I spent yesterday in the back of a car giving directions as we toured 10 different rental properties in Newport, (Gwent in Welsh), Wales. A mate of ours is looking to move to Newport as the rent is cheaper and the commute is fairly simple via train into Bristol. Only 26 minutes, assuming they are running on time.
The benefits of Newport would include more housing space for less money, ability to save more quickly for your own home, closer to the stunning mountains, rivers and coastal areas in Wales, easy commute to the two main business centers of Bristol and Cardiff (you could include London in this as it would not be that much further for a day trip for work). However the downsides are obvious signs of a struggling town with lots of shop closures, large numbers of rental properties on the market (good for the renter but starts ringing alarm bells as to why), obvious signs of working class families really struggling to make ends meet and to that disorderly youth that just don’t have anything to do in the city and hence get into all sorts of trouble.
Speaking of Wales, the six nations rugby tournament is on at the moment and Wales won against England last night. Doesn’t appear to have been any blood shed yet!
After the rental properties tour we did a quick jaunt into the Brecon Beacons which still has a lot of snow on them at the moment.