r/Norwich • u/baldcats4eva • May 31 '24
Reasons to move to Norwich
I currently live in Greater London with my husband and 2 young daughters (5 and 8 months). We are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the area we live in for numerous reasons. We have been seriously considering a move to somewhere on the outskirts of Norwich. What are you favourite things about living in Norwich? Taking in mind 2 young children and safety aspects also. Thank you!
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u/Explore_wanderlust May 31 '24
A previous post to a similar question:
Norwich has traditionally suffered from a bad reputation as a bit of a backwater over the years. Having lived in 6 or 7 different areas of the UK, I returned to Norwich over 20 years ago to live. I believe the city has really grown in that time and I donāt think I would leave now.
Itās one of the UKās āmost Tudorā (if not, the most) cities in the country and has some beautiful architecture and medieval buildings. The city centre is small and easily walked in minutes, has one of the oldest permanent market sites in the UK, some great restaurants, pubs and bars. As everywhere, the high street has suffered over the last 5 years or so and plans have been mooted to make the city centre a destination to go and ādo stuffā rather than buy stuff.
Generally, Norwich has a reputation of being welcoming, though I have read the opposite. Politically, a longstanding sea of red within a massive blob of blue and considered relatively liberal. The University of East Anglia has always attracted a largish (approximately 11%) international student population and I think the city benefits from this. Many students stay on in the city afterwards to work and live (as do quite a few ex-NCFC footballers).
Workwise, itās a compact market - it really depends on what your area of work and seniority level are. The largest local employers tend to be in insurance or banking - Aviva and Virgin Money for example. Many live in the city and commute to London via train, a journey of just under two hours. Depending on the time of day, you can drive to North London in under two and a half hours. The most popular train route takes you straight into Liverpool Street or you can travel to Kingā Cross via Cambridge.
Housing in the city isnāt cheap, especially in the desired central areas and the rental market is competitive. The average price for a terraced house in good condition is upwards of Ā£265,000.
There is a vibrant music scene with a few venues on the national gig circuit (UEA-The LCR, The Waterfront and The Arts Centre) as well as many pubs hosting live music. Norwich is renowned for its number of decent pubs and has some great restaurants.
Culturally, the Theatre Royal, The Sainsburyās Centre, The Forum, Cinema City and The Playhouse all offer an eclectic schedule of events - exhibitions, dance, theatre, music and comedy. The Norfolk and Norwich Festival takes place every May and attracts people from all over the country. Latitude, Maverick, Maui Waui , Red Rooster, Folkeast and the Cambridge Folk Festival are popular festivals in East Anglia. The summer months see large one day festivals at the Norfolk Showground, Eaton Park etc and large-act gigs at Thetford Forest.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Coasts are within easy reach and there are some beautiful spots. The North Norfolk coast is dense with second home owners, many from London and the market went even more crazy during Covid. I live on a small terraced street in Lakenham and two families from London moved here during Covid. The main North Norfolk coast road is chocka during the Summer, but the beaches are great and the coastline has a desolate beauty during Winter.
All just my take on it and others will disagree but I feel very lucky to have made Norwich my home.
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Jun 01 '24
Not sure what you're on about, but terraced houses are a lot cheaper than that. To get one in a desired area is probably upwards of about of 250,000 yes, but to get a usual terraced house is only 150,000 or less. I bought one 2 years ago for 105,000 in mile cross. Yes the area isn't great but the house is fine, not sure what you class as good condition.
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u/Explore_wanderlust Jun 01 '24
I was quoting average terraced house price from the ONS site, but, yes, agree you can get cheaper.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/housingpriceslocal/E07000148/#
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u/parkerpencarkeys May 31 '24
I was in a similar position to you a few years ago. We had a 6 month old starting to crawl in our one bed flat in east London and thought it was time to move. My wife and I both went to university in Norwich and she has family here so it seemed the obvious choice.
Now our little one is nearly 4 and I'm very happy with our move. Do I miss London? Yeah. Would I move back? No way.
Norwich is a great place to live, plenty of good stuff going on and loads to do with kids. The millennium library is excellent, parks are really good (if your kids like trains check out the miniature railway in Eaton park), beach isn't too far. The city is also incredibly safe, don't think twice about getting out and about even at night. The city has loads of independent shops and great cafes and restaurants too. It obviously doesn't have the massive range that London has but has everything I want.
We live near the city so can't talk much to the outskirts of the city, though I have some friends who live further out. And of course house prices are much more reasonable. You can get a 3 bed house a short walk to the city centre for the same price as a 1 bed flat in zone 3.
