Relocating from Birmingham to Cornwall help..........

erichamster

Hi OP, another local girl here. We live in Newquay, on the north coast, you may have heard of it, it's really not how it's been represented in the media and my OH and I wouldn't really want to live anywhere else. Newquay has good schools primary, junior and secondary along with beautiful beaches and access to good roads. We don't have children and like the fact that we can walk into town for bars, restaurants and the cinema as well as to the beaches.

What ages are you and your children? What sort of vibe are you looking for? Also your rough budget would be useful. Obviously I'm biased to this area but if I were in your position and funds allowed I'd consider Perranporth (small town, cool youngish vibe, quite a bit going on, great pub right on the beach, restaurants, surfy shops, has it's own primary school) or Crantock (beautiful, chocolate box type village, 3 pubs, 1 shop, beautiful wide beach, quite affluent families, village fetes, would have to travel couple of miles to primary school,etc). Both of these are near enough to Newquay for secondary school.

Obviously it depends on your budget but I would rather choose location over house and tbh I wouldn't want to live in Camborne, Redruth, or St Austell if you paid me, they all have quite a depressing, more industrial feel IMO with high levels of deprivation. Before anyone jumps down my throat, I know some of Newquay is no oil painting but in my experience the people here are happy and friendly and you can't argue with the beaches.

Your best bet OP is prob to rent (Truro is a very pretty city, and less of a shock if you are used to city living) travel around as much as you can and get a feel for places, good luck and welcome to Cornwall, I don't blame you for moving, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

mwa

Check this out, if you still need convincing about visiting! Cornwall is open for business!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/38-reasons-you-need-to-go-to-cornwall

Buzzybee90

I've only been to Cornwall on holiday but managed to go all over. Stayed in st Austell, nice enough but wouldn't want to live there.

With the cinemas thing (we last went in April 2012), couldn't find a chain cinema? Went to book tickets for the evening, this was Truro and it was sold out :eek:

mwa

Yep no chain cinemas here! We only got a Starbucks about 3 years ago!! All part of the charm. :0)

erichamster

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

I've only been to Cornwall on holiday but managed to go all over. Stayed in st Austell, nice enough but wouldn't want to live there.

With the cinemas thing (we last went in April 2012), couldn't find a chain cinema? Went to book tickets for the evening, this was Truro and it was sold out :eek:

There is a Cornish cinema chain, WTW Cinemas, ( http://wtwcinemas.co.uk/) they own the cinemas in Newquay, St Austell, Wadebridge and Truro. But you're right there's no big national chain represented down here, no Odeon, Vue, etc, I guess it's a different world down here or rather it is up there!

loubie1

I would love to live in Perranporth ! sadly not many rental properties seems to fit our needs, we are a family of 5 ! We have been to the pub on the beach ;-)


We have a few months so fingers crossed to a quick house sale, and a good choice of rentals when the time comes !


Lou x

Buzzybee90

erichamster wrote: »

There is a Cornish cinema chain, WTW Cinemas, ( http://wtwcinemas.co.uk/) they own the cinemas in Newquay, St Austell, Wadebridge and Truro. But you're right there's no big national chain represented down here, no Odeon, Vue, etc, I guess it's a different world down here or rather it is up there!

It really is like a different world! I live in the sticks and even I thought it was odd ha. I just love all the little fishing villages!

loubie1

That really is the charm for us though !


The weeks can't go quick enough


Lou x

erichamster

mwa wrote: »

Yep no chain cinemas here! We only got a Starbucks about 3 years ago!! All part of the charm. :0)

Oh yeah the list of things we haven't got is pretty long, most lamentably (for me) no IKEA, Primark, H&M, Zara, Mango, Urban Outfitters and only one Topshop, can be very MSE though, much less temptation, get used to online shopping OP!

erichamster

loubie1 wrote: »

I would love to live in Perranporth ! sadly not many rental properties seems to fit our needs, we are a family of 5 ! We have been to the pub on the beach ;-)


We have a few months so fingers crossed to a quick house sale, and a good choice of rentals when the time comes !


Lou x

So is Perranporth the kind of vibe you like? Quite cosmopolitan (for Cornwall believe it or not it is) and lively with quite a few bars and restaurants to choose from, but still walking distance to a great beach?

If so I probably would recommend Newquay as a base for your rental and there are more rental properties here to choose from, with a view to looking at buying somewhere nearby but probably slightly smaller/quieter.

St Agnes is the next village along the coast from Perranporth, very quaint, pretty, fewer tourists than Perranporth, art galleries, a few restaurants and pubs, small beach, village.

Padstow is also beautiful but very expensive, similar size to Perranporth but more affluent, slightly older crowd, make sure you visit for Obby Oss on May Day, great if somewhat surreal day out, it's an old fertility rite and not to be missed, almost like something out of The Wicker Man.