To hate living in Manchester (and North in general)

[ILikeMilk]

Moved here four years ago to be with DH, and I still cannot get used to it. We are in a nicest area of Manchester, and it is still feels very provincial and boring. I dream about living in London, but DH does not want to look for a new job. I feel like there is no point and don?t want to decorate the house, make friends, etc, I just fantasise about being in London every single day. There is not much to do here, no nice streets or galleries, not much to do on the weekends as a family. I went to London this weekend, it was so painful to come back. Does anybody else feel this way?

I don't know which part of Manchester you are in, but one part of it is very specifically and infamously like the Primrose Hill of the North, full of vintage shabby chic shops, cafe culture, Boden-on-a-stick, pretentious art galleries, Bugaboos, mwah mwah dahlins, and everything else Londoners seem to love.

There's a HECK of a lot of culture (and shopping, if that's your thing. Harvey Nichols and Selfridges wouldn't open their sister stores there rather than other cities without good reason) to be had in that city, it's the 3rd largest city in the UK, there is a LOT going on. And that's coming from someone who absolutely hated the place with a passion for the first 4 or 5 years.

But I have to agree somewhat, you're on the wrong side of the Pennines. I recommend Leeds and Harrogate :D

Mancs are in a class of their own, take them with a pinch of salt. Nothing like a Northerner for telling you how it is. I eventually appreciated their direct honesty over the faffing, painful tact and shallow etiquette rituals of Southerners.

You need to consider it a temporary adventure if you don't plan on staying forever and are already adamant you won't fall in love with it. Immerse yourself in the culture and scenery so you have a stock of good memories and new experiences to take back with you to London.

events.tattonpark.org.

www.visitmanchester.com/what-to-do/attractions/

www.mosi.org.uk/

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/230ft-high-starflyer-coming-piccadilly-1764249

www.chorltoncoffeefestival.com/

^^ Blimey, it's making me realise just how little there is to do on such grand scales as above amenities in the humble East Midlands now!

Moral of story: count your blessings! Or, go and sit in the shopping centre of neighbouring suburban districts Middleton, Rochdale and Chadderton for the day, then you'll realise how vibrant, sophisticated and fascinating Manchester actually is.

I know it can take a while to get used to a culture shock as have experienced this myself and my children had the same shock but reversed.
Manchester is lovely, we live Greater Manchester and love going into the city and find so much going on. Give me the North any day. We are much friendlier up here and have time to stop for a chat.
Give it time and you will be fine. < runs away after insulting Southerners >

Insult away!
It seems to be mostly the Northerners who refuse to read the thread and haven't understood that the OP was made over TWO YEARS AGO!
Take your time dears, it will probably dawn on you at some point.

What an ingrate. Hale is a very expensive place to live and way out of most people's league. You are obviously loaded. And everyone who's loaded is happy as fuck, no?

I felt like you, but then I lived in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Tumti tumti tum.
OP has probably escaped back south by now.

just noticed dates...

YANBU
I agree OP. unlike London there are no or very few trees in Manchester city centre. In London there are small parks and large parks and the river giving you breathing space. A few years ago Manchester had the chance to open up up the canal, instead they built on top of it. Picadilly Garden is anything but, the triangle is windswept and horrible.

The University Mile is wide traffic island.

Manchester is an industrial city and it will never be pretty.

I refused to relocate when DH got a job up there. I was brought up in Irlam, near Salford. I could not bear to be away from where I (and we) have raised the DCs. DH keeps saying Didsbury is the Kensington of the north

I wonder what happened in the end. Did the OP move to london, or stay put.

Absolute rubbish babybarrister I have lived up here near Manchester in probably one of the poorest areas for 23 years after moving to my dh hometown of Ashton under Lyne from Warwickshire.

Manchester is not dreadful, some of the people may be but you get them everywhere. Ok it might not be London with all the sights but wild horses would have to drag me from here. We live about 20 mins from Derbyshire and some beautiful countryside and we have plenty of places to go in our area of Tameside.

Sometimes I do wish I lived in Leamington where I was born but I don't know anyone anymore there and my family live on The Wirral, Merseyside which is only an hour's drive away.

I would hate to live in the centre of London, I would find it very lonely, I would have to live in the country.

I sympathise. I can't see the appeal of Manchester. In fact I think it's dire. I wouldn't dare say this to a lot of people who think it's wonderful. I could never like or love the place.

Well my nickname speaks volumes as to where I am located! I'm in North Manchester - lots of lovely parks, great places to eat, all amenities, good transport links.

What exactly is wrong with Manchester, hmm? How is it 'dire'?

FWIW, my dad is Cockney born and bread, and having lived in Manchester for 30 years, says he would never, ever consider living anywhere near London. He hates visiting, even.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to be homesick (for a place you once lived) and have preference for a place. I think people are being too hard on the OP.

Also, I have read so many threads over the years slagging off London and saying it is such a shite place so refreshing to see the opposite.

OP, I wanted to ask you if you are aware how oversubscribed London primary schools are (especially in "good" areas) and how unlikely you are to get a child into a good school if your child is already primary age. You would perhaps need to consider alternative arrangements if you did move back to London.

Just realised this is a reaaally old thread so the OP has probably moved already.

yes it is from 2011. I have always had a soft spot for Manchester actually.

Get a grip! ............

Hale is a shithole? What are you going on about. Where did you live 4 years ago? You come accross as being generally miserable and negative and would probably be glum whereever you live. Life is what you make it... wherever you are. Do you have a history of depression?

Oh she might have already slit her wrists already...

See, more people not reading the thread, or noticing the date.
Let's hope that the OP escaped rather than killing herself Bibs, better outcome for all?
Lots of aggressive defence of turf, and a real dislike of someone not being enthusiastic about the area she's living in. How many of the ranters have lived in both Manchester and London?

Had stumbled on my old thread :) Just a small update, I had indeed moved back to London and it is still amazing :)