Dreams dashed! Please help!

vosperette · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 20

Hi,
My little family were all geared up to move to IOW next year. My parents are retired and had said they would also move to the Island. However, my parents visited 2 weeks ago and came back saying they could not live on the Island as it seems so desolate and isolated come the Winter. My Husband and I are heartbroken as there are some other concerns they raised which made us think twice. I hope someone can advise?:
1) does every restaurant close over the Christmas week (I'm including pizza express and Olivio in this?)
2) does theIsland really feel deserted in the Winter? My parents were told by a couple who live on theIsland that last Christmas, they wanted to go out for a meal during the Christmas week, drove all the way around the island, only saw 6 people and every eaterie was shut.
3) if major or ongoing surgery is needed, islanders are transferred to a mainland hospital for surgery/ongoing treatment?
4) no discounts for ferry use.
My Husband and I absolutely love the IOW and are very upset we may not make it there. I would be concerned as I won't have any friends or family soi don't want to end up on the Island I love feeling lonely and miserable. Perhaps others who have done it can comment?
Much appreciated.

Isle of Wight Forum · **Posted:** 04-12-2011, 00:32 **Post subject:** Sponsored links

Sponsored links - register and/or login to hide this ad.

perry1972 · Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Posts: 3

Maybe your parents just want to find an excuse not to live on the island. Sure its quiet in the winter but you can still find places to eat. But would you not move here just because you cant find a restaurant open at xmas? The island is one of the safest places to bring up children, with one of the uk lowest crime levels. Your children wont have to look over their shoulders like they would have to on the mainland... Health care is not a problem. My grandfather had major surgery all done on the island... Also, the island has a unique micro climate boasting one of the warmest and sunniest weather in the uk. I guess its what you want in life. We moved here from the mainland and yes winter is quiet and you have not got things like on the mainland. But thats why we moved here. To get away from the stress, crime, and rat race. We would never move back.

vosperette · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 20

Thanks Perry.
After a long talk (and reading other posts) Hubby and I have decided to give it a bash. We love the Island so much and are going to give it everything we've got. Thanks for your info re: hospital. This is one of my concerns as Hubby has chrons disease so as long as there is decent healthcare. I guess it comes down to who you talk too. Iam concerned about leaving my friends and family behind but I would rather give it a go than live withregretfor not trying. We have looked at wightlink islanders tickets so we will make sure that one of our priorities. We intend to come over late January to see the 'quiet' season for ourselves. If it still feels like home then we will set the wheels in motion to get out there ASAP. If not then back to the drawing board. We had a look this weekend at Barton on sea, all we could see was the IOW and kept saying that's where we want to be. I have already picked out the school I want my little one to go to. How long ago did you move to IOW? Hubby is self employed landscape gardener so hoping he will get work and I have plans to start baby massage groups and also make cakes.
Hopefully Santa will bring us some cash do we can come in January to have a nosey around.

perry1972 · Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Posts: 3

We have been here 3 years. My family all originate from the island so its always been in my blood. When I moved here my grandparents gave me the advice to have one summer here and you will be hooked. Yes, winter is very quiet but on a lovely sunny winters day with the kids walking on the beach there is no place I would rather be. Where do you plan to live? The true island folk are friendly, just give them a bit more time to get to know you. You will make friends. Go for it. You will feel alot healthier living here. I popped back to London the other day and could not wait to get back here. I cant imagine how I lived there before.

vosperette · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 20

Thanks for your reply. I don't know where we are going to live but I have seen a school which I'm eager for my little one to go to so may base our search around that area. I hope we can both find work, my partner is a self employed landscape gardener and I make cakes.
We are planning to come over (finances willing) late Jan to see if IOW still gives us that fuzzy feeling in the Winter.
Hoping it will, in fact at this point, I don't care cos I just want to be there! I can't live here anymore! My Husband was run over today because he stopped someone in their car who was beating his dog! He drove at my Husband who flew over the length of the car and landed on his back on the road, the scumbag flicked his joint at my Husband and sped off! This was THE final
nail in the coffin! Unfortunately, this is common practice in the area we currently live! Sorry for the novel!

