[Closed] Portsmouth, what's it like? Could potentially move there from Sheffield...

it's a shit city by the sea

Move to Chichester and commute would be my advice.

Portsmouths quite nice (well, around the docks/spinnaker tower/gunwharf quay/navy bits and Southsea's ok) to visit/work in but I'm not sure I'd want to live in the bits I've seen of it.

It is much improved, but I would be looking to live outside and commute. As suggested Chichester is quite nice, but there are lots of nice villages within reach.

iDave - you seem to have summed up what I saw when I last visited during that 24hr race.

Chichester looks nice, if a little pricey but, keeps the riff-raff out i'm sure!

Oh dear, don't go near that town centre. Chav central.
Parts of Southsea are ok (still too many chavs though).

No decent riding without a drive, unless you take the "move to Chichester" advice.
I live in Waterlooville, which isn't far from Petersfield where the Downs start. It's ok. some resonable roads for quiet roadying, if you like that sort of thing.

Too many cars in Portsmouth too. It has to be one of the worst cities in the country to drive into, or even ride into. Traffic is horrendous. So is the standard of driving. And parking? Don't get me started!

Anyway, yeah, look at the surrounding area, where there are some ok spots. I've lived in a lot of them!

If you find somewhere interesting and want to ask about the area, drop me a message (or post on here).

Been down there on business quite a bit, there are some good restaurants/bars in Gunwarf Quays, and had some good nights out there (including a visit to Club EQ!), don't think I would want to live there though.

You could always move to the Isle of Wight and commute over every day. I did it for 8 1/2 years! Need to factor in the ferry cost which is about £160pm.
Or Gosport? hahahahahaha!

I grew up just outside pompey, but now live in the peak.
Towns much like many others, nice down on the front today I bet!

The riding is uncomparable IMO, I don't bother taking my mtb bike when I go down to stay with my parents!

[i]..Gunwarf Quays[/i]

See any fights?

Portsmouth's pretty shocking,especially at night. I was born there and i would never move back, i wouldn't suggest Southampton either. My suggestion would be perhaps fareham, whitely or any of the other towns springing up around the cities. There's some riding to be had, Q,E off the A3 or the south downs that run along from winchester to Brighton. Several Mtb groups in the area too.

its a dump

No good MTB riding from your door, but I imagine the road riding is OK, especially if its a road out of Portsmouth 🙂

North to Petersfield the MTBing starts to get better

Southsea is actually quite nice, it depends what you're looking for...

I lived in Southsea when I was a single gal. Lovely flat on the seafront, free live music every weekend, farmers markets every month down Palmerston Road, walking distance to some alright bars and Gunwharf Quays. But Southsea and Old Portsmouth are the only nice bits really.

Towns just outside of Portsmouth are Chav magnets, Chichester is nice, quite posh and very expensive.

I live in the New Forest now, settled with my other half and am very happy, lots of forest, beach and a nice villagey atmosphere. Only a stones throw from Southampton town too if we miss the city.

I worked down there for 6 months and my mother lives down there. It would have to be an amazing job offer to get me to move down there. Not a nice place and it's a lot further from the Peak District.

If my good lady gets the job she's applying for then commuting to the Uni would have to be within easy reach.

I'd prefer to live somewhere such as Chichester/etc and put in the commute, but we shall see!

There seems to be quite a standard view on the town centre which is good to have a unified view, so thanks for that!

IOW looks nice, but I feel i'm a bit too young to start The Good Life just yet 😉

thanks all 😉
jt 😉

portsmouth is ****ing horrible tawny, makes sheffield look glam!

Born in Portsmouth, occasionally go in for work, but WOULD not consider living there now, especially with kids!
Been just on outskirts of Chichester, (Fishbourne), for a while now, bloody brilliant place to live, shore rides about 5 minutes away and can ride to the top of the highest downs point in around 30 minutes.
Some nice bars and restaurants and good shops, (so the girlfriend says), in Chichester City Centre.
Again, any advice, drop me a mail!

it's a shit city by the sea

Imagine a desolate post-industrial town dumped on the South coast & inhabited by Southerners. It's like Oldham without the charm.

