Moving to Manchester....

[Shorty]

I admit... I've been absent here for a few weeks. Had to find a new job and now I have...

However, Im going to be relocating to Manchester just before xmas and I wondered if anyone here is from there and can recommend any good agencies or landlords with places near Christie Fields (I think Didsbury is near)

w00t! Got a new job

 

[Ian]

Another Mancunian in the making Congrats ont the job!

There are quite a few of us in Manchester (I'm from Newcastle, but been here almost 3 years now), Matt and Techy are only a few miles away too!

It all depends what sort of place you are looking for, would it be an uber-cool 1 bedroom apartment, or a house or a student-esq place? I know quite a few good resources for student places, but not as much on the rest. Didsbury is a very nice area (you have to be a movie star or student to live their, strange I know! Quite a few famous people there!).

Here are a few I can remember, but I'll dig some more out:

http://www.wrenproperties.co.uk/
http://www.manchesterstudenthomes.com/ - move studenty, but still applies

In fact, there seems to be a very comprehensive list of most of the places I checked out here:

http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/hotels/flats.html

 

[muckshifter]

Congrats on the new job Shorty ...

 

[Reale]

unfortunatly i cant recomend a good landlord but i can tell you how amazing manchester is! i mean wow...

if i lived there lol i wouldnt need a pc, i would be out with all the lovely ladies you can meet there... i mean - wow.

 

[Becky]

Does this mean you'll be coming to the Christmas drink on the 11th of Dec then? The more the merrier!

As for Didsbury... if you're going to move there I'd definitely recommend making sure you find a place with very good security, because everyone I know who lives there has been broken into at least once. It's a nice looking place, which is probably why it's targeted so much by the scallies. Flats above the first floor don't tend to be targeted because they're difficult to get to, that would probably be a good option. There are some really nice apartments round there.
Happy hunting!

And congrats on the new job by the way

 

[floppybootstomp]

Shorty, I'm pleased for ya I know you've been wanting to escape from your present job for some time now.

But Cambridge to manchester? Man. On paper that sounds like a kinda retro step, but all things considered, I'd say it's gonna really brighten up your life. And of course there's the Trinity factor...

I like Cambridge, but the only experience I've ever had of Manchester is working up there for a week once, X-Raying Natural Gas storage tanks, would you believe? Somewhere up there is (or was?) a massive industrial site built for British Gas. It was the last one to be built for the old type of Gas. As it was finished, at great cost, supply was switched to North Sea Gas, making this complex redundant.

So they thought they'd use the tanks there for storage, and that's where I came in, testing them for safety.

Any of you Mancunians know where I'm talking about?

I stayed in a Hotel in the suburbs somewhere, South, I think, and it was as boring as hell. And not that friendly either.

I did not, however, ever visit central Manchester. I would like to have visited Erics, I think.

Anyways, enough rabbiting from me, all good luck for the future Mr Shorts

 

[Shorty]

Ian... thanks for all the links! That helped alot. Im gonna coming up next week to take a look at a couple of places

Bex.. yep, I heard the same from a friend of mine. Im looking at a couple of small second floor flats that have keypad entry and Il make sure I get it kitted out (fast!). I can't make the 11th as it's a little too early for me. I don't move up until 23rd December...

Floppy... Well the problem with Cambridge is price AND jobs. It's just so full of startup companies. Im kinda stuck there in those sort of jobs. Manchester has alot of large, established companies. More chance to move in a company and a career prospect.

Plus, with Trinity living up in the road (well almost) in Yorkshire, it's a darn sight closer than Cambridge is

For those who want to know, Im going to be a sys-admin for Caudwell Communications in Christie Fields

 

[Ian]

For those who want to know, Im going to be a sys-admin for Caudwell Communications in Christie Fields

Ah yes, thats only a few miles away from here - I think its a pretty big new development site if its where I'm thinking!

Any of you Mancunians know where I'm talking about?

I think I know where you mean, we passed a massive storage tank the other day near longsight - if its the one I'm thinking of it is now covered in a massive banner all the way round advertising something!

 

[Shorty]

Well Im up on Thursday looking at two places

Both seem nice and are in Withington. Close enough for the non car driver (for the moment at least, going to take my driving test again when I've moved).

Need suggestions for the following:

Any BHS stores? (I fit kids clothes I get from there & have a gold card)
Any good, fun rock clubs?
Places to avoid?
Best pizza delivery
Good driving school? (I still may not pass as I have an vision issue).

Anything else??

 

[Ian]

I'm pretty sure there is a BHS on the main street in Manchester!

