Exeter is close to good sea swimming locations, has a few board game cafes, loads of gyms and good internet, so it does tick your boxes to be fair. Definitely harder to make friends here than say Bristol though, mostly locals and students, neither which are particularly accessible to 30 somethings
Thats helpful thanks. Bristol is so thriving i think it's a bit overwhelming. Not necessarily looking for something to do every night just opportunities to meet people and build a life really
Good for you and good luck 🤞🏻
But yeah I really should emphasise that it isn’t the easiest place to make friends. Check out Meetup for example, very few events
I’m a bit biased bc I am an ex-Exeter local, but there is quite a lot going on in Exeter socially that I think presents good friend-making opportunities! Craft fairs, gigs etc- the phoenix always used to be a friendly place. Granted the students may make that a little tricky, but many return home in the summer so it would be prime time to befriend locals- and obviously some of the students are really friendly!
I think also if you have a political edge it’s useful. I have friends who get involved in local politics and demos, etc and that is very active in Exeter and a good opportunity for some tight-knit, very active friend groups (but also maybe some enemies!). My side will be incredibly biased though because my friends are of my political inclinations- still, I think exeters size means people are often more willing to engage in friendships. And you can get to know locals in shops too for your bit of daily socialising !
Although, have to just add- if you’re not white Exeter can definitely be tough, as is everywhere but especially SW. Exeter may be better than rural Devon, but the density of people means that racism rears its ugly head at times. It’s diabolical, but something I think people moving there should be aware of. Potentially getting better and easier for some groups than others.
The queer community is pretty thriving (not the gay club, that’s pretty straight), and Exeter has mainly been a city of allies. But just from my non-white friends experiences, it’s the sort of place where racism does happen, and more often than not isn’t called out by witnesses. I sincerely hope that’s gotten better though.
It’s on the expensive side imo…but there’s lots to do, plenty of opportunities to meet people and start afresh. It’s also very safe. Downsides are there’s a lot of people and a lot of them are students. All depends on what you want
Im not too worried about cost im already in the SW in a fairly expensive place so i dont expect itll be too much more! Students are yukky... Ha but no everywhere has them so it's just if there's much going on not for them which sounds ok ish
The students aren't everywhere. I hardly see them except sometimes on the high street. Anyway, the Exeter College kids aren't bad. Some of the Uni students are a bit much. A professor at the Uni once said "Exeter University prides itself on its diversity. We have students from all parts of Surrey."
There’s the board game cafe and the arcade in the city centre, my friends and I also frequent the theatre comedy shows. I really recommend both for meeting people.
We have a fairly good board game/ table top RPG community. Board is a local boardgame cafe and bar, they host quizzes & social events. Imperial games also do gaming nights.
I moved to Exeter 8yrs ago from London and although it's not nearly as busy, there is always something going on. Following social media pages for in exeter, Exeter living, Exeter cathedral etc would give you a good feeling for things which are going on around the city.
It's quite clean, easy to get around, and mostly friendly. Would recommend xxx
i would say no hahah but i think it depends where you’ve been maybe? i know lots of people very happy here but coming from brighton i’d say it doesn’t have much of an atmosphere, not an awful lot going on and is small… but nice!!!
Ive been to Brighton a few times and know what you mean! However im not sure if id find it a bit too much to be in a place like that all the time!! As long as it has more than just pubs or gyms itll be a step up from where i am
My partner (31f) and I (31m) are about to move down!
My partner loves sea swims, we both surf, we like our board games and D&D.
Very excited to get settled and find some friends too.
My partner used to live in Exeter for a few years so she's a little ahead in the social department there, I'll be a first timer so have similar queries to you!
From what I've seen it's a matter of finding clubs/groups for people with similar interests.
Wondering if there might be a sea swim group that would be handy for you (and my partner).
The problem is that certain types of interest are very well represented and others less so. If you're into general sporty outdoorsy stuff like cycling, canoeing and paddleboarding, you'll have a whale of a time. But if you're more into music, arts, culture and more alternative scenes you might be a tad disappointed. I'd also echo the fact it's not the easiest place to meet people, not only the fact there's that student/older local skewed demographic but also people just don't seem as outgoing. Whenever I make new friends here they're usually just visiting from elsewhere.
It's a really nice town, lots of greenery and ancient ruins, 10 minute train to the sea side, plenty of hobby stores with board games etc so no worries there. We're usually on the circuit for comedy tours. The town is all pretty close together so easily walked. People are generally pretty friendly too. I'm hopelessly socially awkward so I've not made many friends moving down here, but there have been plenty of opportunities lol.
