YankeemovingAbroad

Which sizable cities in the UK would you recommend that has ethnic diversity(very important),culture,fun night life,pro sporting events and direct flights out to central Europe and America?Can I also spend $550,000 (dollars) and buy a nice 3bd-2bath detach house in good neighborhood? Are there gated communities in that price range? In my price range is a home purchase 30 minutes out side London not doable?Can I find everything I'm looking for in a smaller big city like Leeds,Manchester,Birmingham,Bristol,Glasgow?

Can you give me idea of the offerings(high lights) a city you recommend might have concerning the things I listed and those not listed.I'm open to the north as well as the southern region of the UK.Just don't want to be too far away from entertainment 20-30 minutes drive max.Currently living on the outskirts Orlando so a slower pace doesn't bother me as long as fun is reasonably nearby.Clubs and dinner bars are major plus!!

Thank you very much

P.S. Would you rule out Scotland because of the harsher weather and the lack of ethnic diversity and or acceptance?

Nu-Shooz

Well i am biased so i will say Leeds, Yorkshire.

Fantastic nightlife, clubs and Restaurants. Shopping to die for.

It's a very busy city though, so not sure if you would like the hustle and bustle. But it rubs me the right way

sans

Leeds is apparently the new hot city to be in......Lots of money being spent

crystal23

I'm a southerner but I've always loved Newcastle for nightlife and also Manchester although I couldn't live in either city. There are lots of lovely small towns and villages within a 20-30 minute drive from the city centres.

Also what about checking out York and Bath.

I think you might find the Scottish winter harsh after Florida but I haven't lived there so can't say how bad it gets.

There aren't many gated communities in the UK as such compared to Florida. I have seen those places you are talking about in the southern states but they aren't common in the UK. They tend to be for the rich. I used to drive past a gated community near Rickmansworth but the houses were in the million pound plus range

Actually talking about Rickmansworth what about a town or village in Hertfordshire. You've got Watford for nightlife on your doorstep and you can get the train into London easily or drive there in about 30-40 mins.
Just under 20 miles from LHR for flights or you can get to the M1 easily and get to Luton airport.

Essex is another place that springs to mind but I have no idea about that county apart from the fact you need to choose carefully if you go there. Easy to get to Stansted too.

Other counties to check out Surrey, Sussex, Bucks - houses might be out of your price range though but certain areas there will offer everything you've listed.

Fleaflyfloflum

For goodness sake Crystal, we must be clones
I was just about to wirte the exact same thing!

Which gated place you talking about? Moore Park?
Love Ricky and the Aquadrome, canal walks and bird sanctuary. Spent a lot of time down there

crystal23

Forgot about Moor Park

The one I was thinking of is where the bloke killed his wife and put her in the car boot. Money can't buy class can it But we know that from another thread.

bubbles08

sans...........i find that very encouraging when you say plenty of money being spent in leeds.although we are going to go to hertfordshire,we will be opening a business.you have just repeated what my friends back home have been saying.when they go shopping they see people loaded up with bags.
yes,people are looking for bargains ..........but havent they always!
we are going to open a business in hitchin and are looking at a village in bedfordshire as both are not far away from london.about forty to forty five mins on the train.we cannot wait to go to london for the nightlife.in hitchin there are plenty of bars and restuarants that will be open .
go on rightmove.co.uk and you will find lovely houses in your price range.
we hopefully will be back before xmas and cannot wait!!!!!!!!!! good luck with whatever you decide.

Fleaflyfloflum

That vaguely rings a bell, but cant think of where it was.

crystal23

It's on the main road towards the M25 turnoff (is it Rickmansworth Road not sure of name). If you drive from Little Chalfont the gated community is on your right just before J17 turnoff.

All the residents were hyperventilating that the M25 was going to be extended to a 10 lane Mway and it would encroach on their homes (don't blame them really) and then they hyperventilated even more when Mr Man murdered his wife

Fleaflyfloflum

Ahh yes i know now.

Fleaflyfloflum

People often make the mistake of thinking living on the outskirts of London means you are still caught up in urban mess.
Totally wrong.
Some of the nicest countryside there is in many places. Yes, some of it expensive to live in, but i have been very pleasantly surprised lately whilst doing researches on homes.

If you are looking for ethnic mix, I would not go to where my daughter lives in rural Essex as it is a very "white" area, although it only cost £12.30 return and less than an hour to central London on the train

3 go mad in Adelaide

Make a shortlist of Towns/Cities and check out average prices on here:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/

Should give you an idea of the kind of area within budget that you like.

Grayling

Manchester or Birmingham are probably closest to what you want outside of London. Glasgow would also fit the bill.

G

Grayling

Oxford or Cambridge are both pretty good as well. Lots of cultural events and close to Heathrow and London.

G

backagen

Manchester is where I come from (or on the outskirts of it) and it certainly has all the things you mentioned, except there's not a lot of gated communities.

Manchester also has excellent shopping, especially at the Trafford Centre which is a stunning inside / outside mall and very easily accessible from anywhere in the Manchester region. Manchester CBD also has some good shopping in and around the new "Arndale" shopping centre.

As for gated communities, normally I think the closest you would be likely to find is apartments, of which there are many good ones in and around Manchester.

Having said that, there's a few gated communities in towns around Manchester but they are expensive, not just to buy but also the body corporate fees are a LOT higher than you would pay here (I know because I have checked).

One example of such a place though, if you're interested, is Daikins Park in Bolton (which is where I'm from).

VERY nice homes there, mostly not detached but some are semi detached, others terraced and others apartments. All built of (attractive looking) solid stone but brand new and inside they are very contemporary.

There's no gate as such but it is fully fenced I think and only has one entry point to the complex which has a manned security hut at the gate and I think there are security patrols at night, so it has that exclusivity and security you're probably looking for.

This complex is only about 15 minutes drive from Manchester CBD and there's no shortage of good amenitites closer than that too.
http://www.deakinspark.co.uk/

That's the only example I know of that's sort of a gated community, but there must be others.