Southsea used to have a nightclub called Joanna's (AKA the Royal Naval School of Dancing) which was possibly the most horrid, sticky pit in the known universe.

Andy

I live in Southampton and am SO tempted to forward a link to this to both cities tourist marketing departments.

There is a touch of rivellry between here and that sh1th0le

The historic dockyard is an enjoyable day out.

...eh, nothing further to add.

I live in Southampton and am SO tempted to forward a link to this to both cities tourist marketing departments.

There is a touch of rivellry between here and that sh1th0le

I don't know what your point is - Southampton's at least as much of a hell-hole and may even be worse.

Andy

Went to uni there. It was OK as a student living on Southsea. Very densely populated. Ahh Joanna's - Navy Fighting Club.

If it weren't for Portsmouth what would Southampton residents look down on?

I live in Southampton and have to agree with the above posts, wouldn't be on my list of places to move to!

One thing people haven't mentioned is commuting into / out off portsmouth is a nightmare. I used to teach at portsmouth uni one evening a week and during winter used to see a RTA every time, once there was 3 accidents.

I stopped teaching there as I thought it was lowering my life expectancy.

Town centre seemed to be populated by extras from a Robert Nweton pirate film when I was there.

Pretty grim when I was at Poly - 86-89...

...Been back a couple times, and to Gosport earlier this year. Even that sent a shiver down my spine.

My first sight of the place is still my over-riding memory - the view from the M27 at Portsdown Hill - a flat grey slab of a city, dumped by a grey puddle of water, swathed in the bleak grey greyness of a wet and windy Autumn day...
.
I'm feeling quite depressed even recounting it.

Take a rough port city, bomb the crap out of it and rebuild with some of the ugliest examples of 1960s architecture. Slap in lots of massive roads that go nowhere fast, people with the coastal version of cockneys and hey presto Portsmouth! (And I was born there.)

Petersfield is a pretty nice place - direct train line, 25 mins on the A3, and probably cheaper than Chichester (certainly better investment potential - it's on the edge of the new South Downs National Park). Good singletrack riding in the Hangars with great pubs, hills and the Downs within reach by road or mtb.

Lol at some of the comments.

Forgot to mention, very very heavily populated with Polish now (southampton's pretty bad too).

Doesn't bother some people, frankly pisses me off to high heaven when I walk into town / go to the supermarket / etc... and every single person is polish....except me and the missus.

[i]frankly pisses me off to high heaven when I walk into town / go to the supermarket / etc... and every single person is polish.[/i]

maybe you should move away from Warsaw, then?

If I lived in Warsaw it would not be a problem, it's their country after all!

a flat grey slab of a city, dumped by a grey puddle of water, swathed in the bleak grey greyness of a wet and windy Autumn day...

love it

love it

Got turned down for a job with the Portsmouth Tourist Board...

Or Gosport? hahahahahaha!

Great bmx track in Gosport, just being extended currently to meet national track standards. Will be amazing.

Portsmouth is ok, unless you like riding bikes. If you like riding bikes, don't come here. I can't wait to move.

I grew up near Petersfield. Portsmouth is a shithole...don't do it.

I don't know what your point is - Southampton's at least as much of a hell-hole and may even be worse.

To be fair I have been to portmout twice. And that's twice too many. I'll go with the move to petersfield option

+1 for Petersfield or Southampton.

The riding in Petersfield is good, and the night life in Southampton is great.

Portsmouth = Horrid horrid horrid town. Full of fat , ugly biffers with 5 chidren attatched at various ages, all with different fathers. It contains some awful shops , and people. Even the 'nice' shops are not as nice as the versions in other towns. Lots of people with really cheap tattoos and no dress sense whatsoever. They sit on the beach and drink stella in the sun and burn , then cook Tesco value burgers on disposable BBq's and leave them for other people to clean up.

