Do people say this about other places?

I agree with you.

I grew up up north and had to put up with bullying and mocking of my very slight southern accent (due to parents' accents) regularly, to a point I deliberately changed my accent.

Moved south and I've never had anyone say anything more than "love your accent, where are you from - northern isn't it?"

Ditto place. Say I'm from Preston and I get listed things they know about it, never negative, - "it's close to the Lakes", "I changed there on the way to our holidays in Blackpool" are on the more neutral side, generally people fall over themselves to say how nice.
When I go back to visit, I get told all the dreadful things about living down south (not London). The crime rate is terrible, there is nothing that could remotely be called countryside, people are rude and unhelpful, never speak to anyone else and no one of any worth would think about living there...

I always say oh it’s the best city in the world, clearly you’re doing it wrong or are not a city person. And cities aren’t for everyone. I grew up in North Wales where the trains barely ran and there is nothing today so moving to London was like i’d been awakened from a long sleep. Been here 25yrs and I am relocating this summer, not back to Wales but somewhere a bit quieter and a lot cheaper. Not because i’ve fell out of love with London, because that would never happen and I hope to visit often. If you’re bored of London, you’re bored of life as they say. Even if you don’t like the business sitting in St James park watching the flamingos is amazing. People are so rude about London, unlike many other places.

I live in a poor, non touristy part of the Westcountry and had loads of rude comments, mostly from the neighbouring more upmarket town but also Londoners. I also got a lot of rude comments about living ‘South of the river’ when I lived in London myself. It’s not just people outside London insulting Londoners. I think London is a fantastic place to visit to too far from the sea for live in.

IME people love to take pot shots at London, and at me for living there and daring to like it.
It's really weird. I mean, I know for a fact how shite some places are because I've lived in them, but I wouldn't dream of saying they were shite to people who choose to live in them; but people (mostly my family and their friends) seem to find it acceptable to bitch about London a) to someone who lives there and likes it and b) even though they've never been/have been to Oxford Street, so duh, of course they didn't like it/come once a year by coach, see a West End show and get bussed out again.

Apparently so! I speak French (very close to Welsh in some ways!) so I think they probably switch to Bulgarian when I enter the room! Isn't it mad? As if anyone can tell who you are or what language you speak when you enter a room. It's the dumbest thing I have ever heard and very obnoxious from the 'reporting party'.

One of my best birthdays was in France, in Paris, I was only 19 and using my A-Level French everywhere... I was with my boyfriend at the time who was half French and spoke semi-fluently. I had said to him: "Please don't try to help me, I need to get it right." And we had been to see the rugby and then went for some dinner (back in the Parc de Prince days!) and I ordered my dinner and asked for a Kir Royale as my drink and the waiter asked if it was to be an aperitif or with my main mean (I was 19 and poor!) so I said my only drink for the evening meal.

And he was so lovely and said to me: "Bonne anniversaire!" I had forgotten I was wearing a silly badge! Honestly, the loveliest people on the planet. Great meal. Champagne to finish - for free! - and I still have the French rugby scarf they gave me on the night! No one ever talks about the friendliness of other cultures do they?

I think every general area has its own designated shithole and everybody in that area knows where it is!
(lucky me, I live right in the middle of it).🙄

I think your first comment could apply to almost all towns in the UK these days. Lots of towns, even those considered smart, have grotty town centres. But as you say, the surrounding area makes up for that.

I got cross when the BBC moved a lot of its production up to Salford and it was reported that they'd more or less bribed some London-based presenters to move up there - or, paid huge amounts for them to commute first class and stay in posh hotels.

Grrr! Tell them to sling their hook - I'm sure there are/were lots of talented people in the north west who'd happily do their jobs.

I’m from near Middlesbrough. We get loads of nasty comments about the place. Admittedly some parts of the town centre is now dire, but the surrounding areas are lovely.

it got voted the worst place to live on one of Phil and Kirstys shows

To be honest I’ve visited other cities which were horrible, much worse than here

People do say it about everywhere, but I do hear a lot about the UK in general 😂

People say what an amazing place I live in and it gets so much tourism and has been voted one of the best places to live multiple times.

It isn’t a big town but has a big drug problem that tourists wouldn’t be aware of, the high street is slowly dying, it’s expensive to live in and is boring.

On the plus side I lived in a city and it amused me that one week the front page news of the town I live in was “plant pots smashed, police appeal for witnesses” and the news on the radio in the city ended with “and in other news a man has been stabbed”

I think everywhere has pros and cons and I often wish I could live in London with more to do.
I do value feeling safe where I live though and it is in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK.

Don't worry, the French do it too. There they are in a cafe, bar or shop, chatting away in English, but as soon as you walk in they switch to French.

I'm sure people say it about other places but I'd be surprised if they said "Hull is vile" to your face knowing that's where you came from. Maybe I'm being naive. And I am using Hull as an example. I've never been there! But I do think capital cities are perhaps a bit of an exception as they are notably densely urban, populated and congested. I've heard the same said about Paris, Rome, New York and Baghdad for example. So I think people generally mean that they dislike the hustle and bustle, or chaotic energy, of such a large metropolis rather than meaning it's a "shithole".

I was referring specifically to wales as that is what the poster mentioned

@TheIceBeari was thinking the same about Dublin! Every time I go there to visit family someone, a colleague or client or whoever I chat to, tells me how much they hate it. It's bizarre, i have friends and family in 4 different locations, all really lovely. I know for a fact some people including a family member don't like the city I live in (different Irish city) but they don't say it to my face. It seems the same for London, like it's fair game to insult it. I think its more to do with people disliking cities in general and directing that dislike towards capital cities.

100% - we go to that effort because we HATE everyone else!!!

Ah thanks for saying that because it is bloody stupid but when I deign to mention it I must be lying. In Swansea? Really?! I learned it as an adult as well!

@Arlanymor , we know you lot only speak Welsh when an English person walks into the shop/pub.

It's also hysterically funny and original to repeat what you've just said in an exaggerated accent.
If you're a scouser, being told 'Dey do do dat dough, don't dey dough' is absolutely rib-tickling.

Try being Welsh... honestly.

But yes it's rude and appalling. And a really good reason to ignore that person forever more.

@MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo , tell me about it. People told me to lose my accent.

Och, at least admit it 😄

People on here say stuff about 'The North'.

Try being a scouser. Everyone thinks we constantly go out in our rollers and are plastered in make up.

I live somewhere that usually appears in the 'Ten Worst Towns in the UK' lists.
When I tell people where I live, they pull a face. It's very close to somewhere touristy.

If I tell people I live just outside the nearest town, they say 'Ooh, lovely'.

I think this is probable said by the same type of person who, on seeing what you're eating says "urgh, xxx?! How can you eat that" 🤦‍♀️
Basically some people are just oblivious to manners...

I think this is probable said by the same type of person who, on seeing what you're eating says "urgh, xxx?! How can you eat that" 🤦‍♀️
Basically some people are just oblivious to manners...

Exactly.

I'm a northerner too, and I've had someone (who knows this) say to me when discussing places they'd like to live 'East Anglia doesn't have the taint of being in the North'.

It's not just lamentable ignorance...it's rude and nasty too. I always assume people who say this kind of thing are doing so quite deliberately and intend to give offence.

Apart from the fact that i don't hold silly prejudices about various parts of the UK, I would just never express a negative opinion in company because I'm not a rude person!