Myself and my wife (late 20s / early 30s) are currently expecting our first child and are considering moving to Lancaster in the next year or so once our fixed term ends.

We’re both familiar with the immediate centre, canal and great food/drink/coffee scene from past visits but obviously don’t know what it’s like in terms of living as a small family.

Is there any streets/areas we should check out specifically on our next visit that are ideal for families? Or any tips or words of wisdom about the area?

We’re currently in Sale (Manchester), but both work remotely and are struggling with the extortionate house prices and competitiveness of the schools in our area. We see many similarities in the things we love about Sale in Lancaster (canal access, parks, independent food/drink, markets, etc) and think it would be the ideal move for our future!

House criteria (budget ideally between £220,000-260,000 - but flexible to go higher):
3 bed Victorian terrace (ideally on the larger side)
Green-ish area (nearby green space for walks etc)
Walkable (don’t currently drive - but may in the future)

Personal interests:
Coffee shops
Creative hobbies
Cycling / outdoor walks
Craft beer / good food
Cinema / music

Thank you! 🙏

Hope this is the right place for this?

We’re hoping to get our house re-roofed before the Winter properly sets in (not great timing I know 😭). Can anyone recommend any good roofers you’ve had personal experience with? Or likewise any to avoid if that’s allowed.

Thanks!

Which bands/venues are you heading to and looking forward to seeing?

Does anyone know where is still selling cigs for £5??? The shop that I’ve been going to for the past couple years has just shut along with a couple of others. Would reallyyyyy appreciate if anyone knows where I can still find them for cheap, thanks

Has anyone had any experience with volunteering with Lancaster area search and rescue? Iv tried to contact them a few times to see when the next opening is. If anyone is/ has volunteered with them please can you reach out

Thanks

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew of a hairdresser in Lancaster/nearby that offers a good reliable curly hair cut? I'd quite like a dry cut if that's an option.

I have type 3a (I think?) curls, but quite fine hair.

TIA! ❤️

Hey everyone!

I’m a postgrad student recently moved to Lancaster, and I’m currently on the hunt for a part-time job to help support my studies.

Since I'm on a student visa, I’m fully aware of and compliant with the working hour restrictions (up to 20 hours per week during term time). I am reliable, eager to work, and open to anything whether it's retail, hospitality, customer service, admin, or campus roles.

If you know of any local businesses in town or spots on campus that are currently hiring, or if you have any tips on the best places to hand in CVs around Lancaster, I would super appreciate it.

Feel free to drop a comment or send me a DM if you have any leads or want to connect. Thanks so much!

Just posting here incase this has any sentimental value as the case has an engraving. get in touch :)

Hi, I am a prospective PhD student at Lancaster University and would love to have a hobby to stop obsessing over my project and reconnect with nature haha. I was thinking to take guitar classes. Do any of you know schools/societies/individuals who offer guitar lessons for (absolute!!) beginners? It would be great if they were located in the city centre and possibly not too expensive (I am only a PhD student, have mercy!)

I apologise if I've missed any. I tried to get them all in.

I adore harissa- it's the best spice to ever spice and the paste just doesn't stand up to the powder. I've always brought it from Aldi but I think they've discontinued it cause it's not listed on the spice shelves anymore and I couldn't find any at Sainsbury's either.

If anyone knows where I can get some, would greatly appreciate!

I found this on the beach in Hest Bank last week. I think it's a fragment of a stoneware bottle from around 1880-1900 from an "aerated water" company which used to be on Queen Street next to where Aldi is today, and I thought it was interesting.

Just wondering what people think — would you like to see a DIY/hardware shop on Market Street, similar to what Wilko used to offer?

I’m thinking somewhere you could easily pop into for things like:

🔨 Tools & hardware

🔩 Screws, fixings & hooks

🧹 Cleaning products

🗑️ Bins & bin bags

🍳 Kitchen essentials

🌱 Gardening stuff

🧴 Toiletries

✏️ Stationery

🚗 Car accessories

🏠 General household items

Basically a Wilko-style shop with a bigger DIY/hardware section.

Would you actually use a shop like this in the city centre? And what products would you want them to sell?

