# York - what's it like to live in?



## scalyboy (Apr 10, 2009)

I posted a few months back aasking about Durham and what it was like to live there, or in the surrounding area. Was hoping for a change of job that would mean moving to Durham. That particular job didn't come through, I'm still keeping an eye out for Durham vacancies (University admin work) but probably need to widen the net a bit, hence York...anyone live/d there? House prices seem quite cheap around the campus area, what's it like as a place to live?
Ta.


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## killer b (Apr 10, 2009)

friends have lived there, and the concensus was 'pretty, but dull'. i don't know if it's still true, but the (few) nightclubs which were there all had to close by 1am... not that that's all that matters of course, but a council imposed curfew does make me think that it might be dull in other areas too...


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## oryx (Apr 10, 2009)

Around the campus is very residential. The university ends of Tang Hall Lane/Melrosegate are not especially nice areas hence the cheapness. Some of the streets around there I would describe as dull and a bit rough. 

However, York itself is very pleasant and offers a good quality of life - most of the suburbs are pleasant enough though not rivetting. Like anywhere else really! 

Wherever you are the town centre will not be far away and it's great for shopping and (especially) for pubs, as well as being compact and very beautiful & historical. 

I grew up there and still visit regularly. If I had to move for work or family reasons I'd be quite happy to move back.


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## scalyboy (Apr 10, 2009)

oryx said:


> Around the campus is very residential. The university ends of Tang Hall Lane/Melrosegate are not especially nice areas hence the cheapness. Some of the streets around there I would describe as dull and a bit rough.
> 
> However, York itself is very pleasant and offers a good quality of life - most of the suburbs are pleasant enough though not rivetting. Like anywhere else really!



Thanks - this is exactly the sortof insider info I was hoping for.
So which areas would you say might be better, if more pricey? Also, how about villages outside York? What's the bus service like?


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## oryx (Apr 10, 2009)

scalyboy said:


> Thanks - this is exactly the sortof insider info I was hoping for.
> So which areas would you say might be better, if more pricey? Also, how about villages outside York? What's the bus service like?



From what I know, unfortunately the bus service is crap.  

I like the South Bank area - but I grew up in Heworth, which is also nice - & both are walkable from the town centre if you're reasonably fit & it's not chucking it down. 

From the point of view of someone childless & living in London, I'd say some of the suburbs and villages are very bland, and dull, 2.4 kids, wash the car on Sunday type areas - real middle England! 

It depends what kind of area you're looking for though - for someone like my sister who has the 2 kids (but not .4 unless you count the cat) and drinks in town, where she lives (Appletree Village/Burnholme) is fine, but I would die of boredom in an area like that.


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## Northern Uproar (Apr 20, 2009)

Pretty much agree with everything above - I spent almost 20yrs of my life there and have mixed feelings about it.

Its a lovely city but can get quite claustrophobic and after recently moving to North London I wish I had moved away sooner as York can be quite limited, although you do have the benefit of having some of the best countryside i the uK on the doorstep!

In terms of where is good to live it depends on whether you fancy renting or buying?  I used to think that York was expensive but that notion quickly disappeared when I moved down here. My favourite areas are Fishergate/Fulford and South Bank.  We have a house in Fishergate and it is a 10min riverside walk into town.  The area is pretty chilled out and generally 2/3 bed terraced houses which you can rent for around £550pcm you can go cheaper if you want to look in other places.

From a social point of view York has great pubs but the nightlife/music scene is pretty crap(although there are a few decent places if you search hard).  Leeds is only 20 mins away on the train which has got a better selection.

If you want any more detailed info I would be happy to help.

Easy


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## nick h. (Apr 21, 2009)

My godson lives there, overlooking the racecourse.  Very pretty but unexciting.  Good indy cinema.  The railway museum's fun once or twice, if you're impressed by trains. I hear the schools are alright. But I'd go mad there.  I hate English towns, especially ones with Northerners in them.


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## fogbat (Apr 21, 2009)

What's it like on weekends these days?

I lived there about ten years ago, and on Fri / Sat you couldn't get into even the shittiest of little pubs in central York if you were wearing trainers, or weren't wearing a shirt.


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## Northern Uproar (Apr 21, 2009)

fogbat said:


> What's it like on weekends these days?
> 
> I lived there about ten years ago, and on Fri / Sat you couldn't get into even the shittiest of little pubs in central York if you were wearing trainers, or weren't wearing a shirt.



