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If you want a smaller city with fantastic access to the Peak District- Sheffield.
If you want a big city with great access to the Peak District- Manchester.
If you want a big city with a very central location- Birmingham.
If you want a smaller city with a coast/ waterfront- Liverpool or Newcastle.
If you want a city that's got great access to the Yorkshire Dales- Leeds.
If you want a city with great access to the Cotswolds- Bristol.
If you want a city with good access to Loch Lomond- Glasgow.
If you want a city with beautiful historic architecture- York or Edinburgh.
This is probably the best list on here. I second Sheffield because you’ve got all the greenery plus some city life, without it being as intense as London; plus it’s super cheap.
There's about 30 miles between Manchester and Liverpool. I live between them and visit both. It's obvious they are going to be compared. I'm not saying Liverpool is bad, I'm saying it's small. And it is!
Harrumph-ing to myself that you forgot Cardiff on the list - access to the Brecon Beacons and great beaches down at Swansea all within an hour’s drive!
Horses for courses I guess. I lived in Stirchley for three years and for me it was easily the best place I’ve lived and I’ve spent most of my life living in so called “desirable” cities like Brighton and Bristol
Yeah probably not (depending on what you’re looking for of course). It’s important to stress that I’m talking from a perspective of value for money, in that sense Birmingham (or Cardiff) offer a greater return. It amazes me that people want the so called “Bristol lifestyle” so much that they are willing to move here and work for piss poor wages that go nowhere in the local economy just so they can have a Bristol postcode. It’s just really poor financial planning in my view when you can have as good a time in other local cities and bank some money at the end of the day
Id argue that they cause housing issues for young people. Certainly, in the two university city I currently live in students are being told by those universities to live in towns 50 odd miles away and commute in because there are so many students here already they have monopolised the housing making it impossible to even get viewings for spare rooms. But they won’t stop taking more students on, they just send those students to other towns making them someone else’s problem. It’s a total mess.
The universities get their fees and wash their hands of the situation, everyone else is left to deal with it, with record numbers every year.
They should be on the hook for building more accommodation at the very least
Yeah although the student accommodation itself raises some interesting talking points. We’re always told about planning laws in this country stifling building liveable dwellings but look how quickly they can knock up student flats when they feel like it.
To be honest though I feel it’s long past time numbers were capped. It’s a system that encourages moral hazard- there is no incentive for the universities to stop taking applications even when they see the damage it’s doing to a housing market that was already in crisis anyway without throwing ever increasing numbers of foreign students into competition with local key workers for ever decreasing private rental properties.
When you’re telling YOUR students to live in towns 10s of hundreds of miles away you need to take your snout out of the trough and acknowledge that you’ve created a problem you need to be a key part of the solution to.
University here has been continuing to build out more student accommodation after this was raised locally. Now people are complaining about the student housing and trying to object to building more. While complaining the students are in the town.
Frankly a lot of them didn't much like the university expanding to begin with, despite it being far better for the area than the fuck all that it replaced and brings in people in the off season as a result as it's in Cornwall. Bunch of nimbys, we had a 100% social housing/affordable homes development get blocked nearby. How on earth that wasn't of benefit in an area with high needs for both I don't know.
Whereas small developments which conveniently don't require any % and are all definitely not affordable appear to be all over.
Plymouth was not enjoyable at all, unless one appreciated surfing in the cold ocean, two hours away in Newquay. Otherwise, there was nothing else to do during most of the winter months.
Second that.
Some nice aspects like the Barbican and the hoe in quieter times of the year.
It used to be really good for clubs like 25 years ago.
Mainly just full of chaos, matlows and racist twats. There's a few good museums I guess.
I've lived there and grew up near there but just across the border.
Can't say I miss much. As far as cities go it's shite
Yeah I was hoping that Plymouth wouldn't wind up on this list, people get taken in by the scenic location and then find out it's a dive and there's no escape because it's so far away from the rest of the country.
Newquay is only a 1 hour drive from Plymouth to get to the surf beaches (unless you drive at peak time in the summer months. Tip: set off early).
Plymouth also has a great social scene. You have the students and the locals and also some overlap. Also, as Plymouth is the biggest city for miles around, there’s lots of work here.
Plus, it’s an utterly beautiful city, set in a gorgeous natural harbour with all of Devon and Cornwall on the doorstep, and a slower pace of life. Love it.
>Newquay is only a 1 hour drive from Plymouth to get to the surf beaches
It is closer to an hour and a half on a rainy Sunday afternoon, like today. In the summer, it is definitely not that quick.
https://preview.redd.it/3f8re1j2w7xc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=055c16b28db5adf5fdf4b09e524614f557f40aa3
>Plymouth also has a great social scene. You have the students and the locals and also some overlap. Also, as Plymouth is the biggest city for miles around, there’s lots of work here.
Perhaps the idea of a social scene we have is different. In my experience, Plymouth has the Student Union club, which is full of very young students; other than that, there is not much of a clubbing or music scene, and the hospitality service is rather poor, given that there are not many great restaurants around either. Ah yes, there is the Pryzm - a sticky, alcohol-pop driven club, with cheesy pop music and 18-year-old people.
