Advice in where to live please!

Yodabeaumont

I have just qualified as a doctor and have elected to move down South from Manchester to the 'Wessex' area. Incorporating the following towns:
Winchester, Salisbury, Southampton, Portsmouth, Dorchester, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Isle of Wight and Poole.

I would like some advice on the relative merits and disadvantages of living in some of the towns around the area, so that I can make a decision on which hospital to go for.

For a little bit of background, I am soon to be 25, have a car and plan on commuting back to Manchester every month or so. I prefer sitting in a nice pub to going out clubbing, enjoy the cinema, want to be close (ish) to the sea and near enough to London to commute in for a day and then come back. I'm looking for somewhere quieter than Manchester, friendly, that has things to do e.g. a good range of mainstream shops, places to eat, things to do etc. I realise that these somewhat contradict each other!

Thank you for your help

Dan-Dan

I would avoid poole and bournemouth personally but that does depend a little on your budget....

whodathunkit

For many reasons, avoid the Isle of Wight.

SerialRenter

Rule out Basingstoke for 2/3 of the following:

clubbing, enjoy the cinema, want to be close (ish) to the sea

It has a nice cinema in town, but it's lacking in decent night life and is pretty far from the sea.

Also it's a terrible terrible town.

princeofpounds

When you go north/to London, do you intend to travel by car or trains?

I ask because if you are interested in the latter it helps focus a lot.

Also - how close is close-ish for the sea? 10 minutes or under an hour?

Generally speaking, Dorset has really nice countryside and coast, but Bournemouth whilst lively isn't the nicest town; a bit too stag party oriented. There are probably really nice suburbs and outlying villages but if the town centre isn't for you it will be an issue. It's also a bit harder to get to than hampshire, the roads narrow and the holiday traffic can be heavy.

Southampton is a fairly sizeable city, with all the pluses that brings, but it's not particularly bad or good as cities go, a bit run-of-the-mill.

Basingstoke is miles away from the sea and North Hampshire is quite different to South Hampshire (bit more dull landscape and town-wise, but good access to London). I'm surprised you are including it on the list given what you've said.

Winchester is a nice town, and from what you've told me I get the feeling you'd do best in a large town type of environment. I don't know Salisbury but I think it is similar.

Isle of Wight is kind of cool being an island, but if you want to be using the ferry all the time it can get annoying, and it's actually a little down-at-heel outside of the nicer marina towns.

Something you might wish to consider are the nicer towns on the coast. Christchurch (nicer than bournemouth) to Lymington (lively for a town of its size) stretch basically. Good for the coast and new forest.

Yodabeaumont

Hello all thank you for the replies.

I have mentioned the towns above as these are the only options for a newly qualified doctor at this stage. I would probably be living on the hospital site or renting a house with peers near to the hospitals. From a near the sea point of view, I would say about an hour or so away- near enough to be able to drive and spend the day there, and then drive back. With commuting to London, I intend to take the train. As for commuting back up north, I would drive. Thank you all again.

jayss

Southampton is good for getting the train up to London, it's obviously smaller than Manchester but might still be a bit bigger than you are after.
But it has the convieniances of a city and easy access to nicer, quieter spots.

Vampgirl

Yodabeaumont wrote: »

From a near the sea point of view, I would say about an hour or so away- near enough to be able to drive and spend the day there, and then drive back.

Pretty much everywhere in Hampshire is within an hour of the coast: we live in NE Hampshire and regularly go down to Portsmouth/Southsea for the day - takes us around an hour.

Yodabeaumont wrote: »

With commuting to London, I intend to take the train

Generally, the closer you are to the coast, the longer the train journey to London. Which is your greater priority?

Yodabeaumont wrote: »

As for commuting back up north, I would drive

If you want to keep your options open, you can get the train Manchester-Basingstoke with only 1 change (avoiding London).


Personally I would much prefer living in Winchester or Salisbury over Portsmouth, Southampton or Basingstoke.

wileycat

I'm in Southampton, you sound like you want to live in the New Forest, Christchurch/Lymington/New milton/Southbourne areas. Quietish areas, by the sea, relaxed, scenic.

ognum

So I guess you have applied to Wessex deanery or is it called something else now?

Are you an F1 or an F2, don't the deanery still move you around in those two years.

I know a few people who are doctors in Southampton, Winchester, Basingstoke. They all seem to live in Winchester because it has the cafe culture, yummy mummy feel that Southampton doesn't have.

QTPie

Hi

I would think that Winchester is probably the best located (for London and the North and not overly far from the coast). A little quiet as cities go, but might suit. Go there and see what you think?