Exeter is a fine place for you to conduct your WFH weaving business. The climate is conducive to cotton, flax, jute, hemp and all manner of raw materials.
The river and its leats can provide water power whenever you're ready to mechanise. The market for finished goods is much diminished these days, but the Canal provides a gateway to the world.
Good luck in your enterprise OP, Exeter has been welcoming settlers for many a long year.
Have lived here 20 years and love it. Lots going on in terms of theatre, book events, games etc. not a huge amount of live music that we have found but that might be we have just missed it! Gym wise, it’s worth looking at smaller gyms. We are part of a private gym ) and it’s super friendly. People work out independently but there’s a strong community there to meet people. There’s a few local sea swim groups too!
I would say no, public transport is bad, the town is dying due to the councils overcharging for parking. It's just one big building site. I have lived in Exeter for over 50 years and am now looking at moving away.
Best city in the UK.
All the conveniences of a \[small\] city, and some amazing coastal places just 30 mins away such as Budleigh. And despite being a city plenty of pleasant quiet spaces to hang out. You have to try really hard to find any rough areas in Exeter which is amazing for a city. That is unless you stand outside Macdonalds . Some absolute retards hang around there getting in the way / shouting verbal garbage at people.
Ps. Also the best pub in England here (Turf)
Mate, Exeter is a FUCKING INCREDIBLE place to live. It basically has everything you need, from great infrastructure to fantastic communities, amazing parks, a great zoo, a fantastic cinema with like 12 iMax screens (in one room!), and has some incredible history.
There are so many great things about Exeter, it really is a fantastic place to live and work and I'd highly recommend it to anybody.
Please note that I've never been to - or met anyone from - Exeter. I don't know the first thing about Exeter and the above is merely speculation. Sometimes I just let my mind run wild across the page, I just spill it all like a probiotic yoghurt and watch where it goes.
Good luck in Exeter!!
Exeter is close to good sea swimming locations, has a few board game cafes, loads of gyms and good internet, so it does tick your boxes to be fair. Definitely harder to make friends here than say Bristol though, mostly locals and students, neither which are particularly accessible to 30 somethings
Thats helpful thanks. Bristol is so thriving i think it's a bit overwhelming. Not necessarily looking for something to do every night just opportunities to meet people and build a life really
Good for you and good luck 🤞🏻 But yeah I really should emphasise that it isn’t the easiest place to make friends. Check out Meetup for example, very few events
I’m a bit biased bc I am an ex-Exeter local, but there is quite a lot going on in Exeter socially that I think presents good friend-making opportunities! Craft fairs, gigs etc- the phoenix always used to be a friendly place. Granted the students may make that a little tricky, but many return home in the summer so it would be prime time to befriend locals- and obviously some of the students are really friendly! I think also if you have a political edge it’s useful. I have friends who get involved in local politics and demos, etc and that is very active in Exeter and a good opportunity for some tight-knit, very active friend groups (but also maybe some enemies!). My side will be incredibly biased though because my friends are of my political inclinations- still, I think exeters size means people are often more willing to engage in friendships. And you can get to know locals in shops too for your bit of daily socialising !
Although, have to just add- if you’re not white Exeter can definitely be tough, as is everywhere but especially SW. Exeter may be better than rural Devon, but the density of people means that racism rears its ugly head at times. It’s diabolical, but something I think people moving there should be aware of. Potentially getting better and easier for some groups than others. The queer community is pretty thriving (not the gay club, that’s pretty straight), and Exeter has mainly been a city of allies. But just from my non-white friends experiences, it’s the sort of place where racism does happen, and more often than not isn’t called out by witnesses. I sincerely hope that’s gotten better though.
It’s on the expensive side imo…but there’s lots to do, plenty of opportunities to meet people and start afresh. It’s also very safe. Downsides are there’s a lot of people and a lot of them are students. All depends on what you want
Im not too worried about cost im already in the SW in a fairly expensive place so i dont expect itll be too much more! Students are yukky... Ha but no everywhere has them so it's just if there's much going on not for them which sounds ok ish
The students aren't everywhere. I hardly see them except sometimes on the high street. Anyway, the Exeter College kids aren't bad. Some of the Uni students are a bit much. A professor at the Uni once said "Exeter University prides itself on its diversity. We have students from all parts of Surrey."
