The millennials beginning new lives in retirement hotspots

Workers making their money in the capital, before moving away from the city in retirement, is a trend seemingly as old as time. 

It is a path so well-trodden that some towns and villages have become synonymous with the elderly population they seem to attract.

Eastbourne in Sussex, for instance, has long been nicknamed ‘God’s waiting room’, such is its popularity with pensioners.

But in this seaside town, the tide has turned, and it is now one of an increasing number of areas being targeted not by retirees, but under-40s looking for a fresh start.

Recent property data reveals the average home in London costs well over £700,000. Pair that with the cost of living crisis that has bitten so harshly in recent years and it quickly becomes obvious why youngsters are turning their back on the capital.

The trend of youngsters moving to communities historically beloved by those of a more senior vintage has not come completely out of nowhere, however.

Margate in Kent, perhaps once most associated with Del Boy and the Jolly Boys’ Outing, has recently been dubbed ‘Shoreditch-on-Sea’, such is its popularity with hipsters from east London.

One of those so-called DFLs (Down From London), is 33-year-old Rebecca Onyett, who made the pilgrimage from the capital nine years ago and now owns a jewellery shop.

She told MailOnline: ‘Living in London, the rent prices just kept going up and I really wanted to have my own shop with the jewellery and it just seemed unfeasible, like it wasn’t going to happen for a long time in London.

‘At that time lots of people kept mentioning Margate as a place that other artists were moving to.

‘I came down and had a look and just loved it straight away and was like yeah, I’m gonna go do it and if I don’t like it, I can always go back to London. That was nine years ago.

‘The summers here are incredible, the winters are harder but if you’re good at living by the seasons and good at hibernating then it’s fine.

‘I love the community here, I met my partner here, he’s from here and we’ve got two little girls together now, it feels like an incredible place for my children to grow up.’

She added: ‘Being by the sea, the nature, the community vibe is lovely.

‘Margate is young, the elder community definitely have their spots, I think they want to be further out because it is quieter there and there’s a lot more happening here.’

Elise Campbell-Bates, 32, and Torban Henseik, 37, moved to Margate a year ago from North London, drawn by the culture and lower house prices.

Ms Campbell-Bates said: ‘We’re big foodies and there’s an amazing food scene here, that was a big thing for us moving somewhere else from London.

‘We rented in Angel, we loved it there, we would have loved to stay there, but buying a house just wasn’t really possible for us in London, so we rented here for a while to save up the rest of the money for a deposit and we bought a house here.

‘My nan lives in Ramsgate, so I had family here anyway, so we were told about the DFLs before we moved here, so we were part of that movement of people I suppose.

‘People joke that there’s pensioners and hipsters here. We’re trying to convince friends to move down here.

‘That’s the only thing about moving somewhere else, it takes a while to make friends, so that’s one thing that we’re trying to work on at the moment.’

Mr Henseik, 37, said: ‘I’m originally from Germany, from a small city, the same size as here, so London was much bigger, but I do think there is much more of a community when it comes to greeting people and hanging out with each other.’

Charlie Fitt, 32, spent four years living in London, but got tired of the fast pace of life so decided to move closer to where he grew up in Ramsgate.

He now works as Assistant Manager of seafront bar Little Swift in Margate.

He said: ‘There’s a lot of people who move down here to work remotely, which improves the town.

‘Around lockdown I noticed more people moving down for remote work.

‘It’s got a nicer sense of community, I think people moving down from London has improved that a bit more, because sometimes before it could have been a bit secular in terms of how the communities interacted.

‘Being by the sea is nice, especially because I was born here, you sort of miss the sea a bit.

‘And as I say, in comparison to London, maybe it’s getting closer these days, but the cost of living is lower.’

Not everyone who has moved down from London has the same positive view of the town, with one resident, who wished to remain anonymous, saying: ‘There’s a lot of issues here and people gloss over it.

‘I work in education and there’s a massive rich/poor divide, everything is too expensive now because of the influx of people, rent has skyrocketed and it’s not all glossy, there’s a lot of negative as well.’

Jess Hazell, 26, an artist and cafe worker, moved to Margate from London with her partner just over a year ago. ‘The city was just too expensive,’ she said. 

