North Down - best areas to live

caz2703

Obviously if money were no object then anywhere from Bangor West through to Holywood along the coast would be fantastic! Given we haven't won the lottery I shall get back on topic.

We're hoping to expand our family but we'd need to move to a bigger house. We don't have any concrete plans nor are there any houses we've looked at but by the looks of it we'd need to move beyond Bangor and more towards Groomsport, Donaghadee, Millisle etc. We know the areas a bit i.e. The Stables, Pier 36 (do you see the common thread here!) but we've no idea what the areas would be like to live in. Ideally there'd be green areas for kiddies, somewhere safe to let the dog run free, a shop for last minute groceries and a good bakery would be great although my waistline would disagree! Oh and good takeaways would be great but I'm sure if we're desperate we could drive into Bangor.

I've heard that during the summer, Groomsport is like Shankill-on-Sea with the number of hoodlums down at their caravans but I personally haven't witnessed this so as I said, it's only something I heard that could be wrong.

So MSEers, recommend me a town!

fin54

:rotfl:Kilcooley, Whitehill, Breezemount, Rathgill.

caz2703

Har de har. I can hardly bare to drive past let alone live there but thanks for the suggestions!

fin54

"La De Da Da" Do You Mean, Some good people came out of these estates. I also know of many hoodlums who live in Groomsport and Donaghadee.
AND if your desperate you would have to drive past the dreaded Kilcooley, Whitehill,Breezemount and Rathgill to get into Bangor by the sea

caz2703

You don't need to drive past them depending where you're going!

I had hoped to get some honest opinions about the towns surrounding Bangor not a list of council estates. No matter where you live you'll get hoodlums but thanks for your help anyway.

pennywise2

Having lived in Bangor for many years and Donaghadee for the last ten , i can highly recommend the Dee :j

jmabnc

Only good people live in these estates all the hoodlums have moved to private estates with the hard earned drug money or from diddling the dole. the rest of us honest people cant afford to move. :A

fin54

Yes you have hit the nail in the head there, the only deprived people in housing estates are the people who WORK

happymummy24-7

another vote for Donaghadee here:j
I have to say its lovely to bring up kids here!it not too big and not too small either...in a big town its so busy and impersonal! everything is on hand eg the centra stays open until 11pm for that forgotten milk and grace neills and pier36 are within walking (staggering lol) distance of most homes!!!!
we dont live in the town,just outside on the sea,and i am glad really as i wouldnt want my kids to be hanging around the town ect which peer pressure usually leads too,i like the fact we dont live in a street with every other child running through my house!!! the likes of Edgewater has nice houses but too expensive really for where they are-no privacy whatsoever!...the problem is again having every child in the neighbourhood running round outside!
Some nice reasonably priced houses between d'dee and millisle nice and quiet beside the beach!!
school situation isnt too bad-you can easily send them to Bangor ect as its such a short drive-if you dont fancy donaghadee primary! Millisle primary has a brill nursery unit so i hear but we are already committed to DPS as eldest is 10!!
we tend to travel for carry outs eg the indian in bangor and millisle for chips but the kam bridge beside to co-op is very nice!
the new park at the front is really lovely and the commons is being done up too with older kids things,lovely for a sunny day picnic! Ballyvester beach is great for the dog but its busy in summer so equally great for the wee ones as its away from the road so quite safe and enclosed.

most of all the people are friendly
good luck with your search i hope you find somewhere lovely :beer:
and if you do end up down this way send me a message and i can show you the nicest coffee shop and the best mother and toddlers to goto
xxx laura (who doesnt work for donaghadee tourist board lol)

caz2703

happymummy24-7 wrote: »

laura (who doesnt work for donaghadee tourist board lol)

You sure about that lol!!!

We're at the edge of Bangor near D'dee but although it's great having kids nearby I dread the summer when they are running up and down the street. It's great for my step-daughter to have kids to play with but she's not here all the time and the little one is too little for playing outside so I'd happily swap a child crowded development for some peace and quiet. No offense to one child in particular around here (very light fingered) but I'd like to choose who my kids play with and not have them hanging about with kids I don't approve of.

A coffee shop and mother & toddler groups would be great. Honestly, what is D'dee like in the evenings for lurking teenagers and blokes with loud exhausts blasting through the town? I know it sounds daft but I don't want to live somewhere where there's 'unsocial behaviour' like it used to be years ago in Bangor before the police clamped down.

spike7451

pennywise2 wrote: »

Having lived in Bangor for many years and Donaghadee for the last ten , i can highly recommend the Dee :j

I too live in the Dee & can highly reccomend it.The paddling pool area down the sea front recently has been given a complete overhaul with the removal of 'The Mushrooms' to discourage the local chavs away from the area.