Is there a cultural difference between North and South?

[Thepo]

Dh and I have decided we are going to leave our home counties home and move ‘Up North’ to a Cheshire vilage close to Manchester. We’ve spent time in Manchester but not for extended peiords of time. We like the city. Our commute will be slashed in half and our house will be much more comfortable.

I’m of course expecting there to be slight differences but at the end of the day the North is still England. So how different can it be? Right? We get along with pretty much every one we meet.

Am I just in denial?

Wrong side of the Pennines...come to Yorkshire instead 😊

I’m afraid that really not my experience of ‘the north’ but rather a clique mentality and a small village/town mentality where any newcomer isn’t accepted.

People ARE very nice, friendly when you’re in the IN group.

There is a difference. But when you say Cheshire villages are you talking about somewhere like Alderley Edge or Lymm? Ill think you'll be alright OP

Having moved from the North about 25 years ago I really miss proper gravy on chips from the chippy 😁

When people bring up the differences between northerners and southerners they are generally referencing a bunch of class stereotypes, with working class ones attributed to northerners and middle class ones to southerners. Not only is this ridiculous in the assumption that the two regions are populated only by one class, but also that all people of a social class will behave the same way. Other than the odd fashion variation or dialect word, I doubt you'll notice much difference.

I think southerners are perfectly friendly and helpful but just a bit more guarded. We are more open and more likely to chat with a stranger. (Not just an in-group 🙄). I wouldn't call that a different culture though, just a quirk.

I’m southern and DH is northern and yes there are quite significant differences in our two families but I suspect this is more to do with income, class, education levels, local area etc than purely north/south. I’m stereotypical Home Counties - dad work in London, SAHM, private school, big detached house, horses went on fancy holidays etc) whereas DH is from a big family and lived in terrace house in a northern mining village and his dad worked in the pit until it closed then a local factory. So early life experiences were vastly different but we get along great - for better than many couples we know with very similar upbringing.

I think, if I could generalise about one thing, I would agree with the comment that northerners talk more (To everyone and anyone 🤣) & southerners tend to be more guarded and more bothered about social expectations & norms.

I’d happily live in either but Cheshire isn’t really representative of the north IMO

People are definitely more friendly the further from London you get and people definitely dress up more on nights out.

Wait - your horses went on fancy holidays?! (Sorry - couldn’t resist!)

I'm Northern but in defence of southerners (!) I travelled around the south west for a bit recently and most people were sooo friendly, chatty and helpful. And even the chips were okay! 😄

Mancs are some of the most dour people I’ve ever met (yes, I live here now) but they’re friendly enough once you get to know them so not much different from London really. It would be a different kettle of fish if you were moving to Newcastle or Liverpool for example, but a (posh?) part of south Manchester? You’ll barely notice the difference.

I'm a true Northener, living in the English side of the border between England and Scotland. We can get quite sensitive about people from the South looking down on us. People are just people, there's nothing like a northern sense of humour, it's sarcastic and a bit dark but genuine all the same. I'm proud of my northern roots, and my accent. We aren't pretentious, this far North anyway.

My family is southern but moved to a Cheshire village just outside Manchester when I was small and I grew up there. I now live down south.

It's a pretty easy transition, I can't say I've ever thought about it!

Where are you looking?

I'd struggle to find much cultural difference between Surrey villages and Cheshire villages tbh. But as someone who was raised in the West Midlands by a Mancunian mother and has been exiled in earnest, liberal, north London for decades, I don't half miss humour, irony and not taking life too seriously.

I think it's fine to move to places you've not spent loads of time in btw. All things considered, Manchester is the best place on earth to live.

We’ve lived all over the world and the UK in places we’ve visited briefly! I couldn’t imagine my life any other way. Just counting down the next four years til I am free to move again.

This reminds me of my cousins snobby mother who when told all the cousins (who had been staying together for the week) had got nits but we'd been treated etc said "We don't get nits in Macclesfield" 😂

I’ve lived in various places in and around Manchester and Cheshire and London. If I had to name a bit of the north that was most like the Home Counties it would be “Cheshire villages”

And the south of course is a lot more than wealthy parts of the Home Counties.

There's a huge difference in wealth and perceptions of affluence - I would say that was the biggest eye opener when moving to Cheshire.

Joking aside @Thepo
I actually work as a Relocation consultant and do cover Cheshire.
I would be happy to offer some free advice if you want to PM me.
Most of my clients are international but I don't mind helping out a Southerner as well 😁

Well I lived in London for 40 years and spoke to people on the bus, at the bus stop, on trains, while walking etc. I then lived in Essex and, again, spoke to lots of people.

I now live in the East Midlands. I can't honestly say I find the people any friendlier than people in London or Essex.

I go back to London at least once a month and always have conversations with strangers

We are in Kent DS girlfriend goes to University in York. She talks about missing:

1. The weather she says it is soooo cold in the winter
2. The food, she misses asian cuisine and Gails coffee shop
3. Not having to get all dressed up to go out at night, nights out down South are more relaxed.

Cheshire is posh north. You still get friendly people and crappy weather but also southern house prices!

People are definitely friendly. I can be embarrassed when my southern friends come to visit as I find they can be rude and offhand to waiters, taxi drivers etc. Why be rude when you can flirt with them, swap life stories, get some shopping/car/therapy/whatever tips and generally be human? It’s a massive boost to the quality of everyday life.

I moved “up North” from a different country and survived. You’ll be fine.
A lot of people will address you “love” - don’t take it personally. Some people are really difficult to understand first 10 years but you can communicate by txt messages. You’ll need to have waterproof jacket near by all the time.

She misses Asian food in York? There are plenty of really good Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian etc restaurants and takeaways in York.

She might have a point with the rest though.