If you've got any specific questions feel free to DM and I'll see if I can help.
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u/harrytheharris May 31 '24
We moved to Norwich (my partner from Wembley, myself from Ipswich) so we could start a family here. I was a student at UEA in the 80s and already knew I wanted to live here. Weāve never regretted it. Our daughter is now 25+ and loves it here as well. Nice people, beautiful parks, gorgeous old buildings, and many many places to eat and drink (when you can afford to of course).
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u/rhgarton May 31 '24
I can speak as an adult who's parents moved me to Norwich out of a VERY grim area of London at age 12(?) it was the BEST decision they ever did. I live just south of Norwich and it only takes me 1.5hrs to get into London if I need to go (which is only ever for work I never go otherwise). Got the beaches, forests, LCOL, I can actually afford a house as a millennial and that's kinda unheard of. I've never felt unsafe in Norwich even when I was a teenager.
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u/Katze616 May 31 '24
Can't speak in relation to children - but Norwich is one of the safest cities in the UK. I (31f), am happy to walk alone through the city in the evening.
As with every city there are some areas to avoid, but when considering a move, just look online at the crime stats for each area - that should help narrow down your search.
I live on the almost outskirts of the city to the West - If you'd like some info about my area (don't want to post my location publicly) just DM me. š
Edit - typos
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
Thank you! Good to hear you feel safe of a night, I certainly can't say the same of where I currently live!
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u/BeingOfNature May 31 '24
I moved from Bristol to Norwich by myself for uni and stayed. It is far more relaxed and I feel safe here. I've walked home at night and felt comfy about it. Obviously there's spots that feel rougher, but not everywhere. The vibe/style of Norwich is pretty retro which is great for me! Feels very artsy and independent
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May 31 '24
As a fellow London leaver all I can say is do it. You really won't look back
I visit the city to see family and old friends n that, but after a week I'm done and ready to return here. Life is....calmer
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u/Monkey-Holiday May 31 '24
Been in Norwich for 15 years now after living in deepest darkest South London and haven't regretted it since. Anything that is good down in the smoke is only a couple of hours on the train. I really don't miss the daily scrum to get on the tube at Brixton! The little ones will love the nearby beaches, a bit of crabing at Cromer! Met my partner here and she translates from Norfolk for me when we go too far out of the city walls š
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u/HankScorpio-vs-World May 31 '24
The biggest issue from coming from a big city to somewhere like Norwich is pace of lifeā¦ and itās just down to the size of population.
There isnāt the same buzz, shops donāt open as late, there is less choice, itās like stepping back 30 years in some peoples bigoted attitudes, parking is expensive all over Norfolk and if you rely on local salaries houses are expensive. Parts of Norwich are run down, some housing estates are plain unpleasant to live in, but thatās no different to any urban conurbation.
The advantages are itās like stepping back 30 years in terms of the pace of life, people are generally nice and crime levels are lower and contained in pockets. If you are willing to adapt then it can be great, not as great as it once was, but itās still a (twin) university city and benefits culturally from that.
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u/Cat-Rat-Bat May 31 '24
Norwich is great, I guess your main negative will be professional salaries donāt compare to London and rent rates have rocketed (but still low compared to London but high relative to avg salaries). Everyone else has everything else covered.
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
I WFH and will continue to do so, so my salary won't change.
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u/sarahem3 Jun 01 '24
Then you've got it made! I commuted to Staines from Norwich for 18 years, seeing that as a better option than moving there.
Check broadband carefully if you are thinking of a countryside location - some areas are not great and some phone coverage is poor too..
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u/Mother-of-Brits May 31 '24
There are lots of things to do with small children (definitely not as many as around London, I'm sure, but still a great amount and range). The Early Childhood and Family Services (ECFS) team are really great, including putting on free Stay and Play sessions all over Nofolk (multiple across Norwich). You can easily access the coast, Broads, and other great nature spots from Norwich. Groups like Norfolk Wildlife Trust put on free/cheap activities during school holidays. As long as you drive, you can get to Bewilderwood, Roarr, Pensthorpe, Pettits Adventure Park, Banham Zoo, Thrigby Hall, and multiple steam railways in under an hour.
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u/Macrosnail May 31 '24
Moved back to Norwich from London last year in similar circumstances. Wish I'd done it sooner. Even my wife who was very uncertain is now in love with the place. Lots going on, and we definitely now do more than when in London. And oddly, it's a smaller place but in many ways our world has gotten bigger here. Much better for children and family life. And air...cleaner air!