Upnorth · Joined: 04 Jan 2012 Posts: 4

I live up North now but always remember when I was younger living here and the Island being a bit colder and empty in the Winter but still a lovely place. I think everyone thinking of moving to the Island should visit for a few weeks in the winter. It's all well and good visiting in the summer when the sun is out, the sea is blue and everything is open but its different in the winter. It seems to have improved a bit the last few years but it is still a different place in the Winter. It's far better they visit now and get put off than move in the summer and then want to move away after a winter.
Personally though the Island is a great place to live any time of year and if it wasn't for my job I would move back in a shot. If you still enjoy it in the winter then you will be very happy here. Good luck.

samtheman36 · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 3

I came over a few years ago in Feb time and yes it was cold and windy but that was cos it was winter and every place in the Uk has a winter. It was also cold and windy in the winter that day where I live in the basingtike area so it was not really much dirrenet weather wise. I think all places by the beach in the UK and all the small UK Island are quite in the winter and yes they are a bit different in the winter. I mjust think it you want to live by the seain the UK or on a small Island off England then just go for it. Every-where has a winter.

laineyiow · Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 188

I moved here from upt'North 7.1/2 years ago and love it. Yes it is quieter in the winter months and lots of shops shut down during this time for winter but its also nice to be able to get around a lot of the areas without all the tourists!

It is much warmer down here also.

The nice thing is being able to walk on beaches any time you want to (and there are some absolutely fabulous beaches here!).

I have found the people here to be very friendly.

The only downside I have is the getting on and off the island - it can work out expensive (even with discounts) but this of course depends on how often you have to leave the island.

I have started using Red Funnel a lot more recently (even though I only live 10 minutes from the Yarmouth terminal) as I have found them more cost effective than Wightlink - even with the drive through Newport!

Hope after your visit you do decide to live here - you won't regret it.

Oh! and if your husband is a gardener I don't think he will have much problem finding work - we have three self employed gardener's where I live and they are all fully occupied. In fact, they all complain about the amount of work there is to do!!!

vosperette · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 20

Hi,
Thanks so much for your replies! We are coming over at the end of the month to check it all out re: areas to live. I've seen the book of tickets you can get from wightlink with residents discount. My only concern is leaving my friends but for all the people I have heard who have moved there love it and would never dream of moving back! I know it's the right thing to do as a family and it's taking the leap of faith. I just hope the Island still gives us that warm fuzzy feeling when we come over! Hubby hopes there will be enough work though I'm unsure if people will use him as we not from the Island. I on the other hand have a flourishing cake business and also a reflexologist and children's entertainer. Will see how things go........ Surprised

)

laineyiow · Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 188

Dorsetblue · Joined: 17 Jan 2012 Posts: 3

Hi Vosperette. Just wondering which school you had in mind for your child? Am thinking of moving over to IOW too, but finding a good school with a good reputation is always difficult.. and I can't househunt until I know which area the good schools are in!
If you can help that would at least point me towards the right area for me to do more research.
Thanks

vosperette · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 20

Hi Dorestblue.
I have looked at Arreton St Georges CE primary school which looks really good and had outstanding on their ofsted. The Nursery and School look nice too. HTH?
Good luck with your plans!

Dorsetblue · Joined: 17 Jan 2012 Posts: 3

Thanks... I've looked up Bembridge CE Primary School too, also just had a great Ofsted! Houseprices not so cheap here though!!

vosperette · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 20

Sounds interesting. We are going to the island in 2 weeks to check out an area to live. We are staying in bembrudge as not been to that side of the island yet. When are you moving to IOW?

Dorsetblue · Joined: 17 Jan 2012 Posts: 3

Let me know what you think about Bembridge area... I'm just weighing up options at the moment... can't decide whether to move to Isle of Wight or take a further plunge and move to Canary Islands! Lots to think about yet and its never an easy decision.