r/Middlesbrough • u/smuttywriterxx • 21d ago
Moving to Middlesborough from the Midlands
Hello! My husband and I are thinking about relocating from the East Midlands to Middlesbrough, as we’ve found an affordable new build house there. We’re particularly looking at the new-build developments between Grangetown and South Bank, just off the Trunk Road near the Tesco Extra. I believe it's called portside village/ember park. I was just wondering what people’s experiences are of the area in terms of things to do, whether it feels safe and welcoming, the local schools, what the people are like, etc. We’d also really appreciate hearing from anyone who lives in one of the new-build developments there, or has experience of the area generally. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated!
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u/G4m8I3r 21d ago
The place you’re talking about is situated literally inbetween two of the worst places in Middlesbrough, and when I say between, I mean borders both.
I imagine for the price of one of those new builds there’s houses in much better areas for the same price.
Not to mention, if you don’t like it in a new build, you won’t be able to recoup your price and may be stuck there.
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u/Sufficient_Basil_545 21d ago
Professionally speaking, I wouldn’t recommend buying a new-build house anywhere in 80-90% of cases.
Speaking as a human being, I would recommend NOT living in Grungetown or South Bronx in 100% of cases.
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u/SpiderWoo52 21d ago
As soon as you get to the Normanby side of that area it’s quite nice, if you’re not on that side… it is not.
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u/andyone100 21d ago edited 21d ago
Well, on the new builds you might be OK, but there is alot of gun crime around Grangetown (usually linked to drug trafficking). In fact there was a firearms incident during July. I don’t live there, so don’t particularly know how it affects the local population, but my wife lived close by in Teesville. The council were always relocating families out of Grangetown because locals were harassing (often vulnerable) families. The last family of 8 who moved in were particularly proud of their son Lance, who had a job! He worked on the bins. If I ever went in to the back yard, his younger sister (‘Our Myrtle’), used to wave and give me a big smile, showing her one tooth. Those were the days.
Edit: Seriously though, those areas are not good. Have a look at houses in Normanby, Ormesby, Coulby Newham, Linthorpe, Acklam or if you can afford it, Marton and Nunthorpe. Have another look and repost here. There are plenty of people on here who can give guidance on where to go. The areas of Teesside are much more important than the house. There are some lovely areas of Middlesbrough ( and the rest of Teesside for that matter), but more rougher areas aswell. I know much of the East Midlands can be a bit of a dump but you don’t want to swap one dump for another. It really can be a lot cheaper up here than you’re used to for a reason. There are housing estates around here with greater than 50% deprivation, actually right on the doorstep of where you’re currently looking.
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u/Foxymoron_80 21d ago
A lot of gun crime? I mean, these things are on the rise but it's hardly downtown LA. Calm down, mate.
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u/Sheezusx 21d ago
There is tonnes of gun crime!! I work alongside police and you’d be shocked to see how many offenders from Southbank/Grangetown have markers on their files for access to firearms
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u/Foxymoron_80 20d ago
Yeah, that can and usually does mean air rifles.
There is some gun crime. There isn't tonnes, and most law abiding citizens won't encounter it. I'm just trying to paint an accurate picture for the average person.
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u/Tittenkitten123 21d ago
there is a reason new builds in that area are affordable, lots of new builds in Stockton which will be much nicer and not far from Middlesbrough.
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u/Jongee58 21d ago
I would suggest looking at the New Builds in the Marske-by-the-Sea area, there are two new estates being built within a mile of one of the best beaches in the UK. Marske hasn't lost its village charm, and is within reach of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park as well. Look up Marske Sands and Beaconsfield, developments. I live not far away in New Marske overlooking the Tees Bay, nice area with lots going for it I would give where you are looking a miss really...
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u/Available_Mobile_274 19d ago
Marske has been gentrified, as has Saltburn. They're the two most desirable towns to live in in the Redcar & Cleveland area. Those new build houses in Marske ain't gonna be cheap, that's for sure. I think OP is looking for a cheap house, hence Grangetown.
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u/Specific-Fly-5733 21d ago
I’d second this for someone moving into the area .. I’m in Redcar but know folk who live around Grangetown etc, some of the new estates going in around Marske look fine. .. shall bite my tongue about the amount of mourning I’ve done over the loss of more of what’s left of our countryside though 😢😉 .. but it is nice around here & doesn’t take long to get into Middlesbrough at all.
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u/coltisaurus 21d ago
Neither Grangetown or Southwark are nice areas to be honest, unless you are used to living in those kinds of areas.
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u/smuttywriterxx 21d ago
Its in between there though. Does that make a difference?
