Due to travel to the NW of England for a week - would you still go?

[Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles]

We are due to travel to the NW of England to explore the area and visit a few towns (Preston, Chorley, Lancaster, Lytham st Anne’s and Manchester) with our children by public transport. With all of the rioting (I know there is some elsewhere in the country), I feel really apprehensive about it. Would you still go? Is it as bad as the newspapers are showing? Keeping in mind we will be travelling by train and bus, so may pass through places that are being effected badly by the riots.

YABU - still go.

YANBU - don’t go.

To the op- welcome to Lancashire lass . If u want any info re moving up here just ask xxxxx

@GeraniumJenny Thank you ❤️
This is what I love about Lancashire the people seem so welcoming and friendly.

Lancaster is absolutely fine! It's just as normal here. We did have something at on Sunday but there was just a small protest on the council steps.

Also the towns around it are good to come to. I went into Preston on Saturday and that was no different either!

We have got some more new roadworks in Lancaster though so allow time for that!

I’m here- have been to Chorley last week, Wigan area yesterday, going into our town today and Chorley tomorrow- not a sight nor sound of any rioting.

The place is not a war zone!

Just spent the weekend in Lytham. It was peaceful and really quiet yesterday. Busier at the weekend but really lovely.

@Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles just seen that you are moving up here- the news likes to paint us as cave dwelling troglodytes but I promise we are very nice and friendly, and there are some beautiful places to live.

@Sounreasonable but we keep our cave doorsteps clean!!

Oh yes- the donkey stone is never out of reach!

Yes I live in this area and have been out and about without any issues. It's contained to very small areas in actual fact.

When now-H and I first moved in together, we rented a one bed back to back terrace house. I remember my very lovely NDN being horrified that I wasn't donkey stoning the front step, as she still did hers! There was a stall at the local market that still sold the bars. Was typically considered a rough part of town but I have very fond memories of living there. The community feel was brilliant.

NDN was a lovely lady, very no nonsense and utterly terrifying. She'd tell you off about the state of your curtains if she thought you were letting the 'front' down. If she knew we were both at work and it started to rain, she'd bring everyone's washing in for them if they'd left it (you'd get a lecture about not watching for 'proper drying weather').

Just seen a new list circulating in Tik tok for riots tomorrow night across the country and my town is now in it..... many smaller towns are on it

Weds 8pm with meet up points on the list too

Disgusted!

Just off to man the barricades in Chorley ….. or maybe not

I'd avoid relying on Northern Rail on a Sunday. They have major staffing issues so plan Sunday journeys around TfW/TPE/Avanti/Merseyrail/Metrolink etc.

Oh yes, there are still one or two of those about- we have one and she is up every morning at 6am cleaning the back alley, she cleans the end terrace garage door (no one else has a garage or I’m sure she would do them too!), if you don’t get out fast enough (within 10 minutes) she goes out after the bin lorry and brings everyone’s bin back for them.

The teenage boyfriend of a neighbour threw some fag ends into the alley- it was a mistake he only made once!

She is well into her 80’s now and still walks to town 2 or 3 times a week for her bits, but will sometimes get a bus home these days if she has a lot to carry (We live up a very big steep hill).

She knows all the kids and talks to them from her front yard in the mornings and makes sure they are behaving themselves.

I’ve known her my whole life, and like to think she will go on forever.

@LaughingElderberry
Thank you for making me giggle and remember My Great Aunty Betty.

She sounds like she was cut from the same cloth as your neighbour!
Her step was donkey stoned within an inch of it's life. She also had an almost unhealthy interest in curtains (partially the neighbours), hers were a thing to behold. Nets being "Percil white" and the drapes had to hang in exactly the correct placement.

She would be utterly horrified that I have no nets and my cats ruffle my drapes with their antics 😂

If you are white, go. If you are British go.
If you aren’t white or are discernibly not British some way, I would give it a swerve.

My lovely English, doctor friend was called ‘p@ki’ on the way to the hospital she works at yesterday.

Your poor friend 😥

I had a think about what I posted yesterday - that if you were one street over you probably wouldn’t even know about it. That was definitely my white privilege talking.

Having spoken to friends and read more, and of course aa more information and detail has come out, it’s very understandably scary for anyone who is not white.

catgirl1976 · Yesterday 18:26
Oh - you are looking to relocate. I REALLY recommend Lytham (just so you know Lytham and St Anne’s are two seperate towns not one place and Lytham is nicer)
**
The green, the windmill, lovely shops and restaurants, no crime. It’s great.

Disagree! the beach in St. Anne’s is much nicer and the houses much better value.

The beach at Lytham is rubbish - it’s on an estuary. St Anne’s - sometimes you nearly walk to Ireland before you reach the sea (or it feels like that).

@MrsSkylerWhite yes but the town is nowhere near as nice

I was in Blackburn on Saturday, we watched the half a dozen or so far-right knuckle draggers embarrass themselves outside the town hall, then they were moved off and the anti-racism march allowed in for brief speeches before dispersing peacefully. Blackburn doesn’t really do rioting. Most people just rub along okay.

Darwen (nestled between Blackburn and Bolton) is a very nice place to live and houses are a bargain!

Lancashire is much more welcoming and multicultural than many other places in the UK.

You know statistically the most dangerous thing you’ll do is drive your car. Honestly get some perspective

catgirl1976 · Today 10:54
yes but the town is nowhere near as nice

Hmm. I think it is on a sunny day when all of the cafes have their seating outside. It’s much improved on 15 years ago. The new hotel in the centre of the square will be interesting. Lots of the residential streets are far leafier than “Leafy Lytham” too 😁

I live here.

Probably my total ignorance but me and my family have just carried on life as normal and not had any problems.

I might avoid the big cities at the weekend however.

Of course you can