Bevm

So, anyone got opinions on Whitby? I read aasmith's recent posts with interest. And Irish Guinness loves Whitby. Yorkshirelass comes from Whitby.

We said we wouldn't go north, but it's as if Whitby is flashing neon signs everywhere we look. Latest one. A casual meeting the other day and the woman said she was just back from a holiday in the UK. We asked where, and she said Whitby. Went on about how wonderful it was. They always go there. Her husband came from there and he'd go back in a moment if she'd let him.

Nearly all our closest friends live in the north and one couple aren't far from Whitby. They love it and go there as often as they can.

So, we're looking at it, thinking that as we weren't blown away by any one place in Devon and we intend to rent at first we might try it, even over winter.

From what I can see it gets less rain than the NW where I grew up. And if necessary, we will be able to run off to southern europe for a month or two.

So, anyone know what it's like to live there? Lots of Goths, I gather, but I like Goths and other eccentric people who dress in costumes, especially historical ones. Unlike the southern coastal towns we were looking at it has lots of historical stuff back to the middle ages, which is one of my interests. Not much property for sale or rent, and not particularly cheap. Which I assume means it's a place where lots of people want to live.

Comments?

Bev

Mummy in the foothills

I looks like all signs point to Whitby. Fate has already picked out your new home town

DonnyWhite

Whitby is gorgeous. Spent years there on holiday as a kid and visited on my last trip home in 2006.
I adore the place.

Bevm

Thanks, Donny.

If you had to say one negative thing, what would it be?

Bev
(I've finally changed my avatar from the Christmas one with snow. Much be because I had to break out the sleeveless tops today!)

ellimere

I went to one the Whitby Gothic festivals waaay back in about 96. - Just be ready for the town to be invaded for a weekend a few times a year (I think there are two or three weekends they do). It was a lot of fun but I can understand the locals may get annoyed occasionally but mostly, because people want the festival to continue there - people are pretty well behaved (if very drunk for an entire weekend). - You may not be able to go into your "local" for the weekend though, lol - most of the pubs were absolutely packed with people spilling onto the street during the day. The goth community try to maintain good relations though with the locals but obviously, as with any place where people go to drink lots, there are occasionally problems.

DonnyWhite

The windy is icy cold, and it can be quiet (as in nowt much to do after dark) unless you want to go up the 99 steps and see if Bram Stokers novel was partly based on fact? whoooooooooooo

Jules Europe

I love Whitby too and it was one of the places I most wanted to see in the UK I also like to dress up in funny costumes and do eccentric things, I think you would like me

Jules Europe

Reading Bram Stokers novel, is like being given a prison sentence

brits1

I am from Lacashire but I really do love that North East Coastline..we were there nearly 2 years ago and stayed in various types of accommodation from Filey up to Whitby....when we first arrived in Scarborough it was cold wet and windy (it was early March) but even then there were surfers in the water (and at night time) and we always found something to do.....drive inland and there is even more to see and do.....the racecourse at Thirsk is a good day out...etc and a good drive and you can be in York, Harrogate etc....oh now even I want to live there.......
good luck

brits1

ps....the weather changed on our 2nd day and we did not have one drop of rain and just sunshine until we left for Aus in early May......then the weather really did change...

Celtic Princess

We went to Whitby for our honeymoon. It was fabulous. We stayed in a gothic guest house which was amazing. We went to a curry house down by the harbour and it was the best curry I have ever had.

Kooky.

Hello, I just saw the thread title on the forum index page and couldn't resist.

I'm from Redcar, about 22 miles up the coast from Whitby. My Mum's side is all farming folk from around that way and I went to Whitby or Scarborough (or Butlins Filey!) for my holidays every year as a kid.

I love Whitby. I haven't been for a few years as I've been out of the country since early 2002 but it's one of my favourite places in the UK. It's not as tacky as a lot of those coastal resort towns (including my hometown, which is slowly dying and will certainly pop its clogs if they shut down Corus ). I like it most in Winter, sitting in a steamed up cafe drinking hot chocolate and watching the wild sea. Man, does it get wild! Cold is not the word.

2 of my teenage nieces were there at the Goth festival just recently and go there regularly to buy clothes.

If you are retiring, and can take the weather, I think you could do a lot worse than to live on that part of the North East Coast. If you need to work, I will be honest and say I don't know what there is around there.

quoll

I visited there for a day a couple of years ago and it was lovely. I dont know why I had never been before but we had always seemed to miss it. I was impressed by the beach (who says UK doesnt have sandy beaches?) but I admit it was cold - bloody cold actually if I were honest. I could see myself living in that sort of area. I plan to check out Robin Hoods Bay next time I am in the vicinity. My son is going to be living in Catterick for a while so I expect to be able to do more touristy stuff in that area as I will be able to have a base there.

Bevm

Thanks for the comments everyone.

My husband's retired, and I'm self-employed and can work anywhere, so we are very free as to where we settle. I think we can take the weather. It's not a whole lot different to here, (though here's hotter in the summer, which we won't miss) and in any case, we're finding that months without sun isn't too healthy for us, so we're planning to maybe take a month down where there is some. Anyway, if we go there and rent, we'll experience winter before we commit ourselves by buying!

I grew up in a holiday town, so I know what that's like and I quite like it as long as no one's wrecking the place. When it comes to boozing, it's nothing new. The old holiday weeks, when a town like Bolton would shut down and everyone would head off for some seaside fun, were wild.

Bev

yorkshirelass

Awww, you'll love it! Whitby really is a beautiful place and was great a great town to grow up in. If I had my choice, I'd quite happily move there and raise our boys there, but property is quite expensive and good jobs are few and far between.

Besides parking problems, a big complaint of locals is that there really aren't very many supermarket choices -- you have to travel as far as York for a good Marks and Sparks, Asda etc. However, you still have access to local veg, bakers and butchers shops as well as fab restaurant choices.

Good luck!! I'll be there in just a few weeks and can't wait!!