Regional prejudice

[Jbr]

Do you think this exists much in this country? I knew someone who "hated" people from Glasgow because they "couldn't understand them"!

I've just seen another site where someone was complaining about having to move to Newcastle. What a trauma! It happens to be very nice, if I am slightly biased LOL!

This person doesn't work so she's got plenty of time to check out what it's like.

We do have a bit of banter between Geordies and Mackems and people from Hartlepool but just amongst ourselves really. Nobody takes it seriously and there is a stereotype that people who aren't from the North East can't hold their drink but that's in fun as well and I never took it seriously and having moved away I've been proved wrong. I've been drunk under the table many times after work by my London colleagues!

Yes there definitely is a 'prejudice'. I'm from Yorkshire and live down in Portsmouth - the southerners really think they're something else. They don't think us 'up north' have anything worth having, we're thick as owt and the weather is really bad. After saying that my dh is from Sunderland and I can't understand a word he says when he's had a pint or two!!! One thing though I would love to move to Newcastle - the shopping and nightlife is fantastic. Much rather go to Newcastle than London anyday. I find a lot of the 'southerners' are pretty ignorant in the way they drive and they would rather ignore you than say hello on a morning. I know I'm probably biased but I would rather be up north anyday and am counting the time until we move back (three years tops depending on when dh puts his notice in to the Navy). This north east bantering all a laugh is it - not sure whether my Mackem dh would buy Alan Shearer a drink though!!!

Further to the above - there are more places to eat out up in the north east when you've got children. Down here there is one in Southsea, a couple in Portsmouth and then you generally have more luck a bit further out. Its a nightmare to find nice restaurants.

A girl from Lancaster Girls Grammar School was recently A Level "Student of the Year".
She was photographed and interviewed by the Times, Mail, Telegraph and Guardian and one of the things she was asked - though this wasn't reported - was "do you feel inferior, coming from the north?"
Good grief!!!

sorry - rant coming on - a topic very close to my heart. I have to say that moving away from the NE was the best thing that happened to me. Although you say it's all in jest, Jbr, I find it really draining to be continually looked down on for being a Makkam - and I'm not anyway, which makes it even more annoying, and a woman - I came across more prejudice in the NE sexism, racism regionalism, xenophobia & homophobia than anywhere else I've lived. So ignorant and insular. Totally depressing, someone always moaning about how awful someone else is.

I have lived in nearly every region in England, and can't say I'd want to return to the NE.

Sorry sorry sorry to all the northern women out there (and blokes too I suppose), just my experiance. Don't wish to offend, honest!

I married a Southener and everyone made tedious, smart arsed comments about soft southern puffs etc etc. And although I didn't fancy the SE much either, I never got the impression they thought they were something else. Definitely keep themselves to themselves more, but I found it more in London than in the sticks, and you get that to some extent or other in any big city, only more so in London.

Oh and Selja, you've got to admit the weather is bloody awful. I spent the first 2 decades of my life freezing to death. And I just can't understand a word Glaswegians say either, but it just made me feel really dum & foolish, especially as dh had no problems!

LOL Selja about Alan Shearer!

Some people call the Stadium of Light Stadium of Shite, not that I am one of them of course...

I find it's the older one (another stereotype sorry) that carry more prejudices. There is banter between me and my Mackem friends but I wouldn't dream of saying something insulting to someone in the manner you've described Inky.

And you aren't even a Mackem!

Homophobia is a bit rife and I know men who still won't swear in front of women and god forbid we should want a job. But I've found that in all places I've been really.

I hate being described as "from the North" I'm from the North East. Even the government have secretly and quietly done away with this category. I filled out a survey once ages ago and didn't reply to the "region" bit because my region wasn't on!

