Norwich! What's it Like?

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 11:58

Hi all,

I may be relocating to Norwich sometime within the next year due to work (I currently live in rural Oxfordshire) and was wondering if anyone could tell me what it's like as a place to live?

I've had a look at rents, etc (much better than where I am now where £800 pm for a 2-bed flat is the average) and I've visited the city center a couple of times, but would like to know if there are any nice/bad areas to live? I'm young but would prefer somewhere quieter to live if finances allow. Also, any small details would be useful, such as car parking costs in the city center (which I hope is cheaper than Oxford's £14 for 4 hours), decent places to eat that aren't hugely expensive, etc.

Thanks very much!

A321 · 14/04/10 - 12:10

I'm not sure about the pedestrianisation of the city centre. Although it gives traders access to Dixons I'm not sure how the mothers with young bairns cope.

System · 14/04/10 - 12:16

Nice, go to the Fat Cat, one of the best pubs in the land!

Stiffy78 · 14/04/10 - 12:18

I believe the Linton Travel Tavern is worth a visit for its excellent carvery.

Girth · 14/04/10 - 12:19

Stiffy78 wrote: »

I believe the Linton Travel Tavern is worth a visit for it's excellent carvery.

Here's a tip - take your own big plate.

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 12:21

For places to eat, the area around Anglia Square is best - Magdalene Road.
There isn't any free parking and you'll have to walk for a few minutes from the cheaper parking. Cost is around £1.20 per hour.
A lot of Norwich is very boring (nothing to do) but there's an enormous student population everywhere. Public Transport is limited, though sufficient. There's one library in the city centre and two major shopping malls.
In terms of places, the city is always loud, the area just outside the inner ring road is where the bulk of the population lives and is okay; the North is less Student than the South.

mathertron · 14/04/10 - 12:21

A321 wrote: »

I'm not sure about the pedestrianisation of the city centre. Although it gives traders access to Dixons I'm not sure how the mothers with young bairns cope.

Damn! I knew someone would beat me to it!!!

e2a: Some first rate responses already, I'm proud of you DS :cool:

Spot · 14/04/10 - 12:22

Few if any absolute no-go areas, but in terms of housing near the centre, the area immediately to the west of the city centre (including what estate agents like to call the 'golden triangle') is always in demand but has quite a lot of students residing as it's near the university. To the immediate north, this part is probably slightly less sought-after but there are still some nice areas. With regard to the suburbs, Cringleford and Earlham to the west, are nice but mostly more pricey - once again their proximity to the UEA might be a factor. To the north-west, Costessey isn't too bad. To the north and east, Hellesdon, Catton, Sprowston and Thorpe St Andrew are all good areas to live and you'll be able to find lots of nice quiet locations.

DaisyBumbleroot · 14/04/10 - 12:38

you can get a decent flat out in the countryside for about £500pcm. i lived above the Marlboro arms for about 10 month at £400pcm, but it could get noisy which might not be ideal. I needed a pass though to park on the street which was about £30 a year iirc. council tax was cheap as well - about £75 p/m.

Bom Diddly Wo · 14/04/10 - 12:50

They have a lovely pedestrianised area and there is much improved disabled acsess for Dixons.

Bom Diddly Wo · 14/04/10 - 12:51

A321 wrote: »

I'm not sure about the pedestrianisation of the city centre. Although it gives traders access to Dixons I'm not sure how the mothers with young bairns cope.

Nuts.:mad:

mungobrush · 14/04/10 - 12:54

I first moved to Norwich about 3 years ago from London.

My rent for a 2-bedroom apartment went down fro £400/week (Earls Court) to £800/month - walking distance to the city centre.

Norwich has a population of about 300,000, and is the largest Medieval walled city this side of the Alps

It's also the 6th largest retail centre in the UK

So if you get somewhere within the city walls - you'll be safe.

The countryside is flat as a tack - cyclists dream

And you can be outside the urban area on a bike in less than 10 minutes

So for me - you have all the convenience of a city - without all of the problems - like traffic congestion etc

If you like night life on weekends, then Prince of Wales road is packed solid from Friday night through to Sunday

One last thing - Norwich is famous for having 52 churches and 365 pubs. So you can go to a different pub every day and a different church every week - should you so desire.

