[Archived] Moving to England?

[jim mk2]

We've had 2 maybe 3 winters in the past 20 years in which "winter" tyres might have been useful - and then for a few days only. For the rest of the time winter tyres are not necessary. With regards to weather, depends on your definition of appalling and the sort of weather you like. Many would say a temperate climate is preferable to heat.

[pg]

We've had 2 maybe 3 winters in the past 20 years in which "winter" tyres might have been useful - and then for a few days only. For the rest of the time winter tyres are not necessary. With regards to weather, depends on your definition of appalling and the sort of weather you like. Many would say a temperate climate is preferable to heat.

As I've said previously, you don't need snow on the road for 'winter' tires to give you better grip. Once temperatures drop below 5 degrees they are safer than summer tires. The mean average winter temperature for most of England is about five degrees...so you get better performance and safety for about 100 days a year. They are also outstanding in the wet.

A mate of mine who lived in London was too lazy to take his winter tires off and drove with them for two years. He says the only time that they felt a bit 'off' was on days of about 25 degrees and over..when the rubber got too soft and the car would start to slide.

He also said that he used to almost cause accidents by driving around London in the wet...cars following him would try and keep up with him through the corners and just understeer into the gutter.

[Glenn]

If you looking for something in banking and are considering Leeds, let me know what areas of banking and I'll ask my wife to keep and eye our for specific rolls. The industry seems to have a huge "churn" with nobody staying at the bank and/or in the same roll for anything length of time, so positions seem to come up a lot.

[jim mk2]

If you looking for something in banking and are considering Leeds, let me know what areas of banking and I'll ask my wife to keep and eye our for specific rolls. The industry seems to have a huge "churn" with nobody staying at the bank and/or in the same roll for anything length of time, so positions seem to come up a lot.

I'll have a ham roll please.

[Glenn]

I'll have a ham roll please.

doh!

[alexanders]

Just home after a visit London for 4 days. Absolutely love the city ! A lot of different cultues, brilliant cuisines (thai, tapas, lebanese, kangaroo burgers, italian etc). Only thing I am a little bit sceptic about is that everyone seem to work 24/7 or at least 10-12 hours a day and I can't see how that will fit in with my family (wife and kid). We were also in the countryside for a visit (Wimbledon). Was very very nice, but appaling real estate prizes.

Considering the winter tires. It is forbidden not to have winter tires either with spikes (sp?) or spikefree (sp?) from November to March in Norway. As you say PG it isnt the snow that is the problem , but it is the thin thin layer with ice because of the fall in the temperature which is the worst.

We are still looking at alternatives and I know my wife just wanted to move more after this weekend. Im a little bit concerned she thinks it will be the same amount of wining & dining moving there as a weekend tho

What about the language guys? Would that represent a problem? Especially if I get a similar job to what I've got know where a lot of my work and effort is around finding and selling financial solutions to different clients.

[only2garners]

Well if your spoken English is anything like as good as your written English you will have no problems at all - indeed better than a good percentage of the population currently here.

Wimbledon is a long way from the country. Although it might have taken you a long time to get there it is still a suburb of London, albeit a leafy and very expensive one. London housing prices are hugely more expensive than much of the rest of the UK, so although you will be able to earn more, it won't go any further. If city life appeals I would reiterate my advice to consider another UK city, which will have much the same lifestyle options (restaurants, cinemas, nightlife etc), but be much cheaper and also much easier to either get out to the country or to live in the country and commute in. Remember you will still be able to visit London from wherever you are.

[alexanders]

Well if your spoken English is anything like as good as your written English you will have no problems at all - indeed better than a good percentage of the population currently here.

Wimbledon is a long way from the country. Although it might have taken you a long time to get there it is still a suburb of London, albeit a leafy and very expensive one. London housing prices are hugely more expensive than much of the rest of the UK, so although you will be able to earn more, it won't go any further. If city life appeals I would reiterate my advice to consider another UK city, which will have much the same lifestyle options (restaurants, cinemas, nightlife etc), but be much cheaper and also much easier to either get out to the country or to live in the country and commute in. Remember you will still be able to visit London from wherever you are.

Would chester be such an area? Or any other UK cities you would recommend?

[only2garners]

Would chester be such an area? Or any other UK cities you would recommend?

Chester would be, although it's quite small and also relatively expensive as it's a commuter area for Manchester and Liverpool as well as having it's own financial sector. Big cities with a large financial sector would be Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh. Other cities I'd recommend would be Manchester and Liverpool (both handy for Ewood), Sheffield, Birmingham and Cardiff. York, as others have suggested, would be similar to Chester but with a less developed finance sector, but easy to commute into Leeds. Again though it will be quite expensive to live in.

