A better life in Norfolk... really?

[LittleRobin112]

We have so many family members who have moved to Norfolk in the last 10 years and a few friends too. They have mostly gone there for a better way of life. Away from the hustle and bustle of the south east where we are.

We're constantly being told how amazing Norfolk is - the countryside, the villages, the coast, Norwich, etc. And some family members are very keen to tell us how crap it is where we live in comparison, knowing that we are settled where we are and wouldn't want to move. Nowhere is perfect (about from Norfolk apparently) but we like where we are. These family members have moved from where we live which although busy and a London commuter area, it's also fairly affluent in parts, a coastal place and with countryside/woodland still accessible nearby.

What is the attraction to Norfolk? Is it the most ideal place to live? Are people happier there? Are there no down sides to it at all?

I don't doubt some aspects of life quality could be better in Norfolk but I've been on holidays there and many family visits over the years and I can't see how it's as incredible as some family members are making out. Maybe they're just showing off or justifying their reasons for moving there? But to be really negative about where we live is just becoming annoying. It's almost like they're now better than us for living in Norfolk, it's so odd.

Any thoughts?

Myleene Klass recalls the racist abuse she suffered growing up in Norfolk | ITV News Anglia

Myleen going into depth about the racism she experienced growing up in Norfolk.

Yes and I am the one with a warped view. My god. Me and the numerous other people in this thread are not imagining this, we experienced this hatred with our own eyes and ears. And then some of you who moved here 10 years ago to a rich middle class part of it where you only mix with other rich middle class people have the audacity to say we are making this up.

I don't dismiss your feelings about Norfolk but we must all realise that there are pockets of people in the county of Norfolk, who are more enlightened, who do not tolerate or experience bigotry.

I've never lived there but have a lot of experience of the county, not just from many holidays but because my husband's business was there, he stayed there during the week. I often went up and stayed for periods too after giving up work. We got to know many people.

I have to tell you that at my husband's funeral just a few years ago, there were a lot of his colleagues who were born-and-bred in Norfolk. This was just before Brexit and there were many conversations at the restaurant, on different tables, about how they were going to vote Brexit and for Boris Johnson, because they did not want 'foreigners'. I don't know how one would define a 'foreigner', but I am a Londoner (born-and-bred).

My son was particularly incensed by that talk and said it was typical of the small-mindedness of Norfolkians - which is in itself is a sweeping statement. However, I knew what he meant.

Therefore I 'get' what you mean. It has beautiful unspoilt beaches, quaint villagees and small towns, a breathtaking skyline and is a lovely place to spend time. However, I would not live there. At the same time, I am hesitant to paint everyone with the same brush.

That is why pretty much everyone I know in Norfolk for voted brexit did. They wanted 'less foriginers'.

I'm sure some of you would tell Myleene who grew up in Great Yarmouth she imagined all that as well.

LIVING IN NORFOLK | Mumsnet

Here's another thread about Norfolk and whilst you do see people saying they are glad they moved here, over and over and over again you see people bringing up how racist and insular it is. We are not imagining this.

Family member is a medic, says there used to be a term NFN used on medical notes. It means "Normal for Norfolk".

I like Norfolk but it's miles from everywhere. I'd consider a holiday home there but the main problem is the effect of rising sea levels.

If you like Norfolk then you don't know the place properly or you just live in a nice little middle class bubble of it and aren't mixing with everyday people. Or the racism and homophobia simply doesn't bother you because you are not in one of the victim groups.

Shocked at some of the replies to this thread, I spend a lot of time there and would consider moving there. Those slating Norwich can’t have visited many other cities, it’s a lot more thriving than Canterbury. I live in Kent and am constantly surprised by how many small minded, rude and racist people there are here. I have never experienced any rudeness in Norfolk although I guess I have spent most of my time in “less desirable” areas such as Great Yarmouth where maybe the people are friendlier.

''I guess I have spent most of my time in “less desirable” areas such as Great Yarmouth where maybe the people are friendlier.''

