Moving to St Annes near Blackpool..your thoughts please

[PaulSB]

I'll just add from a cycling perspective, we ride all over the county, the closest we get to Lytham is Catforth, Inskip, St Michael's, Garstang to get north. If we fancy a short run out we head for Roots as it's so good. It's the cafe rather than the area which is the attraction.

It's true there are some nice lanes around the Fylde but three rides and you'd probably cover them all which means it's a fair haul to get anywhere challenging.

 

[Blue Hills]

You make some fair points paul.

Nice tone to your post as well.

 

[PaulSB]

@Blue Hills. Thank you. What a nice start to my day.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Thanks for the replies and thoughts so far folks! Below i've put down the good and bad points i can think of so far. As you can see the bad outweigh the good ones. I didn't think there'd be so many negatives.compared to the positives! I'm sure i'll think of more and add them to which ever list they apply to. Do they still have that program on day time telly where a family had to make a decision between staying in their home town or moving to either Australia or New Zealand? The one where their friends and family make a video saying how they'll miss them when they've gone etc and the family are sat there in tears watching it. I feel a bit like that reading your replies,though i'm not in tears or anything like that,i am taking it in and thinking i could be making a mistake in moving away from here to a place i think i know but don't know that well. As i've said in the bad points list,i'll miss my friends and those who aren't really friends as such but who i stop and have a chat with. Though i am quite good at making new friends and quite talkative,so that could be overcome if i move. Then there's the thought of being just sat there in the middle of winter thinking 'what can i do today to relieve the boredom'? At least where i live now there are three supermarkets in easy walking distance,so that's somewhere to go. I don't think they'll have so many where i'm thinking of moving to. There's also a library,a public swimming baths and an old folks centre directly across the road from where i live. Ok,i'm not old enough to use it yet, but it'll be there when i am. Will St Annes have such amenities i wonder? I know places like St Annes are seen to be wealthier areas than places like Accrington but does that mean that there are less facilities such as the ones i've mentioned above, as the authorities think 'wealthier' folk don't need paid for amenities like libraries and swimming baths as they can afford private leisure pursuits? All these things have to be considered.

Good points
Supposedly better area
A new start
Better weather


Bad points
Away from wife and daughter though....
Away from my local pub of 40 years
Miss Cycling past Accrington Stanley's ground and just being there
No one to tend my dad's or grandparent's grave which is a big worry(definitely miss the cemetery)
Definitely miss the scenery,the hills for cycling and walking around here
Miss my friends and those who i've built up a chatting relationship with
Miss my home town,even though it's crap to some
Think it might add to my depression and isolation,especially in winter time
Too flat. The thought of just seeing nothing in the distance apart from buildings and a skyline doesn't appeal
The upheaval of moving again and having to sort out all my utility bills etc
Add to my dog's confusion about where folk have gone to

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think you could do much better than this coastal area all the way up to Fleetwood.

Yes maybe i could,but it was my bother's idea. I think he wants me nearer to him so he doesn't have to keep coming over here which affects his busy schedule. The other day when i was having a bit of a crisis about some anti social behaviour around here. He just said 'Why don't you come and live near us'? I It isn't just about moving somewhere different,but i suppose mainly about being near to the only family member i have who gives a toss about me.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm thinking of driving to St Annes tomorrow to go and see my mum, then have a look around and seriously think if i'd be happier moving there. I'd go today but with it being nice weather and a Sunday the roads will be very busy. Though it's ok saying 'seriously think if i'd be happier moving there'. but wouldn't i just tell myself it was,even though part of me says it isn't? The other man's grass is always greener maybe?

 

[Bianchi boy]

I'm thinking that riding from St Annes to Fleetwood and back regularly would be ok. It must be around a 20 mile trip and with the wind affect i suppose it's better than nothing. Imagine what it'd be like in summer though with all those tourists getting in the way.

Accy You can carry on past st Annes down past Warton and do a nice loop of about 80 klm

 

[Accy cyclist]

Accy You can carry on past st Annes down past Warton and do a nice loop of about 80 klm

Yes,that got mentioned last night down my local pub. Someone asked where does the southern point of the coastal ride end.

Obviously it's the Ribble Estuary.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think its a bit much of your brother to ask you to move so its more convenient for him. I thought you didnt get on with him?
Isnt there anywhere you could move to more locally so you can still maintain links with your ex and daughter and sort the graves out? I had a friend who lived at Old Langho, it was nice round there.

It's not a case of convenience for him as he simply doesn't have to bother about me. He could just not bother coming to see me at all. He doesn't have a duty of care like he does with our mother. Yes we didn't get along very well,but over the last year or so we have done,so i want to keep it that way. Old Langho is about 5 miles from here. I worked there in the early 80's at Brockhall Hospital which was an old 'mental institution'. There's not much there apart from a pub,Blackburn Rovers training ground/academy, a very expensive gated 'village' and a posh hotel and restaurant. It's nice there in summer,but i've cycled through it on a wet miserable Wednesday in January and believe me it's depressing! Plus,you'd be looking at around £800 and beyond a month rent just for a tiny cottage or apartment(flat).

 

[roadrash]

everywhere is depressing on a wet miserable Wednesday in January

 

[Accy cyclist]

everywhere is depressing on a wet miserable Wednesday in January

True,but why pay to have the upheaval of moving out of the frying pan into the fire?

 

[wisdom]

Well Accy this thread has generated a good few responses it's been an interesting thread on many fronts.
I have always lived here and love it.
I don't go into the town much though.
I am sure that if you end up around here you will be fine if you stay put you will be fine also.The choice is yours but if you end up on the coast you Will be welcomed.We may meet up.
Good luck and remember to do what's best for you.

 

[fossyant]

I like where I live - it's not perfect, but has good access to major roads, city, airport. More importantly, fast access to the Peaks, both road and off road. We had thought of moving 10-15 miles further into Cheshire - lots flatter, at the time better access to work, but we've both moved places of work, and are in the city - so car/rail handy. I'm also not road cycling, so that move would have been a disaster for off road - it's ace near me. The 'other' issue is we are near the parents, and have been 'on call' to the MIL for over 10 years - I think my wife wanted a break from it, but if we had moved, it would have been 90-120 minute return drive depending on traffic. At least we can walk round in 15 minutes.

Is it worth moving locally - somewhere you might like better, near say the pub or football ground, or even near your main cycle routes - just that little bit out of the way ?

 

[Accy cyclist]

Well Accy this thread has generated a good few responses it's been an interesting thread on many fronts.
I have always lived here and love it.
I don't go into the town much though.
I am sure that if you end up around here you will be fine if you stay put you will be fine also.The choice is yours but if you end up on the coast you Will be welcomed.We may meet up.
Good luck and remember to do what's best for you.

As for Blackpool itself, as a family we went there twice a year nearly ever year in the 60's and early 70's. Can you remember a hotel called the White Lodge on what i think was called King Edward Avenue,next to the Cliffs hotel? We went there year after year. I passed by the other year but it's now been converted to flats..i think. People look down their noses at Blackpool,but it was a much nicer place then(the resort itself i mean,not the whole town). Ok,the south of the resort was a bit more 'boisterous' but up near Gynn Square and Uncle Tom's Cabin it was very family friendly.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Is it worth moving locally - somewhere you might like better, near say the pub or football ground, or even near your main cycle routes - just that little bit out of the way ?

There wouldn't be any point in doing that. It's the Fylde coast, or stay put!