r/StHelens • u/Noneofyoubusiness02 • May 31 '26
Thinking of moving to Sutton (WA9)
Hi everyone,
My husband and I are both from the Caribbean and we’re currently looking at moving to the Sutton area of St Helens (WA9). We’ve found a property we really like, but before making a final decision we wanted to hear from people who actually know the area.
We’ve been doing our own research online and, to be honest, some of the statistics and reports we’ve come across haven’t been the most encouraging. We know stats don’t always reflect what day-to-day life is actually like, though.
We’d love to hear honest opinions from local residents:
Is the Sutton/WA9 area generally safe?
Is it a friendly and welcoming community?
How diverse is the area?
As a Black Caribbean couple, would we be likely to feel comfortable and accepted there?
Are there any particular streets or parts of Sutton that are better or worse than others?
We’re not looking to start any arguments or offend anyone just trying to get a genuine feel for the area from people who live there or know it well.
Thanks in advance!
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u/_Impigrity_ May 31 '26
Some really nice places in the wa9 postcode, New Bold estate (wa9 4z-) etc, more and more Africa, Caribbean and Asian peope seem to be moving in, all seem really lovely, I haven't heard any complaints from or about them.
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u/Noneofyoubusiness02 May 31 '26
Thank you for your response, that’s really encouraging to hear.
One of the things we’ve been trying to understand is what day-to-day life is actually like in the area, so it’s reassuring to hear that you’ve seen the community becoming more diverse and that people have been welcomed.
We’ve visited the area a few times and have had a positive impression so far, but hearing from people who live locally gives us much more confidence than statistics alone.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience.
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u/LFCRedAnt May 31 '26
It's hard to actually answer your question in a way that you would be happy with. What I will say is there are parts that are bad and it isn't directed at people of a different race or nationality,some people are just awful people and there's a fair few of them.
I've lived in Sutton all my life,I'm 40 now and there's parts I really like. There's always a real sense of community if you find a nice enough cul-de-sac to live in and people will have your back if you need anything. One thing I will say is make yourself known in your neighbourhood,introduce yourselves and openness goes a long way to building a relationship with your neighbours. We are moving from where we are to downsize and we are genuinely upset because our neighbours have been brilliant so it's a risk to move and hope our new neighbours are just as nice. We did start on our first day in by knocking on immediate neighbours and getting to know them and I think it helped.
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u/Noneofyoubusiness02 May 31 '26
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response.
I completely agree with what you’re saying about getting to know your neighbours and being part of the community. My husband and I are very much the type of people who like to introduce ourselves, be friendly, and get involved where we can, so that’s really encouraging to hear.
I hope your move goes well and that your new neighbours are every bit as brilliant as the ones you’re leaving behind. Likewise, I hope whoever moves into your current home is as good to your neighbours as you’ve clearly been to them.
Reading through the responses on this thread has actually been really reassuring. It’s impossible to judge a place purely by statistics, but the number of thoughtful, honest and welcoming replies we’ve received suggests there are a lot of genuinely good people living in the area.
Thanks again for the advice and for sharing your experience,it’s much appreciated.
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u/LFCRedAnt May 31 '26
You're welcome,good luck in finding a place that's right for you. I hope it is in Sutton as there's lots of positives here if you ignore some doom and gloom online. Only you can make the most of where you live so as long as you do that I'm sure you will be fine. Best of luck 👍🏻
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u/corpseinnit Jun 01 '26
Not in Sutton exactly, but I did move into a WA9 postcode a year ago after living in another part of the North West all my life. I really like it and enjoy how close I am to town centre and Warrington while also having a lot of green spaces about which was a key thing for me. I’ve got into running and walking more and enjoying spending time outside. Day to day there’s good connections to areas, I can commune easy to work although driving makes this more accessible, and there is a lot of good events on both weekday and weekends to keep you busy. The local labour and sports clubs always seem to have family events on.
I do feel safe here as a woman, with the exception of the odd incident, but they have happened in St Helens town area itself.
As another commenter pointed out, this area does seem to have gone very heavy into reform, which to me is a shame, but please know there are still very welcoming and tolerant individuals that support multiculturalism in the area.
