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 agree. I think the North should be banned.

If you want open-mindedness, eccentricity and interesting shops move to Chorlton. They seem to have an abundance of baby and toddler groups there too.

This thread is making me miss Manchester :(

Do you have to be under 20 to 'fit in Ditsbury?'

assuming this is real, you need to get a fucking grip. You are absolutely determined to be miserable - I live just around the corner from you, and while Hale is a bit souless, it's not that bad. Within 30 mins or less you have a vast amount of things to do and see. All I hear is that you're determined to be pathetic and whiny, which is pretty crap for your DCs. Grow the fuck up.

Hale's a bit of a sterile bubble though to be honest.

I completely agree with other posters who mention Chorlton and the City Centre. You don't get much more eclectic than Chorlton!!

It's a bit patronising to sweepingly assume that all Mancs are not trendy and open-minded.

You need to look at this in a different way. It's easy to feel isolated with a toddler if you don't get out and do things.

You could probably have worded the OP in a better way and avoided the flaming biscuits!!

Valium, if you like to listen all night to drunken students, then probably not..

ILikeMilk

"It is more the atmosphere of London, people being trendier, open-minded, etc. I used to feel that I fit in, but not anymore. I am a bit eccentric, but here people just find me weird. Hale crowd is too stuck up for me, more money than class"

You've hit the nail on the head, Hale is like that and I expect the mums are unfriendly. If you want eccentric similar types you need to move to Chorlton, West Didsbury or Didsbury village and GET OUT OF CHESHIRE. get copy of "babies and kids in the city" written by two Didsbury Mums LOADS of stuff to do including all the classes for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

You are living in the wrong part of town, I would hate Hale too. Maye try Rhythm and Rhyme or something in Chorlton and you may meet some more like minded people. But a tip drop the attitude.

Well if you're determined that you don't like it, then what are you going to do about it? Would you definitely be happy again if you lived in London?

People are people wherever you go. Some you like more than others.

If you hate everyone, then you have a problem, not 'them'- that's the problem here. London has some great stuff yes, but going round amazing shops all day on your own would be my idea of hell. A shop is a shop and only holds so much entertainment value.

So I don't give a flying fuck about Harvey Nicks or Polenta, all my life satisfaction comes from the social networks I have, OP is looking in the wrong direction.

Pop over to Altrincham. I'm not snobby.

If Hale is too stuck up for you, but you want the good schools, all you have to do is move to another part ofTrafford. But you'd have to get your head out of your arse first of course.

Would your dh be willing to move but stay North so he can stay with work Ilikemilk?

Also, if you have a primary school and toddler aged children and you've been here four years, chances are your life was completely different in London.

We can all miss our childless 20's and early 30's, but life changes.

And I'm a bit offended by being told if you're over 30 you don't fit into Didsbury - where I am told they are very trendy and open-minded.

Your mind does appear to be firmly closed.

What an odd thing to say. Didsbury doesn't have an age limit and nor does Chorlton. Schools are fine round there. I really wouldn't be complaining about living in Manchester when you don't, guaranteed to piss people off. You have probably picked the wrong area, I certainly wouldn't want to live in Hale.

I think you do need to try and be more positive if you can't move, either area or back down south.

Move to Hull for six months, then move back to Manchester and...hey presto! it will be the coolest place in the world.

(Disclaimer: my family is from Hull, so I'm allowed to be rude about it).

"It is more the atmosphere of London, people being trendier, open-minded, etc"

B**cks. I live in rural South Yorkshire and work in Sheffield. Everyone I meet is open minded. I don't give a toss about "trendy" because I accept people for what they are, not what I want them to be. You do come across as rather patronising in your posts. I'm not surprised that you haven't made many friends.

smallwhitecat
What is IWM?

Go back to London OP and stop moaning. End of.

You are actually proving the point as it sounds like you don't know Didsbury. There is more to it than the pubs in the Village you know.

We're getting a V&A in Dundee soon. Get us and our culture.

I think it would be fair enough to say you miss London, without having to amke yourself sound like an utter tosser about Manchester and its people.

Acanthus, we are in a bit of limbo. DH recognises that we'll have to move as I am not happy here, so he thinks there is no point in moving inside of Manchester, as it is a waste of money. But he is alo not looking for a new job, so I feel like I am not here nor there, had not even unpacked all my stuff yet, not getting furniture for guest bedroom, not getting my roots down so to speak.

Why don't you just move to a different part of the city? Or move north and commute into Manchester there are loads of places around. Or move out to Knutsford or somewhere?

Or don't be a SAHM and get a job? That would give you a different perspective on something.

Another Chester girl so biased but WTF would you want to live in the South for? Sky high house prices, massive commutes, expensive foods and restaurants and I could go on! In-laws are Southern so I know of what I speak! There is so much to do and see in the North West. Have you even checked out what there is to do there? Or in Liverpool? Or in my beloved Chester, where I sadly no longer live (sniff!)?

IlikeMilk we are late 30s in Didsbury, and so are all our friends, you're talking rubbish!! Younger people can't really afford to live here unless it's in house shares in west Dids .

Re schools all 4 primaries in didsbury are very good, if you want private option can always go for Moor Allerton/Ladybarn/Cheadle Hulme. Agree secondaries not as good and you don't have the grammars like in Trafford but still the option if outstanding independent schools, manchester grammar, Withington HS for girls.

I think you sound like a miserable person and you're just making excuses.

Could you put your dcs in nursery a couple of days a week and maybe work part time/volunteer at a gallery/museum/theatre?

God your poor kids. You've not even tried to make your house a home. That must be awful for them, that and you feeling miserable all the time

Didsbury is much nicer than Hale, just as £££ but not as snobby. I would love to live there.