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Original poster

When someone says they’re going into “town”, what does that mean to you?

430 replies

Hairbrush123 · 01/03/2022 20:23

Having a debate with DH and wonder what this term means to other people? To me, it means going into the centre of the town I live in

OP posts:
Lurking9to5 · 02/03/2022 18:19

Where i live, it means Dublin. The actual town i live near, id give it its name

MeanderingGently · 02/03/2022 18:24

Going "into" town means going into the centre of whatever is the local town, probably shopping.

However, if you live down south, going "up" to town means going into London as opposed to your local town centre.

And if you say you're "going to town on it" it means you're going to do something very thoroughly.....

Fluffmum · 02/03/2022 18:24

Going to city centre for a big splurge

fleurpots · 02/03/2022 18:28

It means Newcastle round these parts - we use 'Town' as literally another name for Newcastle. Or 'Toon' Grin

chaosmaker · 02/03/2022 18:33

@Hairbrush123

Having a debate with DH and wonder what this term means to other people? To me, it means going into the centre of the town I live in
I'd say it depends on where you live for some it'll be the local town, for others their nearest city.
AwkwardAnnie · 02/03/2022 18:35

This drives me mad.
I grew up in a village near Sheffield. When I said I was going to Town, everyone knew I was going to Sheffield.
Now I live in a very very small town in Greater Manchester. So when I say I'm going to town my husband and I know we mean we are going to the town centre of the place we live. Except in Greater Manchester town refers to Manchester city centre. Even if you live in Stockport, which is a decent sized town with lots of shops, but my Stockport friends call Stockport town centre "Stockport" and Manchester "town".
When I first moved here I got on the bus outside my house and asked for a ticket to "town" and the bus driver have me a funny look and said he wasn't going that far. It's about 5 stops. After some puzzled conversation he told me it wasn't town and I shouldn't call it that.
I still do, I just walk there instead.
(My annoyance is probably exacerbated by the fact I don't even like Manchester and only go about once a year when I absolutely have to)

Electriq · 02/03/2022 18:37

Into town or up town to me is going to London.

Mysa74 · 02/03/2022 18:45

@HoundOfTheBasketballs

"Into" town means going to the shops where I live.

"Up to" town means going to London.

Yep, same here
DomingoinLittleOakley · 02/03/2022 18:46

To me, "Going down the town" would mean local town centre (although us oldies still call it "The Village").

Going "into town" would mean into London - but we live 20 min train journey from London. I guess it would depend on whether you are near a major city.

BaggingTheWainwrights · 02/03/2022 18:47

To me it means going into Central London l.

ToniLaRoni · 02/03/2022 18:48

Going "up town" means into London. (20 minute train) or "I was in town last night" "we went into town at the weekend" would mean London.

"I'm going to walk into town" would mean our local high street.

THEDEACON · 02/03/2022 18:48

Going to the nearby city here

Lampface · 02/03/2022 18:53

Going into the city centre.

maddiemookins16mum · 02/03/2022 18:54

We always called in ‘up Town’ - however this was really only the main High Street of my small West Oxon hometown (Witney) which is really not that exciting.
BUT….’into Town’ meant getting the bus to Oxford.

WhoNeedsToSleepAnyway · 02/03/2022 18:55

Going into London. When I moved away from London and people said it I just assumed they meant London, even though I was in the Midlands! It didn't occur to me it could be the local shops!!

CommonPrimrose · 02/03/2022 18:55

City centre, probably shopping.

csigeek · 02/03/2022 18:58

So I live in a town just outside Birmingham.
Going “up town” is into the town centre I live in. Going “into town” is going to Birmingham city centre!

Bouledeneige · 02/03/2022 18:58

It into the city centre. I'm a Londoner living in the suburbs and we say 'I'm going up to town.'

But going to then generally can mean pulling all the stops out.

Frazzled2207 · 02/03/2022 18:58

Depends on where you live. I live in deepest suburbia near Manchester and “town” is ambiguous. It could mean Manchester City Centre. Or not.

chiangmai · 02/03/2022 18:58

I usually say I am heading up town when going into the city centre. I am in london...

LadyOfMisrule · 02/03/2022 18:59

From where I live “into town” means going to the town centre. “Up to town” means going to London.

whoruntheworldgirls · 02/03/2022 19:02

Nearby city centre. I live in a village on the outskirts

JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 02/03/2022 19:06

Birmingham- going into town is going to city centre. If we’re going up to the local town centre then we say we’re going up the high street.

BloodyBaffled · 02/03/2022 19:11

I live between two towns, but for me it means going to the bigger of the two to go shopping.

Brevill · 02/03/2022 19:12

We live in a village so if DH says he's going to town, I know he means he's going to the nearest town. I've never said going into town to mean London, even when we lived near or in it.

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