‘I’m originally from Australia so I just needed to be back by the sea, be in a more condensed creative community and just do something a little bit different, and Margate just seemed like the right place for it.

‘It’s just me and my partner, we just took the leap and bought a house here, didn’t really know anyone, didn’t have jobs and we just kind of leaped into it and put all of our faith in this little town.’

Even since she moved down in February 2023, Ms Hazell has noticed changes in the town’s dynamic. ‘It is slowly changing, I think it is still quite a new town that’s up and coming, but it is slowly getting to the point where a lot of younger people are moving, buying houses down here, making them quite nice, adding a lot of elements to the creative side of things, there’s a lot of like new artists coming down and making it a lot busier,’ she said. 

The influx of young people has created a small divide between younger and older residents. Ms Hazell said: ‘ The older community almost feels a little bit separate, we’ve kind of got the younger side, we are in Cliftonville and then they have the older side, maybe more towards Millmead and Birchington.

Nicknamed ‘God’s waiting room’, the seaside town of Eastbourne has also seen an influx of young people after once being full of elderly pensioners.   

The town in East Sussex is now garnering a reputation among young people as a desirable place to live.

With its stunning coastline, beaches and cliffs, it is just a stone’s throw from the beautiful South Downs National Park.

Meanwhile, with affordable housing and rental accommodation, it is fast becoming a draw for young people wishing to escape the big cities.

Cocktail bars, nightclubs and gig venues are all thriving in the coastal town which was once noted for its tea rooms and sedate pace of life.

Louise Simmonds, 35, chose Eastbourne to raise her family due to the quality of the schools and the lifestyle.

‘It’s a great place,’ she said. ‘The schools are excellent and easily accessible and its a lovely place to live.

‘There are bars and restaurants popping up all the time and the nightlife is great. It’s really shrugging off its old reputation as a retirement home for the elderly.’

Miss Simmonds, who manages music venue The Temple, said: ‘There’s a great music scene in Eastbourne and plenty of local bands vying for places to play so there is a real buzz about the place.’

She moved from Ashdown Forest in East Sussex several years ago and said she would never go back.

‘I came because it has a lively centre and plenty going on while also not being too large or too expensive,’ she said. 

Steve Vine, a musician and music promoter, is originally from Eastbourne but moved back after spending several years in London.

‘London was just too expensive. It’s too expensive to live there anymore. Rents are around £1,500 a month for a tiny flat and that is ridiculous,’ he said. 

‘In Eastbourne my rent for a two bedroom flat is £900 which is a lot more like it. In London I was running to stay still, working 60 hour weeks and having absolutely nothing to show for it.

‘At least if I work a 60 hour week in Eastbourne there is something at the end of it. It just made sense to move back.’

Mr Vine, who has two daughters, aged two and two months, said: ‘Also the nurseries and schools are great and you have a choice of some very decent schools. I wouldn’t go back to London if you paid me.’

Rebecca Taylor, 30, moved from London to Eastbourne after studying for a degree at the Royal Veterinary College.

Now a qualified vet working in the St Anne’s practice, she moved back for affordability and quality of life.

She said: ‘Natural beauty and green spaces are very important to me and there is so much of it on offer here. You have the beaches and the amazing walks along the coastal paths and you also have the South Down which are amazing.

‘I love being out and about in the surrounding countryside and that is obviously a big draw for me.’

She said: ‘My rent in London was £650 a month for a single room in a shared house and, while that was fun for a while, I didn’t want to continue living like that.’

She now has a house with her partner and says that despite rises in mortgage payments they still have money at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the spa town of Buxton has also become a property hotspot for young families and people wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. 

Surrounded by rugged Peak District countryside and boasting splendid Georgian architecture, the town was in March proclaimed one of Britain’s best places to live by The Sunday Times.

Property sales are now booming, local estate agents have said. 

‘We’re in the middle of nowhere… but in the middle of everywhere’, said estate agent Howard Crowther, born and bred in Buxton and whose family firm was established by his grandfather in the 1950s.

He said the arrival of newcomers ‘really took off’ after the pandemic, with arrivals coming from as far afield as London and even Australia.

He said the arrival of newcomers ‘really took off’ after the pandemic, with arrivals coming from as far afield as London and even Australia.

