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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:
mrwalkensir · 12/02/2017 17:14

emwithme - I was there back when it was "ooh - you're going to the boys' school then" - it was grim - hoping you all hit the place later - get the impression Bablake was always better pastoral care wise

LynetteScavo · 12/02/2017 18:37

Rugby is nicer than Coventry! So there.

HelloCanYouHearMe · 12/02/2017 18:56

Hahahahahhaa.... Alright Lynette

If you say so! Grin

joystir59 · 12/02/2017 19:00

I was born and raised in Coventry- everyone I grew up with moved away as soon as they reached adulthood.

joystir59 · 12/02/2017 19:08

Ghosttownspecials Abbey fields- I used to go there too as a child. Loved the open air pool and used to scare myself silly wandering around the graveyard and ruins of the abbey itself

joystir59 · 12/02/2017 19:09

I should add I also left as soon as I was 18 and never went back

YippieKayakOtherBuckets · 12/02/2017 19:14

I think you need to learn to drive. It will address the fact that you clearly feel trapped; simply knowing that you CAN hop in the car will make you feel so much better, and there is so much within an hour of Coventry.

Pleasestoplickingthetv · 12/02/2017 19:15

I was born and lived in Leamington SPA for 15 years.
When we used to go back to visit family in Coventry, my husband said it was like going back to the 1980's!
I feel nostalgic about it because of memories growing up. It may not be everyone's cup of tea (of can see why) but to some people it's home, and we should never make fun of that.
I don't go back anymore as my family that lived there have all passed away Sad
But I will still have fond memories.

ImADadButThatsOKIsntIt · 13/02/2017 00:29

As someone who commutes into Cov, I absolutely love the ring road. The comment about racism shocks me, I genuinely think it's pretty integrated compared to Leicester and Birmingham and I have never seen any racism in my public facing job. The city centre isn't great, but there is lots of development going on. For those of you knocking the motor industry jobs - get real, these are some of Britain's most highly skilled, well paid and most desired jobs. If you would rather earn £14k pa in Mansfield for Mike Ashley on zero hours then go......

GeekLove · 13/02/2017 08:38

Coventry has two top tier universities and associated tech parks with Warwick being in the Top 50 worldwide. Just so you know...

MaximumVolume · 14/02/2017 08:30

Love the Coventry love here, balancing out the hate!

GeekLove · 14/02/2017 11:36

For me I find that Coventry is an OK place to live and work in that there is plenty to do and has good transport links. I appreciate being able to fly transatlantic but be able to go to bed within 45 minutes of touching down.

For me I would like to leave near (not necessarily on) the sea but this means either (a) we are priced out or (b) no jobs or infrastructure. The main PITA about Coventry is that it is 3.5 hours from the nearest beach and 2 hours from the nearest genuine waterpark.

There was a 'beach' for a while nearby but that got shut down in 2013 because (a) no planning permission and (b) is was expensive and a bit rubbish. I never went but judging by those who did and the reviews it was most of the noise and tat of a cheap beach resort but none of the nice stuff - no water sports or swimming allowed!

Mamia15 · 14/02/2017 12:41

There's a waterpark in Stafford so around 45 mins from Coventry...

YY re the number of airports within easy reach (Birmingham, East Midlands, Luton and Heathrow).

GeekLove · 14/02/2017 12:52

I know about that one. And Kingsbury but I prefer the ones with an actual beach or similar area for paddling/swimming as well as watersport options.

YippieKayakOtherBuckets · 14/02/2017 12:55

Geek we do Coventry - Cotswold Water Park in 90 mins. Still a schlep but just doable for a long day.

GeekLove · 14/02/2017 13:01

Costwold is a nice park and I have done it in 90 mins on a good day. Looking forward to the warmer weather. It's similar to Rutland in terms of distance but the beach is open for much more of the year than Rutland.

Teaandadunk · 14/02/2017 13:30

Born there. Family there. Spent last ten mins trying to think of something nice to say... nope.

SuperFlyHigh · 14/02/2017 13:45

One of my best friends was like you OP, from Cov and spent all of her 20s and when she was 30/31 in London then moved back to Cov due to relationship breakdown and mental health issues. Must've been about 2006/2007 onwards I think. I used to go and see her quite a bit.

I recall Browns and a bar near the old part of Cov (quite nice) but there wasn't much going for it and she was from Tile hill I think, anyway a really rough council part out of town. It's not terrible if you have a job, car etc and a day to day life. I recall going to Earlsdon and found that nice, the shops, bars etc and common but apart from that I'd never live there.

Birmingham seemed nicer (I had to go there for work) but I've been told by people now that Broad Street is once again a bit dicey. Unless you can move sorry but I can't rate that area.

How old are you OP? In terms of relocation.

lubeybooby · 14/02/2017 13:55

YANBU - I moved away from even worse - Atherstone just north of cov

They call women 'splitarses'

A man who lives there with his Thai wife and resulting mixed race children went on a massive racist rant about how he was the only English person in a pub and none of them were wearing poppies, while entirely failing to see the irony. Apparently immigration is fine if you agree to fake tits and no opinions

another one (alcoholic, never had a job) told me all the Polish had 'nicked' the housing Hmm

The area voted over 67% to leave the eu

I moved asap and would never go back

SuperFlyHigh · 14/02/2017 13:55

I'm laughing confusing Sydenham with the same place in SE London, which isn't far from where I live but has the "posh side" Sydenham Hill, the high street (a bit run down) and Bell Green - lets just say I'd only go there with a Staffie and a knife! Grin

I totally get you though OP, my friend wanted to do yoga etc and found very few places in Cov when she lived there and found it a world apart from Islington where she had lived.

It's ok if you take it for what it is, eg a run down suburban town heavily bombed during WW2 (like Croydon which isn't far from where I live) and I get the council keep trying to tart it up... But anything else, sorry I struggle.

SuperFlyHigh · 14/02/2017 13:57

PS - the one and only time I went to Wolverhampton I didn't stay long, wondered where then "wolves" connection was... And left.

There are very pretty countryside towns I saw driving back from there (Warwickshire?) and on train.

SuperFlyHigh · 14/02/2017 13:58

Or villages and countryside I mean.

I did like Leamimgton Spa and Warwick Castle, drove near Stoke but friend told me it was dire.

ivykaty44 · 14/02/2017 22:29

Super Coventry is a city and it was bombed to the ground in WW2 and there wasn't anything left to "tart" up. It's similar to Plymouth, which was also heavily bombed ( the bombing if Plymouth was seen 60 miles away)

Reconstructed quickly without finding meant concrete structures

HelloCanYouHearMe · 15/02/2017 06:16

Tile Hill isnt rough! Yes, some parts are ex-council but rough? No.

You want rough, head to Wood End

SuperFlyHigh · 15/02/2017 18:16

ivykaty Croydon (which is near where I was brought up and moved back to when buying etc) is also a city (but never been named as such) and was also bombed to the ground too because of the airport so i know full well about being nothing left to tart up!

Hello actually my friend was in Eastern Green and the flats/people round there were rough.

I think I recall Tile Hill as being an area she mentioned just got mixed up.

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