Tom Bateman, 35, and his wife Brittany, 36, have returned to England after 17 years in the United States, with Tom taking an 80 per cent pay cut from a $200,000 (£150,000) corporate marketing role to a £30,000-a-year job teaching bike lessons to children in Bradford, working alongside his father Phil, 64.
From six figures to family time
At the peak of his career, Tom earned more than $200,000 annually but felt “trapped by success.” He said: “I became more and more successful, but I also felt more trapped by that success. You create these financial situations around yourself – a nicer car, bigger commitments – and they become reasons not to make a change. It wasn’t a midlife crisis, but it felt like a crisis. I wanted to contribute more and be closer to family.”
The couple, who met in York in 2007 while attending Bible college, sold all their furniture and cars in the US to fund the move. They have four home-schooled children aged six to 12 and two doodle mixes, Charlie and Mabel, who will travel with them across the Atlantic.
Longing for British culture
Tom said he missed the nuanced aspects of British life: “People say Britain has no culture, but I think it has a very nuanced culture. It’s the humour, the sarcasm, the social cues. It’s the little nods, looks and sighs in the pubs that everyone understands.” He also craved Greggs, proper curry, and a pint in the pub.
The family previously lived in California, Chicago, and Idaho, where they sought a more affordable lifestyle. Tom described Idaho as “fantastic... a bit like the Wild West. People just get on and build things and make things happen.” But the pull of home grew stronger after his older brother’s unexpected death at age 28 in 2016, which reshaped his priorities.
A slower pace in Yorkshire
Brittany, originally from the US, is equally excited about the move. She said: “Every time we visit England, we end up going for walks. Everything is closer together and there are so many footpaths, villages and little shops to discover. It sounds like a small thing, but we really enjoy that lifestyle.”
The couple look forward to exploring the Yorkshire Dales without the pressure of a short holiday. Tom admitted the decision hasn’t fully sunk in yet: “We’ve spent years visiting England for four or five weeks at a time. So I keep wondering whether it will feel like another long visit when we land. At some point we’ll realise we’re not going back to Idaho. That’s when it will probably start to feel real.”