That's where Myleene grew up and was experiencing racist abuse every single day, and each time I have been to Yarmouth I also have found it to a be a horrible, horrible place. You must have been in a nice part of it.

I’m not suggesting Myleene didn’t experience that, I have experienced racism in both Essex and Kent. Both of which you do not hear described as “insular” or “inbred”. It also does not mean that every single person in the county is racist. Norfolk has it’s problems like every other county. Personally for me, i’d rather live there than in Kent.

If you like Norfolk then you don't know the place properly or you just live in a nice little middle class bubble of it and aren't mixing with everyday people.

You say that as though there's something wrong with choosing a nice part of a county to live in and appreciating what's nice about it. Surely pretty much everybody does that if they have the choice?

I live in Cumbria. I would say I like living in Cumbria, because there is stunning countryside and most of the people in my area are pretty friendly (yes, including the 'everyday people' - I'm not sure I know anyonewho isn't an 'everyday person'). Am I not allowed to say that unless I've done a survey of what it's like in every square inch of the county and what everyone's political opinions are?

Drag Race UK's Bimini on how Great Yarmouth shaped their career - BBC News

Talking about all the homophobia they experienced in yarmouth. I knew another gay guy in Yarmouth who got beaten up serverly twice and had bottles thrown at him ect.

What a dreadful, unkind comment to make.

I've had two children since moving here to Norfolk from Bucks a decade ago and all 3 of my DC are thriving here.

You sound bitter and unhappy to give such angry opinions about what you consider an inferior place to live. It doesn't make those who live here and have children here any lesser people than others. What an odd narrow minded view.

@ sockpuppet2

Sure bud. Your opinion is the important one 👌

😂

Insularity abounds everywhere. East midlands where I live now for example.

Especially when I first moved up from London. My accent was stronger.

I think as a parent you tend to meet more cross section. School etc.

A friend of mine moved to Norwich from London but has a very educated job and no children. So less likely to bump into the more pro Brexit etc. She has no bad words to say of Norwich at all (though does live in a very desirable part of the city too!).

Sorry, are we actually saying that anyone who had extensive lived experience of the insular and racist communities they have found all over Norfolk, is a "sock puppet" despite there being numerous people saying so?

And to answer which areas I have extensive knowledge of (although I've been pretty much everywhere in Norfolk and Suffolk, due to work) but places I've been directly in, as a minimum 6mths and a maximum of 20yrs, due to living there, or dating someone there, or working in a fixed place there, would be:

Swaffham
Dereham
Kings Lynn
Thetford
Great Yarmouth
Norwich
Lowestoft
Castle Acre area
Diss
Holt
Attleborough
Harleston

Suffolk has it's bad spots for being like this. But Norfolk, it's pretty much all over.

Yes Suffolk is definitely insular too. I grew up there before going to London so I should know!

Regionalism sucks.

I don’t like Norfolk, and would never live there, but it’s what might suit you and your family. You need to sort out what you want.

No. "We" are saying that anyone who writes in the same way purely in defense of the most absurd extrapolation I've ever read with their own invective with a less than a cigarette paper between the toxicity is most likely a sock puppet.

If you go around thinking only your narrow view on the world is the most important one and believe everyone else can be insulted into silence then you are putting your own bargain basement price tag on the value of your views.

This has been demonstrated by all "three" of them.

There's a joke about that kind of thought process, to do with a field of sheep, a philosopher and a mathematician. Its a logical fallacy I can't be bothered to argue with. To be frank, it argues against itself.

I'm hopefully broad minded to expect that people have different experiences of the same thing (sometimes to do with how they are and the activities they choose being self selecting) and the same place, but we'll travelled enough to know that what's being moaned about is everywhere.

Feel free to carry on, it's entertaining seeing the visceral hatred and the projection. 🙃

Yes regionalism is endemic in London too lol. Cultural supremacy. Pack mentality. Everywhere.

Oh. The irony...

This is indeed a thing and used in my current place of work too.