How come everyone on MN is 'rural'?

[managedmis]

I'm not rural

There was a poster who I’d always notice on threads about rural life. They’d be banging on about needing to stock up for the winter weeks when they’d be totally cut off. If they left their house they’d see no one but a shepherd for hours.

Anyway one day didn’t I spy their user name in a thread saying that they lived TEN MINUTES from Waitrose!! And ALL the major supermarkets deliver to their house!

It was all fantasy! I’m sure they got cut off by the Beast From The East but when a lot of people say they live “very rurally” they mean “next to a field and their are no streetlights”.

Very very few people in the UK genuinely live very rurally.

I've seen people mention they are rural in an OP to explain why theu can't just pop out for more milk, or why missing a bus is a big deal because a lot of replies to various situations seem to assume everyone has next door neighbours they knock and ask for help from, or a corner shop.

Very very few people in the UK genuinely live very rurally.

'Rural' just means 'countryside' as opposed to town ... it doesn't have to be the middle of nowhere.

I’m rural, sorry. But no husband, high up in govt or not

The county I live in doesn't even have a city.
@fronttoback - Shropshire?

19% of the population of England live in areas classified as rural or predominantly rural by Defra.

I'm semi-rural but others might think I'm suburban. My small town is surrounded by green fields and hills, rivers and canals. But is also close to the M60.

Mumsnet to me is mainly people who live in London in mysterious zones, or the south east, and have cleaners, or live in Scotland. There's a fair few scattered about the place like sprinkles on a doughnut but the big hole is London and the small bite someone's had is Scotland. (I'm not saying London is a big hole btw).

I'm pretty rural. My dad is a zero hours factory worker and my mum was a cleaner. This is just where I grew up - it implies nothing at all about status. I'm taking the perks where I can find them though - at the moment, my accident of birth is very much appreciated!

I’m rural! I think it’s just noticeable people being rural right now is suddenly a positive. And a topic of conversation. It usually doesn’t come up.

God I would hate to be rural. I love living in a big city. I grew up semi rural and am much happier here.

Everyone on MN has a partner with a Very Important Job who works long hours.

If only

Are you saying you don't believe us op?

Maybe there are lots of us here because we're isolated and want someone to talk to?

I live halfway up a mountain in a hamlet with no amenities or public transport. I consider myself rural. However I can get to a supermarket in under 10 mins in the car. My friends who are 'properly rural' are in a hamlet of 3 houses, kids walk a km to get the school bus, and the supermarket is 20 mins away...

Rural is just defined as less than 10,000 people - we are rural in a village with a supermarket in our lane, perfectly possible to be rural and have facilities nearby. The school, shop, work etc are closer than when we were in London.

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/defining-rural-areas

And all the kids are tall slim sporty and above average intelligence

Above average is average

I live near lots of woodland and walks in an area of outstanding natural beauty. I also live on a council estate with big ugly tower blocks. So if I wanted to stretch the truth a bit I could ignore where I actually live and say I was rural.

@PuppyMonkey we are the noisy upstairs neighbours.

I could take photos that look rural, but zoom out and you can see the towerblocks and mani road.

I’m rural. Small village of 300 people, house backs onto miles of open countryside. The majority of people in the village and surrounding villages get their income from agriculture. We’re a 30 min drive to the nearest city.

I don’t come across that many ‘I’m rural’ posts on here. The majority seem to live in London!

Central London here

I'm rural, small village probably no more than 75 houses. There is a small market town 2 miles away and a university city 10 miles away. No pub or shop but I love it.

I have also noted this OP and they don’t drive . Who ( willingly) lives in the middle of nowhere and doesn’t drive or have access to a regular bus service ?

People who were born there?

There are several definitions of rural - Defra classify on % land use, MHCLG use less than 3000. Much statutory legislation uses the right to enfranchisement of designated protected areas schedule. It has been a long time since less than 10,000 was classed as rural.

10,000 or 3,000 what? People per square mile?

Lol OP I do know what you mean but wonder if it's one of those things that once you start noticing it you can't stop. Probably doesn't help that no one says 'rural' irl. I mean, they might say they live 'out in the sticks' or 'in a village', but I don't think I've ever been chatting with anyone who has said 'we are rural' or even 'we live rurally'.

I live rurally. I have a gorgeous view of hills, and nearby fields with frolicking lambs, and lots of trees. Our only road is single-track with passing places. No buses. No (not even a smidgeon) Mobile phone signal - officially a NOT SPOT. The nearest shop is 15miles, nearest town 18miles drive. And yes I am happy to live here.

Originally from London but semi rural now. Cows , horses , fields and tractors but only 35 mins train ride from , “ the smoke “.