Don't do it. I have a PO postcode , and I would not move to Pompey .
The football team is rubbish too. Gunwharf and the Spinnaker tower / Old docks area are its only attributes.

If you have to move to the area look at the small towns 5 - 10 mies around . Bishops Waltham , Petersfeild, Chi, Hartings, Clanfeild, Rowlands castle, Horndean or Emsworth.

During a debate in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in late March 2003, British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon somewhat inadvisedly compared Umm Qasr to the southern English city of Southampton. The analogy was met with scepticism among the troops on the ground. A British soldier was widely quoted as retorting, "There's no beer, no prostitutes and people are shooting at us. It's more like Portsmouth."

jambo [img] [/img]

Southampton is full of scummers. Pompey is full of people haters. Havant, Chi, petersfield etc are all ok areas.

Portsmouth = Horrid horrid horrid town. Full of fat , ugly biffers with 5 chidren attatched at various ages, all with different fathers.

Sounds more like Leigh Park to me.

I've lived there for two years as a student. I rather like it as an area. The sea front is really nice and underutilised for 80% of the year. As someone else has said the seafront is glorious in summer, however it will get very busy.

It has its problems, the biggest in my book is the number of cars, parking can be a real pain in Southsea and Portsmouth. There are some dislikeable locals, saying that I've yet to have a problem with them.

I wouldn't choose to settle there but as a Uni Town its pretty good.
Riding is pretty non-existent as far as I have been able to tell. I make do with a ride along the sea front which can be pleasant...

it is the uk's only island city.

that is the best thing about it.

Nowt wrong with Leigh Park. Well not where I live (East Rowlands Castle!!)

There is good riding around here in all fairness but helps if you have a car. The south downs can make for good riding and there are other spots. Trouble is you need to get in with the locals to show you some trails been here three years now and I've been shown a bit and found some other bits too. I didn't think there were really any hills here in comparison with other places I've lived such as Plymouth and West Wales but I have found some climbs and decents that prove otherwise. Just wish my riding buddy didn't move to Manc today 😥

I am on Haying Taff , and Dezb is in Waterlooville. We ride a little bit, every now and then and you are welcome to join us. Be aware we are both on the wrong side of 40 and err on the side of caution and keep our wheels firmly on the ground.

its known by those who work there but dont live there as "dog shit city" you will soon see why.

Well, thank you for an overwhelming response.

My girlfriend is Canadian, and should things go ahead, will get a job at the uni. I happened to mention that Portsmouth is a bit like Rotherham/Barnsley upon-sea, and potentially we should look at living on the fringe/edges.

To which she said it looked alright to her.

So, *should* things happen with the job front (very likely), she doesn't own a car/want one, and I really want to commute by bike/train if needs be, the commuting distance would have to be close to the uni.

Any suggestions as to which bits of the immediate area are nice and worth considering renting?

thanks singletrackmind/dezb, very much appreciated! I'm on the right side of 30 and have zero amount of GNARL (truth be told, the roady thing is much easier and as it's not a can-and-will-fail, I actually have a bike to ride)
jt

[i]Any suggestions as to which bits of the immediate area are nice and worth considering renting?[/i]

Probably easier for you to provide "probables" and we yay or nay them!

You see there's Cosham - good rail link to Portsmouth town centre, commutable, outside the city, BUT... Cosham centre is grim. I lived there for a while and walking to the shops always brought the Duelling Banjos to mind. Whereas East Cosham is actually quite nice! Farlington, Drayton + the places STM mentioned above.
Ones to avoid are Wymering, Wecock, Leigh Park, Paulsgrove. (Except they are very cheap!)

Some parts of Southsea are very nice, right down by the seaside, if you fancy that..

