Any one living near Portsmouth?

BlackCoat2k10

BlackCoat2k10

BlackCoat2k10

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Hello fellow OCUKers, I have been contacted for a final interview for a new job near Portsmouth. I have never been there before, apart from over a week or so ago to take my first interview but I was only there for a very brief couple of hours, and well this job is offering me a £10,000 rise to my current salary, which at 23 is quite significant, so I am really 'gunning' for the job.

While I am doing some further research into the area and the company etc. I thought I'd ask any of you for your personal view on life in / near Portsmouth. Particularly social / activities. I see there are a few train stations dotted around and close to where this job is based, so as long as trains are decent I should get on well with that till I get me a car, either that or kill myself biking it every day.
 
Portsmouth is by and large a bit of a ****hole although that's a generalisation... I certainly wouldn't want to live around Gosport, Fratton, Cosham etc though. There are some nice villages and towns within commuting distance however - although if social/activities are high on the agenda then you probably want to be in the city. Gunwharf Quays is pretty good for outlet shopping, bars, restaurants, casino etc, it is also right next to the main train station so you wouldn't necessarily need to live next door.
 
Portsmouth Uni student here, I've been around Portsmouth for the last 2 years, and I love it! It has to be said, a lot of the locals are very strange :p but its a student city, so most of the people you see in the central area's are students, and as you're young, you'll fit in fine!

Southsea area is where it's at, you've got Gunwharf with the shopping centre, and TigerTiger there, and then there's Guildhall, where there's a strip of various bars and also another shopping area. Fratton is pretty grimey and I just think the other area's like Cosham are pretty boring....But if you're not far from Southsea, you should be all good! Forgot to mention you've got the beach right next to the city aswell if that's your kinda thing....
 
by and large a **** hole. avoid guildhall walk on nights out, its a dive, sticky floors and ass holes everywhere.

it's not too bad, but there are far nicer places to be.
 
BlackCoat2k10 said:
Hello fellow OCUKers, I have been contacted for a final interview for a new job near Portsmouth. I have never been there before, apart from over a week or so ago to take my first interview but I was only there for a very brief couple of hours, and well this job is offering me a £10,000 rise to my current salary, which at 23 is quite significant, so I am really 'gunning' for the job.

While I am doing some further research into the area and the company etc. I thought I'd ask any of you for your personal view on life in / near Portsmouth. Particularly social / activities. I see there are a few train stations dotted around and close to where this job is based, so as long as trains are decent I should get on well with that till I get me a car, either that or kill myself biking it every day.
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I live a short commute away from Portsmouth in Fareham & work in Havant (originally from the Black Country so not far from Coventry myself).

It's not a bad place to live, quite a good community/night-life if you are into rock music, the mainstream I can't say either way.

It's far less violent than the midland's, but I used to live in Birmingham town centre for a few years - so my views may be bias ;).

Better weather & nicer people - just have to be prepared for the property prices.
 
Come to Southsea!

The island as a whole is pretty run down apart from the Gunwharf area but despite this, Southsea definitely has the nicest atmosphere.

Coming from someone who has lived in Bournemouth, Southampton and now Portsmouth, I think Southsea is probably the nicest place I've lived apart from 'home' in Cornwall.
 
I love it when people say Hull is a craphole.
I love it when people say Pontefract is a craphole.
I love it when people say Portsmouth is a craphole.

Everywhere is a craphole. But like every villages, towns and cities in the world, there will be area which is a craphole. I wouldn't walk alone around South Victoria area when it's dark, because that's a craphole even compared to Hull's craphole. Just need to know where to avoid and where to stay.

I lived in Portsmouth for a good 7 years before heading up north (Uni and now work). As mentioned above me, it's a student city. If you like peace and quiet, look at places in the remote corner like around Ferry Road (Eastney) - a little expensive but house share should work if you're into renting. If you want to be right in the centre with everything available, then Southsea area such as Albert Road area is great. Walking distance to everything - a short bus ride to town / Gunwharf - one of the few good places to shop. Outlet stores a plenty.

Don't live outside of Portsmouth if you need to drive in and out during rush hour. There is essentially 2 routes into Portsmouth and they're both from the North, so traffic can be a nightmare. Buses are ok but very pricey thanks to 'First Bus' rising prices faster than a boy first seeing page 3.

Really depending on how close you want to stay to your work and if walking/cycling is your idea choice of commute. It's a flat city, so cycling is easy.

Hope you get the job you're gunning for, it never kills to be ambitious!
 
