Why is The North seen as backward and undesirable?

[Sibsmum]

Can't understand why The North, seems to get looked down on , except when someone wants a holiday home somewhere pretty, or a big house for cheaper prices.
There are Universities, theatres, good schools, roads that aren't clogged all the time( and some that are...)spectacular scenery... So why is there still a perception that somehow The North is 'less' everything than the South?

We have rain showers today though so it's going to be cooler.

According to the BBC weather app, its forecast to be 21C in London tomorrow and my little slice of Northumberland is forecast to 19C. That is not a huge difference.

@LaurieFairyCake very true

I know definitions of class are more complex than working, mode and upper. But I wo der if there's a perception that there's more working class people in the North? I work in the cultural sector so I'm around a lot of people who are into culture and quite well educated. But overall I feel like most people aren't like this. Where as when I lived in London I felt people who I encountered where more interested and aware of the things I'm into. If this makes sense?!

I also feel there are some large areas of deprivation. I have worked with communities in both NE and London. In London there's still deprivation but I think it's less intense over a big area.
One big advantage of. The North is lower cost of house prices. This has enabled us to buy a house where we were no where near in London even on a good income. This has improved our quality of life dramatically. So it's a very fine balance of which gives quality of life!

I'm a Weegie

We prefer people to stay away so it's the impression we like to give

Seriously though, I've lived twenty years in the south and twenty years in the north and there's not that much difference. Lovely places in each and complete awful areas in both. Worst estate I ever saw was in Buckinghamshire, not the image you'd think of when you think of Bucks.

@intermittentparps I never thought London was unfriendly until I had to ask for directions once and several people walked straight past me as though I was invisible! I'd never experienced that before.

I know that it was one personal experience but I was 18, I'd never been there before and it was quite an abrupt first impression! I have had many other nice experiences in London although I am glad to leave the hustle and bustle after a visit. Horses for courses.

I've just put Alnwick in (Northumberland) - also a chilly 13

Average annual temperature in London 11.1C, average annual rainfall 24.4 inches.

Average annual temperature in Newcastle 8.5C and average annual rainfall 25.8 inches.

One thing that is better up here is air quality, our measurement scores are consistently lower than those in London.

I've just put Alnwick in (Northumberland) - also a chilly 13

I live near Alnwick, it's overcast and threatening rain.

It's 17degrees in Cumbria!

@BlusteryShowers I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not just making excuses, but if you were in a central/busy part of London then it's possible that those people were tourists/visitors, not 'locals' ,and less well placed to be able to help.

And, as you say, it was a one-off. Generally I find we're quite a friendly bunch!

Today has been grey and wet in Newcastle too. I was hoping to go to a tearoom and get take out coffee. It has animals and is fairly rural. But that's a no from the weather. I do get fed up with not being able to actually do much outside because it's raining or windy!

@PartTimeTeacherOfEnglish

I don't have much experience of 'up north', but a family member moved up north some years ago and we went to visit. They lived on the coast, and made a huge deal of 'being by the sea' - except the sea was brown! But I know tidal flow can't be helped.

What really got me was the food. No veg or salad anywhere when we ate out. Suet puddings and chips were the norm. Very carb heavy, and no sign of balanced, healthy eating on restaurant menus.

Where I live we have fresh fish, a wide range of salad and veg on every menu and I don't think anyone has seen a suet pudding in years! And this was only a few years ago - and, from what family member tells me, hasn't changed. It's all beige food and veg/salad is seen as something only 'soft southerners' eat.

I do appreciate my experience is limited to Blackpool and its environs, but it's done enough to put me off!

Have you hit your head on something? Or perhaps you think it’s cute to sound so ignorant.

This is one of my favourite restaurants, it's in Newcastle city centre.

I'm totally confused by the lack of suet based dishes and can only conclude that all of the fresh fish, vegetables, and fruit must be for the tourists.

@PartTimeTeacherOfEnglish I've never been to Blackpool. But when was your vist? The 70s?

It's due to ignorance. When I was younger and before I had a job that took me outside London I had images of the north being like those old pathe films where children run around half naked chasing after car tires and houses being tightly packed 2 up 2 down.

And no disrespect to Blackpool but it's well known as one of the areas of the country with the highest levels of deprivation so I wouldn't judge The North on Blackpool.

It's like going to Las Vegas and deciding you dislike all of America based on that one location

I have a friend who comes from near Thirsk in Yorkshire. She maintains that Sheffield only counts as the North because it is lucky enough to be in God's Own County, and that really it should be in the Midlands

Funnily enough,I've always tended to think the same way. It's a bit too near Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to be proper north.

@lockdownparty
I live in Scotland, I think some people are surprised we have wifi

In all seriousness a tourist asked my daughter, who was serving him in a shop in the Highlands where we live, whether we had electricity in our village. This was last year.

the north being like those old pathe films where children run around half naked chasing after car tires and houses being tightly packed 2 up 2 down.
They don't chase the tires these days they pile them up and burn them in the winter to keep warm, and the 2 up 2 downs are packed solid with cheap workers from Eastern Europe.

I have always found the north to be friendly and fun. But I spent two years living near Coventry and was genuinely shocked by the levels of sexism and intolerance. It was like being in south in the 70s.

Never again

Having lived in the North and South, I noticed in the North we were obsessed and resentful of the South, whereas in the South we barely give the North a second thought.

Well I'm in the North West and I have had my tea in the Garden today , obviously suet pudding ( whatever that is) and chips ,clearly my children have no.idea what fruit and veg are 🙄

Speak for yourself @Noculturehere I can't remember the last time I thought about or talked the South either apart from these daft threads