Cardiff - Want to move there and need advice

PasturesNew

thebaroness wrote: »

...Cardiff Bay? Within walking distance of the city centre, ...

Through murder mile.

essjae

Hi,
I would actually recommend Riverside as a good area to be in if you want to be close to the city centre - its where I live now!
I've lived here for 5 years, and previously lived in Roath and Cathays, and prefer it here - closer to town, cleaner, and quiet in the evenings / night time. Plus handy for Riverside Market on a sunday. However, I would stay within the section bounded by Cowbridge Road, the river, Tudor Street, and Wyndham Street/Machen Place/Gloucester Street. Plus Taff Enbankment, but probably not the rest of Grangetown.
However, if you do have a higher budget, Pontcanna is much more upmarket, particularly if you find a house/flat backing onto the park.
Canton is okay, but can feel a bit built-up and not enough greenery, until you get out to Thompson Park and Victoria Park. Cowbridge Road East can be a bit iffy on a friday/saturday night - too many kareoke bars along there for my liking!
Over on the east side of the river, most of Cathays and Roath feels pretty studenty, but if you're reasonably young maybe this isn't a problem! Can be a bit rowdy at night, but not usually in a nasty or threatening way. Richmond Road is a nice tree-lined street with plenty of rental houses & flats, and you can avoid walking through studentsville by heading in/out of town via Newport Road instead.
If you want somewhere quieter, and don't mind walking through Cathays or Roath, then Penylan is really nice, and Roath Park is lovely (particularly for boating in the summer!) However it is more expensive, and a bit of a trek into town - 20 mins plus. Around Wellfield Road could be a good compromise (plus nice shops there!).
Splott I don't know so well, but there are a couple of streets by the Howard Gardens campus which look ok, and you can't get much closer to town than that!
Well that pretty much sums up all of the areas which I know well, personally I wouldn't have a problem living in any of them, and in 11 years of living in Cardiff, I and all of my friends have never felt worried or threatened when walking through all of these areas and the rest of Cardiff at all hours of the day and night!

guideme

Thanks everyone! Greatly appreciated

guideme

essjae wrote: »

Roath Park is lovely

I agree!! I used to go there a lot a few years ago

thebaroness

PasturesNew wrote: »

Through murder mile.

Don't be daft. Cardiff doesn't have a high crime rate and the highest percentage of crime comes under anti-social behaviour. Murder mile...really?

dryhat

thebaroness wrote: »

Don't be daft. Cardiff doesn't have a high crime rate and the highest percentage of crime comes under anti-social behaviour. Murder mile...really?

I think PasturesNew was commenting about walking from Cardiff Bay to the centre along Bute street or vice versa.
With gangs of youths on every corner, walking that route alone late at night can be scary and "murder mile" - although an exageration - is an apt description.

Other than that, I would agree that Cardiff is a nice, safe city.

notanewuser

thebaroness wrote: »

Don't be daft. Cardiff doesn't have a high crime rate and the highest percentage of crime comes under anti-social behaviour. Murder mile...really?

Lets not forget though that "Cardiff Bay" was basically a slum before they spent millions/billions building "the Bay". The original houses and streets are still there, the residents are generally quite deprived. Thousands of glossy new build flats doesn't change that.

guideme

Many thanks all.