Moving to Newcastle

My husband and I are planning to move to Newcastle in January. Based on what we've researched, it seems like a good fit for us. Can anyone who lives there or has spent time there give me a more authentic feel for what it's like? Or which areas to look for/avoid when choosing a flat? There's only so much search engines can tell me about it.... Thanks!

I don't live there now, but will be moving there next summer.  I was only there for a few days, and a lot of that time was spent at my job interview, but I really liked it.  The public transportation is fantastic and the city seems to have a lot of stuff going on.  I didn't make it into as many residential areas as I would have liked, but I know that most of my colleagues-to-be live down at the coast, in Tynemouth and Whitley Bay.  I took the metro down there and really liked it.  I guess Whitley Bay can get quite rowdy on the weekends, but when I was there it seemed lovely--lots of nice shops, lots of beach, charming little houses.  I guess it depends on what you're into.  Keep in mind that Newcastle is very much a university town--Jesmond and Heaton in particular are saturated with students, along with the accompanying bars, etc (which can be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for!)

Good luck!  Maybe we'll be neighbors someday!

My husband is from Whitley Bay, it is a nice area but unless you want quiet I wouldn't move there. Newcastle is a huge party city and you will see ladies in various states of dress, or likely undress, all the time. Even in the dead of winter no one wears jackets when they go out drinking, it is so odd. It is a big hen and stag do city as well. Gosforth is a lovely area of Newcastle, I would recommend that area!

Very much a part town and geordie accents (on girls at least) are so sexy....

What specifically are you wanting to know? There are a lot of things about the city that would be dependant on your preferences, like are you going to driving or using public transport, do you have kids, do you prefer quiet, do you go out a lot, how much are you looking to spend on rent/mortgage, etc.

Overall it is a decent city. As already mentioned, it is very, very much a party town so if you are going to be anywhere near the city centre it can get very loud and sometimes dangerous due to the sheer volume of intoxicated people out on the streets.

The Quayside is nice and the bridges are a beautiful sight. We live on the Quayside and it is nice because its still within walking distance to everything but not right in the thick of it all.

The West end is quite rough and I would avoid that area if I were you. Further afield there are lots of nice little suburban type neighbourhoods. Gosforth and Jesmond are very nice leafy sort of areas with a high proportion of students so lots of little trendy bars and restaurants.

The people tend to be nice, but again, it is very much a party city so night time sometimes brings out the not so nice side. The accent is a bit hard to adjust to if you're not familiar with it. Um... I think that is all the generic stuff I can think of but if you have any specific questions, feel free to let loose

I am from Newcastle originally and I think the comments here are pretty much spot on (especially english.bloke's!!!)

It is a very varied city and you'll be able to find an area to live that suits you. As for the party aspect, of course the city centre is busy with people getting their drink on, but unless you want to live right there in the Bigg Market, then it shouldn't be a problem.

Of course I'm biased, but having lived in a number of different cities in the UK I have to say the people of the North East are SO friendly and accommodating. My husband is from Kent and he agrees with this, so it's not just because I have the accent that I'm more accepted! Feel free to ask more detailed questions if you want and good luck!

THANK you all who replied! Sorry this is weeks late. I was tearing my hair out getting my spousal visa together But now that it's in proces and I have nothing but time to wait I can more poperly pay attention haha.

From all the flats I've looked at online, I like the ones in the Jesmond area, although I did see one in Whitley Bay that I absolutely loved. Ultimately, cost is what dictates where we're going to live. Is 450-550 pounds per month for a one bedroom flat realistic? We don't have children, and don't intend on owning a vehicle, so it's great to know that public transportation is readily accessible. I do prefer quieter neighborhoods, with the option to go to the rowdy parts of town for a bit of fun. I assume we'll be doing a lot of exploring for at least the first year, as I've never been to the UK and can't wait to see/hear/taste/smell/feel everything.

I don't know how this factors into residential area, but I have special dietary needs (no gluten, limited dairy, no red meat/seafood) so being near stores that cater to this is important. I'd love to live near a farmer's market, then again DH might just wring my neck for spending all our money on lovely fresh veg and fruit

Hmm... trying to think of other things that would be important. Meh. That's all I got for now. Thanks again for all the helpful info!