Jbr, I don't think the person from the other site was really having a moan about moving to Newcastle, from what I read she was just lonely and looking to make friends.
I'm from Cheltenham, and everyone seems to think we're really posh, driving round in Jaguars, living in mansions and having a wadrobe full of designer clothes. Like yeah right, I wish

Dh is from NI and sometimes gets fed up at the level of moaning in Scotland about English people. The tables were turned a couple of weeks ago though, when he ranted about Grandstand (which is a UK national programme) concentrated entirely on England losing the 6 nations game against Ireland and not one mention was made of Ireland winning, how they equally just missed out on winning the grand slam etc. He hadn't realised just how focussed British television can be on England until he was on the receiving end...

That said, please bring back Newsnight in it's entirety - Scottish Newsnight has to be the worst thing ever dreamt up.

LOL, Harrysmum. Get him to sample Scottish Grandstand, which apparently has been known to concentrate for hours on carpet bowls from Cumbernauld (with Dougie Donnelly) at the expense of really quite crucial non-Scotland international football and rugby matches. We have English friends living very happily and appreciatively in Edinburgh and this drives them nuts. Mind you, with what the BBC still has left to cover on Grandstand, carpet bowls sounds quite exciting.

Selja, I live just along the coast from you in the new forest (I won't say Southampton knowing the lack of love between the two cities!! - Alan Shearer did play for the Saints though!!).
Anyway not all Southerners think they are something else (there are some though I do agree), this is just as sterotypical as saying those from 'up north' are as thick as owt!
I love living down here and wouldn't want to move but certainly don't expect everyone else to feel the same. I do agree though eating out with Kids can be difficult - perhaps we could swap ideas for places in Southampton and Portsmouth.

Selja, its not all bad in Pompey, we are not all the same and Ill try and think of some nice places for you to go (just about to pop out). Sorry to say Viv I have experience of Southampton and found them alot less friendly than the Pompey residents (I know not everyone is the same).

when we went to Hastings to stay with friends, my friend's dh got a bit drunk and tried to have a 'play-fight' with my dh. My dh wouldn't entertain him so this other guy tried insulting him in a bid to wind him up, one of the insults was "You're a Northener you are!" to which my dh replied "Yes?"

On a slightly different note, my dear mother has just told me that no one wants to see the GP's at her surgery anymore because they are "all black". The only excuse I have is that she's 70. R.

She said she doesn't want to see them or the other people want to?

On a slightly different note someone was I talking to just a sec ago actually was going on about all Spanish people "are perverts". Hm! I can only assume that statement stems from the age of consent being 12. It is low of course but it's about 14 in most other EU countries. Maybe they think kids are more intelligent than we do!

My dh is in the Navy and for the first five years of his naval career (he's been in 13 years now) it was written on his docs that he wasn't suitable for officer because he's softly spoken with a northern accent. Even now although its not written on his docs he's told that he won't get much further because of his voice and accent. Both of us have been told in various jobs to tone our accents down as the poor old southerners can't understand them! Jbr - a black and white are you?!! It's a good stadium I'll have you know!

Jbr, who knows, she probably doesn't know herself. R.

Someone from Sunderland.

I hate all this regional prejudice stuff.

Apart from monkey hangers of course which I find hysterical & totally justifiable piss-taking. Sorry anyone offended by this.

You've got to see the funny side though..

dh used to share a house with a guy from Ghana and one from Jamaica. His grandmother was totally wide-eyed and used to ask questions such as "What do they eat?" (He'd wind her up, saying things like pineapples and bananas, which she'd completely believe until he explained that they were just 2 blokes like any other 2, not martians or something). She came good in the end and used to take them round cakes every week (And then ask more bizarre questions) A bit like Tubbs really, bless her.

Inky, what's monkey hangers, have I missed something?

Are you local, Inky?

Thought I better add that I watched League of Gentlemen too, incase you thought I was some total wierdo!

Monkey hangers are people from Hartlepool. Smog monster is a particular favourite of mine (people from Middlesbrough in case you're wondering).

I was going to say I thought the rather offensive monkey hanger term was well known. But everyone from the North East is a Geordie though aren't they according the newspapers. Pah!