Its not as bad as it was but there is still the same attitude from all the chain pubs and clubs which are all hell holes anyway, why they insist on making people where shoes and smart jeans or trousers on a weekend has always baffled me its very 1980's 

York lost it's soul when a little club in an old church called the arts center shut down about 9yrs ago - proper good house/techno bit like an orbit vibe but good old York council soon put a stop to that like they do everything.  After that there have been some decent free parties during summer but they have died away now.  There are a few independent nights that have started to spring up playing dubsteb and D&B but there isn't really the market for it in York and the nights don't tend to last too long.  

There is one night that has been going for about 10yrs a monthly house night called Freakin which is superb and has now found its home in the basement of Ziggys!  Mostly local Dj's but they will put any big name dj to shame - quality house music and a quality vibe, the pull some decent names in like Weatherhall, Ralph Lawson, Jimpster etc worth checking out.

Apart from that nice in summer for the beer garden and riverside drinking downside is York seems to attract nothing but Stag/Hen nights which tend to ruin it abit

Probably haven't painted a very good picture!


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## Random (Apr 21, 2009)

york has a lot of good pubs, selling lots of good ale.  err...

that's it.  Unless you really really like castle walls and the constant smell of burnt sugar.  Better for a day trip or weekend break than to live there imo.


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## oryx (Apr 21, 2009)

I'd say York is great if you are that bit older* and/or have kids, as there are quite a few cultural events and good, real ale and traditional pubs. The schools are also good. If I had had sprogs (never wanted 'em) and a partner willing to move to York, you wouldn't have seen me for dust up the M1.

It wasn't wonderful for younger people who like a bit of excitement even when I left in 1980, and from Northern Uproar's posts it hasn't changed. When I was growing up there, there were a few decent little independently-owned clubs playing Northern soul and what might these days be termed rare groove. You had to go to Leeds or Bradford to see bands - there was NO tradition of live music in York. 

There seems to be a bit more of a live music scene now, with Fibbers and more bands playing in pubs, but that's not saying much!

*I mean thirty and fortysomething older, not Eastbourne older.


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## electric.avenue (Jun 3, 2009)

Heslington is handy for the uni, and not that far from the city.

The consensus seems to be that York is not that good if you like gigs and clubbing, but as someone said, Leeds is not that far away. If you like nights out but are not that bothered about clubbing, then, yes, there are lots of trad real-ale type pubs there.


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## jvmills (Jun 18, 2009)

York Rocks!!!

I lived abroad for 6 years, then came back to live in York and have to say it seems to have grown on me even more!

Great bars, beautiful historic buildings and slap bang between Edinburgh and London.

J


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## fogbat (Jun 18, 2009)

electric.avenue said:


> Heslington is handy for the uni, and not that far from the city.
> 
> The consensus seems to be that York is not that good if you like gigs and clubbing, but as someone said, Leeds is not that far away. If you like nights out but are not that bothered about clubbing, then, yes, there are lots of trad real-ale type pubs there.



Heslington is absolutely lovely.

I'd imagine it's fairly pricy, though


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## upsidedownwalrus (Jun 18, 2009)

I dunno about to live, but when I visited there earlier in the year, thought it was absolutely stunning.


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## Bernie Gunther (Jun 19, 2009)

I'm a bit out of date re York. Last time I was there was a party in the Arts Centre mentioned above. I lived there about 10 years on and off though and I thought it was fine, but I don't really care about clubs and such. There are plenty of very decent pubs and a reasonable amount of culture for such a small city. The fact that it's so small, walkable from one side to the other, is good.


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## redsnapper (Jul 1, 2009)

York's my home town and it's where I'm living now, again. I'd have to agree with the clubbing/gigging side of things being crap but when I was into that I just used to drive the half hour it took to get to Leeds which more than makes up for York's paucity of good clubs etc.

I love York because I just know it so well and it has a much friendlier vibe even with strangers than most anywhere else I've lived and I've lived in lots of different towns and countries. I'm biased obviously but I talk to lots of people who are unbiased about York who have said how much they love it compared to other places for a whole multitude of reasons.

It is quite a quiet place to live though so if you want to live somewhere fast paced and packed with loads of exciting things to do any day of the week York wouldn't be for you. It's a great place to bring up kids though, not that I have any but lots of family and friends do.

York occupies a special place in my heart and always will do for lots of reasons so of course I'm not gonna start putting the city down as a place to live but it depends what you're looking for. It is without question a beautiful city in anyone but the most cynical person's eyes and there's not really much _not _to like about the place but I can understand people who would say it's not the most exciting place to live. If anyone here lives in York and wants to meet up let me know


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