Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

General chat topics, anything and everything you want or need to discuss
User avatar
weeksy
Site Admin
Posts: 26902
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:08 pm
Has thanked: 6113 times
Been thanked: 15463 times

Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by weeksy »

Just something for the other post had me wondering who lives near their childhood home..

I grew up in Liverpool near Anfield and then Huyton which is a suburb of Liverpool

It's only pure chance I got a job in Slough that meant I moved away.. most of my family, cousins etc still live withing 3 mile radius of where we all grew up.

I wouldn't want my boy growing up there, despite it having a lot of great people and places.
Le_Fromage_Grande
Posts: 12158
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:40 pm
Location: On the road to nowhere
Has thanked: 602 times
Been thanked: 4527 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Son's girlfriend lives in Gateacre Park, I quite like Liverpool, it seems comparitively nice compared to a lot of places.

I moved away from where I grew up because of work, I didn't realise it wasn't very nice until I lived other places. Live where we are now because of work, it's nice here, but as I said on the other thread, once I'm not tied to where I live by where I work we'll move.

I could have moved to Liverpool or close by a few years ago as I was friendly with someone senior at the container port and friendly with their IT department and they asked if I was interested in working for them, but at the time I'd never been and thought it was all like Toxteth.
User avatar
KungFooBob
Posts: 17482
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:04 pm
Location: The content of this post is not AI generated.
Has thanked: 627 times
Been thanked: 9450 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by KungFooBob »

I was born and raised in East Doncaster (very close to ex-RAF Finningley if anyone is interested).

I currently live in a town near Barnsley, about 20 miles away from the family home.

I get paid well above the national average salary, but live in an area with well below the average house price and have a nice enough life.

The only plan I have to move elsewhere is when I don't have any older family left to worry about, then I'm going to where it's always sunny.
User avatar
Horse
Posts: 14189
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:30 am
Location: Always sunny southern England
Has thanked: 7585 times
Been thanked: 5912 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Horse »

Born and grew up in a small village in North Hampshire.

Moved to Newbury for work. Decided then I'd never travel further than 10 minutes for a job.

Made redundant, got another job ... 50 minutes away :?

Stayed here anyway (Filly's work was local to here and Foal in school).

Have considered moving, but we like it here.
Even bland can be a type of character :wave:
Silly Car
Posts: 1291
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:53 pm
Has thanked: 316 times
Been thanked: 1078 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Silly Car »

Nowhere near. I was born and grew up in the middle of Norfolk, moved to Sunderland at age 18 as a student, met a local girl etc. etc. Subsequently divorced her but kids are here and I’ve made the North East my home.

Been up here for 36.5 years and currently live less than a ten minute walk from my first student digs.

Only ties to Norfolk now are aunts, uncles and cousins who I only tend to hear from or see regarding funerals…
User avatar
MrLongbeard
Posts: 6337
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:06 pm
Has thanked: 777 times
Been thanked: 3208 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by MrLongbeard »

Born in raised in a suburb of Leicester, wife got offered a job closer to her family so we moved 85 miles away from there.

Before that my sister moved to Manchester and my oldies moved to the east coast, so we all got as far away from Leicester as we could, and it'll be a cold cold day in hell before anyone drags me back there.
User avatar
Pirahna
Posts: 2698
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:31 pm
Has thanked: 2996 times
Been thanked: 1741 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Pirahna »

I grew up in Edmonton, north London. It was always a bit rough, I moved away in 2001 to a small village in Hertfordshire. We never planned on retiring there, in fact the only plan we had was to sell up and go, so that's what we did in 2021 and ended up in Spain.

I've not been back to Edmonton since I left. I did visit the village a couple of times in 2022 and 2023 on trips back to the UK, but I've not been in the UK since September 23. I keep threatening to visit the UK, when I do I'll visit the village in Herts.
Taff
Posts: 1458
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2020 9:15 am
Has thanked: 332 times
Been thanked: 1183 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Taff »

Born and raised in AberFuckingDare, as the Goldie Looking Chain called it.