I have lived there for close to five years, have made friends, and enjoy the city. For me, *great* nightlife is in London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, or Cardiff, where you have an incredible variety of music events, of all genres; a very diverse and young crowd; an immense variety of cuisines and pubs. Mind you, I do not even drink alcohol, but those cities do provide a *great* atmosphere; Plymouth does not. In fact, Plymouth has poor nightlife, at best.
>it’s an utterly beautiful city
I am not sure about the term "utterly beautiful city," as you have places like London, Bath, Oxford, York, and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I am not sure what parameters you are using to define Plymouth as "utterly beautiful." Additionally, I never criticised the surrounding area, which has nice coastlines. However, again, that area is not unique in terms of scenery, as most coastlines in Britain look alike.
All good. We don’t need to agree. I love it there (I’m not from Plymouth).
Personally, I like the restaurant at the Gin Distillery (Barbican Kitchen), followed by a cocktail in the amazing Refectory Bar. I also like the Bottling Plant over the road. I was disappointed The Catch closed, but I believe it’s reopening with new owners.
Went to Rockfish a couple of weeks ago; great fresh seafood selection.
Also good to see live music at many of the old pubs, inc the oldest pub in Plymouth, the Minerva. Lovely atmosphere in there. The Waterfront is good for an ale and dinner, The Dock Cafe is cool, with great views, lots of places at Royal William Yard.
As you can see, I love it there. I could also say the same for many other cities in the UK; York, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, Glasgow, Belfast, Nottingham, Lancaster and more (I’m fortunate in that I get about a lot).
As others have said, it depends on what you want.
Clubs? Gigs? Countryside? Coastal access? Dating? Culture? Work? Food?
Each of these could give you a different answer, but Liverpool, Bristol or Newcastle meet many of these.
It's got a horrible reputation nationally, but it doesn't really deserve it. There's quite a lot going on there these days and a few previously nasty areas have become a lot nicer.
Any of the big cities will have plenty of similar aged people which I presume is the priority.
So to an extent I'd priorities where you can a) get a job and b) affordability sending on you income etc.
This is an especially good suggestion if you want to get on the property ladder. Previously was Bristol but everyone is priced out now. Sheffield is lovely, getting better and still relatively cheap.
Edinburgh. Costs almost as much as London, but you have the rest of Scotland on your door step. Oh and the uni and the festival. And lots of choices for where to go on a night out.
Imo Nottingham, great public transport, amazing nightlife loads of different options, superrrr affordable you can get decent 1 beds in the city centre for like 800pm, loads of great restaurants, cool areas like Hockley and it’s super diverse it’s a lot smaller than London but I think it’s a good option
It’s an impossible question to answer with such limited information it depends on what is important to you? Music, Art, Sport, Surfing, Hiking, what work do you want?
I honestly think you’ll have an amazing time in any city after London. They all are walkable round the city centre and affordable to live near to the city. Everything is more real and less pretentious in other cities and connections are easier to make. Highlights in no particular order - Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Brighton, Exeter, Portsmouth, Southampton.
Do you want to live close enough to pop home at weekends? If so, I’d recommend Brighton or Norwich. If you want to live further away and have access to more shops, culture, job opportunities, try Bristol, Leeds or Manchester. If making friends is most important try somewhere smaller, friendlier and pubier like York. I’d avoid anywhere under about 200K population because everyone knows everyone and you’ll always feel like an outsider. And flat share - more than anything. Do not live alone if you want to meet people.
I had a great time living in Cardiff when I was 18-21. The living costs are lower than a lot of other cities in the UK. However you have all of the following.
1. Great transport links with a bus system that runs late. From Cardiff Central station you can a train to any major city with direct trains to Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and London (which is important in your case). Cardiff also has its own airport and it's very easy to get to Bristol airport from Cardiff. The only downside is that the taxis aren't great but you have Uber which offsets this.
2. Plenty of things to do. Cardiff is a student city as it has 3 universities. Therefore there is a lot for people in their 20's to do. For example there are plenty of nightclubs with different scenes for you to explore and it's very easy to do a pub crawl without even going into the centre. Outside of partying there are plenty of cafés and parks, sports stadiums and there's also Cardiff Bay and the St David's Shopping Centre. From Cardiff it's also very easy to do a day trip to Bristol, Bath or Cheltenham without having to pay the costs of living there.
Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool
You could live in one of their surrounding towns to reduce living costs.
Eg I live about 8 miles outside of one of those and my bills/tax etc are significantly less than those of friends who live within the city boundary.
Swansea. You have Oxwich Bay Beach there which is stunning, plus you have the Gower. Brilliant Swansea night life and it's not far from Tenby (a lovely beach town). Safe as a city goes, with friendly Welsh people.
Hard disagree. Sheffield is lovely. I live nearby in the Peak.
Of course there are horrid bits but the residential areas in the SW, W, and increasingly the NW are very nice indeed.
