there are lots of small, pleasant towns with good rail conections into Birmingham and Telford (an 'IT' town if ever there was one...).

i'd echo Getz - Lancaster is a great small city. its pleasant to be in, its at the gateway to the Lakes and Dales, and you're not that far from Manchester. check the train times/fares though...

locksmith09

yeah Lancaster place will be better for your family, you can be move here, i know Lancaster not a big place but today it has developed like other place, today here are lots of job opportunity, you can go for night parties, here are lots of pubs discs

Locksmith Lancaster

dd972

The people in the North West of England are the closest English people to the Irish in terms of their warmth and friendliness so you wouldn't go too far wrong there, Lancaster's quite small, pretty much every mid sized English town has a 'dodgy' estate but you wouldn't have to go too far to avoid it in Lancaster.

Good links to Preston, Manchester and the Lakes as well, I'd live there quite happily given the right circumstances.