The town is renowned for its ornate Opera House, parks and gardens, independent shops, pubs and restaurants, highly-rated schools – plus an array of regular events and cultural festivals such as the Buxton International Festival and International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival.

Florist Anastasia Babusca, 40, is among the post-Covid arrivals, having moved 160 miles north to Derbyshire from the capital with her web designer husband – who now works from home – and two daughters aged nine and 12.

Mrs Babusca once worked at florists’ shops at Paddington and Waterloo stations and later at hotels in Knightsbridge.

Now, she has set up her own business, Peak Flowers, in Buxton’s tree-lined Spring Gardens shopping street.

Explaining why her family made the move in late 2022, she said: ‘We wanted to move out of London and love mountains. We looked at the Lake District and Scotland, then came to the Peak District one half term.

‘We did our research and chose Buxton. We love the clean air, the water and the culture you have with the Opera House.’

Mrs Babusca is among several of the new residents who have established independent businesses, boosting the town centre when other high streets are flagging.

A few hundred yards down the road is Buxton Trading Post gift shop, set up by Lawrence Ewing, 55, who arrived in the town with his television producer partner at a similar time to Anastasia’s family.

Mr Ewing was born in east London but has also lived in Bristol, Manchester, and more recently spent 20 years in North America.

He said: ‘We had returned from Toronto and initially wanted to be in Manchester to be near Media City but lockdown happened and we decided to head for the hills and take things a bit easier.

‘Everyone started to realise that you don’t have to live in places like Manchester or Stockport but that you can base yourselves in nicer surroundings.

‘I’ve met a lady who is living here but working for a council in the south west.

‘You also have people coming to live out here from fairly affluent areas of Manchester because there’s not really any crime here, there’s enough to do, nice cafes, restaurants, bars.

‘The house prices also haven’t quite caught up with other areas.’

One of his staff, Lisa Trivett, 52, a Buxtonian and mother-of-two, said the town’s strength is its community spirit – as well as its beauty and facilities.

She said: ‘It’s safe, everybody knows everybody and it’s absolutely beautiful. There are good schools and there’s the (University of Derby) university campus here, where my daughter is studying business.’

Another independent shopkeeper, Isla Dawes, 52, came to Buxton from Tooting, South London, and has set up Isla Fine Art, Crafts and Gifts, based in the Cavendish Arcade, an ornate former Victorian bath house.

She and her artist husband Mark Brighton were inspired to make the move seven years ago because of Mark having grown up down the road in Bakewell and having family connections to the area.

Isla, who ran a bookshop in Tooting, said: ‘It’s such a beautiful part of the world – the Peak District is lovely. We love living in a small town – you can walk everywhere, to the cinema or out for a meal, and the people are very friendly.

‘In London, trade is up and down because people leave in half term or the summer holidays, whereas here, it’s steady. You have people coming for a holiday and a lot who visit from the big cities and towns nearby, who come every few months.’

Speaking amid warm sunshine, she added: ‘On a day like today, walking to work is just stunning. You can’t get better.’

Not all the newcomers have come from far away. Rose Broadbent, 42, and Nathan Gordon, 46, have only moved from Macclesfield, Cheshire, a 20-minute drive over the hills.

The pair have set up The Deli, a café a couple of doors down from Isla in Cavendish Arcade.

Ms Broadbent said: ‘We used to come here for days out but realised there was a gap in the market for a quality deli that’s not overpriced. From Macclesfield to here is not far but it couldn’t feel more different. A lot of stores have shut in Macclesfield, there’s not the footfall.

‘Here, it feels really safe, there’s loads to do and a massive sense of community. Me and Blue, our collie, go running all the time. There are loads of big hill runs in splendid scenery. 

‘At Christmas, with the old-fashioned street lights and trees outside, it feels like you are in A Christmas Carol.’

Mr Gordon added: ‘There’s always something going on – there’s a real buzz about the place.’

New residents are among those heavily-involved in Buxton’s arts and cultural scene.

Harriet Grubb, 46, is marketing director with Buxton International Festival, having started as a volunteer.