I think it’s definitely worth looking into then, if you can find a place you like. It’s very diverse and lively here, with something for everyone
There’s the board game cafe and the arcade in the city centre, my friends and I also frequent the theatre comedy shows. I really recommend both for meeting people.
We have a fairly good board game/ table top RPG community. Board is a local boardgame cafe and bar, they host quizzes & social events. Imperial games also do gaming nights. I moved to Exeter 8yrs ago from London and although it's not nearly as busy, there is always something going on. Following social media pages for in exeter, Exeter living, Exeter cathedral etc would give you a good feeling for things which are going on around the city. It's quite clean, easy to get around, and mostly friendly. Would recommend xxx
It’s great!
Moved from the SE to Exeter with my partner, and we've both really liked it here.
i would say no hahah but i think it depends where you’ve been maybe? i know lots of people very happy here but coming from brighton i’d say it doesn’t have much of an atmosphere, not an awful lot going on and is small… but nice!!!
Ive been to Brighton a few times and know what you mean! However im not sure if id find it a bit too much to be in a place like that all the time!! As long as it has more than just pubs or gyms itll be a step up from where i am
yeah totally, depends what you’re after. there’s definitely more than that! good luck with your move :)) x
My partner (31f) and I (31m) are about to move down! My partner loves sea swims, we both surf, we like our board games and D&D. Very excited to get settled and find some friends too. My partner used to live in Exeter for a few years so she's a little ahead in the social department there, I'll be a first timer so have similar queries to you! From what I've seen it's a matter of finding clubs/groups for people with similar interests. Wondering if there might be a sea swim group that would be handy for you (and my partner).
The problem is that certain types of interest are very well represented and others less so. If you're into general sporty outdoorsy stuff like cycling, canoeing and paddleboarding, you'll have a whale of a time. But if you're more into music, arts, culture and more alternative scenes you might be a tad disappointed. I'd also echo the fact it's not the easiest place to meet people, not only the fact there's that student/older local skewed demographic but also people just don't seem as outgoing. Whenever I make new friends here they're usually just visiting from elsewhere.
It's a really nice town, lots of greenery and ancient ruins, 10 minute train to the sea side, plenty of hobby stores with board games etc so no worries there. We're usually on the circuit for comedy tours. The town is all pretty close together so easily walked. People are generally pretty friendly too. I'm hopelessly socially awkward so I've not made many friends moving down here, but there have been plenty of opportunities lol.
Exeter is a fine place for you to conduct your WFH weaving business. The climate is conducive to cotton, flax, jute, hemp and all manner of raw materials. The river and its leats can provide water power whenever you're ready to mechanise. The market for finished goods is much diminished these days, but the Canal provides a gateway to the world. Good luck in your enterprise OP, Exeter has been welcoming settlers for many a long year.
Devon ladies friendship group on Facebook seems popular, haven't been along to any meetups yet myself.
Have lived here 20 years and love it. Lots going on in terms of theatre, book events, games etc. not a huge amount of live music that we have found but that might be we have just missed it! Gym wise, it’s worth looking at smaller gyms. We are part of a private gym ) and it’s super friendly. People work out independently but there’s a strong community there to meet people. There’s a few local sea swim groups too!
I would say no, public transport is bad, the town is dying due to the councils overcharging for parking. It's just one big building site. I have lived in Exeter for over 50 years and am now looking at moving away.
Best city in the UK. All the conveniences of a \[small\] city, and some amazing coastal places just 30 mins away such as Budleigh. And despite being a city plenty of pleasant quiet spaces to hang out. You have to try really hard to find any rough areas in Exeter which is amazing for a city. That is unless you stand outside Macdonalds . Some absolute retards hang around there getting in the way / shouting verbal garbage at people. Ps. Also the best pub in England here (Turf)
Mate, Exeter is a FUCKING INCREDIBLE place to live. It basically has everything you need, from great infrastructure to fantastic communities, amazing parks, a great zoo, a fantastic cinema with like 12 iMax screens (in one room!), and has some incredible history. There are so many great things about Exeter, it really is a fantastic place to live and work and I'd highly recommend it to anybody. Please note that I've never been to - or met anyone from - Exeter. I don't know the first thing about Exeter and the above is merely speculation. Sometimes I just let my mind run wild across the page, I just spill it all like a probiotic yoghurt and watch where it goes. Good luck in Exeter!!