I liked Bournemouth as a student personally. It is a quieter nightlife scene
I've lived on Cardiff and Bristol and Brighton, London
I do not reccomend London
I enjoyed a 'friends' lifestyle in the first 4 I mentioned alwsys popping over to other friends houshares on foot down the street or they visit me, community vibe. Little bus journey at most
In London epic ordeal involved trying to get anywhere
London is the best city to live in as a young person, by far - HOWEVER - it’s simply not actually affordable.
If you can afford it, it’s fucking amazing, but if you can’t it’s not.
I always say you can’t go wrong with places with a good nightlife and social scene so Manchester and Newcastle would be high on my list
If you still want to be close to London and potentially friends and your parents could you consider Kent or Surrey?
Kent's got lots of options, some nice and some less nice, good transport into London and the coast if the beach is your thing?
Surrey I don't know as much about but know it's a good London connection, frensham ponds if you like water/beach vibe.
I'm also 22 and moving out soon. With work I'm restricted to near Leeds or near Glasgow (ish. It's an hour on the train. 20 minutes by car).
Near Leeds the housing market is atrocious. Near Glasgow actually seems pretty affordable. Dunno if it's the specific town or not.
22 and live at home in London? I'm guessing you have a job and don't pay much if any rent? You are currently living the golden life and I feel like nowhere will live up to your situation now.
Assuming you want what most 22 year olds want, access to entertainment, gigs, clubs, dating, the occasional fancy restaurant and work opportunities I would suggest Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and Edinburgh will tick those boxes but aside from Manchester (and that's on the way up) the others are nearly London priced and are super limited versions of London.
A city is a city is a city and London is the best one.
Do you have a job you can move with or a significant amount of savings? I totally get the independence thing, that's why most people I know, myself included went to uni, only thing is it's quite an expensive thing. Have you thought about traveling? Much more independence and fun and you get to see the world
I don't live in Manchester, but I would love to move there (living in London currently)
Pros:
- great access to Peak District
- very central (e.g. only 2h to London by train)
- vibrant, feels like a perfect city for students and young professionals
Only con:
- no good football clubs to support there
Newcastle pretty good. Although some areas can get pretty pricey! But close to the coast, plenty of social hubs, plenty of public transport to get around for pretty cheap, etc and the major train station has direct trains or routes with one or two connections to nearly anywhere you can think of in the country so great for visiting family in London! But it can be a bit of a shit tip sometimes
If OP loves the outdoors then can't go wrong with pretty much any of the coastline - especially further up in Northumberland where it's quieter even in summer - and it's a short trip to lots of countryside for walks. It's not a big city but it's got pretty much everything you'd need and with the train being on the mainline you can get to lots of places relatively easily.
Hexham too, used to work up there a few months back. Gorgeous up there. There’s Gibside too and if theyre into sight seeing then beamish is a good shout
It depends on your interests ,way of life what kind of work you are in ,if you prefer coastal,countryside ,city centre life if you want to stay South or move North,if you want to stay in England or would like to try Scotland Wales, N Ireland.I guess also the kind of cash you have to afford for renting ,do you drive ,are there any particular areas you want to avoid ?
If you want direct transport links to London & don’t want to be too far but equally not too close, Brighton would be a good shout. There’s outside towns too that are cheaper to live in than the city itself. Transport is very good, GPs are a hit and miss and nightlife in Brighton is brilliant
There’s something for everyone! Good luck
> What's the best city to live in the UK as a young person?
Indisputably London.
> I'm 22M and currently live with my parents in London. I want to move away for about 2-5 years to live independently or with new people.
In that case, you should have made your title, "What's the best city to live in the UK as a young person, excluding London?"
Living with your parents in London is not at all like living on your own in London.
London is the biggest and most diverse city in the uk by far - fun fact the population of London is more than the whole of Scotland.
Why not try a flat share in a different part of the city to where you currently live with the parents?
Find a job or a course to study and take it from there. Smug Chiswick or gritty Dalston or annoying Islington or corporate Docklands are all hugely different in how they feel to be and live but are still London.
Explore this vast and complex city.
I'm a Southerner but if I were late teens/early 20s and free of ties I'd be heading up to Newcastle. Always had a great time when I've been, seems cheap and most people are super friendly. Had some great nights out in Newcastle - my mate had his stag do there back in the mid-00s (he's a Newcastle University alum) and we still talk about it now.
As a young person, you might enjoy cities like Manchester or Bristol. They both have vibrant cultural scenes, rich nightlife, and a variety of activities
I know a confident young person who is well travelled. He's been all over the world and he says Edinburgh is the best place to live, because it has everything.
It's only negative is cold Scottish winters and more rain.
You should move out of the UK. It won't be much different in another city and London is probably the best city for a young person as there is so much going on.
I’ve lived in a few cities.
Personally for me my heart will be in Brighton forever so I’m biased but it has become an absolute shithole. It’s quirky enough though that I liked the social aspect of it and the types of people I met living there. But it’s called London by the sea so might not be enough of a change for you.
