What's it like living and working in the North East?

Question

My husband is relocating to join a company in Newcastle and wants me to go with him.

Answer 1

I live in Carlisle which is about 80 miles from Newcastle. Its a really friendly place. The people have a fab sense of humour and are very welcoming. Me and my friends go for nights out there when we can and we love it. Great shopping too and although some of the city is a bit dreary its generally ok if you choose a good area. I dont know about the work side but i cant imagine its that different to my city, its fine but it depends what you want to know and what line of work you do i suppose. I cant imagine it being awful though. There are far worse places you could live and if youre after a good social life its the right place, great accents too!!

Answer 2

I'm a Mackem - a Geordie .. but ... civilised. Seriously, Mackems are from Sunderland as Geordies are from Newcastle. We're about 12 miles south.

The North East. Well, it depends what you're looking for. If you like to go out drinking on a night then you've picked the right place, as apparently, Newcastle is the best night out in the country. I wouldn't know, I'm a teetotaller stay-at-home but that's what I've heard.

If you like shopping, we have the Metrocentre, Europes largest indoor shopping and leisure complex in Gateshead which is just across the river Tyne to Newcastle. It's really easy to find.

If you like walks along the beach, you'll be spoilt for choice. Whereas the southerners seem to like shingle (Brighton for instance), we have mile after mile after mile of unspoilt sandy beach. Sunderland has three ... Roker, Seaburn and Whitburn. Then there's South Shields beach which, even though it is Tyneside - is the 'civilised' side of the river (ie, the southern side).

There's a very strong community spirit and even a local rivalry, I don't know if I've intimated this but Geordies and Mackems have a bit of a 'thing' with each other. Walk around Tyneside and you'll see lots of black and white stripey shirts (Newcastle United); walk around Sunderland and you'll see lots of red and white stripey shirts (Sunderland AFC) and there's the crux of the problem, football, quite a lot of people are crazy about it.

Which leads me onto sports, there's a lot of sporty things to do too, as well as football to get fanatical about. There's the world famous Gateshead Stadium, Sunderland has a dry ski slope and a tennis training centre side by side, actually very close to where I work. There are leisure centres galore and we're apparently building an Olympic sized swimming pool.

If you like sailing, Sunderland at least has a marina and a sailing club and I'm sure there's a Tyneside version too.

It really all depends what you're looking for but the North East has everything you could possibly be looking for and as for history, you can't get much older than Hadrian's Wall and if you want to go exploring, the North East borders Scotland and Newcastle (depending on where you settle) is only about 50 miles away from the border - as it were.

Answer 3

get yourself up there you`ll love it