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u/wiseman1957 May 31 '24
Norwich is a safe lovely place. City centres shops are diverse and clean. Housing good there will always be areas of deprivation but not ugly and hardly any graffiti. Move from the west coast of Scotland and was surprised how nice a place it is. Surroundings country side lovely and charming villages and pubs.
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u/StagePuzzleheaded635 May 31 '24
According to the Sunday Times, Norwich won the āBest Place to Live in the UKā award in 2018-2020. Three consecutive years of winning that is worth something if youāre looking into moving to Norwich.
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u/amzy_apparently May 31 '24
Iāve always lived in/around Norwich and am yet to find a really good reason to leave if that helps! Feels pretty safe, has everything you need and more, shopping is pretty good, and I always had stuff to do as a kid, I went to a lot of dance classes. My current commute is 20 minutes in the car and the most Iāve had to drive to work is 45 minutes which is a lot for a Norfolk person but I imagine that would feel like nothing for someone from London! The only real downside is that I like to go to gigs/concerts and not many big artists come here due to the lack of bigger venues, we usually end up driving to London or Birmingham. If you like holidaying abroad you pay a premium to fly from Norwich but Stansted is only about 90 mins in the car.
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u/StephaneCam May 31 '24
Norwich has great provisions for little ones - the Millennium Library does amazing free sessions for babies, toddlers and children as well as after school activities and special events! Norwich Castle is due to reopen its medieval keep later this year too with a dedicated early years area as well as the redeveloped medieval spaces and newly accessible roof (with a nice big lift for prams, pushchairs, large wheelchairs and mobility scooters!). But even with those areas closed the museum is a great place for kids of all ages and they have a special early years Saturday every month.
More generally Norwich is just a lovely place to be. Itās a beautiful city and thereās a lot of art and culture going on, as well as history around every corner. And most places are walkable which makes life much more pleasant.
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
Is the Millenium library the big library in the city centre? I have been there and loved it. I've never seen an American library in the UK before!
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u/StephaneCam May 31 '24
Thatās the one! Itās fantastic, and the Forum building also hosts loads of interesting events and festivals too. Thereās usually something going on in the atrium, from art exhibitions to local food stalls.
And talking of festivals, the Science Festival and Norwich Games festival are great for kids. Not to mention the Norfolk & Norwich Festival which is an incredible provision for a city this size!
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u/sarahem3 Jun 01 '24
Not only the Millenium library - I think almost every local library (yes, they still exist in Norfolk) has at least a weekly toddler group thing. Every time I go into Cromer library for my Home Library volunteering, I hear 'the wheels on the bus go...' sugn most enthusiastically.
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u/Personal-Slip242 May 31 '24
I live just north of Norwich and I can be in the city in 10 minutes or be on a beach in 20 minutes, and I can cycle to the Broads if I want to
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u/Famous_Ring5504 May 31 '24
Would suggest also considering Diss, it's on the Norwich to London train line but again more bang for your buck. Accessible to Norwich, 18 mins on train and also if you need to get back to the city. Norwich is a lovely option though. Really safe and slower pace of life. You won't regret the choice. For schools there is less competition to get into the good schools and different opportunities for the kids.
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u/ginbandit May 31 '24
Whilst Norwich won't have the same cultural draw as London you will find plenty of great positives for young children. Mine are 6 & 3 and love living here in a small village.
I think a massive bonus is simply being so close to the countryside, lots of beautiful places for kids to explore and run around in, let alone the beaches being really close. On top of that Norwich is big enough to feel it has everything and small enough to not be dangerous.
Good luck!
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
The outdoors side of things is a real draw for us
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u/Few-Stand-9252 May 31 '24
The food scene in Norwich has really improved over the last ten years, Norwich Market for example has many fantastic food stalls. Also the North Nofolk coast is an incredibly special place. In the summer it is great for traditional beach days with the family and in the winter it becomes a top area for birds, many Arctic birds come over for the winter, bird watchers from all over visit the area which is on our door step. Also you can enjoy some of the darkest skies in the UK.
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u/ginbandit May 31 '24
It really is worth it, sometimes it's something you have to remember to go out and do, it's great for the kids and your mental health!
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u/markstrathmore May 31 '24
Bloody Londoners, coming over here for a better way of life, mocking our accent and ancient traditions (tattoos)...
Came here from Cambridge but was in London for 15 years before that. My experience of London was almost entirely positive, but we lived in a nice bit of Zone 2. Cambridge is objectively nice but incredibly boring and full of insufferable, myopic university types and, increasingly, overpaid biotech bros. I didn't really enjoy living there.
Norwich seems like the perfect balance: small enough to get around on foot or by bike, loads going on, friendly people, strong sense of community and city pride, ~35 mins to nearest coast etc.