Manchester was a good place to live, people were friendly even when they heard my southern accent but they definitely talk more shit about the north/south thing than any southerners do but if you can handle your banter and volley it back, it’s no bother.
I also really enjoyed Sheffield and Liverpool. Great vibes to those cities and Liverpool comes out slightly on top. Newcastle was great too, INSANELY FRIENDLY PEOPLE some of the best I’ve ever met.
Leeds is a good city but not quite as nice as the others in my opinion.
Southerner here. Came to Leeds for Uni and 10+ years later, I’ve never looked back!
City centre is decent, always changing, without it being too small/big (does get busy though). Great foodie/bar scenes even in the different suburbs like Chapel Allerton, Burley, Meanwood, and Kirkstall.
Dales and tons of walks on your doorstep, plus with Manchester, Liverpool, York etc being easily accessible.
Bristol. Best city in the UK for young people - HANDS DOWN.
I’m from London but spent a lot of time in Manny, Leeds, Bristol in my 20’s. Nothing came close to the Briz. Best parties, genuinely interesting people and all within an hour of the most beautiful scenery in England.
Consider Cheltenham. London vibe with a multi cultural mix of people food and businesses, it's compact so everything is in walking distance. 45 mins to Bristol and an hour to Birmingham if you need a big city, and under 2 hours to London, less if you get the right train.
And not far from the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean if you want to get out into the country.
Theres students, so nightlife is pretty good during the week, and upscale bars for the weekend.
None of them. Move country dude. The UK is fucked. I've lived in London, Oxford, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. All are the same..... Filled with horrible English people moaning about how bad they have it. The majority being obese and alcohol dependent. Spread your wings brother...... Fly!!!!!!!!!
London is the best city itw imo it has everything and pretty much caters to everyone. If you’re looking to get out of London I’d recommend Edinburgh or Manchester, I lived in Edinburgh years ago and it has a special place in my heart, I have a lot of good memories. Shit weather tho.
Hands down London. It has everything at a world class level
The arts and music events scene is also so much fun.
For those in London please check out BYOB pottery sessions if you fancy something a bit different
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If you want a smaller city with fantastic access to the Peak District- Sheffield. If you want a big city with great access to the Peak District- Manchester. If you want a big city with a very central location- Birmingham. If you want a smaller city with a coast/ waterfront- Liverpool or Newcastle. If you want a city that's got great access to the Yorkshire Dales- Leeds. If you want a city with great access to the Cotswolds- Bristol. If you want a city with good access to Loch Lomond- Glasgow. If you want a city with beautiful historic architecture- York or Edinburgh.
This is probably the best list on here. I second Sheffield because you’ve got all the greenery plus some city life, without it being as intense as London; plus it’s super cheap.
SHUT UP! Stop telling people about how nice it is here! 😭😭
I second Sheffield but I’m biased as I live there although I’m a southerner originally!
Id say Stirling instead of Glasgow
To be fair, with Leeds you get York on your doorstep too - it’s a great package and I didn’t regret my move there.
i live in leeds, i moved to america and missed leeds everyday
I go to Newcastle and Manchester often for work, love those two… actually, I love the North in general I feel more free up there
I came here to say Sheffield.
I read the first two and thought you’d continue with access to the Peak District for them all. Great list!
Would you not class Liverpool as a big city?
It's not a big city. The city centre is pretty small. Had a few good nights there over the years.
The city centre is bigger than most?
Well it's bigger than Preston but it's way smaller than Manchester and Birmingham.
Well obviously, they are two of the largest cities outside of London
There's about 30 miles between Manchester and Liverpool. I live between them and visit both. It's obvious they are going to be compared. I'm not saying Liverpool is bad, I'm saying it's small. And it is!
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You've never been to Salisbury (or plenty of other small cities) if you think Bristol is small.
And a city with good access to Wales - Cardiff!
Harrumph-ing to myself that you forgot Cardiff on the list - access to the Brecon Beacons and great beaches down at Swansea all within an hour’s drive!
Don’t go to Birmingham. I lasted a year before getting the hell out of dodge.
Horses for courses I guess. I lived in Stirchley for three years and for me it was easily the best place I’ve lived and I’ve spent most of my life living in so called “desirable” cities like Brighton and Bristol
There was some good stuff going on but for a City of that size just not as much as the other big student cities for me.
Yeah probably not (depending on what you’re looking for of course). It’s important to stress that I’m talking from a perspective of value for money, in that sense Birmingham (or Cardiff) offer a greater return. It amazes me that people want the so called “Bristol lifestyle” so much that they are willing to move here and work for piss poor wages that go nowhere in the local economy just so they can have a Bristol postcode. It’s just really poor financial planning in my view when you can have as good a time in other local cities and bank some money at the end of the day
Excellent list
How about Wells? I thought it was beautiful when I was there.
You forgot “if you want a city that the government doesn’t give a shit about and people are living in squalor -stoke on trent
Great list. Smaller city with coast/waterfront I’d also say Plymouth. It also has a train line straight to London.