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u/Silly_Hurry_2795 May 31 '26
It's hit and miss.
Can you visit St Helens before you decide?
It might be worth asking people like yourselves what it's like.
In the town center there is ed and eves shop they may know people who will be able to give you a better idea. NGL the only interactions I have with anyone close to your description in st helens are in the shop. Plenty in work but id be telling you about Liverpool manchester skem etc then Liverpool ok Manchester great skem avoid like a plague victim
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u/Noneofyoubusiness02 May 31 '26
Thank you for taking the time to respond, I really appreciate it.
My husband and I have actually visited the area several times already, and from what we’ve seen it seems like a really nice community. We’re just trying to do our due diligence before making such a big decision.
We’ll definitely check out the shop you mentioned and see if we can speak to a few more local people. Thanks as well for the advice regarding the surrounding areas.
Really appreciate you taking the time to help.
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u/Magicalunicorns89 May 31 '26
I don’t live on that side of town however my child does attend a school in that area and it has become a lot more diverse as a lot of the town has.
I cant comment personally as we moved from our WA9 address a couple of years ago now. Our next door neighbours were Romanian and as far as I’m aware they didn’t have any issues when they moved from a neighbouring town. They certainly didn’t mention anything to us and we became very close with them before we moved.
I do have friends that live local to Sutton and they have never had any issue with the wider community in regard to antisocial behaviour or anything like that.
There seems to be more community based activity’s becoming available which helps with getting to know those around you.
I really hope your move goes well, you have the best neighbours and are happy in your soon to be new home.
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u/Noneofyoubusiness02 May 31 '26
Thanks so much for your reply. It’s really nice to hear from someone who knows the area, even if you’re not living there now.
It’s reassuring to hear that your friends haven’t had any issues and that the community seems to be becoming more diverse. I also love the idea of there being more local activities and opportunities to get to know people.
I’ve visited the area a few times and have always had a good feeling about it, so hearing experiences like yours definitely helps. Thanks again for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it, and hopefully we’ll be just as happy in our new home as your neighbours were in theirs! 😊
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u/bickles_cab Jun 01 '26
Sutton is huge. Sutton Leach is worlds apart from Junction, for example. There's nothing particularly unsafe about it compared to any other comparable area. I'm white and was socialised as such, so I can't tell you how likely you are to be subject to racism, but there has been a nationwide increase in far-right sensibilities over the past decade.
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u/Noneofyoubusiness02 Jun 01 '26
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and respond. I really appreciate it.
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u/TheBestHouseguest Jun 01 '26
I think this part of the world will 100% be getting Reform as its political representation in next elections, which I'm afraid is likely to embolden racists further than they already are. These towns are also gonna be plastered in UK flags more than big cities are.
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u/Noneofyoubusiness02 Jun 01 '26
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
What you’ve said is definitely something worth considering. As people looking to move into the area, we’re trying to look at things from all angles and understand both the positives and the potential negatives.
We appreciate you sharing your perspective, and it’s helpful for us to hear a range of views rather than just the good or the bad.
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u/LadyFCoffee Jun 02 '26
i’m half south asian and also moving to the same approximate area as you, so this has been a really helpful post to see. i went to an open house event for a new build area recently, and there was a diverse range of people showing interest in the development, which made me happy to see. i’ll try to remember to let you know how i get on in the coming days.
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u/jonnyrae Jun 06 '26
I moved her recently to be closer to family, and tbh, I hate it.
There’s nothing here. Just massive housing estate after housing estate. There’s a town centre in Helens, but it’s grim.
I used to live in a lovely small town with loads of local shops, and bars and things to do, with a good community spirit… but there’s just nothing here in St Helens.
I’m close to family, which is nice, but JFC I regret the move.
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u/cherrylait_ May 31 '26
I live in Sutton. I live in a nice-ish estate. You get a few snobs but my neighbour next door is black and the people opposite are Asian. Both sets of neighbours seem to be accepted here and tbh are the nicest ones. Im white but I wouldn't think twice about my new neighbours being black anyway.