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'm from the good old east mids.....very close to Rutland....so almost home counties!

LadyBlahBlah, Hale mummies are not the friendliest bunch...

ILikeMilk, if you are serious, I kind of agree with you although not about Manchester as I've never even been there!

I moved back to my native country Finland last summer after 13 years in London...and I'm really missing London now, it's painful! There are LOTS of things I don't like about London, yes it is busy, grimy, the traffic is awful, there's no nature, it's disgustingly expensive and so on and so forth... But I still loved London and I miss it every day. There is a very particular atmosphere in London and I think it is one of the great cities in the world. And I know what you mean about the anonymity of London, I liked that too!

But living in London is impossible if you have children unless you are very wealthy indeed. And I worried about schools there. And the traffic. And being cold INDOORS. And not being able to afford even to rent a flat, never mind buying one. Despite having a reasonably well paid job. So I left.

Now trying to survive the Finnish winter...

Manchester is great,as is Liverpool.Lovely museums and galleries.I'm easily pleased though,I've lived in rural Leicestershire all my life.[removes straw from mouth].I nearly cried though,when dh was headhunted for a job in London.London is nice to visit,but not for me.

You get what you give.Have you joined in any community/school clubs or in initiatives,any evening classes,voluntary groups or book clubs? Wherever you live you have to make an effort to meet people and make friends.

This is definitely a wind up. Describing Manchester as grey and dirty, while simoultaneously longing for London, something just doesn't add up.

They're probably not unfriendly. They're probably put off by your cat's bum mouth.

Sorry dont want to mention the age of kids not to give myself away.

Yeah, every single one of them is a cow bitch

Ilikemilk - I am really struggling to understand this, however compassionate i try and be. I live in South Manchester, there is absolutely loads to do. I dont know how old your kids are, but we do the following:

Parks - dunham, tatton, John Leigh, Wythenshawe park, Heaton, Worthington

Stuff to do - Museum of Science of Industry, Eureka, Manchester Gallery, Imperial War Museum, that ski place (not been), Blue Planet Aquarium, Chester Zoo, Blackpool Zoo, Knowsley Safari Park, Martin Mere, Red House Farm, Stockley Farm

This isn't taking into account shops, play areas, restaurants, craft groups, kids theatre

I'm sorry to say this, but this sounds like this is more about you having a block in your mind around M'cr, rather than being around nothing to do......

'Blimey, i spent ages looking for somewhere that stocks polenta..'.

Polenta? You miss polenta? It tastes nothing. What is the fuss about polenta? The most tasteless food in the world.

Well whinging and stamping your feet because your bored will be picked up on by the children obviously, probably not the best parenting route to go down no...

We're surrounded bu Hills and not much else here, yet are very rarely bored, probably because only boring people are constantly bored and moaning about it iyswim ?

I will return to this thread later once I return from Chorlton water park - just one of the lovely parks in 'dull, grey Manchester'

Marianne, this is exactly what I mean! We could afford a nicer area of London, and DH promiced we'll move if I dont like it here, but now he is changing his tune, grr!

lol at laquitar getting distracted by polenta (I agree btw!). This thread is hilarious

promised

We're relocating to Manchester this summer. ILikeMilk, which part of Mcr do you suggest we move to?

ffs Sainsburys stock polenta. It's not exactly exotic.

Strange choice of barometer on cultural n/s differences

iskra are you having a laugh - she hates all of it?

Iskra, I am the last person to ask, LOL

If this isn't a wind up, I think you are just pissed off because it's all on your DH's terms, you've moved to be with him and he hasn't compromised at all.

You sound so set that you will hate it up here so it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

iskra there was a thread on that very topic last year, which basically gave the full lowdown on each and every part of MCR and surrounding areas. See if you can find it, it will answer all your questions depending on what you're looking for

Are you stomping your feet and throwing toys out of pram because of your DH?

Few things been said about DH to indicate your problem with Hale lies elsewhere

OP the very rough age range of your DCs is relevant though, as you've mentioned lack of things to do as a family. Can't you say whether toddlers, primary or secondary age?

Lizzy, I know. I got quite an obsessive personality, and I think it is part of me hating it here and wanting to go back. I dont have any control over the matter, I am a SAHM so it is up to DH.

is your DH a footballer?

Go on, honestly tell us what you did in London that's so top banana that you couldn't do it in our beloved grim Northern city.

We've got farmers markets and everything doncha know?