Do people say this about other places?

[Schoolchoicesucks]

I was at a family birthday over the weekend and chatting to a friend of theirs I hadn't previously met.

They asked where I was from and when I said "Xxxx in north London", they immediately pulled a face and said "Oh, poor you, I'm in London all the time for work, hate it".

This isn't the first time someone's said similar to me - on a work related training course - held in central London - a couple of weeks ago, the trainer was talking to me and another attendee. There was a tube strike so we'd already talked about our disrupted journeys and where we'd travelled from, both of them started saying how much they "can't wait" to leave London at the end of the work day.

Do people ever say this about other places - you meet someone, ask where they're from and when they respond "Preston*" you immediately say "Oh I went there once, what a shithole, couldn't wait to leave it"?

(* Preston chosen at random, don't think I've ever been there. I'm sure it's perfectly lovely. Or has a mix of lovely and less lovely parts just like everywhere else. Including London).

Isn't it rude to be so negative about where someone lives? Why do people do this?

YABU - people say it all the time about loads of places
YANBU =people only say it about London

Other countries do indeed say similar about their capital cities. Go ask the French about Paris.

I think the only negative comments Ive ever heard people make about London are to do with population density and noise. I love London personally and never get tired of going.

I'm sure people have already said this but Preston has one of the worst areas around the bus station, which is the only part I've been to.
I'm jealous of people who live in London, for balance. I lived there for 10 years and I loved it so much. Could only do it now with a very substantial windfall.

Yes. I live in a city in the Midlands that is often lambasted. It’s an interesting city with loads of history but many people hate it and tell me so!!

Coventry 🤔 if so , me too.

I think people think that it is less rude to say it about London because London is inarguably so popular desirable.

To say it about somewhere else, a random small town is unspeakably rude.

To say it about London is a little bit different, but not denying it is still rude.

Yes this is very true. My dad is French and he HATES Paris, thinks it’s filthy and full of voleurs (thieves). Tbf to him the only time I have come close to being mugged was indeed in Paris… I have never felt unsafe in any other big city other than around the Pigalle district at night time and the very brief encounters I’ve had in Birmingham. But yeah, I do think it’s common for natives to feel this way about the capital.

@Doingtheboxerbeatmaybe….😉😉

I have to go to London quite a bit for work and say the same. If I had to go to Portsmouth twice a month no doubt I would say the same. Fundamentally, I don't like big UK cities. I particularly don't like the fact that there is at least a 25% chance that my train home is going to be fucked and I'm going to spend a delightful evening in Waterloo station staring forlornly at a departure board.

I think people often say that about big cities tbh.

You only really have to do an advanced search on MN for "Wigan" and you'll see how prevalent it is...

Completely agree. I'm from Birmingham so you get mixed comments on it. As with any city, there are good parts and shit parts but how can you run a place down when you haven't even been there really?

why would a Weegie be jealous of an Edinbugger?

YANBU.

The worst case of this I’ve experienced was an acquaintance who was priced out of London so moved and bought a property in the arse end of nowhere, and suddenly developed anti-London views despite previously being an amateur London-centric influencer on Instagram (raving about the latest spot to get an iced matcha latte, that kind of thing). He also jumped at any opportunity to come back to London to socialise, but of course he ‘didn’t miss it’ and was ‘so over London’. Sour grapes ridiculousness, like much of the London hate.

Exactly.

I'm a northerner too, and I've had someone (who knows this) say to me when discussing places they'd like to live 'East Anglia doesn't have the taint of being in the North'.

It's not just lamentable ignorance...it's rude and nasty too. I always assume people who say this kind of thing are doing so quite deliberately and intend to give offence.

Apart from the fact that i don't hold silly prejudices about various parts of the UK, I would just never express a negative opinion in company because I'm not a rude person!

I think this is probable said by the same type of person who, on seeing what you're eating says "urgh, xxx?! How can you eat that" 🤦‍♀️
Basically some people are just oblivious to manners...

I think this is probable said by the same type of person who, on seeing what you're eating says "urgh, xxx?! How can you eat that" 🤦‍♀️
Basically some people are just oblivious to manners...

I live somewhere that usually appears in the 'Ten Worst Towns in the UK' lists.
When I tell people where I live, they pull a face. It's very close to somewhere touristy.

If I tell people I live just outside the nearest town, they say 'Ooh, lovely'.

People on here say stuff about 'The North'.

Try being a scouser. Everyone thinks we constantly go out in our rollers and are plastered in make up.

Och, at least admit it 😄

@MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo , tell me about it. People told me to lose my accent.

Try being Welsh... honestly.

But yes it's rude and appalling. And a really good reason to ignore that person forever more.

@Arlanymor , we know you lot only speak Welsh when an English person walks into the shop/pub.

It's also hysterically funny and original to repeat what you've just said in an exaggerated accent.
If you're a scouser, being told 'Dey do do dat dough, don't dey dough' is absolutely rib-tickling.

100% - we go to that effort because we HATE everyone else!!!

Ah thanks for saying that because it is bloody stupid but when I deign to mention it I must be lying. In Swansea? Really?! I learned it as an adult as well!

@TheIceBeari was thinking the same about Dublin! Every time I go there to visit family someone, a colleague or client or whoever I chat to, tells me how much they hate it. It's bizarre, i have friends and family in 4 different locations, all really lovely. I know for a fact some people including a family member don't like the city I live in (different Irish city) but they don't say it to my face. It seems the same for London, like it's fair game to insult it. I think its more to do with people disliking cities in general and directing that dislike towards capital cities.