Does anyone know any hair dressers in Lancaster that can cut curly hair? Mine is 3a. Tia:)

Hi, my 35th birthday is coming up in late October and I'm looking to treat myself to something fancier than a £10 Asda cake with a printed design. Does anyone knows someone who can bake something nice?

Looking for a relaxed, friendly group to chat about great books? The Lancaster Sci-Fi / Fantasy Book Club is looking for new members, and we’d love for you to join us!

Whether you’ve read every classic in the genre or are just dipping your toes in, everyone is welcome. We're an easygoing group with a mix of ages and interests with a simple goal: good books, good chats and great company. We've been meeting since 2023 and are currently planning which books to read in 2027.

What’s coming up next:

• 📖 Next Book Club Meeting: Thursday, 15th October at 7pm at The Royal Hotel & Bar (8 Thurnham St, Lancaster LA1 1YD)
• 🧟 Current Read: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• 🎭 Group Outing: We're planning a trip in October to the Grand Theatre to see the Lancaster Footlights production!

What we do:

• Monthly book discussions 
• Occasional casual board game nights
• Occasional theatre and cinema outings
• Community chat (once you attend your first meet up, we'll add you to our WhatsApp group where we plan future events and hangout)

We recently moved away from the MeetUp platform to avoid their high organiser fees, so we're reaching out across local groups to find fellow bookworms.

Drop a comment below or send us a message if you have questions. You're welcome to just show up, although it can be helpful to know in advance if you are attending so we can reserve enough space.

We can't wait to meet you! 👇

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2278195036278548?locale=en_GB

Hi all!

I was just wondering if anyone has some suggestions for good nail artists in Lancaster! I love to support independent artists where possible, however, I'm open to salons. I'm into quite complex designs, sometimes with characters or drawings/charms on them. If anyone knows somewhere I can go do let me know!

I'm looking for a dress maker/ experienced seamstress who can help me with my vision of turning my mum's (very poofy, very 90s) wedding dress into a more modern alternative for my own wedding. I can find lots of seamstresses on Google but it's not clear if they offer this type of service so looking for some recommendations please!

I am looking into potentially opening a new local business in Lancaster and just trying to do my research on what there is a gap for? What the people want etc. so I thought best place to start is Reddit where I can directly connect with locals and get some sort of direction on what people would like to see in Lancaster.

Morning all.

Our washer has packed in. Sods law. We're waiting for someone to fix it but with school being in full swing it's not easy.

Can anyone recommend any launderettes in the area? They seem few and far between these days.

We used to use the one opposite Hodgsons (now a hairdresser) and the one in Aldcliffe (I think that's now a service as opposed to machines?)

Also seen they have the machines outside the bowling green petrol station too, which is an option.

Please can someone recommend a place for it? We're in Bowerham but I don't mind driving further out if needed

EDIT: There's a laundry wall at the Jet petrol station on Scotforth Road which I used. £5 for 35 mins so not bad!

Hi everyone!

I’m a PhD student from South Korea, and I’ll be visiting Lancaster for the first time in late November to attend a conference at Lancaster Town Hall.

It’ll actually be my first time in the UK as well, so I’d really appreciate any tips or advice about Lancaster — honestly, anything a first-time visitor should know!

I’d especially love recommendations for local food. One of my goals while I’m there is to have some really good fish and chips 😄 I’ve seen Mother Hubbard’s mentioned, but I’d be happy to hear about any other places locals would recommend.

I’d also appreciate any advice on things a visitor should know, places worth seeing, getting around, or even local etiquette and manners. I definitely don’t want to accidentally come across as rude!

From what I’ve been able to find online, Lancaster looks like a beautiful historic city with the castle, the river, and lots of old streets and buildings, so I’m really looking forward to exploring it outside the conference.

And if there happen to be any Koreans living or studying in Lancaster, it would be great to say hello or maybe meet up while I’m there!

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or advice :)

Does anybody know any hairdressers in Lancashire who’d be able to do this? I’m skeptical about going to any hairdressers as I know this is a difficult and intricate hairstyle/colour
Thank you! :)