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Coatbridge is largely fine if you avoid Sikeside, Townhead and Kirkwood. I'm going to assume you're not buying in the Jackson Street flats either because that's where the council have put all the junkies.

As for housing there's decent estates and the areas where there's a lot of ex-council houses are becoming nice as well. If you're looking for a flat there are good tenement style flats in Dunbeth, Blairhill. There are several new build estates too.

 

If you're into keeping fit then there are several gyms to chose from: The DW, Time Capsule, New Age Fitness and JP's Gym (I know the guy who runs this one and he's a genuinely good guy), plus there is the running track at Langloan which has a small gym inside the complex. The DW and the Time Capsule both have pools if you like swimming.

The NCN Cycle Route 75 runs through Coatbridge so it's fairly easy to cycle to both Glasgow and Edinburgh if you enjoy cycling.

The Drumpellier Loch is easily accessible and a nice walk. There are nice trails if you like walking/running.

If you're into golf, there are two course, Lochview (public) and Drumpellier (private).

If you enjoy football recreationally, there are several pitches at St Andrews High School and St Ambrose High School where people regularly have 7-aside games.

 

For shopping there's a big fuck off Tesco Extra, an Asda and a Lidl. There's also a Morrisons in Airdrie (if you ever want drive up to the bad lands). There's also a small M&S food store too if you want to treat yourself. If you're looking for a butchers, Penders or JP&W Alison are the two best.

 

Socially, it's okay if unremarkable. There's decent pubs and shite pubs and the restaurants (The Mint, Mondo, Guidi's and the Crown Jewel) are all decent. 30's is probably the only nightclub that's available to over 18's as the other two are always full of people that are under 18.

The Showcase Cinema in Bargeddie has recently been tarted up and is quite nice again. Across the car park from the cinema there is 10 pin bowling.

Obviously Glasgow is close by and easily accessible by public transport if you'd rather socialise in Glasgow. A taxi to and from town will cost about £16 each way in normal hours and about £25 between midnight and 6/7am.

 

As for transport I would say it's the best connected town in the West of Scotland, possibly even the whole country.

There are 6 train stations. Whifflet, Kirkwood and Bargeddie which all take you into to Central Low Level. Trains tend to be every half hour on this line and take around 30/35 minutes to get town. You can also get a train to Motherwell, Hamilton and Cumbernauld from Whifflet. The last train from Central to Whifflet at the weekends is around 23:30 on Friday and around midnight on Saturday.

Then there is Coatdyke, Coatridge Sunnyside and Blarhill where you can catch trains into Queen Street low level or to Edinburgh. Trains on this line are more frequent, arriving every 10/15 minutes and take about 20/25 minutes or, if you get the express train 15 minutes into Glasgow and 55 minutes into Edinburgh. The last train from Queen Street is around midnight on Friday and around 00:30 on Saturday.

I don't take the bus but the main bus 'station' is close to the Main Street and has buses going in the directions of both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The M8, M74 and M73 are all easily accessible.

 

>So as someone who is of brown/tanned skin is it a no go?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you will be fine. Granted the communities are small, but there are people of middle eastern, Asian and East Asian descent who have lived here for a long time and don't seem to encounter any major problems. You may encounter the odd scumbag but those people exist in other parts of the WoS and are generally outliers.

 

Coatbridge's reputation as being rough and poverty ridden is largely historical. There are still poverty issues in some areas, but for the most part it is a typical, middle of the road and slightly boring town on the outskirts of Glasgow.