To ask for your experiences with Bath/strange atmospheres

I do find it weird Freezer bird and I really do want to emphasise, this is not an attack on onyone, not on here, not personally in Bath but an dissection of a particular type of attitude which lends itself to an atmosphere which may contribute to the feeling of what the OP is talking about.

Take me, if you or anyone, wanted to criticise or critique something I had done or had said, that would be fine. Not one word of a lie, I would be very interested to hear what you or a person in question had to say. By listening to what have said I might learn something or you might learn something by my response. No-one will learn anything through closing discussion which is what I notice in Bath, that is without a doubt my biggest dislike of the place. It looks like this because the georgians rule ok! We all like rugby you should start joining in with rugby because rugby rules ok!
We do things like this and this is definitely the best because we know ok!
Its almost like a stringent tribe holding everyone hostage in terms of viewpoint, behaviour, mindsets and what is considered to be acceptable taste. Now obviously not. every. single. resident is like this obviously. But the collective majority who make the decisions and hold sway are.

Now I understand in a social setting, people having a drink doing whatever they do this may not be the case. But in other areas I have come across this far too frequently. This "we are so smart and we know!
Its just bizarre because when you engage them in conversation so often its revealed they dont really know that much. Or what they know is just normal stuff that they think only they know about when its quite standard info, its like people are trying to impress and I'm not entirely sure what inspires this.

But it isnt weird to be open to critique. I find people who are, generally people who just have no interest in improving anything. If people want to challenge what Im saying its not just ok, its genuinely welcome and interesting.

I also find Portland creepy and I couldn't tell you why. I think Weymouth which you drive through to get there is really nice.

If you want somewhere creepy go to Portland in Dorset. Very strange atmosphere.

Knittingaddict. Why cant you hold a discussion without taking offence? Very typical of the attitudes in Bath, so hostile to perceived difference.

@blueangel1- Agree about Westward Ho!

I’ve been to Bath many, many times without a problem. Some of the most mentally and emotionally difficult times of my life were doing my MSc and PhD though, at a diiferent university.

It's old-school seaside towns give me the willies. Places like Skegness, Weston, Westward Ho - they always seem so sad and run-down. Having said that, there are also some lovely seaside places, it's the decaying ones that I find depressing.

@usernameusrnme the most defensive attitude by a country mile is coming from you! So it’s a bit much to say everyone who lives in Bath is ultra defensive and can’t contemplate anyone criticising any aspect about whatsoever.

Like @Freezerbird says, people do actually tend to like where they live. If they don’t, they’re likely to do everything within their power to move. And frankly anyone living in Bath is likely to have more opportunity to move than most, because housing is expensive there so it would be easy to move somewhere still commutable , but a lot cheaper.

It’s quite possible (in fact probable) that Bath residents actually enjoy living there without over analysing it half as much as you do

The thing is I find it weird that you find it weird. In my experience people generally quite like where they live and get a bit defensive if it's criticised. I'm not only talking about affluent middle class people who can be said to have chosen where they live.

I think they are especially likely to be defensive if criticism of a place seems to be based on the people who live there. What with that being them, and everything.

Also - and I think we're misunderstanding you but I can't quite get to the root of it - this conversation feels like
A: I don't like bath because ....
B: I live there/have lived there and that's not my experience.
A: You're so defensive! This is my opinion and experience and it's valid!
B: I know, but as I said this is my experience. Presumably also valid.
A: Well that just makes my point. So defensive!

As I said I haven't lived there for many years and I wonder if it's changed a lot because I just do not recognise the attitude you're talking about.

Its for image people. Like telling a M3 driver their car isnt as good as an Audi. Just for a joke. Just wait for the amount virtriol and defensiveness as though you have insulted them personally. As though they cant separate their image from the car. Or students who went to a particular university. Most are fine but theres a certain type that will take immense pride that were part of a certain institution as though thats who they are now. Still in student mode. Post codes are no different and Bath is a shallow image place. People get caught up in the prettiness but there is no substance of an actual city to be found. Just a remanent of the romans and georgians with some cake to eat after you've managed to drive out of the labyrinth that is the road system there.

Like I said all depends on your style preference. Great that your friends love it. But pitchforks come out if anyone says any differently. Like some tribe. Like grown men who arguing over football teams. Thats what I find weird. No criticism allowed. Not of the school situation, not of the architecture, not of anything. Not of the council. You must love it and not speak if you dont. Or else the cliquey sets will turn against you/ try to ridicule you/ slander you.

“suffering in its own wintry self-regard”
Fucking brilliant!

Of course this must totally be an accurate description of every single resident of Bath. Of course it couldn’t possibly be a hyperbole- ridden piece of journalism...

Honestly, I’d live in Bath at the drop of a hat if Dh and I didn’t have work commitments elsewhere. And I’ve never heard any of my friends who live/ have lived there describe it as anything it isn’t. They’re quite happy telling it like it is- perhaps because it’s pretty damn nice there

For those wondering about the mood or vibe read the above. Maybe it isnt the Radon but the high levels of CO2 being collectively exhaled through exasperation about what is and isnt allowed while they hear about everyone else in the 21st century.

Oh good! This thread Is back!

I oddly love Ilfracombe, nearly bought a flat there. But bottled out because it can be VERY bleak. But it’s beautiful in its own way. But I love seaside towns, even the depressing bits.

Knittingaddict. Why cant you hold a discussion without taking offence? Very typical of the attitudes in Bath, so hostile to perceived difference.

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2007/sep/16/architecture

LOVE st Ives itself but stayed at St Ives holiday village once and that did not have a nice feel.

St Ives is my unhappy place. DP and I visited for a long weekend a few years ago and had the worst rows we've ever had. From the moment I got there it just felt 'wrong' and I couldn't settle or enjoy anything about it. I felt on edge and furious the whole time. As soon as we drove out of the town it was as if a huge weight had been lifted. Really, really odd.

We've talked quite a lot about it since and I always put it down to the fact that the holiday home we were staying in had a weird vibe, but actually the whole place did. So seeing that radon map is really intriguing!

@Oliversmumsarmy is there a good website you would recommend to learn more about Astrocartography?

We went to Bath for our wedding anniversary as I had always wanted to go. Something felt off. Can’t place why but we didn’t have as much fun as I thought we would. We both agreed we wouldn’t be rushing back.

The only nice bit is the statue of Verity but then even she is a bit depressing!! I've heard there is a big drug problem there. In the winter its even worse! X

Ilfracombe is not very loved even by many who live there. It is well past its victorian hay day and rather run down. There is also a big drug problem.

@careworkerandproud agree about Ilfracombe! Just seems very bleak there.

Interesting thread! I've lived in or near quite a few of these places - Buxton, T Wells, Plymouth, St Austell, Brighton - strange to see them cropping up time & again.
Nothing odd about not liking Newquay, the town is a shithole.
Might research a bit more about effects of chronic radon exposure...

@Geepipe Bidston Hill is beautiful but definitely has a vibe. Always feel watched there. Was there with my DD once and it was deserted, walking through the woods and heard a noise - like someone banging a tree with a stick - which is not an unusual sound on a walk in the woods - but for some reason felt unsettled. Turned and said to DD, let’s go back and go another way, and she said, oh has that noise freaked you out too and we turned and ran out of the woody bit. Was a beautiful sunny spring day as well.

ILFRACOMBE in Devon. I cant understand why people like it, horrible and depressing imo. Also Jersey, I got that feel too.