If you want a fairly big city with access to beaches and Dartmoor - Plymouth If you want a city with access to beaches and the South Downs - Brighton
I'd print it and put it in a frame, but I'm surprised you didn't include London in the list.
OP wants to move away from London
I’m from London and I wouldn’t even recommend anyone to move here. It’s just too expensive
Bristol for sure. Early 20s it’s the friendliest best vibes plus decent links to countryside/bigger cities if you need
Currently the most expensive city to live in the UK though unfortunately (factoring in the London wage bump)
Bristol ftw
Drug-haven Bristol? Fuck yea
100%. Such a fantastic city and something for everyone
Moved to Bristol when I was 29, my only complaint? Is that I didn't do it sooner
True words
Brighton's fun
It’s expensive to live in Brighton though.
second that
I spent my early 20s having a wonderful blurry time around Brighton can definitely do worse than that
The homeland 🌈 🌈 🏳️🌈
Brighton is Zion for the gays?
I'm apparently the only lgbt person in the country whose never been so apparently
You're not missing much. It's a grotty dump.
Depends which way you sway
Most university towns and cities are pretty fun for young people.
Id argue that they cause housing issues for young people. Certainly, in the two university city I currently live in students are being told by those universities to live in towns 50 odd miles away and commute in because there are so many students here already they have monopolised the housing making it impossible to even get viewings for spare rooms. But they won’t stop taking more students on, they just send those students to other towns making them someone else’s problem. It’s a total mess.
50 miles away? That's crazy! What city?
My guess is Bristol students being told to love in Cheltenham gloucester Newport etc
I think Manchester students were told to live in Liverpool a few years back
I work for a university and we have a large number of students commuting from both Birmingham and London. It's fucking wild.
The universities get their fees and wash their hands of the situation, everyone else is left to deal with it, with record numbers every year. They should be on the hook for building more accommodation at the very least
Yeah although the student accommodation itself raises some interesting talking points. We’re always told about planning laws in this country stifling building liveable dwellings but look how quickly they can knock up student flats when they feel like it. To be honest though I feel it’s long past time numbers were capped. It’s a system that encourages moral hazard- there is no incentive for the universities to stop taking applications even when they see the damage it’s doing to a housing market that was already in crisis anyway without throwing ever increasing numbers of foreign students into competition with local key workers for ever decreasing private rental properties. When you’re telling YOUR students to live in towns 10s of hundreds of miles away you need to take your snout out of the trough and acknowledge that you’ve created a problem you need to be a key part of the solution to.
University here has been continuing to build out more student accommodation after this was raised locally. Now people are complaining about the student housing and trying to object to building more. While complaining the students are in the town. Frankly a lot of them didn't much like the university expanding to begin with, despite it being far better for the area than the fuck all that it replaced and brings in people in the off season as a result as it's in Cornwall. Bunch of nimbys, we had a 100% social housing/affordable homes development get blocked nearby. How on earth that wasn't of benefit in an area with high needs for both I don't know. Whereas small developments which conveniently don't require any % and are all definitely not affordable appear to be all over.
Plymouth was not enjoyable at all, unless one appreciated surfing in the cold ocean, two hours away in Newquay. Otherwise, there was nothing else to do during most of the winter months.
Second that. Some nice aspects like the Barbican and the hoe in quieter times of the year. It used to be really good for clubs like 25 years ago. Mainly just full of chaos, matlows and racist twats. There's a few good museums I guess. I've lived there and grew up near there but just across the border. Can't say I miss much. As far as cities go it's shite
Yeah I was hoping that Plymouth wouldn't wind up on this list, people get taken in by the scenic location and then find out it's a dive and there's no escape because it's so far away from the rest of the country.
Newquay is only a 1 hour drive from Plymouth to get to the surf beaches (unless you drive at peak time in the summer months. Tip: set off early). Plymouth also has a great social scene. You have the students and the locals and also some overlap. Also, as Plymouth is the biggest city for miles around, there’s lots of work here. Plus, it’s an utterly beautiful city, set in a gorgeous natural harbour with all of Devon and Cornwall on the doorstep, and a slower pace of life. Love it.
>Newquay is only a 1 hour drive from Plymouth to get to the surf beaches It is closer to an hour and a half on a rainy Sunday afternoon, like today. In the summer, it is definitely not that quick. https://preview.redd.it/3f8re1j2w7xc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=055c16b28db5adf5fdf4b09e524614f557f40aa3 >Plymouth also has a great social scene. You have the students and the locals and also some overlap. Also, as Plymouth is the biggest city for miles around, there’s lots of work here. Perhaps the idea of a social scene we have is different. In my experience, Plymouth has the Student Union club, which is full of very young students; other than that, there is not much of a clubbing or music scene, and the hospitality service is rather poor, given that there are not many great restaurants around either. Ah yes, there is the Pryzm - a sticky, alcohol-pop driven club, with cheesy pop music and 18-year-old people. I have lived there for close to five years, have made friends, and enjoy the city. For me, *great* nightlife is in London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, or Cardiff, where you have an incredible variety of music events, of all genres; a very diverse and young crowd; an immense variety of cuisines and pubs. Mind you, I do not even drink alcohol, but those cities do provide a *great* atmosphere; Plymouth does not. In fact, Plymouth has poor nightlife, at best. >it’s an utterly beautiful city I am not sure about the term "utterly beautiful city," as you have places like London, Bath, Oxford, York, and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I am not sure what parameters you are using to define Plymouth as "utterly beautiful." Additionally, I never criticised the surrounding area, which has nice coastlines. However, again, that area is not unique in terms of scenery, as most coastlines in Britain look alike.
