North/South divide

[tallulah]

I was born in the South & I've always lived in the South. Now I'm stuck in Ashford, Kent which is one of the areas designated by John Prescott for massive expansion. We've seen the population increase horribly in the last few years (huge problems with schools, GPs, water, roads etc etc). Most seem to be coming from London or the North. Now I can understand people downsizing from London but why so many Northerners?

Having the usual Southerners view of "the north" as bleak, grim and industrial, my DH (also from South) just took me on a whistlestop tour this weekend. We went to Newcastle, Lindisfarne, Edinburgh, Whitby & York. Having seen these places I can't understand why anyone would want to move to Kent!!

There are huge empty spaces, with no acres & acres of housing all packed together. There is decent public transport. There is nightlife. There are people going out for the evening & having fun... no-one walks the streets in the evening here for fear of being mugged! Petrol the day we left here was 76.9p litre (having only just been reduced from 79.9p). In Edinburgh it was 71.7p. Why the difference?!

I suppose the question is, do you live where you live through choice, and if so, what do you like about it? If you don't, what do you hate about it? (& why are so many Northerners moving to Kent? )

Yoko, I guess you must be in the same part of East London as me... Agree with everything you said about it!

I'm from York, dp from Sunderland and we live in Portsmouth as dp is in the Navy. We can't wait to move back north. Down here the people are unfriendly (except Breeze I'll e-mail you later), the drivers are ignorant and it is way too expensive. Have found a chippie that does fish with no skin on (hurrah) which is a minor miracle, they don't do gravy though. They don't do deep-fried pizza either much to dp's regret and relief. We find it unbelievable that our crappy 3 bed terraced house is worth £180K down here when we can get a four bedroomed detached house for that up north (ok I admit not in York as its quite posh there apparently!). I can see the same person at the bus stop everyday and they won't speak to me even if I say hello to them which is bloody ignorant. As cars don't even stop when I'm on a zebra crossing I daren't ride a bike down here. I could go on for hours about what I don't like. On the plus point though the weather isn't bad and its quick enough to get to France on the ferry.

awwwww megg, i feel the same way too... but deep fried pizza? thats just narsty!

Megg

I'm with you! I come from Lancashire originally - living in Wiltshire because of dh job - don't like it on the whole - weather is better though - Salisbury is v small town and some of the outfits people wear! red Moleskin jeans and jellow check shirts with barbours and puffa jackets - in the supermarket! - you'd take your life into your own hands up norf - some people friendly some not - I think it's more me with the problem not them - I'd love to live in Leeds - great shops fab nightlife food etc - in fact any northern city - I cringe at my ds (3.5) wurzels accent. I was told by one neighbour that it's not 'lounge' its sitting room! - Not from where I come from luv...

thought it was the "front room"?

Hey Megg, I'm from York too, originally - do I know you?? We live in Hackney (not quite Hoxton any more, but we did live there pre-baby) and I have to say that I do love living round here, despite the terrible reputation it has. It's really green, we've made great local friends with loads of babies, the commute into the West End for me is relatively painless, DP cycles to work in 20 mins. Oh, and you get more house for your money too. I'll gloss over the fact our car radio's been nicked 3 times...

Ahh, the grass is always greener on the other side isn't it? I've spent time in Oxford, nice place but crap and snooty people with no bloody chippies! Spent time in Aberdeen, and I apologise now to all Aberdonians, but I hated every bloody second I spent there! Very unfriendly people and gray and dismal city. Spent time in Inverness, nice place but snooty people again who hate you just because you're English. Worked in Manchester, which I loved, but found it too claustrophobic. Now live in Preston which is ok, but again, too many people. However at least the chippies are ok, people talk properly, and no-one gives you a second look when you order a pint of Guinness. Oh and we do have really good real ale and some cracking pubs where a pint of Boddingtons is only £1.40. We don't do Pimms, Babycham or Shandy like wot you Southerners drink!

ahhhhh but rhuby - southerners do it it style! ( drink that is )

Hoxtonchick I went to Shipton Street Infants and Kingsway High. Lived in Clifton and off Leeman Road. My Dad lives in Dunnington (or did but I don't speak to him now). My best friend lives just off Gayle Lane. Do you know any of these places?