At 18 my parents packed me onto the train to Plymouth for 22 years in the navy, where I spent most of time in Yeovil, Somerset. When I left the rn we wanted to get closer to the valleys, but not too close, and I had a job lined up in Bristol so we landed up in the forest of dean.

I like it lots around here, close to Bristol Gloucester and Cheltenham for work, and more importantly the forest for everything else.
User avatar
MingtheMerciless
Posts: 4430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:42 am
Location: Scarfolk on Sea
Has thanked: 3633 times
Been thanked: 2494 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by MingtheMerciless »

Moved about 60 miles from where I grew up and got my first flat due to stupid house prices inside the M25 and at the time much
lower prices on the Sarf Coast. Got a detached bungalow for only 35k more than the flat we sold. Where we are is so much better in terms of green spaces and pubs etc. Though if I get to retirement the plan is to move SW for more countryside and better beaches.
"Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?"
"My dear Doctor, they're all true."
"Even the lies?"
"Especially the lies."
Buckaroo
Posts: 1644
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 7:00 pm
Location: East of West
Has thanked: 1047 times
Been thanked: 1105 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Buckaroo »

Pirahna wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 9:52 pm I grew up in Edmonton, north London. It was always a bit rough, I moved away in 2001 to a small village in Hertfordshire. We never planned on retiring there, in fact the only plan we had was to sell up and go, so that's what we did in 2021 and ended up in Spain.

I've not been back to Edmonton since I left. I did visit the village a couple of times in 2022 and 2023 on trips back to the UK, but I've not been in the UK since September 23. I keep threatening to visit the UK, when I do I'll visit the village in Herts.
Oi! You have copied my post: I grew up in Edmonton, lived in Enfield for a short while before moving to Hertfordshire in 1982 and eventually moving further away to a small Hertfordshire town in 2020.

Edmonton is dreadful, Enfield a little better.
Mussels
Posts: 5039
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:02 pm
Has thanked: 781 times
Been thanked: 1068 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Mussels »

Brownian motion for me, I just went where life was convenient. Only one cross county move was planned, to get our kids away from the fringes of London.
Le_Fromage_Grande
Posts: 12158
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:40 pm
Location: On the road to nowhere
Has thanked: 602 times
Been thanked: 4527 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Buckaroo wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:19 pm
Pirahna wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 9:52 pm I grew up in Edmonton, north London. It was always a bit rough, I moved away in 2001 to a small village in Hertfordshire. We never planned on retiring there, in fact the only plan we had was to sell up and go, so that's what we did in 2021 and ended up in Spain.

I've not been back to Edmonton since I left. I did visit the village a couple of times in 2022 and 2023 on trips back to the UK, but I've not been in the UK since September 23. I keep threatening to visit the UK, when I do I'll visit the village in Herts.
Oi! You have copied my post: I grew up in Edmonton, lived in Enfield for a short while before moving to Hertfordshire in 1982 and eventually moving further away to a small Hertfordshire town in 2020.

Edmonton is dreadful, Enfield a little better.
My wife worked at North Middlesex Hospital in the late 90s, when she got the job there we looked at living nearby and moved to Bishops Stortford
User avatar
Pirahna
Posts: 2698
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:31 pm
Has thanked: 2996 times
Been thanked: 1741 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Pirahna »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:25 pm
Buckaroo wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:19 pm
Pirahna wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 9:52 pm I grew up in Edmonton, north London. It was always a bit rough, I moved away in 2001 to a small village in Hertfordshire. We never planned on retiring there, in fact the only plan we had was to sell up and go, so that's what we did in 2021 and ended up in Spain.

I've not been back to Edmonton since I left. I did visit the village a couple of times in 2022 and 2023 on trips back to the UK, but I've not been in the UK since September 23. I keep threatening to visit the UK, when I do I'll visit the village in Herts.
Oi! You have copied my post: I grew up in Edmonton, lived in Enfield for a short while before moving to Hertfordshire in 1982 and eventually moving further away to a small Hertfordshire town in 2020.

