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?

Is it possible to have a discussion about the differences between the North and South without everyone in the North getting defensive and sarcastic?

On AIBU with a goady title? Not a chance.

“I’m sorry, but I do think, as a very sweeping observation, people do look healthier in more affluent areas and this is another noticeable difference when you go North”

Indeed, I’ve observed the same differences between Chelsea and Tower Hamlets 🤷‍♀️

SchadenfreudePersonified, rusty rita with her bingo arms is not a fav of mine but DH loves her!

There is a lot going on in the North. There are also a lot of issues - when you look at deprivation, parts of the North occupy large parts of the list. There is a reason about the Red Wall and 'left behind'. But there are also a lot of well off people in the North - especially those who have a good salary compared to house prices. I wonder how may people in that group are on MN and posting here

You could say exactly the same about the south, except perhaps the 'Red Wall' and yet you don't get endless northerners starting discussions about how bad the south is compared to the north, seemingly just to start an argument.

Many people in the south will be struggling, especially as housing is so much more expensive, so even people on decent salaries won't be able to buy property near where they work.

There's also deprivation in the south, there was a thread a couple of weeks ago, started by a poster who wanted to move to Jaywick, Essex, which is famously one of the most deprived areas of the country, because she thought that the housing was spectacularly cheap and she could live mortgage free.

To most people outside the South East, Jaywick still looks quite expensive, particularly given the poor standard of construction of the property she was looking at, an ex holiday home not intended for permanent occupancy on an unpaved road and the lack of amenities in the area.

But despite many comments and links to nicer houses in nicer areas that weren't significantly further away from London in terms of how long they took to get there (the poster didn't need to commute, just occaisionally return to London) the OP and many others just couldn't get away from their 'it's nearer London so it must be better' mindset so would rather live in Jaywick than somewhere along the Yorkshire or Lincolnshire coastline. Plus there's the problems of knife crime, shootings and other serious crime in some parts of London.

When I see that solitary wind turbine near Lancaster just off the M6, I know I'm nearly home.

By then most of the traffic has gone and it's an easy drive to J36.

Scunthorpe is just the place for you

There is a lot going on in the North and always has been. We used to go to the Scottish opera season held at Newcastle Theatre royal (a theatre where my grandparents met in about 1916) and that is just one tiny example of the many things going on at theatres all over the North and it depends what you are into. I am sure London where I now live has more of a lot of things including more people (unfortunately) but you take the rough with the smooth.

i am not in some kind of competition as to which is best. The North of England has good things as does London. I have lived in both and could easily live in either. I think I am in London for life now (outer London, peaceful area, wood opposite, detached house) as we are settled here but I would not be unhappy if I were in Newcastle either.

I'm actually massively impressed at the OP getting over 600 unhelpful replies!

I couldn't be prouder to sit in my shitty living room, in my shitty house, in my shitty village, near to my shitty city of York in shitty North Yorkshire.

I'm now wondering why I paid so much for my house and why hundreds of thousands of people come from all over the world to walk down my shitty streets.

When posters come in and give their take on London - “Oh you can’t move for traffic,” “My Aunty Maud went to Piccadilly Circus once and she found the locals very unfriendly,” “How do you breathe in all the smoke,”yadda yadda, nobody feels the need to come on with hilarious retorts about the need to wear gas masks, or, “yes, I was stranded in traffic on the north circular for six months and not one person offered me an iced skinny latte....” No. They just say, “fair enough.”

Scunthorpe is just the place for you

I like Scunthorpe. There's a huge park that's fantastic on a nice day, lovely modern leisure centre, a nice cinema with friendly staff and a town centre that has everything you could need. There's also a really really good museum and theatre. I go there once a month at least.

Plus... I giggle when I'm In Scunthorpe.. cause I is childish.. 😆

Its like the purge in Harrogate!

When posters come in and give their take on London - “Oh you can’t move for traffic,” “My Aunty Maud went to Piccadilly Circus once and she found the locals very unfriendly,” “How do you breathe in all the smoke,”yadda yadda, nobody feels the need to come on with hilarious retorts about the need to wear gas masks, or, “yes, I was stranded in traffic on the north circular for six months and not one person offered me an iced skinny latte....” No. They just say, “fair enough.”

But that's because London does have worse air pollution, for example. It's a fact.

Friendliness is more subjective and people do tend to argue that point. I always found London friendly when I lived there, but not in the same way as it is up here. My neighbours were friendly, but people don't say hi or thanks to the bus driver, or the shop assistant serving them in London. They don't pass the time of day with strangers out and about.

Whereas the stereotypes about the north being full of poverty stricken whippet breeders and miners is a total myth. It's quite reasonable to take the piss out of things that are just made up.

No. They just say, “fair enough.”

They really don't. A quick search into other times a similar topic has come up would be evidence enough!

Is it possible to have a discussion about the differences between the North and South without everyone in the North getting defensive and sarcastic?

Cheerfully taking the piss is the opposite of defensive. Start a thread about how shit Essex is and see the response you get.

I made a throwaway comment about all the roundabouts in at least one of the Miltons Keynes and got earnest insistence that it's lovely really.

The piss taking sense of humour is the best thing about the North. It's perfectly common in the South (particularly the working class) but it's a ubiquitous art form north of Chester.

This is a wonderful thread, so many beautiful pictures. I'm delighted the SW has honorary Northern status.

It's shocking to hear that in a wealthy nation some people have to eat avocado in lieu of mushy peas; thoughts and prayers for those poor people.

I live walking distance from the beach but the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen in the UK are in the far north of Scotland. Kinlochbervie is stunning and the sun was shining when I was there, although driving in the local area at dusk is a hair raising experience.

I saw photographs this morning of dolphins swimming in the Fylde Coast. Someone commented ‘how lovely! Id like to see the photo in colour.’

It was

But nobody has said anything whatsoever about whippets or miners The only people talking about whippets and miners are the “Northerners” themselves in a sort of self-congratulatory, repetitive kind of humour which they proclaim is so unique to them and nobody else can “get.” But yes, people do “get” it and yes, it’s funny maybe for the first 20 or so posts, but the problem is it doesn’t really go anywhere after that and gets a bit tiring to read.

LilyMarshall

We came here, Fylde, 15 years ago. I said, it will be lovely when the wind drops. Still waiting

Dreadful, the view of the pennines from my bedroom window is truly grim. The cheaper house prices and supermarket foods give you an idea of how truly awful it is. And as for the farmers market, trying to offload their crap for pennies...

I know its cheaper up north but is it much worse up there

That was the OP - it does kind of yell for sarcasm

I've just read that Jaywick thread now barbaraofseville. It was... quite something.

it’s funny maybe for the first 20 or so posts, but the problem is it doesn’t really go anywhere after that and gets a bit tiring to read.

Your stoicism is admirable; this is page 13

Someone upthread seriously said that because the North was more working class it has less culture. And you think we're inventing the stereotypes?

I can't really be arsed to read the whole thread so probably shouldn't comment but what a pile of steaming shite OP. I live in the south btw, but really, I can't believe people actually think like this.

It’s raining today. Rained all day yesterday too.

And yes absolutely if youre not used to constant rain it can get you down. The trick is appropriate clothing.