Query about attitudes in Weston-super-Mare

[supplyteacher53]

We are seriously considering moving from London to WSM. My concern is whether we may encounter any prejudice or racism, as I am white and my husband is black (a previous message dated several years ago mentioned that some people demonstrated racist and violent attitudes). I am aware that WSM is a pretty much completely white area. Am I correct? I hail from Bristol, so am familiar with the general area. Now we would like to live in a cleaner (fresher air) environment than a big city. Please reply, as we would really appreciate your honest comments. Thank you.

Weston is a predominantly white area yes, I'm not sure about racism in the area. But whereabouts in Weston are you looking at? It's really not a very nice area at all, there are much nicer places nearby!
Weston does have the highest rate of unemployment because of drug abuse in the entire country after all!

Very racist.

I have family who live there and when a funeral was arranged, they asked that I best not bring my (then) DP.

Purely for his own comfort, you understand, you know how bigoted they can be round here....

He came anyway. Literally stared at in the street. Followed around shops etc.

Apart from that it's a shithole.

Holidayed nearby and never again. Very racist lots of staring. And the people seems very Jeremy kyle, not to be rude but I can't think of another way to put it.

Im sure there are nice people there but never met or interacted with any.

DD lives in Weston-super-Mare and says it is a low educated area and that racism is a result of ignorance so yes there are some very racist people there

Funny you mention Jeremy Kyle @flirtygirl. The only person I know who lives in WSM has actually been on the show

There is racism everywhere you go.

I have lived in WSM for 3 years now and can't say I have ever noticed any racism. Granted I don't live in the centre of Weston , and if you went there in the day you would probably see alot of "Jeremy Kyle" folk as PP put it, but you get that in any town you go to.

There are drugs in every corner of the UK. There are racist people in each town, there are also nice people in each town, ones who don't judge you based on skin colour or background. That's just the way the world works.

WSM is highly populated and had alot of investment at the sea front, it has good transport links to Bristol, Bath and M5.

It's not a shit hole at all, I could tell you where some shit holes are though!

I would say this town is becoming more and more multicultura (what with being so close to major cities) There are people here of different faiths , nationality, skin colour. I have never witnessed any form of discrimination based on that.

My advice would be to come and spend a week here, explore the area. Don't rely on the opinions of MN. See for yourself

I went once and have to agree it was 'very Jeremy Kyle'.

OP, maybe avoid.

I think it is has improved a lot and from what I know a couple of people priced out of Bristol who moved there recently now so a greater mix than before. People moved there are doctor, artist and builder so quite a mix but they are all white so can’t comment on the racial aspect I’d do what Mondayblues suggested though and spend a bit of time there so you can judge for yourself.

There is still a lot of work to be done on it yet but we were very pleasantly surprised on first trip back after 10 years recently. Agree the villages outside are lovely, I like Hutton, Lympsham, Uphill, then a bit further down East Brent and Brent Knoll and then further again Mark and Wedmore. Had a lovely couple of years in one before had to move and made some lovely friends, still in touch with a couple 16 years later.

Other option might be one of the villages between Bristol and Weston maybe ?

I know someone who was living near there with her DC who was preschool age and had non-White heritage. Attitudes even to such a small child were awful (the friend even had this from one of her direct-report employees).

Not sure about racism. But around the seafront / centre there are a lot of down and outs and people with drug issues. I know every area has this but it’s very visible there from my experience. Not been to any residental areas. But Clevedon, Portishead are nice but you pay a fair wedge more to live there on average.

I live in Weston-s-Mare and have done for 50+ years.

Never come across any racism but that's not to say there isn't any.
Not all of us are Jeremy Kyle material - many of us are ''normal'' and quite friendly.

We do seem to have a lot of drug addicts/alcoholics/homeless but what town or city doesn't nowadays?

The beach isn't bad,except in the summer when the grockles leave their rubbish behind.
The woods are gorgeous,as is Uphill and the parks.
Good train links to Bristol,Bath,Taunton etc.
The high street is slowly dying,mainly phone case shops,coffee shops and not a lot else.

Don't do it OP. While there will be many lovely people living there it is not an inclusive place. Not pretty either sadly. Might Clevedon be better?

Is that a LOCAL school for LOCAL people Mondays?

Lol 😂

WOW! Thanks so much for all your advice. We are actually driving up tomorrow, so will test the water (probably not the sea water.. ha, ha). May look into these other villages that are mentioned, but might attitudes be similar here? Problem is that we don't have that much money and because I know Bristol, was hoping that WSM, which isn't far, might be okay for us. You know, after living for years in London, where different cultures are accepted; it's saddening and worrying to read some of the above messages. We would like to leave London because it's too big, too fast and too polluted for us now ( getting old).

Please feel free to add more advice. Thanks.

PS. I'm not understanding all these acronyms.
What is OP?
Also PP and DD? Oh and MN?
I'm guessing DP is darling partner?

Thanks, again.

I hope you see what Weston has to offer. It isn't a shit hole that it's being made out to be and I would love to move to a town where there isn't a drug problem, there were no "Jeremy Kyle" type folks and everyone got along. Sadly that doesn't exist in this day in age.

Safe travels x

Have you thought about looking into paulton? Or radstock, midsomer Norton, or temple cloud?

Any reason why you wont move back to Bristol? I quite like it here but we did look for other village locations.

I dont think bridtol is that polluted, suburbs I dont feel ate anyway but I wouldn't want to live in the city or busy areas like southville, Clifton, henleaze etc.

I prefer being that extra 5 minutes away

OP is original poster, you in this case.
PP is previous poster/s.
DD is dear daughter.
DP is dear partner (darling if you're feeling generous I guess).
MN is mumsnet.

Good luck with your search for pastures new.... OP.

Have a good day today. I did what you did, from Bristol originally, moved away then came back and moved to Weston . At the time it was a big mistake but it was 20 years ago and I had just had a baby . Legged it down to a village. Found that they are quite a mix of people who are living there for work reasons and didn’t want to be in Weston and locals who grew up there. They are still (or were) predominantly white but I found ours was more tolerant than I had maybe thought. My friend’s church arranged an exchange with somewhere in Asian and they had exchange students staying with a number of local families for a year and as far as I could tell they
were very much accepted.

Friend’s DH is a drug and alcohol counsellor up there and wouldn’t go to Weston outside work as said he kept bumping into his clients everywhere. He said it has improved now though. The council has started a new scheme to improve the levels of rental stock with new inspections. Was having the whole Weston talk with a couple we know, she’s from London originally and of mixed race. Consensus was in 10 years it will be good and definitely improved. They are currently between Weston and Bristol and are thinking of moving, Yatton was mentioned as a possibility as on train line so easier access to Bristol.

Could I ask what your budget is and what type of property you are looking for ?

Hi, budget only about £170,000 unfortunately and would like a house, rather than a flat, as I need a garden.
I meant that London is heavily polluted, as after twenty odd years of being asthma free, when the hot weather hits, I suffer quite badly here.
Bristol would be nice but houses are more expensive. And TBH, fancy a change, and it there seems to be lots of beautiful scenery in Somerset, but I agree is only a short drive away. I used to live in the BS15 and BS16 areas.
Again, thanks for any comments. We really appreciate the input. Keep 'em coming. Setting off in 20 minutes... will be raining.

Paulton, midsomernorton, radstock etc are stunning!! And cheaper than Bristol.

I know many people who moved to Weston from Bristol and are aiming to move back. Not many nice areas, apparently. I have heard that locking parklands is proving popular though? Not sure on their price ranges.

Have you thought about over the bridge? Newport, chepstow, caldecott?

I'm in BS13 😊