The town’s annual arts and literary event attracts an array of speakers and performers. This year’s line-up includes opera singer Golda Schultz, a soprano who has performed to sell-out audiences at the New York Metropolitan Opera House, and jazz star Zoe Rahman, who won an Ivor Novello award in 2021.

Ms Grubb’s relocation to the Peak District from Streatham, South London, came 12 years ago when she and husband Chris were both working for the BBC and were relocated by the corporation to Salford.

Ms Grubb, who had a baby daughter and was pregnant with her youngest son at the time, said: ‘We knew we didn’t want to be in the big city and wanted to be south of Manchester because our family and friends were back down south.

‘People mentioned what a lovely place Buxton was. We were enchanted by the architecture and array of parks and gardens. I grew up in Oxford so having beautiful architecture made it feel like home.

‘Moving here and having two small children could have been difficult but the community was so warm.

‘I think people identified me as a woman, isolated, and took me under their wing. I’ve met some really interesting people from all walks of life.

‘There’s this incredible landscape and scenery, and people in the town are very community-driven. Culturally, it’s very active – my daughter plays for Burbage Brass Band and it gives free music lessons.’

Also immersed in Buxton’s cultural scene is Dave Green, 49, who moved north to become chief executive of Buxton Civic Association, which runs Poole’s Cavern – a network of spectacular underground passages filled with stalagmites and stalactites.

He was previously chief executive of the Florence Nightingale Museum in central London but upped sticks with his wife Karen Webb-Green a year ago. The couple now live in Burbage, which borders the moorland on the western edge of town with their greyhound, Mr Darcy.

Mr Green said: ‘London was great. I’m really grateful for the experiences it gave me but it’s the commute I don’t miss, to be honest. It’s nice to no longer have to get on the Jubilee Line to go to work. Now, I can walk.

‘I think the people make anywhere and, here, they are so friendly. This is a fantastic place. I’m not saying people in London were unfriendly – we lived on a great street – but the population was transient and there were some people who didn’t care, for example dropping litter.’

Ms Webb-Green, 55, a wellness and fitness consultant who was previously a training organiser for volunteers at London museums, said: ‘We wanted to move somewhere where there was an opportunity to get involved in the local community.

‘There are a lot of community organisations here and plenty to do.’

She added: ‘All my clients were hysterical when I said I was moving to the home of mineral water. It’s nicer than the water in Bath and the quality of water affects health so much.’

The couple have both become involved with Buxton Town Team, a voluntary organisation whose 100 active members are involved in everything from gardening and decorating the town’s streets to public events.

Lesley Caddy, 65, who chairs the Town Team and runs Pure Buxton, a local magazine, with husband Steve, said: ‘Buxton is in a great location because it’s not far from Sheffield and Manchester, and in the middle of the Peak District.

‘We’ve all these amazing buildings – as well as the crescent, there’s the Frank Matcham-designed opera house and the Dome, part of Derby University, which was once the largest unsupported dome in the world. There’s also Poole’s Cavern, which is possibly the best show cave in the country.

‘Now people are taking more of an interest in living here because, especially post-pandemic; they are realising you no longer need to be in the city.’

Pointing out St Ann’s Well, a constantly-running fountain where people can fill bottles with the town’s famous mineral water, Ms Caddy added: ‘People pay so much for Buxton water but here, you can get it free.’

Ms Caddy, originally from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, is herself a relative newcomer to Buxton. She and Steve moved from near Chesterfield, a decade ago, both having worked as newspaper reporters in north Derbyshire and Sheffield.

She said: ‘We came here for a press trip, to write about visiting the town for the Sheffield Telegraph. I just thought Buxton was the perfect place to live and set up that magazine I had talked to Steve about. The best thing about it is the sense of community.’

Robert Largan, Conservative MP for High Peak, said he was ‘not surprised’ the town has become a property hot spot due to its setting and the lively cultural scene.

He said: ‘I’m not surprised that so many people are looking to move to Buxton. It has stunning architecture, an amazing cultural scene, lovely people, all in the beautiful Peak District but with good transport links to Manchester.

‘The recently completed restoration of Buxton Crescent (which opened as a five-star hotel in 2020), the high street regeneration project and the return of the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival are all really good signs of a positive future for Buxton.’

Ulverston, in Cumbria, is proving to be another prime example of booming rural Britain.

