Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Is Scotland a nicer place to live?

118 replies

Mrsemcgregor · 14/07/2020 09:23

I think I’ve had it with England. The whining and moaning, the selfishness the entitlement.

I don’t want to live here anymore, is Scotland any better? Or is there a corner of England where things aren’t as horrible as where I live (middle class up it’s own arse town in the southwest)?

I’m so sad Sad

OP posts:
TeacupDrama · 15/07/2020 16:38

I think @pinkcarpet was most accurate

derxa · 15/07/2020 16:39

Read Motherwell by Deborah Orr, very familiar to me and from the area my dad grew up in. I guess it may vary according to area / time/ wealth but my experience of it was also quite bigoted / prejudiced. My aunt and uncle lived there and my cousin still does. My uncle worked in the Caterpillar factory. My cousin is a retired teacher. Your perceptions are so different from mine. We went to their wee council house every New Year and I remember the warmth of them and their community. Deborah Orr was very bitter and bit over dramatic.
There is religious division in Scotland and separate schools doesn't help.

Orangeblossom78 · 15/07/2020 16:56

My dad's from Coatbridge to not far from Motherwell. I have loved in several places, from near Aberdeen where I was born, to the Borders and Dad's family near Glasgow, and studied in Stirling with my brother in Edinburgh. So I know it all quite well!

Orangeblossom78 · 15/07/2020 17:05

The one main thing that sticks with me, was a talk we had at secondary about getting out if you wanted to make something of your life. There were no opportunities. Unless you wanted to work on the fishing boats or in a fish factory (seaside town in the Borders). Many got pregnant as teenagers, and most seemed to come from the same few families in the town. If you lived there for years or from one of these families, yes you would feel at home. Otherwise, no. There was a pressure not to improve, to strive or you'd get bullied. Or if you were different. I was so glad to escape to university, in the days of the grants. So, for me, it was a place to escape from.

However I suppose that you could say that about other such towns, rather than that being something specific to Scotland.

Timeforanotherusername · 15/07/2020 17:07

I've got to be honest. I wouldn't move to one of these Lanarkshire towns. Not when I don't have connections to the town. But thats me coming from other area hearing its not always the friendliest to outsiders.

TWAMSWIAO · 15/07/2020 17:07

Yes, it’s bloody lovely!

redeyetonowheregood · 15/07/2020 17:10

I am British ... Half Scottish, half English and have lived in both as well as two other countries.

The 'half Scottish' bit saved me a couple of times. My family are from the north east of Scotland and I nursed up there. It only happened twice that patients said they didn't meant me looking after them because I was English. There is absolutely and most definitely anti English sentiment in some quarters, but the vast majority of people don't think like that. I found Aberdonians hard to crack, but once you are in, you are in. Beautiful, beautiful country.

dementedma · 15/07/2020 17:11

The same moaners and whiners here as in England, with worse weather, midges and the SNP. Education standards have slid down the league table over the last decade. There are lots of nice people, and lots of arseholes. Same as anywhere.

Orangeblossom78 · 15/07/2020 18:14

Oh yes i forgot the darkness. Going to school in the dark and home in the dark in winter. and the cold

pinkcarpet · 15/07/2020 20:53

I don't mind the dark but then a couple of generations ago my family were all vikings so maybe its the Scandinavian heritage in me! I find it cosy and comfortable. But the rain on the west coast is another matter. Dreich is really the only way to describe it here some days!

Gingerkittykat · 15/07/2020 22:38

@Timeforanotherusername

You should see the chicken pakora................
Sod the chicken pakora, haggis pakora is amazing and I'm really sad the buffet where I normally get it will be shut for a long time.

I have so far declined to try haggis katsu but saw another Indian advertising vegan haggis, neeps and tatties samosas!

Gingerkittykat · 15/07/2020 22:45

@Timeforanotherusername

I've got to be honest. I wouldn't move to one of these Lanarkshire towns. Not when I don't have connections to the town. But thats me coming from other area hearing its not always the friendliest to outsiders.
I originally come from one of those small towns and my family are scattered over small towns and villages in Lanarkshire/ West Lothian and there is absolutely no way I would move there.

They are very inward looking, there is still a lot of sectarianism (one of my cousins is in a "mixed" marriage of Protestant/Catholic and have had hassle from both sides), the orange order, you can only fully belong if you can trace your family back over a few generations. There is incredible community spirit if you are on the inside but even with my family connections I wouldn't belong.

Orangeblossom78 · 16/07/2020 07:26

But the Borders town we moved to was like that too... I think there are similarities to Northern Ireland- in fact quite a few students came from there to study in Scotland.

Yes, the west is very wet, too, but then SW England can get that as well. It is less cold though. And as with everywhere, there are bad and good areas I suppose.

GloriousTechnicolour · 16/07/2020 07:37

*I live in Edinburgh, basically the most beautiful city on earth. Plenty of arseholes here, as there are anywhere. I don't think Scotland as a whole has a particularly distinct personality that separates it from England, I'd go by area.

I don't think you'd like rural Fife much.*

This is every person in Edinburgh, ever Grin it's such a cliche it's embarrassing but Edinburgh has a monumental superiority complex.

I moved from Edinburgh to semi-rural Fife and it's glorious. People are actually lovely.

I adore Scotland and its people. It's much less anti-English than it used to be - when I was growing up it was tolerated, and practically encouraged. The only terrible thing about Scotland is the ultra-woke independence-blinded SNP government and it's zombie followers. Take a look at the feminism board for some of the legislation changes in Scotland decide if you still want to live here. Think about the recent Alex Salmond trial and how that worked out for the women involved.

PARunnerGirl · 16/07/2020 07:43

I’m sure I’ll get “pelters” for this Grin but I’m Scottish and I’ve worked for both Scottish and English based companies. The workplaces in Scotland had way more craic. People were more down to earth, open, ready to start some general chit chat and just had decent, easygoing banter . The people working in the English based company were quieter, kept to themselves more, a bit more staid and I just felt like I didn’t really always know who they were or what they were really like.

This tends to match my general experience about the differences between the nationalities however I COMPLETELY accept that it is my experience alone and totally biased because I belong to one of the nationalities!

Orangeblossom78 · 16/07/2020 07:47

The SNP and Yes campaign totally freaked out my poor friend's mum.

TheSandman · 16/07/2020 15:15

Think about the recent Alex Salmond trial and how that worked out for the women involved.

You mean he was cleared of all charges - found not guilty on 12 of the sexual assault charges facing him, while another was found not proven His anonymous accusers are still anonymous their allegations were found to baseless.

Gingerkittykat · 16/07/2020 20:34

Sexual assault and rape trials rarely result in a conviction anywhere in the UK, not just a Scotland thing.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page