All good. We don’t need to agree. I love it there (I’m not from Plymouth). Personally, I like the restaurant at the Gin Distillery (Barbican Kitchen), followed by a cocktail in the amazing Refectory Bar. I also like the Bottling Plant over the road. I was disappointed The Catch closed, but I believe it’s reopening with new owners. Went to Rockfish a couple of weeks ago; great fresh seafood selection. Also good to see live music at many of the old pubs, inc the oldest pub in Plymouth, the Minerva. Lovely atmosphere in there. The Waterfront is good for an ale and dinner, The Dock Cafe is cool, with great views, lots of places at Royal William Yard. As you can see, I love it there. I could also say the same for many other cities in the UK; York, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, Glasgow, Belfast, Nottingham, Lancaster and more (I’m fortunate in that I get about a lot).
Leeds
Came here to say this. I live in Scotland but spent 20-24 in Leeds it was amazing
Glasgow
Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, Brighton and London are all fantastic cities for a young person with a decent paying job.
As others have said, it depends on what you want. Clubs? Gigs? Countryside? Coastal access? Dating? Culture? Work? Food? Each of these could give you a different answer, but Liverpool, Bristol or Newcastle meet many of these.
London, Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow.
Newcastle or Manchester.
Bristol
Why Bristol?
Good vibe, lots going on, friendly place
Newcastle
I’d say Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow or Leeds, probably in that order
Bristol, Leeds or Manchester.
London, Glasgow, Manchester or Birmingham
Birmingham?!
It's got a horrible reputation nationally, but it doesn't really deserve it. There's quite a lot going on there these days and a few previously nasty areas have become a lot nicer.
yeah it’s nice city, like every city it has its shitty parts
Reddit loves to shit on it, it's not bad. Much improved and your average Fox News or Daily Mail reader likes to shit on it
Its been gentrified a fair bit over the years
Any of the big cities will have plenty of similar aged people which I presume is the priority. So to an extent I'd priorities where you can a) get a job and b) affordability sending on you income etc.
Your age doesn't help us answer this question. What do you actually want out of life?
Sheffield!!
This is an especially good suggestion if you want to get on the property ladder. Previously was Bristol but everyone is priced out now. Sheffield is lovely, getting better and still relatively cheap.
Is so cheap! North is cheap and friendly and lovely and just a LEETLE bit colder. But so nice.
Nottingham is surprisingly nice
Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Edinburgh. Costs almost as much as London, but you have the rest of Scotland on your door step. Oh and the uni and the festival. And lots of choices for where to go on a night out.
Norwich! Great young vibe, great pubs, great culture!
Leeds
Imo Nottingham, great public transport, amazing nightlife loads of different options, superrrr affordable you can get decent 1 beds in the city centre for like 800pm, loads of great restaurants, cool areas like Hockley and it’s super diverse it’s a lot smaller than London but I think it’s a good option
Definitely Bristol or Brighton in the south.
Liverpool.
Liverpool
Bristol
Bristol
Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester
Bristol or Leeds
Nottingham
What sort of thing are you looking for?
depends how much money you have really
It’s an impossible question to answer with such limited information it depends on what is important to you? Music, Art, Sport, Surfing, Hiking, what work do you want?
Definitely Carlisle. Good for hiking.
I honestly think you’ll have an amazing time in any city after London. They all are walkable round the city centre and affordable to live near to the city. Everything is more real and less pretentious in other cities and connections are easier to make. Highlights in no particular order - Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Brighton, Exeter, Portsmouth, Southampton.
If I was 22 again & in a position to move away from the south-east, Leeds or Manchester would be my two top choices.
I read that Leeds is the place where the most students stay on after they’ve finished university so read into that what you will.
I read it was Sheffield
Glasgows pretty cheap and the nightlife is alright
Belfast.
Salisbury. Dat spire.
Come to belfast & see titanic
Bristol is superb
Do you want to live close enough to pop home at weekends? If so, I’d recommend Brighton or Norwich. If you want to live further away and have access to more shops, culture, job opportunities, try Bristol, Leeds or Manchester. If making friends is most important try somewhere smaller, friendlier and pubier like York. I’d avoid anywhere under about 200K population because everyone knows everyone and you’ll always feel like an outsider. And flat share - more than anything. Do not live alone if you want to meet people.
