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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to hate living in Coventry?

225 replies

Destinysdaughter · 08/02/2017 18:36

Inspired by the I hate living in Manchester thread, I lived in London for many years but moved back here as I had been made redundant and my dad had severe dementia and was going blind so I moved back home to look after him. He's now in a home because after 2 years, I couldn't cope with it any more. So I'm now living in a city I really do not enjoy being in. I find many people to be both narrow minded and overtly racist, there's virtually nothing going on artistically or culturally, the bars and restaurants are shit and its just dull dull dull. I feel like I'm just biding my time waiting to die here.

I miss London so much but I could never afford to live there now as its got so ridiculously expensive. I used to go back a lot but I've stopped as it made me feel too depressed. The job opportunities are v poor here in comparison ( used to work as a trainer for a charity ) and am struggling to find any meaningful, well paid work. Final moan, there's a real lack of decent, interesting, cultured men up here, so haven't met many guys on my wavelength. In London I dated men who were journalists, lawyers, architects, writers etc but up here most pp seem to work in the motor industry and I just have nothing in common with them!

Only good things about being here is that drinks are cheaper, air is cleaner and its an easy city to get out of!

OP posts:
Rugbyplayersarehot · 09/02/2017 20:05

You sound a bit like you think you are too good for Coventry op!

I agree it's not the best but you can either live where you can afford and bitch whinge and whine about where you can't afford to live or you woman up and make the best of it.

Spudlet · 09/02/2017 20:06

Surely you could move back to London, even if you had to move into a flatshare? If you're that miserable in Coventry, don't stay. (It is awful, I agree).

CovtilIdie · 09/02/2017 20:38

Wheatleyan! Waves as an ex Wheatley house member!

Destinysdaughter · 09/02/2017 20:47

crunched thanks for your info, not heard of the Ivy House, will check that out. Searched 'Sensations' but could only find a beauty salon! Thanks for everyone's input and ideas, quite mixed but yes it is more about my attitude and what I've made it mean about me living here than about the city itself.

OP posts:
HighwayDragon1 · 09/02/2017 20:49

Destiny, you could always move to Kenilworth, much nicer town!

I learnt to drive in cov, hen we went back for a weekend hubby said "Jesus Christ I can see why you drive like a twat, is this even a roundabout" hahaha

BlackeyedPetitsPois · 09/02/2017 20:51

I'm in Binley Woods now but have lived in Stoke Green. (Grew up in Stratford and still commute there every day). Cov's not too bad- lots of regeneration going on in the city centre although most of it seems to be student accommodation!
Like others have said - good bits and bad bits and at the end of the day it's what you make it.

As a footnote I love the ring road - beats all the sodding traffic lights in Stratford hands down! Cannot get into the Maybird for love nor money now - I've given up trying!!

HighwayDragon1 · 09/02/2017 20:55

Blackeyed, I went to maybird a few months back. I lost my car. It took me FIFTEEN minutes to remember where I'd parked...

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 09/02/2017 21:00

The Gate is the best pub without a shadow of a doubt. Cov might be a shit hole but it's my shit hole. I work with Londoners who all make jokes about being sent to Coventry - I don't go to anyone else's home town and slag it off so I think it's rude that others think it's open season on Cov.

If you live here - fair enough you have earned the right to moan.

ivykaty44 · 09/02/2017 21:01

Isn't Kenilworth all brown boots and marmalade sandwiches...Wink

Rainydayspending · 09/02/2017 21:02

YANBU Coventry sucks and not being from it is a problem for everyone who is Confused

Rugbyplayersarehot · 09/02/2017 21:02

Well that's a good update op. Good on you for being honest

EsmesBees · 09/02/2017 21:05

My DH is from Coventry so spent a fair amount of time there over the years (and much more time than I'd like watching their terrible football team). There are small bits of it that are nice- both cathedrals, the guildhall, spon street, but the majority of it is just depressing. I do like the Godiva clock though. Like a naked Barbie on a horse.

ivykaty44 · 09/02/2017 21:09

Restaurants = 10 Michelin starred within 20 miles

None actually in Coventry though...Unless you count Combe Abbey

Kenilworth, Solihull, Bishops Tachbrook, Stratford, Birmingham

Destinysdaughter · 09/02/2017 21:10

Lol at naked Barbie on a horse! Amazed it's still going tbh. Do love it tho! Grin

OP posts:
Iris65 · 09/02/2017 21:43

I also live in Earlsdon! Seems like there's a few MNetters here! I will admit that if I had a choice I would live in a nice part of London or in North Oxford but Coventry is fine while we still have jobs here. I was also a Wheatleyan btw.