Edmonton is dreadful, Enfield a little better.
My wife worked at North Middlesex Hospital in the late 90s, when she got the job there we looked at living nearby and moved to Bishops Stortford
I was born in the North Mid, 1963. The village I moved to is Albury, just outside Bishops Stortford.
User avatar
Pirahna
Posts: 2698
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:31 pm
Has thanked: 2996 times
Been thanked: 1741 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Pirahna »

Buckaroo wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 10:19 pm
Pirahna wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 9:52 pm I grew up in Edmonton, north London. It was always a bit rough, I moved away in 2001 to a small village in Hertfordshire. We never planned on retiring there, in fact the only plan we had was to sell up and go, so that's what we did in 2021 and ended up in Spain.

I've not been back to Edmonton since I left. I did visit the village a couple of times in 2022 and 2023 on trips back to the UK, but I've not been in the UK since September 23. I keep threatening to visit the UK, when I do I'll visit the village in Herts.
Oi! You have copied my post: I grew up in Edmonton, lived in Enfield for a short while before moving to Hertfordshire in 1982 and eventually moving further away to a small Hertfordshire town in 2020.

Edmonton is dreadful, Enfield a little better.
Edmonton used to be sort of OK'ish when I was growing up but gradually got rougher and rougher. I went to secondary school in Enfield, bought my first flat in Ponders End, then a couple of houses in Edmonton before having sufficient funds to get out.
User avatar
ZRX61
Posts: 8984
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:05 pm
Location: Solar Blight Valley
Has thanked: 2271 times
Been thanked: 2654 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by ZRX61 »

er no...

Lived in Cornwall, Devon, Hampshire, Kent, London, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Northants & Nott's

Lived in some of them more than once: Cornwall x3, Cambs 3x, Suffolk 2x, Hampshire 3x.

I'm a bit further away now.
User avatar
Felix
Posts: 5220
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 12:34 am
Has thanked: 711 times
Been thanked: 2014 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Felix »

Ish. Only 25 miles away. Brought up in Edinburgh and loved the city. Moved out to East Calder some 25 years ago but that was only around 18 moles back in for work. Moved to the other side of the city and vowed never to go back as its turned into a shit hole. Council have spent millions on the city centre while neglecting the rest of the council tax paying areas.
IccyV2
Posts: 312
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2025 12:37 pm
Has thanked: 90 times
Been thanked: 346 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by IccyV2 »

I was born in the north west and grew up around that area but I always took any opportunity to move.

Since then I have lived all over the world, wherever I was posted or later wherever they paid well and after that (post 40yrs old) wherever we could all live together under one roof without me having to be away all the time.

Currently in the Middle East, we have a farmhouse in rural lancs but if it’s just me making the decisions then I’d love to live in Devon or Cornwall, but I’m not sure if the reality of that matches the dream.
User avatar
Count Steer
Posts: 15869
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 8005 times
Been thanked: 5664 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Count Steer »

Moved away from home in the East Midlands and wild horses wouldn't drag me back to the town. Considered moving to somewhere nice in Derbyshire once, just to be a bit closer to family.

Have pretty much done a lap of England since leaving home. Yorkshire, Newcastle, North Wales, London, Surrey with stints in Brussels and Paris. Tried to get a 1 year posting to Sydney but boss said 'Nope'. :(

The only place I didn't enjoy as much as the others was North Wales (after living in cities) but it got us on the housing ladder and the motorbiking was good. So, 5 cities and 2 villages. I'd still like a pied à terre in that London though. :D
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
Nordboy
Posts: 1139
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:04 pm
Location: S. Wales
Has thanked: 577 times
Been thanked: 821 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Nordboy »

Born in Buckinghamshire, moved away with my fathers job when I was young.

Been here now, within 30 miles of my childhood home moving a few times.

We've often thought about moving away and very nearly did the move abroad thing a couple of times (Dubai/ East coast USA) with the wifes work but it didn't pan out.

I'd still like to retire abroad, where the climate is better but I think that will probably not happen now.
User avatar
Yorick
Posts: 19881
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:20 pm
Location: Paradise
Has thanked: 12555 times
Been thanked: 8517 times

Re: Do you live near where you grew up? If not, how come?

Post by Yorick »

Bradford 36 years
Milton Keynes 8 years
Thame 12 years
Lanzarote 10 years
Post Reply