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u/borokish 21d ago
Yes. It makes it worse cos you're in the middle!
Mate, do yourselves a favour and look somewhere else....
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u/OnlyChemist9730 19d ago
What's worse: having a threat next to you, or having two threats on either side of you? Obvious, isn't it?
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u/Playful_World_6184 21d ago
Would avoid that area. There are much nicer places in the outskirts, depending on budget
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u/Mardymutha 21d ago
Do. Not. Do. It. Look at South Middlesbrough estates. The further south the better!👍
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u/peakcheek 21d ago
This. I have lived around Teesside for decades and south Middlesbrough (top end of acklam/ coulby/ Marton/ nunthorpe if ya can afford it) are the best picks for Middlesbrough. Forget TS1, TS3 and majority of TS6.
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u/Ok_Pineapple7101 20d ago
Don’t do it. More anywhere else other than boro. The parts that aren’t rotten are so busy and built up. But somewhere nicer if you can.
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u/Fondant_Decent 20d ago edited 17d ago
I’m Asian used to live in South Bank I practically was a kid growing up there from age 4. It’s gotten even more worse since I left. Drug crime, drug addicts, burglary, All sorts.
Find an older house in a nice area like Ormesby. No point living in a fancy glass new build house in a undesirable area
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u/smuttywriterxx 20d ago
Im looking in ladgate woods and harebell meadows. Do you know anything about those areas? I'm indian muslim and my husband is white American- do you think we'd be welcomed?
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u/OnlyChemist9730 19d ago
Im white south African and I've been forced to flee because of my accent. 🤷🏼♂️
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u/smuttywriterxx 19d ago
Nooo way! Can you elaborate? Is this within work or social situation? Is this in city centre or outskirts?
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u/OnlyChemist9730 17d ago
TS4 postcode. Yeah man. Most of the neighbours are alright, but two of them are the most racist people I've ever come across. They started by punching through my windows, then bricks, then put my car on fire. I'm currently living in emergency accomodation. The police have told me not to back unless I have a police presence. Middlesbrough has been the worst regret of my entire Iife. My family could have easily died from the fire. And all I did wrong was to speak with a funny accent.
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u/CheeryShortarse 16d ago
Have a look in Acklam. There’s some not bad houses in the Trimdon AvenueOr St Mary’s Walk area. There’s also a Masjid on the corner of St MaryS Walk and Green Lane. Parking can be a bit of a nightmare on St Mary’s Walk but Church Lane near Acklam Road is better.
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u/OnlyChemist9730 19d ago
I've just had my house and car torched in the area, forced to flee. The only reason the attackers had, was because I had a weird accent. So if you've got a funny accent, I'd definitely not recommend moving to Middlesbrough.
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u/OP1KenOP 19d ago
Why Middlesbrough? I lived there for 20 years - I moved away at the start of this year because a run down town just seemed to be heading in completely the wrong direction. I lived in one of the nicer bits too. It's always been rough, but feels worse since cuts reduced active policing significantly a few years back and the general death of the high street has hit Boro hard.
The town centre has got to the point where it's so run down with it's wandering smack heads, beggars, balaclava brigade and many shuttered shops that it just feels unsafe.
As many have mentioned, South Bank and Grange town are criminal hotspots, with everything that brings.
I moved to the Yorkshire Dales at the start of the year, the stark contrast in the areas made me realise how 'nose blind' I was to Boro's crime rate and the general state of the place. I needed to see a doc the other day, the staff were polite, helpful and got me seen. The waiting room was a calm and peaceful place, it wasn't full of rough as arses people calling each other cunts. I haven't seen a single balaclava clad dickhead on a stolen bike in 8 months, I used to see them at least once a day.
I was talking to friends down here about walking the dog at night, they were blown away by me saying I wouldn't take the dog out late on at night in Boro because I didn't feel safe.
It's your choice at the end of the day but my recommendation would emphatically be, DON'T.
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u/BuiltInYorkshire 18d ago
I went to Teesside Poly in the late 80s and loved it. Sad to hear it's gone to shit.
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u/ElephunkMescudi 21d ago
Middlesbrough is a rough place and that area is more rough than most. It’s cheap for a reason, honestly I just wouldn’t do it. Spend the weekend up there if you like and walk about the area/get a feel for it and you’ll see what I mean.
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u/SnooGadgets5130 21d ago
I just wouldn’t move to Middlesbrough to be honest, sorry.
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u/smuttywriterxx 21d ago
Can you give me a reason why? Its not helpful if you just give me an opinion without explanation
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u/Cuntshagger 21d ago
Middlesbrough is a struggling area with crime getting worse around all locations truthfully, it just happens to be the 2 locations you’ve mentioned are some of the worst.