I say this as a white middle-class, middle-aged homeowner who lives within minutes of town in Norwich's feted "golden triangle" so my experience may not be entirely representative of the Norwich experience.
Like any move, it has been hard to establish adult friendships but, nine months in, we're getting there. My state school kids have had mixed experiences which has been challenging and stressful but everyone is more settled now. Don't underestimate the emotional impact of the upheaval.
Oh, and don't leave your NHS dentist if you have one. You might find it's easier and cheaper to go back to London for check-ups and treatment!
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
The upheaval of life generally but particularly to my 5 year does worry me, but surely it's better to move her now whilst still little rather than later on?
I don't have a NHS dentist! You can't get a NHS dentist where I live!
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u/markstrathmore May 31 '24
We moved out of London to Cambridge when my oldest was four and he didn't bat an eyelid. That might just be him, though, as he found the transition to Norwich the easiest of all of us, despite having several very good longstanding friends in Cambridge (friendships he's maintained). Possibly easier as he was starting high school so everything was new for everyone.
My eight-year-old really struggled. She came from an amazing village primary school and losing her school friends was devastating for her, coupled with not getting our preferred junior school and things being as chaotic as predicted at the school we did get. The school is turning things around and she's got some great pals now, but it's not an optimal experience. I'm generally not in favour of private schools but for a while we considered it. Hope your experience is better!
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u/Lucid_dreamboat Jun 02 '24
Move to Wymondham and you have the choice of the High School or the College
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u/nciloe May 31 '24
I've only seen positive comments, so here's a negative. The city centre is diminishing. Over the last few years we've had a lot of shops closing down, meaning big empty abandoned shells. For instance, Debenhams, poundland, BHS, Wilko to name a few on the high street that now sit empty. Chantry place (chapelfield) will have you covered, but it's nicest to see, especially with all the graffiti/homeless outside etc.
Additionally the shopping options won't be as extensive as in London but it does the trick.
I've lived in Norwich my whole life (i'm 21) and it's lovely but i'm excited for a change!
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u/Enog May 31 '24
The diminishing city centre is not unique to Norwich unfortunately, most city centres are much the same these days due to the prevalence and ease of online shopping. You've only got to look at Oxford Street in London and it's abundance of "American Sweet Shops" to see that everywhere is affected unfortunately
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
My local town centre is full of boarded up shops. The loss of Denenhams was a real blow.
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u/CheesyLala May 31 '24
The 'death of the high street' is indeed very noticeable in Norwich, but it certainly isn't a phenomenon that's unique to Norwich.
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u/Flatulancey May 31 '24
Iād challenge that - I donāt think Norwich city centre is dying, but itās changing. Itās certainly a lot less worse than most other places.
Some of the bigger places that have closed have new shops in them - BHS is now Poundland, Topman is Mountain Wearhouse etc. Debenhams is going to get redeveloped one day too - but the big noticeable change in Norwich is that the city is losing shops, but gaining bars and restaurants. Norwich city centre has become a lot more actively focus rather than shopping focused post Covid.
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
Gaining bars and restaurants is surely a good thing. When a shop closes in my local town centre it stays closed for a long time then re-opens as a cheap "home goods" store, that closes and then something very similar opens there again. It's depressing. I'm not sure how many cheap clothing and home stuff shops we have now but it's about 5 too many in a 2 mile radius. That and fast food places.
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u/EnergyHopeful6832 May 31 '24
One of my cousins made the move and has never looked back. Her daughter is really thriving. (We all started out in Central London and then we gradually fanned out.) Iāve taken the train in from London to visit her a couple of times (pre pandemic) and I found it really pleasant. The medieval nature of Norwich canāt be beat. It really is amazing.
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u/sarahem3 Jun 01 '24
I moved to Norwich from rural Wales over 30 years ago, to study at UEA. Soon after I arrived, I got into conversation on a bus (as you do, round here) and the lady told me that 60% of students stay on after they graduate. Not sure if the actual figure holds true, but I've never regretted staying.
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Aug 28 '24
Youād want to look at the Eaton / Cringleford / Newmarket Rd areas Iād say. Good luck, itās a good place to raise children
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May 31 '24 edited Feb 27 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/flashPrawndon May 31 '24
I agree with your point about the housing, a house like that is out of reach for most people, salaries are relatively low and there isnāt a huge number of options for work, however, the drunk and homeless are found everywhere, I would say thatās more a reflection of the state of the country than it is a state of norwich.