Rock Clubs? A place called Jilly's is infamous

Avoid : hmm... Moss Side / Longsight are the bad areas, however I walk through them quite often and haven't had any problems. I wouldn't go there late at night though!

Pizza Delivery? There are LOADS in manchester, and I mean LOADS! Pretty cheap too, 12" for around £2! If all fails, Dominos is actually cheap here cos its based in the heart of student land!

I'm learning with the AA at the moment (only 2 lessons) and they seem ok, but I don't know about the local/independant ones.

 

[Becky]

I'd agree with that... I've actually been to Jillys once to the 'Rock World' night, it's pretty good (I have a bit of a thing for the Chilis)! Haven't been since my first year though.

Everyone seems to have really bad preconceptions about Manchester, but it's like most other places; There are bad areas, but the places to avoid are dark streets that are away from main streets - even in good areas! As long as you have common sense (which I'm sure you do) crime shouldn't be an issue.

By the way, I also had lessons with the AA when I lived in Dorset, and they are really good. I'd definitely recommend them!

Hope we're not putting you off Manchester, it really is a great place!

 

[Shorty]

Bit late to be put off, I've taken a job there and quit the one here

I have a few friends dotted around Manchester and I know the "after dark" rules well.

Cambridge has the reverse reputation. It's supposed to be so clean and classy. Huh?

Try living where I live in Cambridge. The area has daily muggings, knifings and a huge drug problem.

The local crack dealer was busted four doors up the road from where I live. The previous house I lived in had a dealer (of everything including smack) upstairs. It's the cheapest area to live in Cambridge (all I could/can afford). All areas (as you so rightly say) have their elements. Common sense prevails

Im really looking forward to the move, the new job and being so close to my wife-to-be! ( and about 15 minutes from Aria technology )

 

[floppybootstomp]

If anybody moves to London, beware - it's all bad

Glad you're getting yourself sorted Shorty.

As for my experience in Manchester, it wasn't all bad, the guys I was working with were good, especially the boss fella, we had a few drinks together. He was surprised to meet a Labour voting 'socialist' from 'down south' he thought we were all blue rinse Tories, that was quite amusing. How preconceptions can be wrong eh? And he didn't wear a flat cap either

It's just that the hotel I stayed at seemed to be inhabited by waxwork dummies...

Friendliest places I ever been to must be Newcastle and Liverpool. And Whitby was brilliant, I worked there for a while.

 

[Ian]

Im really looking forward to the move, the new job and being so close to my wife-to-be! ( and about 15 minutes from Aria technology )

Glad to see you have your priorities the right way round I only found out I'm right next to Aria yesterday, so I'll have to check that out. Microdirect is really close too (they are fine instore, although there seem to be problems with online ordering according to the retailers forum!).

Friendliest places I ever been to must be Newcastle and Liverpool. And Whitby was brilliant, I worked there for a while.

Glad you like Newcastle I really like Manchester, as to me its inbetween Newcastle and London (not just in location!). Its got the friendlyness (and quite a few fellow geordies) from Newcastle, but lots of things to do (second only to London).

It does seem like Manchester has changed a lot recently, mainly since the IRA bomb - as a few people who came here 10 years ago and have visited the city whilst visiting me in Manchester have been shocked at the change! I just wish the Tram system was going to expand!

 

[ChristopherP]

( and about 15 minutes from Aria technology )

Buy an RPG launcher and aim it at the CS Department (steer clear of Tech Support) please

 

[Shorty]

Well I signed & paid up on a place in Withington today

About a mile from where Il be working, plenty of local shops around. Nice quietish area (in comparison to where I am now).

Entry system, double glazing, double deadlocks on the flat door, raised. Nice secure little place

Thanks for all your help (so far)

 

[Ian]

Nice one Shorty! Is it on the main Wilmslow road, or just off that?

 

[floppybootstomp]

This could be somewhat worrying.

Here we have two uber-webmeisters within close proximity of each other.

If (when) they meet, and combine brains, the outcome could be cataclysmic

 

[psd99]

Re: Moving to London!

If anybody moves to London, beware - it's all bad

.

have to disagree with you there! I have always felt London is the BEST city in the world!

everyone knows London! its famous and its quite simply untouchable!

 

[psd99]

The local crack dealer was busted four doors up the road from where I live. The previous house I lived in had a dealer (of everything including smack) upstairs. It's the cheapest area to live in Cambridge (all I could/can afford). All areas (as you so rightly say) have their elements. Common sense prevails

seriously? that sounds very bad! When i think of Cambridge I think of Cambridge University = very very posh and decent!

but not anymore!"