If you do buy a car - best to get a tractor

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 12:56

A321 wrote: »

I'm not sure about the pedestrianisation of the city centre. Although it gives traders access to Dixons I'm not sure how the mothers with young bairns cope.

:D

Thanks for your answers so far, very informative. Sprowston was one of the places which had some nice little places to rent but was recently told that it's a bit rough in places (sorry to anyone who lives there if it's not true!!). I'd ideally like to be somewhere that's only five/ten minutes from central city by car but also really close to countryside at the same time.

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 13:00

Girth wrote: »

Here's a tip - take your own big plate.

You certainly call a spade a spade-though youd probably call it a big tool.

Spot · 14/04/10 - 13:01

A bit rough by Norwich standards probably isn't as bad as you might be imagining!

David Cameron paid a flying visit to Sprowston the other day, and funnily enough I'm just off there myself now.

I'd recommend Thorpe St Andrew myself - next suburb round - but then I might be biased as that's where I live!

bunnyds · 14/04/10 - 13:11

Tavia wrote: »

:D

Thanks for your answers so far, very informative. Sprowston was one of the places which had some nice little places to rent but was recently told that it's a bit rough in places (sorry to anyone who lives there if it's not true!!). I'd ideally like to be somewhere that's only five/ten minutes from central city by car but also really close to countryside at the same time.

Sprowston, Mile Cross, Bowthorpe, Larkman, Lakenham are areas to avoid, all homes to large council estates. If you want to live closer and intend to walk from the city centre then Magdalen St. and Thorpe St. Andrew are the preferred areas for muggers, be warned.

Norwich is a great place to live, some of the newer housing estates on the outskirts would be my preference; Queens Hill, Thorpe Marriott, Dussindale, etc.

SeasideLady · 14/04/10 - 13:12

Stayed at the Sprowston Manor Hotel a few years ago - very nice. We liked Norwich very much, nice covered market, shops and restaurants.

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 13:32

Girth wrote: »

Here's a tip - take your own big plate.

"I’m going nowhere, Lynn. Quite literally, I’m on the ring road. Third time round."

Eeee, love him.

Simon1984 · 14/04/10 - 13:56

Ironically I remember getting stuck on the ring road when I visited there not long after I passed my driving test.

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 14:01

I live in Norwich and love living here. Larkman and Marlpit Lane have a bit of a bad reputation around here. Costessey is just the best though

:D

Blokeface · 14/04/10 - 14:04

Plus of course it was the home of Sale of the Century!! :cool:

BBTweets · 14/04/10 - 14:06

Blokeface wrote: »

Plus of course it was the home of Sale of the Century!! :cool:

"Live from Norwich - it's the Quiz of the week!"

I'll get me coat

[Deleted User] · 14/04/10 - 14:20

The local radio has gone downhill somewhat. I forget the name of the DJ, but he had absolute classic games and sayings, like;

- Cockle-Doodle-Whoooo
- Spreken ze deutsch und listen to Kraftwerk
- UpperthaPartridge.
- Ruddy hell, it's Soft Cell!

I think he tried crossing over into tele, not sure how he got on though.

Other than that, Norwich tends to be farmer friendly.

Rincewind78 · 14/04/10 - 14:27

lived there for 2.5 years, never really took to the place.

Hotgossip · 14/04/10 - 14:27

As has already been said there is plenty of nightlife, lovely countryside, great restaurants, market, theatres and masses of art galleries, museums and other cultural stuff.

You may like large shopping malls like Chapelfields and the Castle Mall, personally I don't. Norfolk is full of small market towns though and if you prefer spending your hard-earned cash with a small business and not looking like a chain store clone, then take a drive to the outskirts or further.

There's a lovely river, great pubs, really good sporting facilities, the airport, lovely walks and cycling routes.

I think you'll like it!;)

MagicMonkey · 14/04/10 - 14:28

didn't myleene klaas grow up there? i read somewhere that they used to make fun of her race

Hey there!

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Norwich! What's it Like?

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