Why Live in East Lancashire?

The mix of rural and urban lifestyles make East Lancashire’s communities culturally and richly diverse. Our stunning landscape, locally produced food and drink, thriving business sector and community traditions have all helped to shape our identity and make it a distinctive and special place to live and work. A place that’s inspired invention and creativity, great arts and design, the area is bursting with talented, imaginative and hard-working people whose diverse culture has built somewhere like no other.

The area holds regular festivals and workshops to showcase and celebrate our diverse culture and bring groups and communities together. These include Happy Lancashire Day (27th November) Eid in the Park at Blackburn, Clitheroe Food Festival, We Are Blackburn Together! and Building Bridges in Burnley. 

Whether you love a long distance trek, a gentle ramble or a challenging bike ride, the area has it all. Pendle Hill is the most iconic and recognisable landmark of the area. Synonymous for being the home of the Pendle Witches who were tried and executed for witchcraft in 1612, there are a variety of walks available to enjoy breathtaking views and spellbinding scenery. Climbing the ‘steps’ is the most popular way to reach the trig point but if you’re feeling fit then the 45-mile Pendle Way is a great way to get there.

Fans of Lord of the Rings can follow in J.R.R. Tolkien’s footsteps and walk the manageable 5.5.mile Tolkien Trail from Stonyhurst College in Hurst Green. The landscape is said to be the inspiration behind the novel after the author spent time at the college during the Second World War.

If you're a keen cyclist or you’ve just bought your first bike, the area is awash with scenic cycle and mountain bike routes to suit all levels of ability. The Trough of Bowland is a popular place for cyclists and where Sir Bradley Wiggins prepared for his Olympic and Tour de France wins.

The cost of living in Lancashire is lower than the UK average* which means you get more for your money and are able to live in a stunning location you’d only dream of elsewhere in the country. The area is 80% rural so you’re never more than 10 minutes away from the countryside - so kiss goodbye to those dreary, long commutes when you move here!

According to the latest UK House Price Index (August 2022) the average house price in the Ribble Valley is £282,981, while the Land Registry figures revealed the mean house price in Burnley is £106,199, Blackburn with Darwen reached £144,478 and Rossendale £190,521.

The area is home to an extensive and excellent selection of primary and secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges to meet your educational needs - many judged by Ofsted as outstanding and good and a number ranking highly in The Sunday Times’ Parent Power 2022: Schools Guide.

For career opportunities in the area, we are proud to say that business is booming. With 52,000 businesses generating £34bn per year, Lancashire has a thriving economy. From hospitality to digital, engineering to technology, and manufacturing to transport, Lancashire leads the way. Thanks to accessible rail travel and affordable bus links, industries on our doorstep such as BAE Systems in Samlesbury, and MediaCityUK in Salford, make for easy commutes.

East Lancashire is a hub of art, culture and heritage just waiting to be explored. Stately homes, castles, ruins and towers, museums and art galleries - the list is endless! For a glimpse into our industrial past, Burnley’s Queen Street Mill Textile Museum and Helmshore Mills Textile Museum are well worth a visit.

Clitheroe’s Longitude Gallery showcases the best of Northern and selected artists from around the UK, and Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington provides an intimate setting for paintings and decorative art objects in its magnificent hillside house. Breathe in the fresh air and seek out the Pennine Lancashire’s Panopticons dotted around the region. These spectacular 21st century landmarks are situated on a high-point site to command spectacular views.

Climb Darwen Tower and take in the impressive views of the town, and further afield to Morecambe Bay and the Isle of Man. Equally, take a pleasant and picturesque stroll around Clitheroe’s early medieval castle and grounds.

Dr Bethany Killeen is a GP and Clinical Lead at Fairmore Medical Practice in Rawtenstall. Originally from Hertfordshire, she has been living and working in the town for over four years. 

"After studying Medicine at Newcastle University, I moved to Didsbury, a suburb of Manchester, for Foundation Training and then to Saddleworth for GP training in Pennine. I then got a job as a salaried GP with Hope Citadel in Oldham. 

The plan was to settle in Saddleworth, but the house prices for that 'forever family home' soon put pain to that, so a friend suggested Rawtenstall. Thirty minutes drive from Oldham and 40 from Manchester, we were thrilled to find we could buy a five bedroom house with a good sized garden for £450,000 - something we’d easily have paid double for in Didsbury and Saddleworth. 

The commute to Oldham was horrendous. Rush-hour traffic alongside nursery drop-offs meant I was constantly late for work or stressed about picking up the children. 

I was a patient at Fairmore Medical Practice and when a nurse told me there was a GP vacancy during an appointment, I didn’t have to think twice about applying! 

I love my job and wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. Being a local GP gives you the ability to give your patients really good consistent care. It’s important to the community and I love being able to build a relationship with them; something I believe helps when it comes to mental health, chronic conditions and palliative care. And if something isn’t right then ELHT allows me to have my say in patient improvement. 

Despite living in a small town, it’s rare I see one of my 3,000 patients. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not always bumping into them in Tesco! 

My commute is five minutes in the car. I drop my son, Josh, six at school and my daughter, Bella, 18 months at nursery on the way. Zero stress and I always arrive at work on time.

The quality of life is so much better here. Beautiful and green, we live next door to a park. We are spoiled for choice when it comes to schools. The town centre is thriving with great bars and restaurants and there is a great community spirit. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, and it was really easy for us to settle in. We are straight out onto the moors and surrounded by scenic countryside. The Lake District and our favourite coastal town Lytham St Annes are on our doorstep too.  

My husband works in Manchester and London and his commute is stress free and simple. He chooses the bus over the car and it takes him 30 minutes. The bus has comfy seats and WiFi. The fast train to London from Piccadilly is just two hours. 

I couldn’t imagine living or working anywhere else."