Teacupinastorm · 09/02/2017 21:54

I'm an Earlsdonner Grin

SharkBrilliant · 09/02/2017 22:05

Maybe you should have trained to be a journalist, lawyer, architect or writer instead of just dating them.... then you could afford to live in London Hmm

As others have said, Coventry is home to one of the best universities in the country... I'm pretty sure the students/lecturers aren't commuting in from London every day.

Perfectjob · 09/02/2017 22:06

I have been there a lot as my ex in laws live there. IMO it generally feels narrow minded - despite the fact that it is increasingly multi-cultural. Ex h is not white and his family were subjected to a lot of racist abuse when they got there in the 60s - being spat at in the street etc. It is better now but IMO retains an intolerant edge. I also witnessed a white member of the wider family being called a "paki lover" so that didn't do anything for my opinion of the place Hmm.

I was always glad to leave - point the car south and head for the M1. There are some nice parks and stuff, but the overriding feeling I got was one of small mindedness. Not helped by the most recent passion for cutting people up on roundabouts and then laughing madly at them - WTAF.

I will get flamed, but my heart always used to sink when we got there.

Boolovessulley · 09/02/2017 22:20

I was a student there a long time ago and I agree with the op.
I dint feel the place had much to offer.

Gingernaut · 09/02/2017 22:52

Now, see, when people say "Look at what Coventry has to offer", I'm looking at what's in the city centre.

Warwick Arts Centre is roughly 4 miles out of there.

I don't want to get to a somewhere, to be pointed towards a bus stop when I get there and given directions on how to get out to where I'm going.

Even the city 'promotes' how close it is to Birmingham.

The city centre is a poorly laid out, neglected shopping centre.

There are no decent central hotels, there's very little for visitors and all the 'regeneration' seems to be aimed at students.

The Priory Gardens Visitors Centre has closed down, the electronic display vandalised and an historic site is home to beggars and drug users with butts and related detritus in the gravel gardens. It's shit.

GardenGeek · 09/02/2017 23:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rugbyplayersarehot · 10/02/2017 07:42

Dorridge is nice but pricy as near Solihull. What about Warwick? Leamington is lovely beautiful parks

GeekLove · 10/02/2017 08:12

It does have the Memorial Park, some nice woodland quite close to the City centre and of course the Godiva Festival which is the largest free festival in the UK. Still remember Happy Mondays!

There's the Herbert and some decent independent shops if you know where to look.

There is also Kenilworth and also a rather nice open air pool there in the summer (the only one in a 30 mile radius)

However, it does have an intolerant edge and in certain places you do see two distinct groups living together but not mixing.

But it does have a good tradition of art and culture and a decent alternative scene. It still feels like a real place.

Mind you I'm jus a bit sick of living in the Midlands since I have done so all my life and the beaches are shit.

BertieBotts · 10/02/2017 09:10

Sydenham is awful, don't move there. South of the river Leam ("old town") is generally a dump, which is a shame because many of the buildings are gorgeous Victorian terraces/townhouses. They are just very neglected. See attached map for small pocket where it's actually nice and quiet but cheaper. You will find drunks and junkies hanging out at the corner shop by the railway bridge here, but overall the area is a little nicer. I used to live there and had friends living there at various points. It's also studenty which can be good or bad. If you're in any way hippyish it's a nice place to live. Plus you're near the Leamington "curry belt" which is a street with about six Indian restaurants all competing with each other for loveliness, I miss that.

If you can do rural, the surrounding villages are absolutely lovely and very affordable. The problem is you definitely need a car. Also anywhere in Warwick itself - some parts are dull (Woodloes, various new build estates) but perfectly livable and it's just laughable that anywhere in Warwick is rough, it's not.

I actually really liked living in old town, it has character, it's just you need to know where is okay and where is scary. Though I did have friends who lived on one of the worst streets and they said that they only realised how bad it was when they moved (to Warwick) and noticed how quiet it was in comparison. They hadn't felt it was terrible while they were actually there.

BertieBotts · 10/02/2017 09:11

Map I forgot!

to hate living in Coventry?