I've been over many times, during the tt and during quieter times, and am thinking more and more about a simple life and doing the things I enjoy. Im 45 now, have a good job in a flooding consultancy, and am thinking more and more about this.This train of thought has got me thinking if the Isle of Man would fulfil this, a place im familiar with.
I always feel relaxed and happy when I'm over there. However, what's it like actually living there full time? Does 'cabin fever' set in, is there enough to do, what's the job situation like, and how welcoming is it?
Have you been in winter when its wet and the wind is blowing for days on end?
Wife has an aunt and cousins over there. They like it, I love it but have only really seen it at its best when Tesco's is fully stocked and the sun is out. I imagine a big storm in the Irish sea, flights being grounded and ferries cancelled and its a different kettle of fish. We did consider a move there some years back but decided it would be too isolating from the rest of our family on mainland UK.
Are UK citizens allowed to just move there or do you have to get some kind of immigration clearance?
Think there is quite a big hurdle to clear if you want to emigrate over there.
(its not part of the UK)
Believe you would have to have relatives out there, or a sizeable amount of cash.
I know someone who lives there. TT month is awful. Weather can be awful. When the weather is good, it looks gorgeous.
My wife has family connections there. Her parents (since died) moved there in the 80s. Her sister, BIL and nephew still live there. We've been over loads in winter as well as spring/summer. She had an aunt who lived in an old miners cottage near Barule plantation outside Foxdale. We spent a couple of Christmases there. That was a bit bleak and windswept! Love the island though, great scenery and plenty of walking, beaches, mountain biking, motorsport etc. Some not bad pubs too.
We considered moved there at one time. The only thing that put me off, was travel to and from the island, in terms of time, cost and not infrequent disruptions. With grown up kids, elderly parents and lots of friends in GB we like to keep in touch with, that torpedoed our plans.
When my wife's family moved, there were no restrictions at all on UK residents living there. Not sure if that has changed.
I know some people over there.
Jobs are limited ie what would your family do? Its still a place where people know about you, and if you want planning etc you have to know them. Housing is expensive. Roads are congested because there are not many roads.
Wouldnt your job be a conflict of interest ie wouldnt you be flying off the island every 2 minutes adding to global warming and flow risk ?
Ive been over 3 times now, long enough to know I wouldnt want to live there.
There are no restrictions for UK residents to move and work there - you just need a permit to work. There is an active drive to get people to move there at the moment 'locate isle man' into google'. Also no restrictions on buying houses. House prices are comparable to decent places in the North of England.
With my job, the aim would be to work with flood risk on the iom, therefore, only travel would be on the island itself. Difficulty is finding a vacancy or possibly doing my current job remotely.
My biggest concern is the islotsion as touched on above. However, I lived in Pembrokeshire for 15 years, which although isn't an.island. is isolated from the rest of the UK, with Welsh winter weather. The difference between the iom and pembas is that Douglas has alot more going on and doesn't 'close' in the winter when the tourists leave.
The only people I've met who live there moved there for tax avoidance purposes. They also had lovely views on getting away from the horrible "PC gone madness" in the UK. I therefore kind of assumed it was some kind of gammony wonderland - but as no one has touched on that I guess that's just my preconceptions.
I've been to Douglas during the winter, it was grim, just reminded me of any other seasonal seaside town. Could have been Rothesay, Dunoon, Helensburgh...
some kind of gammony wonderland
My dad loved the place and he was, I'm sad to say, the archetypal gammon.
I remember a distinct lack of anyone except white late middle aged sour faced types.
We went on hol there a couple of times with my folks. Scenery was decent enough, and interesting Motorsport events (not just TT) if that's your thing but it was definitely like being thrown backwards in time to a pre-70s-package-holiday middle England.
Which is not really what I personally enjoy.
Ok to visit for a week if the weather's nice, but I wouldn't fancy it to live there.
I work with a guy who lives there.
From what he says of the place it's very much a self governing small town, spread over an island, full of nepotism and best not to upset people as they may make your life shit due to connections.
He loves it, and thinks the UK is a wokey PC hellhole, basically a rampant 40 year old gammon.
Are UK citizens allowed to just move there or do you have to get some kind of immigration clearance?
There are no restrictions for UK residents to move and work there – you just need a permit to work.
Not to be a dick about it, but needing a work permit is a restriction and means UK citizens can't just move there...
https://www.gov.im/categories/working-in-the-isle-of-man/work-permits/who-needs-a-work-permit/
Just re read what I wrote and it wasn't what i meant.
Uk citizens can move there to live with no restrictions. If you want to work though, you need a permit. However, with an active recruitment drive and you had a job offer, I can't see that being an issue.
There is a massive amount of offshore finance workers there. Then a load of weird Manx locals. Good place to start a family and big enough not to feel too claustrophobic. Douglas is the main town, which is like a posh version of Blackpool. Fairly decent outdoor stuff and quite a few parties, if you like that kind of thing.
I’ve been to Douglas during the winter, it was grim, just reminded me of any other seasonal seaside town. Could have been Rothesay, Dunoon, Helensburgh…
Yep, but there's a lot more to the Island than Douglas. We mostly avoid it when we go - a pound shop Blackpool. The rest of the Island is far nicer, it's a shame that many visitors never leave Douglas. I prefer the south, Castletown, Port Erin and Port St Mary and also Peel on the west coast.
To be fair I was there for a job interview (BP Shipping) so wasn't really able to see anything else.
With my job, the aim would be to work with flood risk on the iom
Would that be a very large wall?
You can live a simple life and do things you enjoy anywhere - you don't need to move to an island and make the rest of your life difficult.
Most posters here live on an island...
...you could argue England is not an island! 😜
Nor is Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or Ireland.
Try Dumfries and Galloway. Similar landscape to the IOM and relaxed pace of life but relatively easy access to Glasgow or Edinburgh if you feel like a change for a weekend.
…you could argue England is not an island!
England is not an island. It's mostly on an island, though. And all the bits are that aren't on that island are on other islands...