Indeed, the trains ain't that bad either - so anywhere near a station should be OK, but Southsea is great if you are young & single.
 
HangTime said:
Portsmouth is by and large a bit of a ****hole although that's a generalisation... I certainly wouldn't want to live around Gosport, Fratton, Cosham etc though. There are some nice villages and towns within commuting distance however - although if social/activities are high on the agenda then you probably want to be in the city. Gunwharf Quays is pretty good for outlet shopping, bars, restaurants, casino etc, it is also right next to the main train station so you wouldn't necessarily need to live next door.
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When was the last time you were in Gosport? A lot has changed over the last 5 years and Gosport is largely peaceful and growing now with all the riff raff gone. Rowner is transformed with the new housing developments and that Massive Tesco being built.

I've lived in Gosport for over 15 years and work in Portsmouth (Gunwharf).
 
I've lived just outside of Portsmouth my whole life. I personally wouldn't want to live in the city centre, and to be honest I'll do anything I can to avoid going into Portsmouth. Having said that, I know lots of people my age (25), that really enjoy living along Southsea. One of my sister's lives in Fratton, and her family has received a fair amount of abuse.

I think like most cities, there's bound to be some good and bad areas. Personally, I would aim for one of the towns outside of Portsmouth (Waterlooville, Gosport, Fareham), and commute.

Good luck for the job interview!
 
I moved down last year from sleepy Somerset, and am in Waterlooville and love it :-)
I wouldn't live in Portsmouth itself for love nor money however. Southsea or Eastney would be a good shout if you want to avoid the hell of getting into town, but prices for flats are considerably more than living outside the city for obvious reasons.

Edit: What do you do in Gunwharf mrk?
 
Eulogy said:
I also live in Fareham, worth considering if you don't mind a commute to Portsmouth.

I would not want to live in Portsmouth personally!
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Fareham is one of the main places I have been looking into, mainly due to it being the closest area to the job. Looks like a nice place from images / reviews. What do you consider an average amount would be to rent a niceish flat around Fareham? (I've read a bit but it seems to vary quite a bit)

I live in Coventry which is also classed as a University City as the University is a couple minutes walk from the town centre. I like the social aspect this brings and the general friendliness I have had from other students. As I will be leaving the majority of my friends/girlfriend/family here and only visit once in a few weeks, such a social posibility could help the transition.
 
I've visited a few times as my gf's parents live in the lovely Chichester.

Gunwharf is pretty cool, the Jamies Italian that opened recently is yummy!
 
BlackCoat2k10 said:
Fareham is one of the main places I have been looking into, mainly due to it being the closest area to the job. Looks like a nice place from images / reviews. What do you consider an average amount would be to rent a niceish flat around Fareham? (I've read a bit but it seems to vary quite a bit)

I live in Coventry which is also classed as a University City as the University is a couple minutes walk from the town centre. I like the social aspect this brings and the general friendliness I have had from other students. As I will be leaving the majority of my friends/girlfriend/family here and only visit once in a few weeks, such a social posibility could help the transition.
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Then I'd go for Southsea.

Fareham's nice (I live there) but the social side isn't great & we don't have an amazing amount to do here, but the commute isn't that long to portsmouth (about 20mins on a train).

If I was a young single student I'd most certainly live in the centre in Southsea for the social aspect.

Where have you got the interview for btw?.
 
mrk said:
When was the last time you were in Gosport? A lot has changed over the last 5 years
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I honestly can't remember. Lack of train station would put me off even if the area is on the up.

As for Fareham rental wise I'd expect to be paying around £600-650 for something decent, although you can get cheaper.
 
I stay up there a few days a week for work, have been doing it a few months now and haven't really ventured much past Port Solent really.

Only other place I've really seen a bit of is Cosham whenever I've grabbed a train up, can't say there was anything that stood out there.
 
Where is the job based? Will give us a better idea of what to suggest.

for what its worth, I live in cosham, which everyone else here seems to dislike. It isn't anything like what people have implied. I think they may be confusing it with paulsgrove and wymerring which are nearby.

So, where is the job?
 
I wouldn't have said I disliked Cosham, don't know enough about it, fish n chip shop by the station always smells good though whenever I've been there :)
 
It's very near to Hayling Island.

Think Fareham is probably the furthest away I want to go. Currently commute from Coventry to Birmingham and going by Google Earth/Google Maps Fareham to Lockheed is a bit shorter, but looking at other places too. May have to take a trip to Cosham, love a good chippy!
 
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