For decades it has lived in the shadow of Kendal in the East and Barrow-in-Furness in the West.

But with its cobbled Market Street, independent shops and lively pubs and restaurants it has come into its own, attracting young people from cities all over the UK.

New estates are springing up, town centre sites are being converted and local people are hiring out rooms to workers.

The main driver is Barrow-based BAE Systems who are trying to attract thousands of new skilled workers to help build nuclear submarines for the UK, America and Australia.

Annie and Ed Goodley, both 31, moved into the newly built Laurel Place estate behind the Leisure Centre on the road from Ulverston to the coast at Bardsea six months ago.

‘We both work for BAE Systems. Ed is an engineer, and I am in Human Resources,’ said Ms Goodley. 

‘We decided to move up from Portsmouth to Ulverston because of its proximity to the Lake District.

‘We were looking for somewhere accessible to housing in our price range and commutable to work at Barrow (about 20 minutes away.

‘All the shops in the town are open for business and there are plenty of pubs and restaurants. The whole place is thriving.’

For many years Ulverston has been developing a reputation as a festival town. This month has already seen Printfest, the UK’s biggest artist led festival for printmaking. 2,000 visitors spent £80,000 on art over the weekend.

At the end of the month, it’s the Ulverston International Music Festival, celebrating its 20th year with everything from classical to jazz and ukulele music.

In June five festivals include Another Fine Fest, where comedy and theatre activities commemorate the birth of Stan Laurel in the town, on June 16, 1890.

There is a statue of Stan and Ollie, with their pet dog, outside the town’s concert and exhibition venue, Coronation Hall, known as The Coro.

All this artistic fervour attracted Chris and Donna Flowers-Dorning to up sticks from their native Preston at the height of Covid.

‘We were drawn to Ulverston by its vibrancy and creativity,’ said Donna.

‘We just fell in love with the place. It has such a strong sense of community. We walk each other’s dogs and look after each other’s children.

‘And we never need to take a taxi because all the pubs and cafes and restaurants are within walking distance.’

Donna runs an art materials, vintage clothes, plants and pottery shop in Union Street, while Chris, aged 40, travels the country installing street art and signs, recently completing a mural in London.

‘Ulverston is a great place to be based,’ he added.

Businesswoman Mary Shears and her husband David moved from Manchester almost a year ago.

‘We had always dreamed of moving to a more rural location, but having been born and bred in a city I was worried about missing the high life,’ she said.

‘Ulverston is a happy medium. It has a strong sense of community and a lively social life.

‘And then we have the beauty of the lakes on the doorstep.’

Mary and David are renovating a Georgian cottage made of slate in The Ghyll, a fashionable corner of the town where walkers gather before heading into the fells,

Existing businesses in the town have also benefitted from the invasion of off-comers.

‘We have definitely seen an increase in business,’ said Rachel Weaver, who has run the ladies’ boutique Two by Two for 24 years.

‘A lot of young professionals who work at least some of the week from home are moving into the town.

‘We have had a buoyant couple of years since we reopened after Covid.

‘Ulverston is a unique place, in that nearly all the shops are independents, and we have a fantastic festival season.

‘We have the Lake District on our doorstep and a very strong community. It has got it all.’

Michelle Scrogham, the Mayor of Ulverston and owner of Pure fashion shop in Market Street, agrees.

‘We had an influx of people moving from the cities when they realised they could work from home during Covid. It has been a big lifestyle change.

‘And during the epidemic a lot of people came for staycations near the Lake District and decided they wanted to stay full-time, not just for holidays.’

She added that having so many independent retailers meant owners were willing to get involved in organising the festivals and even arrange litter-picks to keep the town clean and tidy.

‘And when one business does close, there is always a queue of people wanting a unit, so there are no closed or boarded up shops like a lot of High Streets,’ she added.

Ulverston had a population of 11,221 in the 2021 census, but the local councils are striving to keep up with demand for housing.

Three new estates have provided 1,200 new homes and more are planned on the outskirts of the town, near Swarthmoor.

It is still possible to find a three-bedroom semi-detached house for £250,000 or less, but prices are rising fast.

Sale prices in South Lakeland have performed strongly over the past two years, with flats increasing by almost 9pc, to £223,000, and houses by almost 13pc, to £375,000, according to Hamptons.

