pondhopper2014

Okay.... Bit of an update: My Hunny (tratcliffe71 on here) has been in the UK 7 weeks... And today he was finally offered a job. He has lots of interest in his CV in general, but no offers. Thing is, it is in a place called Thurnscoe and there is a site called ilivehere that goes on about how terrible it is... But he also MIGHT have an opportunity near Leicester... And that smae site goes on about howmterrible THAT place is. So, tell me... Is it the hugest mistake on the planet to move to either Thurnscoe OR Leicester? I just need some opinions from people who've maybe lived/known people who've lived there... Home is where you make it, I know... But is it all bad or greatly exaggerated? We REALLY want to be back together as a family by Christmas, but don't want to take just anything if the area is known by all to be bad bad bad, and they are depending on the "new kid on the block" not to know where not to go... Pay is about equal both places... Neither job is more "important" than the other... So all things equal, are either places "hell on earth"?

Thanks for answering...

NiHao

As far as I know neither area is known to be awful but I do think they are vastly different to each other.

If it was me I'd look at houses on rightmove for both areas and see which area looks better/more affordable for your needs. I would also check out the schools in the area on locrating.com I know you plan to homeschool but I think the quality of schooling often reflects the family friendlyness of an area.

You can also check train travel times on locrating so you can see which place is better connected for train trips to visit other parts of the country.

As for the Ilivehere website I would take the views on there with a HUGE dose of salt.

Mumsnett.com can be useful for finding out what an area is like with regard to children. Also Family days out with kids | DAYoutWITHtheKIDS.co.uk | children's indoor play areas will show you kid friendly stuff which will also help build a picture of the area for you.


Good luck!

SanDiegogirl

The reviews on Thurnscoe are awful..... sounds like a depressed, ex-mining village.

Where do you currently live? Can't you take a trip to either Thurnscoe or Leicester to "suss" out where these jobs are based and so get an idea of where you would live in relation to them?

Just read your earlier posts and think you are still in South Africa ????

In which case depending on the job and salary I would consider not living in Thurnscoe and commuting to work. Same with Leicester.

curleytops

Truer words were never spoken! They've managed to trash some lovely places on that site so I wouldn't rely on what you see there. The Guardian has run this column for several years now:

Let's move to ... | Money | The Guardian

Not sure if they've done anything on the areas you mentioned but you may find it useful. Hope you can get sorted by Christmas.

pondhopper2014

I'm in Canada, but my Hunny is in Derby for his job search... He's been offered one, the other is pending a final meeting with a supervisor on the 1st... Can it really be THAT close to December?!?!?!?!!

Thanks for the links...

Sally Redux

What's supposed to be wrong with Leicester? It's quite a big place.

pondhopper2014

I dunno, it was on a website somewhere... Just lookin' for feedback. The job offer was sudden and unexpected in Thurnscoe... But I think we'd prefer Leicester. Just not sure... Since we've never lived in either, we wanted some expert advice - so asked here, of course!

Sally Redux

I think in Britain you have to look for specifics -people do have a tendency to find fault with absolutely everything and everywhere.

I don't know Leicester well at all but used to go there sometimes for a change of scenery. It has good Indian restaurants and a fairly high Indian population.

I'm sure someone will come along who actually knows the place.

deepcpearl

I don't know Thurnscoe so can't comment on that at all. But I lived in Leicester for 13 years, 21 years ago, before I left to come to Canada. Of course it will have changed in that time but I LOVED Leicester when I lived there and it will always be a very special place to me. There is a good energy about the city, the people are warm and friendly, great live music scene, highly cosmopolitan population lends itself to a wonderful array of restaurants of every nationality of cuisine you can imagine. The largest outdoor covered market in Europe, award-winning botanical gardens at the University, lots of green parkland within the city boundaries, rivers and canals. Lots of beautiful red-brick Georgian architecture alongside modern glass buildings. I think Leicester is perfect - it has everything a city needs but is small enough to get around easily, and the whole surrounded by farmland. Of course, in the time I've been away a rash of new housing estates have appeared but some of the outlying villages are very pretty.

Bermudashorts

I don't know the areas well, but I know people living near enough to both places. The thing to bear in mind is you don't have to live slap bang in the middle of the town centre, you don't have to live in the same town you work in and in the UK you can drive just a few miles and be in a totally different environment. As your OH is on the ground, maybe he needs to have a drive around and suss the place out.

I have not come across that website before, but just took a look and if you are going to read about places on a website called "Ilivehere" with the tag line "Britain's worst places to live" then you are not going to get balanced reviews.

BritInParis

I'd take the job in Thurnscoe over Leicester but I wouldn't necessarily live in the village itself. I don't know it specifically but being located at the centre of the unholy trinity of Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster doesn't do an awful lot to recommend it. Industrial towns with no industry left.

Only 30 minutes away though is Sheffield, which is a great city, and is still on the rise in terms of its appeal. House prices are relatively cheap in South Yorkshire and you could live in some beautiful spots either in the city or on the outskirts depending on how close you'd like to be to town which would represent excellent value for money compared to anything similar in the South-East. You're also very close to the Peak District National Park which can be jaw-droppingly beautiful. Closer to work for your husband would be Wath-upon-Dearne which I understand to be a relatively pleasant village although a little dull according to a friend who lives there.

I recommend your other half goes on a driving tour of South Yorkshire and see if it appeals. As a soft Southerner I ended up living there more or less for seven years and I loved it.

57 Reasons Living In Yorkshire Ruins You For Life

NiHao

OMG I read the "reasons" list and now I want to move to Yorkshire!

curleytops

Wombat7

what suits one person does not suit another. presumably your other half will be able to form an opinion of the place before he accepts the position. Having said that, there is nothing to say that you have to stay in that area or he has to stay in that job.

As other posters have said what would you expect form a website with the tag line "worst places to live"?

You are taking risk going to a place that you do not know, but if the place is not for you, try somehwere else. You won't really know util you get there.

Editha

I just want to second BritinParis's comments on Sheffield, which is a great little city IMO.

Admittedly, I haven't been there for yonks, but I love its situation surrounded by hills, and the centre used to be good for shopping and culture.