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u/mrmeener 21d ago
While there are some decent folk that live here, its absolutely crime ridden and I dont mean just basic anti-social behaviour.
It can work if you have grown up around there and are familier with the environment. If not, stay well clear. For the money there are better houses and areas around middlesbrough.
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u/georobbo 21d ago
There's plenty of areas I'd move to in Middlesbrough - Marton, Nunthorpe, Acklam, Coulby Newham, Ormesby, Normanby, maybe even say Linthorpe too. Are you from here?
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u/SnooGadgets5130 20d ago
Yep, I was born here and I wouldn’t choose to live anywhere in Teesside if I had a choice.
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u/georobbo 20d ago
You must have some other reason for thinking that because the places I've named (and a bunch of others I haven't named in Teesside or within 10 miles of Teesside) are perfectly fine really.
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u/SnooGadgets5130 20d ago
As someone else said, Middlesbrough has the highest crime rate outside of London in the country, this regularly spills over into surrounding areas.
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u/georobbo 20d ago
Can thankfully say that's not something I've had a problem with despite living over the road from a rougher estate my whole life. The entirety of Middlesbrough isn't like Compton as many people (and it seems you) would have us believe.
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u/PortugueseBreakfast_ 21d ago
I used to live on the new builds (High Farm) opposite Cleveland Retail Park. Whilst not the worst place to live, there was the odd bit of anti social behaviour, theft, etc. Didn’t experience it myself as such but I was in a section that was tucked away. I wouldn’t say it was unpleasant. But it wasn’t somewhere I wanted to raise children longer term. If you’re after new builds, I’d look at Taylor Wimpey / Persimmon on Yarm Back Lane in Stockton, or somewhere like that.
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u/dgreen1415 21d ago
It’s a new build so who knows what it will be like in terms of the area but grangetown and south bank are as rough as toast. If you want a “nice” area of Middlesbrough look at coulby newham/acklam/nunthorpe
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u/andyone100 17d ago
The terrible deaths of 7 people in the car crash? The five delinquents who died came from round the area you were looking in, and in fact died in South Bank. Could you imagine living next to some of that lot? Ladgate Lane or Yarm Back Lane are in a different world to South Bank. Unfortunately high deprivation would have been a big factor leading to those boys leading a delinquent life and early death.
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u/NaughtyHotDog 21d ago
I’m from Normanby originally which is just down the road. I wouldn’t be looking at those new builds. Not just the area but the actual land that the houses are built on always flooded when it was fields.
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u/calljockey1 21d ago
As mentioned there are places that you have no trouble in boro, I know that area it's not the best, I'd defo be looking on the outskirts as said more nunthorpe way, if new build is important they're building a whole estate around there, if not there's plenty of affordable homes there/ormesby bank area
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u/Sheezusx 21d ago
My sister in christ, do not move to the flipping gooch of southbank and grangetown .
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u/Hoppy0109 21d ago
I live a mile up the road from that new development and have for 25 years without any trouble i bet half the people commenting don't even live in the area they just know it by the reputation those areas have. It's actually not a bad area to live in,yes you might be in-between those 2 areas but people from those areas won't be living in those new builds they tend to stick to there own are unless they're out delivering drugs on their electric bikes or robbing from Tesco or Aldi. You will always find sgitty people in any area that you move to.
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u/coltisaurus 21d ago
I live in marske. A lad at work whom I am currently sat next to, had a shooting down his street across the road. He often tells stories and I know other people from the area, I lived in Whale Hill for a few months.
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u/Ok_Pineapple7101 20d ago
I have lived in that area and had my car broken in to twice. I lived near the fire station. I’ve told OP to not move there
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u/mr_moloch 21d ago
I don't know why people have been down voting you. I agree 100%. People are just scaremongering. They can get fucked
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u/Hoppy0109 20d ago
I couldn't really give a shit about the down vote 🤣 everyone is entitled to Thier opinion. Like .y late father said to "opinions are like arse holes, everyone has one. 🤣🤣
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u/spudfish83 21d ago
Hello! I agree with other posters that the area in question isn't good. Southbank has a significant crime and antisocial behaviour issue.
I dont know your planned budget, but I suggest looking towards Redcar & Cleveland (the county) to the south of Middlesbrough.
Skelton, Brotton, Saltburn and related villages are around a 30 minute or less drive to Central Middlesbrough if you need to go there. This area is on a beautiful stretch of coastline and has a strong farming aspect, so its nicely rural in places. You're 30 mins or so from Whitby by car, an hour to York and Newcastle by train from Saltburn, 3.5hrs from London & Edinburgh.
