Blog
Five Top Reasons to Move to East Anglia
The East of England’s population has been rising steadily in recent years, as more and more people discover the advantages of one of the most unspoilt parts of the country. Here, Hamiltons Removals highlight five key reasons why moving to East Anglia – and particularly the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire – is a popular choice for people of all ages.
The Job Prospects
The East of England has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the whole of the UK, while Cambridge, above, has one of the fastest growing economies. This is largely because the city has become a hub for the high-tech industries and scientific research.
The outlook for Suffolk is also bright, as it is an integral part of the country’s food supply chain with a high area of land devoted to agriculture and arable farming. In the south-east of the county lies Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, whilst Newmarket in west Suffolk is the home of British horse racing.
In Norfolk, farming and fishing are key industries but the county also has a thriving energy sector, with renewable sources such as off-shore wind farms becoming increasingly important.
The Tourist Attractions
If you are thinking of house removals to Suffolk, Norfolk or Cambridgeshire, all three counties offer a wealth of different tourist attractions to suit all tastes. Suffolk boasts the medieval charms of the ‘wool towns’ of Lavenham and Long Melford, and the picturesque resorts of Aldeburgh and Southwold. St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds is one of the most popular free places to visit in the East of England, according to a survey by industry group VisitBritain.
Cambridge also featured strongly in the survey, with its museums and art galleries such as the Fitzwilliam, a hit with thousands of visitors. The county also has one of the most popular paid-for attractions in the region – the Imperial War Museum at Duxford.
Norfolk’s biggest draws include the natural beauty of the Broads National Park, and the history and splendour of the Castle Museum and art gallery in the centre of Norwich. If you want something more family-friendly, you could try Banham Zoo to the south of the county or The Poppy Line, the heritage rail line which runs between Sheringham and Holt in north Norfolk.
The House Prices
While there are some hotspots which are best avoided, such as Cambridge city centre and the North Norfolk and Suffolk Heritage Coast, there are plenty of homes in the region which are more realistic propositions for house-hunters.
The most affordable house prices in Norfolk are to be found in Norwich itself, as well as North Walsham and King’s Lynn. Further south, the picturesque market towns of Diss and Fakenham are also worth looking at.
In Suffolk, parts of Ipswich, Mildenhall, Saxmundham, Lowestoft and Felixstowe still offer good value for money in the housing market. Homes in market towns such as Woodbridge, Sudbury and Hadleigh may also be within many household budgets. In Cambridgeshire, the towns of March, Ely, Wisbech and Soham are all worth considering, particularly if you are looking for a three-bedroomed home.
The Transport Links
Many people commute from East Anglia to London as well as to other parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Norwich to London is just under two hours by train and Ipswich and Cambridge take around an hour.
The region also has airports at Norwich and Cambridge, while Stansted, in nearby Essex, is London’s third airport. If you want to travel by road then the A14, which links large parts of the region with the Midlands, has been undergoing an extensive programme of improvements recently. The A12 in Suffolk heads all the way into East London, via Stratford, and connects with the M25.
The Overall Quality of Life
One of the great advantages of East Anglia is that it is not too crowded, with parts of Norfolk in particular enjoying some of the lowest population densities in England. In all three counties there are plenty of attractive villages to choose from if you prefer the rural life; and in Suffolk and Norfolk you can enjoy some of the most beautiful and unspoilt coastlines in the UK. Crime levels, particularly in Suffolk and Norfolk, are among the lowest in England.
Moving to East Anglia with Hamiltons Removals
Hamiltons Removals have more than 25 years of helping people move to East Anglia – either from one part of the region to another, or from elsewhere in the UK or abroad. We are based on the Norfolk-Suffolk border and so have plenty of local knowledge and expertise.
We can also offer a range of associated services, including packing and unpacking, cleaning, insurance and help with specialist moves involving animals, pets and heavy equipment. If you would like an online quote for your move just follow this link. Alternatively you can call us on 01379 855203 or email us at info@hamiltonsremovals.co.uk.
Popular TV Series Locations in the UK
Seeing a picturesque coastline or stretch of countryside on TV can often prompt viewers to spend their next holiday there – and, in some cases, move to the region permanently. Here Hamiltons Removals, who offer to house removals to Suffolk, East Anglia and all parts of the UK, identify four of the counties which have proved particularly popular with TV producers.
Suffolk
Lovejoy, a BBC comedy/drama series about a roguish antiques dealer of the same name, ran for eight years on the BBC from the mid-1980s onwards. Ian McShane’s title character could be seen in many of the picture-postcard villages of the county, including Long Melford, Debenham, Kersey, Clare and Woolpit.
More recently Detectorists, the BBC series about a metal detectors’ club, was also filmed in Suffolk, even though it is supposedly set in the neighbouring county of Essex. St Michael’s Rooms in Framlingham is the venue for the meetings of the club which Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones’s characters belong to. If you want to visit their favourite watering hole, The Two Brewers, then you will have to pop in for a pint either at The Castle Inn (next to Framlingham Castle) or The Crown Inn at nearby Great Glemham.
Norfolk
Many people associate Norfolk with the hapless radio DJ Alan Partridge, memorably played by Steve Coogan. The various TV series (and a film) spawned by this character includes several Norfolk locations, including Norwich’s cathedral and train station, and Cromer Pier.
The classic BBC comedy series Dad’s Army was also filmed in Norfolk. The Home Guard unit at Walmington-on-Sea was supposedly on the south coast, but most of the scenes were shot in Thetford and the nearby Stanta training area. Most of the cast stayed in Thetford during filming and there is a Dad’s Army museum in the town.
The ITV series Kingdom, which starred Stephen Fry as a country solicitor, was set in the town of Market Shipborough but much of the show was shot in the centre of Swaffham. Although it is 20 miles inland, viewers were given the impression that the town is on the North Norfolk coast – so some scenes were filmed in Holkham and Wells-next-the-Sea.
Cornwall
Both the BBC TV series of Poldark – the first series made in the 1970’s and the second series some 40 years later – were filmed in the county, remaining true to the original novels by Winston Graham. Many of the same locations were used in both series, including the town of Charleston near St Austell, which doubled as the city of Truro, Bodmin Moor and the coastline from Botallack to Levant, pictured above.
The ITV comedy drama Doc Martin, starring Martin Clunes in the title role, was set in the fictional village of Portwenn. In real life, the external scenes were principally shot in Port Isaac, a fishing village on the north Cornish coast, and some of the interiors were filmed in a converted local barn.
Yorkshire
Often called ‘God’s Own County’, Yorkshire has long been a favoured destination for TV series. The BBC comedy series Last of the Summer Wine, which ran for 31 series from 1973 onwards, was filmed in and around the west Yorkshire town of Holmfirth. The show, which is believed to be the longest-running sitcom in the world, used real businesses and homes in and around the town.
The ITV drama Emmerdale was filmed in Esholt, near Shipley, from 1976-94, with the pub doubling as the village local The Woolpack. (After 1994 most of the shooting takes place in a Leeds TV studio).
All the external scenes for All Creatures Great and Small, the popular BBC show about the life and work of vet James Herriott, were filmed in North Yorkshire. The village of Askrigg became the fictional town of Darrowby, where the veterinary practice was based.
Moving House with Hamiltons Removals
If you are interested in house removals to Suffolk, Norfolk, Cornwall, Yorkshire and all parts of the UK, then Hamiltons Removals has almost 30 years of experience in the sector. As one of East Anglia’s leading removals companies, we pride ourselves on making your move as smooth as possible. We also offer a range of associated services, including packing and unpacking, cleaning and insurance. If you would like to book a video survey, follow this link.