To think the north of England offers a worse quality of life than the South or Midlands?

[DDRickyDD]

I was thinking of moving to Lancashire, but having done some research online, it seems a lot of people have negative opinion of it. I'm now set on Warwickshire or Leicestershire. Does the north in general offer a worse quality of life than the Midlands? I know its cheaper up north but is it much worse up there?

It doesn't really matter too much that the Waitrose doesn't sell ferret shampoo, there's a pets at home nearby which almost certainly does.

Bawdrip - I'm not sure we want to advertise our less obvious local walks on a public forum at the moment - my photos are from a place with just a few lay-by spaces so a drive of more than 15 mins might be wasted. If we knew roughly which bit of beach is yours I might possibly be able to PM some ideas.

Lincolnshire creeps me out

Are we talking North Yorkshire cooplands, or South Yorkshire cooplands, or somewhere else entirely

Well I'm in West Yorkshire, so no idea which type we have. Our Cooplands took over the Ainsley's shops when they went bust, and as I said before, I went once and thought it was quite poor, but there's one not to far from here, so I might have to go have another look.

Anyway, Ainsleys was very nice, nearly Betty's level, but there were far more of them. I miss Ainsleys. Not that bothered about Greggs.

London/SE is fine if you have a lot of money. No amount of 'buzz', niche or grassroots cultural things or whatever other nice to haves people in London always come up with as reasons as to why London is 'better' will make up for having to spend most or all your money on basic necessities like suitable housing in a location that is reasonably convenient to work, school and anywhere else that you need to get to day to day.

Since lockdown, every single day I have regretted moving back up north. I should have stayed in London with the view out front of the houses the other side of the street, the view out back of the houses in the next street, my journey to work seeing tarmac, concrete and brick. The gangs of young people, the stabbing and shootings. I was so stupid to move here with country walks from my doorstep, my journey to work seeing green fields, trees, hills, buzzards, pheasants. The friendly people. Unfortunately now I can’t afford to move back to London so I guess I am stuck here forever. Nightmare.

Hindsight!

Always 20/20

Pasties are almost pies too

Pasties have pastry top and bottom, which makes them an honorary pie.

Not like those pathetic bits of shite where there's a spoonful of filling dumped in a ceramic dish and then a square of puff pastry is stuck not the top!

THAT'S NOT A PIE!

If you can't pick it up in yer hand, in its rich pastry casing, and bite into its succulent gravy-drenched contents (or jelly-enclosed, if it's pork) - IT'S NOT AN EFFING PIE!

Are you out of your mind OP?

I'm from the SE and would move up North in a heartbeat. I got mugged on my own road while I was pregnant, my sister watched a boy a teenage boy get stabbed to death and held him in her arms while he took his last breath, the parks are shit with druggies living in them , this is no place to raise children without worrying what may happen to them in ten years time. No where to go for a lovely walk without bumping into 20 people during this lockdown. It's depressing.

It doesn't really matter too much that the Waitrose doesn't sell ferret shampoo, there's a pets at home nearby which almost certainly does.

This is t'North!

We don't do pets!

If ye can't eat it, work it, or fight it, it's a parasite!

@ErrolTheDragon Up here you wouldn't add a butter pie to the meat delivery. It is potato and onions.

I would also allow Devon and Cornwall into the honorary northerners club, and as it pains me to say it, one of the best chips and gravy meal I have eaten was in a pub in Plymouth.

I went there for a weekend break and there was really only one pub within walking distance of where we were staying so we ate there both nights and on the second night I was looking at the menu and I thought, I don't care what I have as long as it comes with chips and gravy as I had something like liver, chips and gravy the first night and had enjoyed it so much. I might even have gone for the same again.

Booths looks really good.
I don’t warm to Waitrose and its austere shelves devoid of marketing clutter.Selling to people that like the concept of food but don’t actually consume any.
Just looked the list of Booths store and I only recognise Preston, Chorley and Clitheroe ( although never been to them) That’s bad.
I am going to find one next time I’m up the M6.

@Errolthedragon Im in Lytham St. Anne's. We've not really had time to explore further afield due to work (hoteliers) but have all the time in the world now and am desperate for a forest or canal walk. We will look some up but I'd love some reccomendations. Thank you

We have a family member who lives in London- Wembley. There are actually lovely walks from his house and you forget you are in a suburb of London. But Wembley is horrible. It is grubby, unfriendly, crowded, the traffic is awful and the house prices are madness. His street of 3 bed semis is now selling at 700,000-800,000. They would cost 250,000 here in a much nicer area. He comes from the north-east but has lived there so long he doesn't miss it- which I can not understand.

Omg I can’t think of anywhere worse then Warwickshire or Leicestershire. Both midlands sprawl with uninspiring countryside and grim flat cities. Overpriced housing stock.

Amazing photos on this thread.

We do have Thomas the Baker

www.thomasthebaker.co.uk/store-locator.html

Aye they do, lass. There's one in Preston! But they don't have Booths down south...

We have a Booths and an M&S in my grim Lancashire town. Obviously, I can't afford to shop there (whippets and flat caps cost more than you'd think) and mainly frequent the pound bakery and wetherspoons, but th'rich folk seem to like it.

Depends what you mean by quality of life. My answer is both yes and no.

Down south, despite my DH earning a lot, we are always watching what we spend due to mortgage and high living costs. The weather is loads better in the SE.

In comparison my northern family have way more holidays and weekends away than me on a lot less salary. They also have smaller commutes and more quality time for hobbies and family. They are friendlier and help each out more. The weather is crappy.

I have every intention of moving back up north, but then I'm from there. If you aren't you may not appreciate it.

Up here you wouldn't add a butter pie to the meat delivery. It is potato and onions.

Yes, do I know that - the butchers cum farm shop which is delivering our meat also does pies of all sorts (and veg, cheese... probably deli items if we ask nicely....)

Great local produce arriving on our doorstep since lockdown may have broken my southern DH of his Waitrose habit.

Yorkshire is particularly bloody awful. Moved up from the SE 30 years ago. Wouldnt recommend it to anyone.

His street of 3 bed semis is now selling at 700,000-800,000

London truly is another world.

You can see why people eventually sell up, move up North and have loads of money to spare.

But once you've left London, it's going to be very hard to return

I’m Welsh but bloody love the North. DH is Mancunian.

Booths is slowly moving across the Pennines, isn't it....

Maybe Harrogate next?

www.booths.co.uk/stores/

The weather isn't crappy... you just need a bit more goretex.
And it's why everything is green and there are rivers and streams in abundance.

DD has noticed the difference going from school in allegedly the wettest city (not place) in England to uni in the driest, but she pines for the hills.

I'll have a think bawdrip - I like Lytham and St Anne's but they are a bit out on a limb for getting elsewhere.

I'm now set on Warwickshire or Leicestershire.

Noooo

Don't come here, it's fucking awful - nothing like the Beautiful South at all.

Thomas the Bakers do THE best Eccles cakes.

Eccles is also North.

I rest my case.