Meanwhile the Office National Statistics reports that 23pc of people moving to the area were in their 20s, with another 26pc in their 30s and 40s.

Local estate agents Poole Townsend report a busy time.

‘Ulverston is a unique place,’ says sales manager and valuer Brad Pearce, ‘in that it is a hub for a whole range of factors.

‘BAE is obviously bringing a lot of people into the area. Then you have the Lake District effect. It is a beautiful place to live. It is a festival town with great culture and great community.

‘It also has a fascinating history. The new developments sold out very quickly and some of the younger people prefer the traditional character properties which they can renovate.

‘They like to put their own stamp on a property and make it stand out as their unique home. It is more Instagram-able if you like.’

Meanwhile, business development manager David Jolly is a young homeowner breathing new life into Weston-Super-Mare.

The 39-year-old has made the move to the North Somerset town which was once the preserve of those looking to spend their retirement by the sea.

The father-of-three said: ‘The move to Weston was a no-brainer for us both financially and as a family.

‘We were renting a four-bedroom new build in Portishead just outside Bristol when we had the chance of buying it.

‘But at £750,000 it would have crippled us financially and it was never a realistic option although we loved the house.

‘Then we saw the same house in Weston at £375,000 and jumped at the chance of securing our dream home.

‘I was aware of all the talk about Weston being a home for those looking to wind down after a working life, but for us it is the ideal location.

‘There are a lot of professional people are saying why pay huge house prices to live in places like Bristol and Portishead when you can have a lovely home and not be up to your eyes in debt.’

School supervisor, Amanda Hawkings, is another who has made the move to Weston into a new four-bedroom home on the Haywood Village site.

The 48-year-old said: ‘I’ve known about Weston all my life and the idea that it was a pensioners’ paradise never put me off.

‘The deciding factor for us was the affordability of the homes – we would never have been able to afford anything like this in Bristol.

‘Weston can be a bit edgy but there is a real community spirit around here and with all the new bars and restaurants going up, you’ll never be at a loss for entertainment.

‘Weston has changed over the years and it can only be a good thing if younger people are moving into the town.

‘The huge guest houses where people used to stay for a few days holiday are no longer attractive and so the town did have to change.

‘Developers are now offering good quality homes and importantly the infrastructure like schools, doctors and shops to attract a new breed of people coming to the town.’

Nick Puddy, owner of estate agents Laurel & Wylde based in Somerset said that demographics have been changing not only in Weston but in all the towns all along the Bristol Channel over the past few years. 

He said: ‘Young professionals were ignoring the perceived wisdom that Weston was only for retirees. Weston is ideal because it offers such great value for money.

‘Homes in Bristol, Clevedon and Portishead can be pricey and out of a lot of people’s budget.

‘But Weston offers great fast road link to Bristol and a good rail link to London. People like to be out of the built-up areas and with Weston you’ve got the waterfront as well as the Mendips on your doorstep.

‘And with good schools in the area it has all the upsides and none of the downsides. That’s why buyers are flocking to buy in the area because it offers such value for money.’

Buying agent Andrew Cronan, of Recoco Property Search, said: ‘Places like Portishead and Clevedon were almost exclusively a retirement market,’ he said. ‘Weston was the slight exception, because although it attracted a lot of retirees, there were also investors buying HMOs in the town centre.’

During and after the pandemic Cronan has seen more first-time buyers and families moving in, with many of them priced out of Bristol like Weeden.

Value for money is driving the trend, said Cronan. ‘Weston is cheap, and that is always the main thing for young people. And the housing stock is good Victorian and Edwardian houses, which are appealing to buyers.’

These new, younger buyers are changing the feel of Weston. ‘Their leisure time is probably a bit more structured around going out and having fun, than doing the garden and washing the car,’ said Cronan.

As a result, new bars, cafes and restaurants are popping up, there are co-working spaces alongside pound shops in the town centre, and there are regeneration plans including the restoration of the stunning Birnbeck Pier. which has been out of commission for almost three decades.

‘Weston is still edgy,’ said Cronan, politely. ‘But it is improving. In a few years I can see it having a sort of Brighton vibe.’