I had a great time living in Cardiff when I was 18-21. The living costs are lower than a lot of other cities in the UK. However you have all of the following. 1. Great transport links with a bus system that runs late. From Cardiff Central station you can a train to any major city with direct trains to Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and London (which is important in your case). Cardiff also has its own airport and it's very easy to get to Bristol airport from Cardiff. The only downside is that the taxis aren't great but you have Uber which offsets this. 2. Plenty of things to do. Cardiff is a student city as it has 3 universities. Therefore there is a lot for people in their 20's to do. For example there are plenty of nightclubs with different scenes for you to explore and it's very easy to do a pub crawl without even going into the centre. Outside of partying there are plenty of cafés and parks, sports stadiums and there's also Cardiff Bay and the St David's Shopping Centre. From Cardiff it's also very easy to do a day trip to Bristol, Bath or Cheltenham without having to pay the costs of living there.
Probably Manchester. Big city with less risk of terrorism and getting stabbed in London
Bournemouth.
Newcastle
Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool You could live in one of their surrounding towns to reduce living costs. Eg I live about 8 miles outside of one of those and my bills/tax etc are significantly less than those of friends who live within the city boundary.
London Idk why you’d want to leave
Swansea. You have Oxwich Bay Beach there which is stunning, plus you have the Gower. Brilliant Swansea night life and it's not far from Tenby (a lovely beach town). Safe as a city goes, with friendly Welsh people.
I’m 24f and planning to move to Manchester in the summer. I looked into other places but Manchester ticks all my boxes.
Bristol doesn't have great access to the Cotswolds.
Norwich.
Edinburgh, London, Manchester.
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Hard disagree. Sheffield is lovely. I live nearby in the Peak. Of course there are horrid bits but the residential areas in the SW, W, and increasingly the NW are very nice indeed.
To be honest I would emigrate this country is pretty much doomed.
Kettering. It's a party town.
I liked Bournemouth as a student personally. It is a quieter nightlife scene I've lived on Cardiff and Bristol and Brighton, London I do not reccomend London I enjoyed a 'friends' lifestyle in the first 4 I mentioned alwsys popping over to other friends houshares on foot down the street or they visit me, community vibe. Little bus journey at most In London epic ordeal involved trying to get anywhere
Bristol is the top answer if you can afford it.
Bristol. No London. London is best after 25-28
There isn’t a best city. It depends what career you want and want social class you’re in for a start.
Anywhere by the sea honestly I’m 24f living in London and can’t wait to move I’m thinking Portugal or Italy honestly
London
Any university town.
You’re already in it
London, so no need to move!
London is the best city to live in as a young person, by far - HOWEVER - it’s simply not actually affordable. If you can afford it, it’s fucking amazing, but if you can’t it’s not. I always say you can’t go wrong with places with a good nightlife and social scene so Manchester and Newcastle would be high on my list
If you still want to be close to London and potentially friends and your parents could you consider Kent or Surrey? Kent's got lots of options, some nice and some less nice, good transport into London and the coast if the beach is your thing? Surrey I don't know as much about but know it's a good London connection, frensham ponds if you like water/beach vibe.
I'm also 22 and moving out soon. With work I'm restricted to near Leeds or near Glasgow (ish. It's an hour on the train. 20 minutes by car). Near Leeds the housing market is atrocious. Near Glasgow actually seems pretty affordable. Dunno if it's the specific town or not.
London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester or Bristol imo. Depends on what you’re looking for and your budget.
Chester
Suffolk
22 and live at home in London? I'm guessing you have a job and don't pay much if any rent? You are currently living the golden life and I feel like nowhere will live up to your situation now. Assuming you want what most 22 year olds want, access to entertainment, gigs, clubs, dating, the occasional fancy restaurant and work opportunities I would suggest Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and Edinburgh will tick those boxes but aside from Manchester (and that's on the way up) the others are nearly London priced and are super limited versions of London. A city is a city is a city and London is the best one.
I do pay rent just not as much as if I was living with a landlord. I want to have a sense of independence and privacy though
Do you have a job you can move with or a significant amount of savings? I totally get the independence thing, that's why most people I know, myself included went to uni, only thing is it's quite an expensive thing. Have you thought about traveling? Much more independence and fun and you get to see the world
Not anywhere tourists love unless you’re quite well off. No Edinburgh, London or Cardiff. Consider Bristol, Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast?
Why restrict to the UK? Try somewhere abroad
I don't live in Manchester, but I would love to move there (living in London currently) Pros: - great access to Peak District - very central (e.g. only 2h to London by train) - vibrant, feels like a perfect city for students and young professionals Only con: - no good football clubs to support there
Worcester
London is the best city so just move out of home.
Newcastle pretty good. Although some areas can get pretty pricey! But close to the coast, plenty of social hubs, plenty of public transport to get around for pretty cheap, etc and the major train station has direct trains or routes with one or two connections to nearly anywhere you can think of in the country so great for visiting family in London! But it can be a bit of a shit tip sometimes
If OP loves the outdoors then can't go wrong with pretty much any of the coastline - especially further up in Northumberland where it's quieter even in summer - and it's a short trip to lots of countryside for walks. It's not a big city but it's got pretty much everything you'd need and with the train being on the mainline you can get to lots of places relatively easily.
