Tell Me About Edinburgh

platypus · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:04

Being a proud Englishman of course it galls me somewhat to have the possibility arise to move to Scotland. Still, Edinburgh is lovely, I've been there a few times to run and visit, and it's a nice city.

Anyway there is a slim possibility of moving there with a job, and I'd just like to know a bit more about actually living there. Looking at finances, ideally I'd like a maximum of £800pcm with usual bills (not inc food) for rent, I'm aware this will mean not living in the centre so what areas around should I look at, and what should I avoid, living costs, quality of life, etc?

Suppose I should state - I love little villages, and if at all possible (unlikely I know) I'd like to live in a small village and commute in.

neodude · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:19

I'm originally from West Lothian and it is well positioned for commuting to Edinburgh. Some places there are nice, some are not so nice. Nice places include Linlithgow, Uphall, Dechmont, Torphichen & Dalmeny. Not so nice places include Livingston, Bathgate, Armadale, Winchburgh, Broxburn and Kirkliston. Each to their own though, I have only ever stayed in Uphall personally so I'm maybe biased.

semi-pro waster · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:26

How far away are you willing to live? I know the area round Swanston/Fairmilehead/Buckstone reasonably well and they're all nice areas, no idea of the rental prices though. From any of them you're less than a 10 minute drive (or even walk in some cases) away from the Pentland Hills but correspondingly you're also probably about 6-8 miles away from the centre of town - public transport there is pretty decent (Lothian Buses have won best bus company in the UK a couple of times in the past decade or so although that may say more about the quality of the service in the rest of the UK...) and you can certainly cycle into the centre from there provided you can cope with a few wee hills. Oh there is however an utterly pointless tram system being installed at great expense going from Leith sort of area to Ingliston/Edinburgh Airport - I'm going to leave it there as it just irritates me.

It's less expensive than London for living costs but it is one of the pricier cities in the UK, it is however perfectly possible to live there on a budget of course. Quality of life is pretty good with plenty of green space around and a fair selection of shops/activities (you might be told that Glasgow has better shops, this may be true but it's not of a level that ever bothered me).

I'd definitely avoid Niddrie, Pilton and probably Wester Hailes also. I'd personally avoid Leith too but I'm told that it's a great up and coming area which is much improved from what it used to be so maybe that's just old prejudice from me.

//edit in view of your last edit - Swanston Village is a very small village on the outskirts of Edinburgh (but within city limits just) and is a lovely little place, no idea whether there will be any rental accomodation available there at the moment, people tend to stay quite a long time.

_dogma_ · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:26

I've got a room available in Kirkcaldy, bit further away but only asking 300pm

Bar · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:29

I am also from West Lothian and in all honesty you really need to have a look at the areas. Local knowledge does help a lot however, Livingston is a large place and has several nice areas (Livingston Village, Eliburn, Murieston) your main bet is the more modern developments as opposed to the older council estates.

Depending upon what size house you want / need and what side of Edinburgh you will be working on will make a big difference.

One thing I did notice last time I was up in Edinburgh is that prescriptions only cost £4 as opposed to the £7.20 they charge down here.

Just having a quick look on right move you are looking at a minimum of £500 pcm to get even a remotely nice property - even then I would personally not look at any property that was lower than £600pcm.

If you provide some more information in terms of where abouts in Edinburgh I would be happy to give a more concise answer.

platypus · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:43

semi-pro waster said:
How far away are you willing to live? I know the area round Swanston/Fairmilehead/Buckstone reasonably well and they're all nice areas, no idea of the rental prices though. From any of them you're less than a 10 minute drive (or even walk in some cases) away from the Pentland Hills but correspondingly you're also probably about 6-8 miles away from the centre of town - public transport there is pretty decent (Lothian Buses have won best bus company in the UK a couple of times in the past decade or so although that may say more about the quality of the service in the rest of the UK...) and you can certainly cycle into the centre from there provided you can cope with a few wee hills. Oh there is however an utterly pointless tram system being installed at great expense going from Leith sort of area to Ingliston/Edinburgh Airport - I'm going to leave it there as it just irritates me.

Cheers spw; again ideally I'd like to be in a short driving distance and cycle-able (eg 10 miles, at a push <15).

platypus · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:45

Bar said:
If you provide some more information in terms of where abouts in Edinburgh I would be happy to give a more concise answer.

Thanks Bar, appreciate that. I don't yet know precisely where, so will update as and when I do.

Begbie · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:52

Originally from West Lothian as well. There is some really nice areas just outside, Aramadale and Linlithgow spring to mind.

neodude · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:55

Armadale is a dump

semi-pro waster · 3 Mar 2010 at 09:57

platypus said:
Cheers spw; again ideally I'd like to be in a short driving distance and cycle-able (eg 10 miles, at a push <15).

Just had a quick check and there are some flats in Morningside, Comiston and Bruntsfield under the budget - closer to town and will almost certainly be smaller but they tend to be decent areas. Not quite as scenic though of course as they are in town.

[FnG]magnolia · 3 Mar 2010 at 10:09

^ The usual suspects are Bruntsfield, Morningside, Marchmont, and Stockbridge.

Avoid Wester Hailles, Sighthill and South Leith.

Balerno and Juniper Green are also worth a review.

e : Just to wind up semi-pro, have you considered a better city like, say, Glasgow?

platypus · 3 Mar 2010 at 10:13

semi-pro waster said:
Just had a quick check and there are some flats in Morningside, Comiston and Bruntsfield under the budget - closer to town and will almost certainly be smaller but they tend to be decent areas. Not quite as scenic though of course as they are in town.

Where are you looking? Rightmove doesn't know any of those locations.

[FnG]magnolia · 3 Mar 2010 at 10:14

Try here

neodude · 3 Mar 2010 at 10:19

[FnG]magnolia;16077682 said:
have you considered a better city like, say, Glasgow?

PMSL. Glasgow doesn't compare to Edinburgh in the slightest.

Raumarik · 3 Mar 2010 at 10:20

neodude said:
Armadale is a dump

You're being a bit too kind

[FnG]magnolia · 3 Mar 2010 at 10:22

neodude said:
PMSL. Glasgow doesn't compare to Edinburgh in the slightest.

No, they're not comparable

Jock · 3 Mar 2010 at 11:09

Glasgow all the way, and its an easy enough commute on a train.

Biohazard · 3 Mar 2010 at 11:13

platypus said:
Being a proud Englishman of course it galls me somewhat to have the possibility arise to move to Scotland.

Simple, don't do it then.

Biohazard · 3 Mar 2010 at 11:15

semi-pro waster said:
I'd definitely avoid Niddrie, Pilton and probably Wester Hailes also. I'd personally avoid Leith too but I'm told that it's a great up and coming area which is much improved from what it used to be so maybe that's just old prejudice from me.

Leith isn't that bad at all these days, I'd quite happily stay in the majority of leith.

I don't find pilton etc that bad personally it isn't quite trainspotting ala 1990's anymore, but I'm a scary dude anyway

[FnG]magnolia · 3 Mar 2010 at 11:17

^ We've seen your jumper!