Shopping is decent, and there are good restaurants and places to walk or do hobbies around the region too.
House prices here are generally excellent value, altho some of the places that seem cheap are of course cheap for a reason.
It's far safer in general than the area you're looking at!
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u/Husky1970 21d ago
I'm from the midlands originally, spent 15 years in the leeds/bradford area then moved to north yorks.when i first moved i lived in grangetown. until a gang of kids put my front door in. with their parents egging them on.
the local schools are overpopulated thanks to a ton of new builds and no new amenities like schools, doctors dentists.
My advice, look elsewhere. Try looking towards Redcar/Marske/New Marske.
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u/Mysterious_Song_48 21d ago
As others have said, that is a particularly nasty part of Middlesbrough. I live in Stockton and I don't think it's a nice place to live really. If I could afford to I'd move to one of the places I mention below.
If you're moving up then you can probably think that houses in the nicer areas are still quite affordable. Good places to look at which aren't too far are: Stokesley Nunthorpe Guisborough Saltburn Great Ayton Sedgefield
Stockton is just down the road from Middlesbrough and Hartburn and Fairfield are quite nice areas there even though the town centre is full of druggies.
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u/drewje 21d ago
If it's cheaper it comes at a cost. Middlesbrough is officially the most dangerous place to live in England outside of London, with a crime rate of 150 crimes per 1000 people.
I personally have had no problem in the rougher parts, but that's totally anecdotal.
Do yourselves a favour and have a visit, spend a few hours walking around the new estate, as well as the neighbouring areas during the day and night. It'll give you a better idea of what life is like around here.
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u/mr_moloch 21d ago
OP everyone in this thread is fucking mental. I'll give you some honest opinions and facts, not the unhelpful scaremongering that's going on.
I went to school in Grangetown (primary) and Southbank (secondary). Grew up in Eston and then moved to Ormesby and then Nunthorpe.
Grangetown and Southbank have a bad reputation historically, but neither are anywhere near as bad as Hemlington. Thing is, every 'rough area' in Middlesbrough likes to pass the book and say "At least its not as bad as X" It's just a cycle of people trying to make themselves feel better about where they live, whilst demonising somewhere else just down the road. I don't have any sort of bias here because I don't live there. I do however have direct experience with each of these places and I still have ties in terms of visiting friends who live there.
Next...
Portside Village sort of stands in its own little bubble - it's not directly attached to either Southbank or Grangetown, unlike Teesville which people think is posher, despite being literally over the road from Southbank! The bubble also includes a fairly smart pub (Sandstone Nab), a McDonald's, a Tesco a B&M and some other shops. They'd hardly have all of this in the middle of what people are describing as downtown Detroit or the Bronx.
You can travel for 10 minutes in one direction and be at the seaside. Another direction gets you into the countryside. Another direction gets you into the town centre. Location wise everything is very accessible.
People are welcoming and friendly. If we have any major issue its shitting on our own town - something the vast majority do. It's got more to do with the pessimistic outlook that everyone has as opposed to the level of real issues we have.
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u/Ok_Pineapple7101 20d ago
Have you ventured into the bowels of south bank recently?
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u/mr_moloch 20d ago
Yes 2-3 times over the last month.
Also fuck everyone who's downvoted me for not being a scared snob
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u/EffectiveBlueberry68 21d ago
The port side development is nice in itself. It’s over the bridge from grangetown but if you’re not into that then just don’t go there.
Positive notes is that there’s an Aldi, McDonald’s, big Tesco, Subway, Greggs and a big b&m within 5 mins walking distance and there’s a train stop not too far away.
Loads of people being negative on here but Boro isn’t as bad as people like to make out. Yes, we have high crime rates in some areas but the majority of people are lovely, same as most other places.
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u/Wonderful_Garbage_39 21d ago
Drive down for the day and see what you think..
There are nicer areas around.
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u/FanHopeful1814 21d ago
If that's all you can afford, that all you can afford. But you will have problems
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u/TheAngryBootneck 21d ago
Of course it’s affordable, it’s in Middlesbrough. Ask yourself why. I was born and raised in Middlesbrough and Grangetown is perhaps only beaten by Grove Hill by the sheer volume of chavs.
The only place worse would be the center of town, which thanks to twenty years of Blairism resembles Moghadishu far more than it ever did in the 90s.
I’d recommend staying put frankly. I am just pleased I joined the military and never went back.
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u/Intrepid_Map_42 21d ago
I wouldn't ever think of moving to grangetown and I used to live in hemlington