[Jimbo]

Although living and working in one of the regional towns does have it's advantages, don't discount London - The financial sector here is immense and very well paid - there are plenty of easy commutes into the City or Canary Wharf from areas that are affordable, especially if you are renting - look at rightmove to see what's available RIGHTMOVE a two bedroom flat shouldn't cost you much more than £1k per month in Docklands less in places like Bromley, Greenwich, Bow, Dulwich, Herne Hill etc

[AndyC]

Suspect a lot of people who are discounting London have never actually lived there!

Really depends on what kind of lifestyle you and your family want when you move here.

If it's lots of family time, visits to the local pub and some nice days out, then Id go with the North. It's cheaper, and theirs no doubting the working hours are less.

If you're planning on really getting the most out of your 2 years here, then London is hard to beat. There are more jobs, in particular within the finance sector. There is a crazy amount of things to do, so you will never ever get bored of doing the same things. And there are some lovely villages all within a 40 min commute to the City / Canary Wharf, where the major banking jobs are.

You just need to be very clear on what you really want to get out of your time in our wonderful country!

[thenodrog]

Just home after a visit London for 4 days. Absolutely love the city ! A lot of different cultues, brilliant cuisines (thai, tapas, lebanese, kangaroo burgers, italian etc). Only thing I am a little bit sceptic about is that everyone seem to work 24/7 or at least 10-12 hours a day and I can't see how that will fit in with my family (wife and kid). We were also in the countryside for a visit (Wimbledon). Was very very nice, but appaling real estate prizes.

Considering the winter tires. It is forbidden not to have winter tires either with spikes (sp?) or spikefree (sp?) from November to March in Norway. As you say PG it isnt the snow that is the problem , but it is the thin thin layer with ice because of the fall in the temperature which is the worst.

We are still looking at alternatives and I know my wife just wanted to move more after this weekend. Im a little bit concerned she thinks it will be the same amount of wining & dining moving there as a weekend tho

What about the language guys? Would that represent a problem? Especially if I get a similar job to what I've got know where a lot of my work and effort is around finding and selling financial solutions to different clients.

Stuff England... move to Pune!

[thenodrog]

Just home after a visit London for 4 days. Absolutely love the city ! A lot of different cultues, brilliant cuisines (thai, tapas, lebanese, kangaroo burgers, italian etc). Only thing I am a little bit sceptic about is that everyone seem to work 24/7 or at least 10-12 hours a day and I can't see how that will fit in with my family (wife and kid).

It wont. Either go for the salary and promised lifestyle and don't be around as your kids grow up or take a position wherever that allows you to be around most evenings between school closing and bedtime.

Tuff choice alexanders cos we all only live once.

[only2garners]

Chester would be, although it's quite small and also relatively expensive as it's a commuter area for Manchester and Liverpool as well as having it's own financial sector. Big cities with a large financial sector would be Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh. Other cities I'd recommend would be Manchester and Liverpool (both handy for Ewood), Sheffield, Birmingham and Cardiff. York, as others have suggested, would be similar to Chester but with a less developed finance sector, but easy to commute into Leeds. Again though it will be quite expensive to live in.

Further to this Bank of America have today announced that they plan to exit the credit card business in the UK - it's European HQ is in Chester, where 3,500 people currently work, so maybe Chester might not be a good choice.

Re London I have already admitted I'm biased as I don't like it. Clearly you enjoyed it for a weekend Alexanders and indeed I don't mind my regular visits to my eldest son who does really like living there. But a short visit and living there are two different things. Also whilst it's better suited to younger people it's less attractive as a place to have young children with you, particularly if you are both going to be working.

[Jimbo]

There are a lot of myth's out about London - yes commuting isn't great, but you are either far enough out to get a seat and read your paper/book, sleep etc or near enough not to care. Housing is expensive, but the wages are better and if you don't want a car you don't need one - I can't remember the last time I drove mine, so that's a possible cost saving. London is made up of hundreds of small villages some nice Beckenham and some not so Catford (I can only speak for the areas I know), some are trendy, some aren't so it's a matter of doing some research in where to live.

The working "all hours" is also a myth - some jobs demand it in Banking, but they're usually the Front Office guys on the trading desks - typically the work 7-5 - The middle office & support desks tend to work 9-5 or as part of a shift rota to cover trading hours - If a company is expecting solid 10 hour days from you then to be honest they aren't worth working for as they are typically the ones that say "You're job is 9-5 but we expect more, and this will be reflected in your bonus," and it invariably isn't. - I work 9-5 and some weekends, but I'm a Systems engineer and can only get some work done at weekends - needless to say I get paid overtime for doing it.

The social life in London is second to none, pubs clubs, bars and restaurants to suit all tastes - Socialising can be expensive 2 pints and a large wine cost me over 12 quid yesterday in a City pub. But the Arts are cheap. galleries and museums are mostly free - there are free or cheap shows to be had (BBC Audiences are always good), even the Royal Opera House does a pikey ticket (15 quid to sit up in the gods) and If you want to see a show the London is pretty much your only choice unless you are very lucky