The Student Room Group

Anyone living in Salford Quays? Thinking of living in Salford Quays?

I'm moving to Manchester from the US, never been to Manchester or any part of the northwest. I've been looking for flats and I find the best value (size for price) seems to be in Salford Quays.

I'm a bit torn between a nice I've found just up the way from the MMU Business School and an outstanding flat I found in Salford Quays. Both flats cost the same amount but I wonder if I'll be losing anything by taking the one on SQ. I hear its a very posh area but how far is it from the city centre and what is transport like?
You can get the Met from Salford. It does look like a nice place to live, and my boyfriend was considering it, but he decided to live in Manchester city centre. The MMU Business School is near Piccadilly, isn't it? Its nice there, too, tbh.
Reply 2
Honestly, don't choose to live way out there. The area does have some very nice apartments but it is surrounded by a very bad council estate (social housing projects) which is notorious for crime. Google the 'Ordsall estate' if you want to se what your neighbours would be like. I seriously wouldn't feel safe walking around in that area at night on my own and I have been over that way a couple of times to visit The Lowry at Salford Quays (which is worth a visit).

Also, the area is very poorly serviced for local shops for things like groceries.
Reply 3
Thank you, both!

I did read about Ordsall being an unfavourable area and assumed these cheap nice flats came at another price. I guess I'll keep my search to the City Centre.
Reply 4
As well as the city centre, you might also want to look at some of the suburbs to the south of the university. A lot of students favour Fallowfield which is okay but Didsbury and Chorlton are also pretty decent places to live and have plenty of shops (incl grocery stores), bars, pubs and restaurants.
Reply 5
JCM89
Honestly, don't choose to live way out there. The area does have some very nice apartments but it is surrounded by a very bad council estate (social housing projects) which is notorious for crime. Google the 'Ordsall estate' if you want to se what your neighbours would be like. I seriously wouldn't feel safe walking around in that area at night on my own and I have been over that way a couple of times to visit The Lowry at Salford Quays (which is worth a visit).

Also, the area is very poorly serviced for local shops for things like groceries.


/\ Welldone, some outstanding ignorance there. Let me say first that I live (and grew up) in Salford and the Quays area is perfectly safe. It's actually quite touristy due to the presence of Old Trafford and is very family orientated due to the Watersports centre and other attractions. You are much, MUCH more likely to be a victim of burglary or violent crime in Central Manchester or South Manchester.

Shopping wise, there's a nice deli, a shopping centre, a Tesco Metro and a scandinavian type supermarket that I can't remember the name of right now. (!)

As for being isolated. Yes, you can get the tram to Central Manchester, but you can also hop on the 53 bus that takes you right to the heart of the MMU campus and comes every half hour I think.

The one thing I would say; It is genuinley lovely. It's nice to just sit and watch the swimmers (as I was doing the other day), but what might put a student off is that it isn't studenty at all, it's very family/young-professional. Although that pleases me! And i'm actually looking for a flat there too (which is how I found this thread).
Reply 6
Flashmob
/\ Welldone, some outstanding ignorance there. Let me say first that I live (and grew up) in Salford and the Quays area is perfectly safe. It's actually quite touristy due to the presence of Old Trafford and is very family orientated due to the Watersports centre and other attractions. You are much, MUCH more likely to be a victim of burglary or violent crime in Central Manchester or South Manchester.

Shopping wise, there's a nice deli, a shopping centre, a Tesco Metro and a scandinavian type supermarket that I can't remember the name of right now. (!)

As for being isolated. Yes, you can get the tram to Central Manchester, but you can also hop on the 53 bus that takes you right to the heart of the MMU campus and comes every half hour I think.

The one thing I would say; It is genuinley lovely. It's nice to just sit and watch the swimmers (as I was doing the other day), but what might put a student off is that it isn't studenty at all, it's very family/young-professional. Although that pleases me! And i'm actually looking for a flat there too (which is how I found this thread).


My girlfriend was mugged in broad daylight out there on her way to the Lowry and no-one came to her aid. I also know two people who work out there who have had their cars done while they've been sat in them at traffic lights. So, while I'm thrilled it was perfectly safe for you, I would not advise anyone to live out there.

Sorry :rolleyes:
Reply 7
Ordsall, broughton etc are as bad as anywhere in manchester.
Fallowfield, withington, mosside (south manchester) are as bad, if not worse for street crime than anywhere in manc.
The main reason i would chose not to live in salford quays, is the fact it is just slightly out of the way.
I recognise its a short metrolink journey to town, but metrolink is currently out of service up until october, and i personally dont think you will get the full "Manchester" experience living out there...
Reply 8
JCM89
My girlfriend was mugged in broad daylight out there on her way to the Lowry and no-one came to her aid. I also know two people who work out there who have had their cars done while they've been sat in them at traffic lights. So, while I'm thrilled it was perfectly safe for you, I would not advise anyone to live out there.

Sorry :rolleyes:


So you are still trying to say that Fallowfield and Manchester city centre are safer than Salford Quays? Beatings, muggings, shootings and even murders are a daily occurrence in these areas. I've known about 6 people get mugged in the city centre. I've seen it first hand. I personally have been assaulted. 5 people who I know in Fallowfield have been burgled, in fact, burglaries are so common in south Manchester that i'd expect it. It is basically routine.

Recent murders in Manchester City centre:

http://www.themissinglist.co.uk/police-appeal/man-dies-11-days-after-assault-manchester-city-centre

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7973035.stm

Not a murder but certainly attempted! :

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/CCTV-Of-Stabbing-At-Burger-King-In-Manchester-Police-Try-To-Find-Attacker/Article/200904315264175

Shootings information from the home office:

violence in general, gun violence and fatal shootings in particular are
concentrated in specific small areas of South Manchester


Map:

http://www.newsmapping.com/manchester.howmanymore.html

Burglaries:



Note Salford at the Bottom :smile:

So yeh, move to Salford Quays at your peril!!!!!

BTW. I'm not saying don't move to Fallowfield of the City Centre. I'm just contesting (strongly) the idea that these places are safer than The Quays. It is just nonsense.
Burglaries are common in south Manchester because students have a lot of kit worth stealing and often have poor security. In Salford they won't rob from their own and those that get robbed are less likely to report the robbery as they're unlikely to have home insurance or live marginal lives.

There are occasional muggings in South Manchester - but to be honest if you are drunk and wandering around at night on your own and someone relieves you of your mobile phone and wallet then you should hardly be surprised.

There's no way I'd live in Salford. You'd stand out as being a student as well as being American. Easy target. At least in the city centre and South Manchester you are just one of a crowd. There's so many students and internationals that you won't stand out of the crowd. The area is more geared to students and young professionals and there is plenty going on.
I was considering living in salford quays until my plans fell through and I ended up in Castlefield. There is the odd student round there, and its nice pottering around the water. Looked round a good few places so may be able to offer some advice if required
Reply 11
Words fail to describe the stupidity and sheltered lives some people on this site must lead....
I think you need to check carefully what hidden charges there are to live in the Salford Quays. What council tax would you pay? Likely a higher cost. What management charges apply? Likely far higher than elsewhere. Is there an Annual Estate Rentcharge? If so, avoid it like the plague.
Original post by Keith Forbes
I think you need to check carefully what hidden charges there are to live in the Salford Quays. What council tax would you pay? Likely a higher cost. What management charges apply? Likely far higher than elsewhere. Is there an Annual Estate Rentcharge? If so, avoid it like the plague.

Think you need to check the dates on the thread.

This is 10+ years old. OP has been and gone whatever degree they signed up to.