Where to live in Newcastle

basscadette

January20 wrote: »

I agree with all the suggestions above re areas but I would just give you a bit of a warning: be careful when estate agents say "Gosforth" because they might mean Kingston Park or Fawdon and some parts of Kenton and there are some of these areas where I really wouldn't like to live. So get yourself a really good map or do a lot of research on googlemap.

Just look at the rental prices for Gosforth. If it seems reasonable, it's Fawdon, if it looks a bit steep, more likely to be the real Gosforth lol

And if you've got loadsa money, Ponteland/Darras Hall! Probably cost the same as where you are now in London TBH! Tis where all the football players/yokel millionaires live.

RacyRed

It depends a lot on exactly where you are working and how rural you want to be, really. Do you want a town environment or do you want lots of walks, gardens, allotments and places where kids still have the freedom to roam in safety right on your doorstep?

I moved from London to the North East a couple of years ago and haven't regretted it at all. I live in the mineral valleys (Stanley/Consett area). It is stunningly beautiful and there is unbelievable amounts of access to the fells and river valleys. Some parts are regarded as a bit rough, but don't forget that rough in the north and rough in London are 2 very different things.

Rowlands Gill, Lanchester, Shotley Bridge, Beamish, Tanfield Lea are all worth a look. The western Derwent and Wear valleys are full of lovely places to live, give them an explore.

Dave101t

dont forget gateshead, those townhouses on the river are ok and metro is great.

AmandaD28

I also live in the derwent valley in the NE39 postcode area and am currently raising 2 kids and expecting our 3rd I'd recommend it to anyone its a lovely friendly place some lovely parks/walks around here for the kids and we are about 15/20mins from Newcastle 10/15mins from the metrocentre and major supermarkets that said its not for everyone have you had a trip up here and had a look around yet ? Incidently my OH is originally a London lad he hails from uxbridge he moved here 6yrs ago and when we met he was living on his own in a huge 3 bed house in longbenton I didn't get to know the area that well but it seemed ok his rent was £695 a month when he lived alone I also rent a three bed with my kids and now him my rent was cheaper than his and we stayed here because of kids school and my support network which was v important to me and I refused to leave

Good luck with the hunt ! Everytime we drive to London I'm thankful to come home I couldn't live there permanant its way too busy for a countrey bum like me born and bred in the same place lol

Mackem Dave - I was gonna say what you said good football is not found at Newcastle unless were there ! Were counting down to the weekend too hoping for a good result for our lads its all I've heard off DS this week who is die hard Sunderland instilled in him by my parents who have both held season tickets for years now ! Bring it on

xx

January20

basscadette wrote: »

Just look at the rental prices for Gosforth. If it seems reasonable, it's Fawdon, if it looks a bit steep, more likely to be the real Gosforth lol

And if you've got loadsa money, Ponteland/Darras Hall! Probably cost the same as where you are now in London TBH! Tis where all the football players/yokel millionaires live.

That's exactly what I've realised in my search for a house! Very good advice.

Mrs Ryan, I agree with you about Kingston Pk, but my only real problem with it is that there isn't a metro and I've lived near a metro for the past 26 years. Too used to it now to give it up.

brownbabygirl

thanks for all the replies. My hubby used to live in Newcastle (Walker) and liked it anyway. I was also there for the first time briefly a couple of weeks ago and found it very OK. I work from home but would still prefer not to be too far out from the centre as I would not want to have to drive everywhere. I cannot wait to move up!

January20

brownbabygirl wrote: »

thanks for all the replies. My hubby used to live in Newcastle (Walker) and liked it anyway. I was also there for the first time briefly a couple of weeks ago and found it very OK. I work from home but would still prefer not to be too far out from the centre as I would not want to have to drive everywhere. I cannot wait to move up!

Newcastle is a great place to live. It's got a lot of the advantages of a large town, but it's very green too and within a 20-30 minute drive you can be in the countryside or on the beach. And (most) people are still lovely

becominganobsessivesaver

basscadette wrote: »

Gosforth is more central to Newcastle as far as the 'exclusive' areas go. South Gosforth Metro is about ten mins ride to the city centre. Jesmond is very close to Newcastle centre and is a mix of the very wealthy and students.

I'm originally from Whitley Bay (on the coast) and it is very family orientated, 20 minutes on the metro from Newcastle central and very well-to-do. Whitley Bay centre is obviously a draw for stag/hen do's but further along towards Monkseaton and the lighthouse it's lovely. Tynemouth is also lovely.

Stay away from North Shields/Meadowell/Percy Main/Wallsend/Walker/Byker and other areas down by the Tyne. Some nice 'niche' areas but on the whole, awful.

Fenham/High Heaton nice, central Newcastle areas. Elswick/Benwell etc NOOOOOOOO!!! (PS I think PJ from PJ and Duncan is from Elswick). Anywhere between West Gate Road and Scotswood Road, very 'multicultural' and rough as....

Personally I'd take some of this with a pinch of salt - I live in one of the so called 'awful' areas above and live on an incredibly lovely cul-de-sac of semis, minimal issues with crime (no more than any other city) and a really nice bunch of neighbours. I'm 2 minutes walk from the metro, and then 15 minutes to the centre of Newcastle. I previously lived in one of the 'good areas' and we had 2 armed robberies in the shop across the road, 2 arson attacks on our flats (the bins and the car parks), another attack on some flats down the road and a number of cars being vandalised (we lived there 2 years).
I think in newcastle it's about getting a good feel for where you will be living, what the neighbours are like and getting to know the community and you'll be fine. A number of areas have a reputation associated with them from a number of years ago, and actually looking a bit deeper than what those people think who have probably paid twice as much to live in a different area and don't ever visit these awful areas can be very beneficial.

basscadette

becominganobsessivesaver wrote: »

Personally I'd take some of this with a pinch of salt - I live in one of the so called 'awful' areas above and live on an incredibly lovely cul-de-sac of semis, minimal issues with crime (no more than any other city) and a really nice bunch of neighbours. I'm 2 minutes walk from the metro, and then 15 minutes to the centre of Newcastle. I previously lived in one of the 'good areas' and we had 2 armed robberies in the shop across the road, 2 arson attacks on our flats (the bins and the car parks), another attack on some flats down the road and a number of cars being vandalised (we lived there 2 years).
I think in newcastle it's about getting a good feel for where you will be living, what the neighbours are like and getting to know the community and you'll be fine. A number of areas have a reputation associated with them from a number of years ago, and actually looking a bit deeper than what those people think who have probably paid twice as much to live in a different area and don't ever visit these awful areas can be very beneficial.

I agree though - I said there were some nice areas within them but overall, have high levels of crime, council housing etc. It depends what kind of area the OP is looking for. Coming from London, they will be aware that there is good within the 'so called' bad.

The OP said her OH is from Walker and likes it, so shows how much I know. I worked in Walker for two years and I wouldn't have chosen to live there. Didn't mean to offend anyone that lives in any of these areas.

And when I was stranded at Meadowell Metro Station some guy tried to take my fold-up bike from me which was a very scary experience. First and last time I accidentally got on the metro going the wrong way round lol.

dizziblonde

basscadette wrote: »

And when I was stranded at Meadowell Metro Station some guy tried to take my fold-up bike from me which was a very scary experience. First and last time I accidentally got on the metro going the wrong way round lol.

I got assaulted on a Metro station in Jesmond of all places (forget which of the stations it was - the one nearer the baths as opposed to near the schools down the bottom end). Good and bad everywhere really -hell I can't judge, I grew up in Pennywell!