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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think the Northern towns deserve "levelling up"

179 replies

EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 00:09

It's been a good news day in that the levelling up fund has now been distributed and announced. Today on the radio I've heard much disappointment from those who weren't afforded funding (in Leeds and certain areas in Liverpool, other cities).

AIBU to be pleased that the biggest lump of cash is going to somewhere like Morecambe and not a city or a town of the fringes of a city? They already benefit from the wealth there and the investment that comes with it.

There has been a feeling of being "left to rot" in some of these towns for so long that we have nothing but our communities pulling together. I'm so pleased that there is hope (and funding) today for the beautiful Morecambe Bay and other towns that have got levelling up funding. It's well deserved.

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SleeplessInEngland · 20/01/2023 08:52

Can't believe anyone talks about Levelling Up without straight face. It's been a crock of shit policy from the very begininng.

PuttingDownRoots · 20/01/2023 08:53

For anyone doubting the beauty of Morecombe Bay... some holiday pictures from last year.

Its a lovely place to visit. With investment it could be even better (although a selfish part of me wants to keep it hidden!)

To think the Northern towns deserve "levelling up"
To think the Northern towns deserve "levelling up"
MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 20/01/2023 08:53

There is a fair bit of money coming into my city. I welcome this, but I'm somewhat bemused by what it is going to be spent on. Mostly vanity projects as far as I can tell. Nothing that will touch the sides of the significant poverty and deprivation in the city.

We need better infrastructure. Decent and reliable transport links. Proper, long-term investment in health and education. Job creation at all levels. Fancy buildings are great but they won't make the difference that is needed.

LlynTegid · 20/01/2023 08:55

Yes they do but that is not what the announced funds will do much towards. Big shiny things are not what is needed. Part of the money announced is going to Dover to help fix problems there caused by Brexit.

At the same time nothing really is being done about the non-performing rail services, for example.

Trying81 · 20/01/2023 09:02

As mentioned above; it’s not levelling up by any stretch of the imagination

My town has received money to renovate / upkeep an old stately home. Now it’s lovely that it’ll be nice again; but most of the people in this area won’t visit it - not least because there’s no
public transport

True levelling up would’ve given us better transport links / made our area attractive to larger companies who would bring work to the area

Even spending that money on making council properties more energy efficient would’ve been preferable

Untitledsquatboulder · 20/01/2023 09:05

sst1234 · 20/01/2023 00:36

The country got trolled again today and people fell for it because the media told you to. £2 billion is a joke and won’t even touch the sides to do what’s needed to be done.

But far more importantly, this is not levelling up, this is charity. Levelling up means creating industry and economic growth through ongoing inward investment in a part of the country so it gets really good at some form for commerce. Think tech hubs like silicone valley, or car manufacturing hubs like Bavaria.

In other news, this incompetent government failed to get off the ground a true levelling up opportunity as the company backing the gigafactory for electric car batteries in the northeast went into administration. That one project would be worth £2 billion.

This government is corrupt and incompetent in the same way as governments of the last 25 years. The public is truly stupid for falling for these gimmicks. But then again this is the same public that was cheering, banging pots and pans like idiots in their doorways while locked away and spending printed billions, not considering for a second what that would do to the economy.

👏 👏 👏

EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:13

"There are less people up North so less money makes sense. My region got bugger all - and no it is not wealthy, London or the South East or Cornwall."

Instead of saying where it's not why don't you just say where it is?

As for the infrastructure and transport links that people keep mentioning, Morecambe has good transport links. The Bay Gateway means that it's the closest coast to the M6, it's easily accessible. We have Heysham port and there are talks about the Irish passenger ferries starting up again. The Eden Project proposal included upgrading the train line to Lancaster with an electric rail service.

Infrastructure - well, it's a holiday resort so it needs hotels. We have those, plenty of them. Car parks - unfortunately might need more but the Frontierland site is sitting empty. Cafes, pubs and restaurants, tick. Jobs and prospects - 2 nuclear power stations and now Eden North. If it attracts the numbers of visitors expected then Morecambe will become a year round destination, that'll improve job prospects too.

Morecambe has already improved over the last 10 years without any government help. In fact it has felt like they were actively against us 🤣. Morecambe Carnival resurrected itself although the council didn't continue to fund it. The Vintage Festival continues to draw huge crowds, Morecambe music festival is fantastic, Morecambe Sparkle is a goer - although february seems a silly time to do it to me.

The cross bay walks are up and running, an experience like no other, the promenade itself is miles long and beautifully maintained. Heysham village is nice.

The poster who slated it compared to the "balmy" disused clay pit in a run down area that the first Eden Project was built on must've had her eyes closed when she visited Morecambe. If she ever did visit.

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EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:15

"If northern towns want to level up, they will also have to ‘level up’ with the price of living in the south."

Yeah, you're right. Let's level you down to us instead.

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purpledalmation · 20/01/2023 09:22

Well Yorkshire and humberside are right near the bottom. Under the south east. What's that all about?

Nonimai · 20/01/2023 09:22

This is a controversial opinion because so many people love the Eden Project going to Morecambe. Morecambe has a glorious history as a seaside town but is now a depressed place of poverty and underfunding. Locally many feel it has been left to rot while the neighbouring Uni town of Lancaster gets all the funding. Money needs to go into housing, social welfare initiatives, , the police etc. The answer is not the Eden Project. The Eden Project will improve the area for the middle classes, cleanse the area if you like. Gentrifying an area like this will raise property prices, break up strong communities and force the people who need help out of their homes and to another area - possibly Blackpool. It is nothing to be proud of.

EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:29

@Nonimai some people do feel that but over the last few years they are a minority. Yes, I think it is likely that they may be pushed to Blackpool. I don't know what the answer is to that.

What housing do you want to see in Morecambe? What shortage do we have? They did up 86 of the run down old terraces around Clarendon road a few years back, the residents there were happy with the results. Could they continue that?

Do you oppose Eden because it benefits the middle classes? Surely those that may be pushed to Blackpool are the ones being completely supported with their living (plus the hotels full of asylum seekers) presumably they'll go too.

What about the job prospects it'll bring?

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Cuppasoupmonster · 20/01/2023 09:31

I mean I don’t believe in ‘levelling up’ of the North. People in the SW and Midlands are just as skint but contend with higher property prices and if you’re in the SW, no jobs (I mean look on a map at how close together and commutable cities in the north are compared to here!)

I think the idea the the North has it much worse than the rest of the country is a bit of a myth if I’m honest.

EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:34

And I completely disagree that it's a "depressed place of poverty". The strong community you speak of wouldn't be having that and most of them welcome the opportunities Eden will hopefully bring.

I'm looking out now and it's glorious. No wind, chilly but clear and still. For anyone who thinks Morecambe is grey, wet and miserable. It's really not.

To think the Northern towns deserve "levelling up"
To think the Northern towns deserve "levelling up"
To think the Northern towns deserve "levelling up"
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EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:40

@Cuppasoupmonster really? No jobs in Birmingham or Bristol? Peterborough or Leicester? Cities you could commute to several times over before I even get to any major northern city if I were to drive. If I chose public transport I might be there by tea time 🤣

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Cuppasoupmonster · 20/01/2023 09:41

EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:40

@Cuppasoupmonster really? No jobs in Birmingham or Bristol? Peterborough or Leicester? Cities you could commute to several times over before I even get to any major northern city if I were to drive. If I chose public transport I might be there by tea time 🤣

Do you know how commutable Bristol is from North Devon? Have you seen a map?

mum2jakie · 20/01/2023 09:42

Winterday1991 · 20/01/2023 03:54

If northern towns want to level up, they will also have to ‘level up’ with the price of living in the south.

Give over! You realise that average wages are consistently lower as it is and poorer people already pay significantly more for basics. The economic challenges of not being able to bulk buy etc and take advantage of savings as well as the higher cost of paying utilities by prepayment etc. Plus higher cost and limited availability of public transport etc etc.

Cuppasoupmonster · 20/01/2023 09:43

The poorest county in the country is Cornwall. The biggest divide between earnings and average house price is the South West. It stuns people because it’s rarely brought up! Everyone else just thinks we’re living the good life on the farm; the reality is the opposite…

Cuppasoupmonster · 20/01/2023 09:44

What everyone is doing as usual is confusing ‘the south’ with ‘the south east’.

OhmygodDont · 20/01/2023 09:45

Peterborough got money to do up its train station… like that’s what the locals there want.

FixundFoxi · 20/01/2023 09:46

@EricBartholomew denying there is considerable poverty in Morecambe does no one any favours. There's lots of evidence discussing poverty and deprivation in
Morecambe and denying it perpetuates it. 22% of children living in poverty
anyone ? Have you moved there from somewhere else ? Beautiful unspoilt scenery means nothing.

Rafferty10 · 20/01/2023 09:47

*The country got trolled again today and people fell for it because the media told you to. £2 billion is a joke and won’t even touch the sides to do what’s needed to be done.

But far more importantly, this is not levelling up, this is charity. Levelling up means creating industry and economic growth through ongoing inward investment in a part of the country so it gets really good at some form for commerce. Think tech hubs like silicone valley, or car manufacturing hubs like Bavaria.

In other news, this incompetent government failed to get off the ground a true levelling up opportunity as the company backing the gigafactory for electric car batteries in the northeast went into administration. That one project would be worth £2 billion.

This government is corrupt and incompetent in the same way as governments of the last 25 years. The public is truly stupid for falling for these gimmicks. But then again this is the same public that was cheering, banging pots and pans like idiots in their doorways while locked away and spending printed billions, not considering for a second what that would do to the economy.*
This ^ well said

ClaudiaWankleman · 20/01/2023 09:48

The whole country - including London and its commuter towns - needs to level up. Reaching parity with London (whatever that means) for northern towns and cities would not be a win. We'd be swapping one socio-economic issue for another.

FixundFoxi · 20/01/2023 09:55

@Cuppasoupmonster www.jrf.org.uk/data/uk-poverty-rate-region
Agree that Cornwall is one of the most deprived areas but it's more nuanced than that. But why are we arguing ? I guess if you voted for Johnson or Brexit people have only got themselves to blame...

EricBartholomew · 20/01/2023 09:57

@FixundFoxi I have not denied there is considerable poverty in Morecambe. I don't think it's a place of depression and poverty though. You're doing nobody any favours by talking it down.

Yes, there are areas of Morecambe that need a lot of investment and support. They have strong, able communities who show positive action rather than depression or just giving up. I hope the investment in the area will highlight the need to help those people.

Do you think you're doing them a favour by selling Morecambe as a depressed shithole where 22% of children are suffering malnutrition? Because I don't.

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