Thanks dezb: the missis has just sent this: http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/details/id/BESO4649873/

the property type/style whatever isn't ideal, but it's the area that is of importance.... thanks! (what I mean is the area OK, the property doesn't do anything for me...)

I rented in Buckland when I was there.

Cheap, and admittedly some time ago - might even be an "up and coming" area now...?

.. on the other hand...

Not all of Leigh park or Paulsgroe are bad. I've never had trouble and got friends who live on the port Solent side of pals grove and they have no problems and we both have good neighbours. Every area is going to have it's low points though.

To which she said it looked alright to her.

She hasn't looked hard enough. One of my mates thought that after years of living in Toxteth. She was wrong. The bit by the QA is particularly grim.

I would suggest that Petersfield is a possible solution, as there's a fast train to Pompey Harbour. The Gosport peninsula is much nicer than Pompey proper, if you can be arsed with the ferry.

Andy

Is Petersfield too far for you? Because it's about the most green and pleasant place within 30 mins of Portsmouth. Southsea is OK but I can't think of any decent cycling, road or otherwise, around there. It's flat and grey, like the sea.

I live in Petersfield (well, Steep just outside of Petersfield) now after 10yrs in Portchester. TBH if the linked house is your budget I wouldn't bother looking up here. I'm fortunate that my house comes with my job (still own in Portchester) but even in Petersfeild town itself £700pm is not going to get you much of a house or even a flat. I doubt I could afford to live here if I wasn't given the house as the prices are inflated due to easy commute to London. The train into Portsmouth is great but going to cost you a bomb long term.

Portchester was/is all right I guess but nothing to get too excited about. It was a head rather than heart location for us. Our 3 bed bungalow (lots of bungalows there - very old population!) with nice garage and garden in a nice tucked away part of Porchy close to the water is rented for £725pm. Good location for road biking as a 10min leg stretcher and you are up over Portsdown hill and it's proper countryside (everything goes east/west in a band along the coast here so travel north and it gets rural very quickly). The train direct into Portsmouth is good too. I spent many a happy run along the shore around Porchester and paddling a kayak up Fareham creek. If you view the harbour as a bit of human history its quite an interesting thing to be around.

Failing that I'd look to live in a flat in Southsea and beat the mare that is car travel into Portsmouth by living amongst it. Whilst I loathe most of Portsmouth and avoid it like the plague, I have become increasingly fond of PARTS of Southsea. We spend a lot of time there sea swim training (eastern end near the old marine barracks and pitch and put) and it really is not too bad. A flat near the front and a gentle pedal to work at the uni by bike could be OK. Nightmare to park though - I've spent an hour trying to find a parking spot of an evening when visiting friends - think London.

The mtb riding - so so. I live in probably one of the best parts of the county for riding and it's just about enough to keep the itch scratched but nothing more. Kingly Vale and Rogate are small pockets of gnar in the area but nothing to write home about. Plenty of perfectly pleasant bridleway bashing in the South Downs if you are happy with that.

[i]not all of Leigh park or Paulsgroe are bad[/i]

I know Taff, I grew up in the Park and only ever had one real bit of trouble (outside the chippy in Stone Square 🙂 )

However, it's not somewhere I would recommend someone move to if they are looking to live down this way.

Jon, that Napier Road is near to the nice part of Southsea, but the parking is horrendous. You can probably see from the map - it's all a bit sardine-like.

I have just moved to ludlow, from sheffield, however I work mon - fri in the Petersfield area.

My take on riding in the portsmouth area, as compared to Sheffield is that there is just not the quanitity of quality riding. From sheffield, you can be in the peaks in 15 mins (riding time). From there the riding is as you know amazing and plentiful. In the area of hampshire near to portsmouth, there is only a small amount of high quality riding. Dont get me wrong, its still ok, theres just not the quantity. But as I said above, what there is, is excellent.

The other difference is rock. There are no rocks down here! The riding tends to consist of forest singletrack or wide open bridleways.

Theres enought to keep me happy during the week though 🙂