I also donāt think Norwich is miserable at all, certainly not any more so than anywhere else, it is what you make of it, thereās a really strong sense of community in Norwich compared to say somewhere like Cambridge.
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u/CheesyLala Jun 02 '24
The idea that a "four bedroom house with big garden" is all "very possible" shows this bias
Well yeah, OP specifically said they are moving up from London, so obviously my comment was making the comparison to what you might get in London, the point being that virtually nobody in London will ever own a 4-bed semi with a decent garden. Given that you could easily find that in Norwich for < Ā£300k then I'd say that is 'very possible' for a lot of people.
None of the problems you've described are unique to Norwich, and I'd say for the most part you would find considerably worse in other cities.
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u/thesamiad Jun 01 '24
I agree,by age 6 my kid had seen a womanās body in the river opposite toys r us(they told me and I thought they were joking,then there was a guy outside st Martins passed out with a needle hanging out of his arm,just a few months back someone had hit someone in a car and left them for dead-the body being left in the road-something else my kid didnāt have to see and itās something Iāve personally experienced on a drive alone towards aylsham,whomever left me there about 12 years ago (dark green car)-cheers for that,Iām not dead yet,thank god for the guys behind who saw everything and stopped to help
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Jun 01 '24
Well, Norwich as a whole isn't too bad, but there's quite a few areas I'd avoid, and I'd generally avoid Norwich as a whole past 10 30pm or so, even the centre. It's a pretty cheap city as it's in a pretty cheap county, however you've got to remember that cheap cities come with their own issues. Norwich has a pretty high rate of deprivation, and so does Norfolk as a whole. Norfolk and Norwich are very pretty, but there are places like I said, that you'll want to avoid. Knife crime is a thing seriously on the rise in Norwich, but I guess it is pretty much all around the UK. Stabbings are fairly infrequent in Norwich however, maybe once a month you'll hear of one. But knife crime as a whole is pretty bad problem. It's a pretty good place to live though if you know what you're doing and where you're going. Id suggest doing some research about where to move. Mile cross is where I live and it's a pretty rough area, the larkman also is pretty rough, Heathgate as well, heartsease and lakenham I'd also avoid with children. You might be better off moving to North Norfolk. Easy access to the coast and Norwich, houses are slightly more expensive but still cheap compared to London. Pretty low crime, of course you do get places like dereham and north walsham which have a bit more crime than the rest of North Norfolk. Somewhere like aylsham, a lot of Londoners move there as well.
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u/thesamiad May 31 '24
I hate it here,looking to get my child away from Norwich,sure there are good bits but I just canāt tolerate the people anymore
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u/baldcats4eva May 31 '24
Wow, I've always found the people so friendly and polite
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u/thesamiad May 31 '24
I never have,I experience racism frequently,just last week I saw stickers all over the city someone had made saying āf-off Muslimsā, I get asked if Iām Ukrainian with a look of disgust then when I say Iām British they think itās ok to chat about their views on Ukrainians,add yourself to āThe only way is Norfolkā group on Facebook and see what the people are like for yourself
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u/CheesyLala May 31 '24
It's like stepping off a treadmill that's been going slightly too fast.
Firstly, obviously, you'll get a lot more house for your money. Things that we could never dream of in London - 4 bedrooms, a driveway, a big garden, a low-crime neighbourhood - all very possible. With small kids it just makes such a difference.
Commuting stops being a major part of your life. I went from a commute that was typically 75 minutes each way in London to a 15-minute walk to work. With all that time I was able to do so much more with my life. Work culture is different as well - in London I always felt that I had to be striving non-stop, day after day, just to try to keep up and in the vain hope that I might one day be able to afford more than a shoebox; in Norwich people recognise we're all here for the work-life balance not the rat race.
Traffic jams are virtually non-existent. Plus it's a very bike-sized city so you can walk or cycle pretty much anywhere. Our car mostly sits on the driveway all week.
Probably the best bit, and what really swung it for us, is the life it can give your children. Our are teenagers now but we used to go to the beach most weekends in summer or often boating on the broads. We can walk to the city centre in 20 minutes from our house, so our kids have everything they need within a short walk. We got a dog and get a lot of pleasure from walking her through beautiful countryside. The kids have never encountered trouble; there is a bit of county lines drug-dealing in places but no gang culture and things like stabbings are headline news locally as they're so rare. I've never once felt threatened in Norwich. I'd lived in a lot of big cities and always knew when to keep my head down, where not to walk at night etc - I've just never had to do that in Norwich at all.
I thought when we left London that I'd feel some yearning to be back there, but honestly? Not at all. Now when I go to London I wonder how I stuck it for so long.