Hexham too, used to work up there a few months back. Gorgeous up there. There’s Gibside too and if theyre into sight seeing then beamish is a good shout
It depends on your interests ,way of life what kind of work you are in ,if you prefer coastal,countryside ,city centre life if you want to stay South or move North,if you want to stay in England or would like to try Scotland Wales, N Ireland.I guess also the kind of cash you have to afford for renting ,do you drive ,are there any particular areas you want to avoid ?
Manchester!
I was expecting lots of sarcastic comments like Milton Keynes
If you want direct transport links to London & don’t want to be too far but equally not too close, Brighton would be a good shout. There’s outside towns too that are cheaper to live in than the city itself. Transport is very good, GPs are a hit and miss and nightlife in Brighton is brilliant There’s something for everyone! Good luck
Jaywick
> What's the best city to live in the UK as a young person? Indisputably London. > I'm 22M and currently live with my parents in London. I want to move away for about 2-5 years to live independently or with new people. In that case, you should have made your title, "What's the best city to live in the UK as a young person, excluding London?"
Bit harsh
Apply for whv in Australia
Living with your parents in London is not at all like living on your own in London. London is the biggest and most diverse city in the uk by far - fun fact the population of London is more than the whole of Scotland. Why not try a flat share in a different part of the city to where you currently live with the parents? Find a job or a course to study and take it from there. Smug Chiswick or gritty Dalston or annoying Islington or corporate Docklands are all hugely different in how they feel to be and live but are still London. Explore this vast and complex city.
I'm a Southerner but if I were late teens/early 20s and free of ties I'd be heading up to Newcastle. Always had a great time when I've been, seems cheap and most people are super friendly. Had some great nights out in Newcastle - my mate had his stag do there back in the mid-00s (he's a Newcastle University alum) and we still talk about it now.
As a young person, you might enjoy cities like Manchester or Bristol. They both have vibrant cultural scenes, rich nightlife, and a variety of activities
I know a confident young person who is well travelled. He's been all over the world and he says Edinburgh is the best place to live, because it has everything. It's only negative is cold Scottish winters and more rain.
You should move out of the UK. It won't be much different in another city and London is probably the best city for a young person as there is so much going on.
Belfast is amazing
Liverpool
Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester are probably the best value for money cities in the UK.
Manchester full stop.
I’ve lived in a few cities. Personally for me my heart will be in Brighton forever so I’m biased but it has become an absolute shithole. It’s quirky enough though that I liked the social aspect of it and the types of people I met living there. But it’s called London by the sea so might not be enough of a change for you. Manchester was a good place to live, people were friendly even when they heard my southern accent but they definitely talk more shit about the north/south thing than any southerners do but if you can handle your banter and volley it back, it’s no bother. I also really enjoyed Sheffield and Liverpool. Great vibes to those cities and Liverpool comes out slightly on top. Newcastle was great too, INSANELY FRIENDLY PEOPLE some of the best I’ve ever met. Leeds is a good city but not quite as nice as the others in my opinion.
Liverpool followed by Bristol.
Newcastle Manchester Nottingham.. If you like something smaller then York. Edinburgh. Bristol
Glasgow
Edinburgh all day every day
Southerner here. Came to Leeds for Uni and 10+ years later, I’ve never looked back! City centre is decent, always changing, without it being too small/big (does get busy though). Great foodie/bar scenes even in the different suburbs like Chapel Allerton, Burley, Meanwood, and Kirkstall. Dales and tons of walks on your doorstep, plus with Manchester, Liverpool, York etc being easily accessible.
Manchester or Liverpool
I read that Bristol is very up n coming
Bristol. Best city in the UK for young people - HANDS DOWN. I’m from London but spent a lot of time in Manny, Leeds, Bristol in my 20’s. Nothing came close to the Briz. Best parties, genuinely interesting people and all within an hour of the most beautiful scenery in England.
Consider Cheltenham. London vibe with a multi cultural mix of people food and businesses, it's compact so everything is in walking distance. 45 mins to Bristol and an hour to Birmingham if you need a big city, and under 2 hours to London, less if you get the right train. And not far from the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean if you want to get out into the country. Theres students, so nightlife is pretty good during the week, and upscale bars for the weekend.
None of them. Move country dude. The UK is fucked. I've lived in London, Oxford, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. All are the same..... Filled with horrible English people moaning about how bad they have it. The majority being obese and alcohol dependent. Spread your wings brother...... Fly!!!!!!!!!
London is the best city itw imo it has everything and pretty much caters to everyone. If you’re looking to get out of London I’d recommend Edinburgh or Manchester, I lived in Edinburgh years ago and it has a special place in my heart, I have a lot of good memories. Shit weather tho.
Hands down London. It has everything at a world class level The arts and music events scene is also so much fun. For those in London please check out BYOB pottery sessions if you fancy something a bit different
This is world class advice for someone looking to move out of London, bravo!
Luton
This is just sabotage
Technically a town.