Is Solihull far away enough from Birmingham?

[Hatebirmingham]

I live in Edgbaston and HATE Birmingham. I’ve been here for 6 years and I think it’s bloody awful. It’s run down, unsafe to the point where I could list multiple areas where I barely feel safe driving through, never mind getting out of the car and there are so many areas that don’t even feel like you’re in the UK. I see teens around and would be throughly depressed for these to be the children that my own would attend school with - lots seem to be wannabe ‘gangsters’, rude, intimidating etc. I find the vast majority of Birmingham incredibly depressing.

We can’t leave the West Midlands unfortunately.

I was wondering if Solihull may be a better fit for us. My oldest DC is starting school next year so we still have time to move without interrupting education. My question is - is Solihull (particularly Dorridge/Knowle) far enough away from Birmingham to not be affected by Birmingham’s ‘issues’?

IABU: Solihull is still too close to Birmingham
IANBU: Solihull is much better than Birmingham

Areas where you ‘would be’ stared down as a white person? That’s not a fact, it’s fear.

Just under 50% of the population of Birmingham is white British—they’re managing fine. I’ve worked with Brummies and across Birmingham for decades—still do. Every city / town has crime hot spots but what you say above says more about your fear of non white people. There’s a lot of poverty in pockets across the huge city of Birmingham, some of it exacerbated by bad city planning. You will find a largely comfortable middle class in Solihull—if you can afford to live there nothing stopping you from moving there or the multitude of areas within commuting distance of Birmingham, easily discovered via Google. So there’s something very disingenuous and dog whistling about your post. Historically, due to its wealth, Solihull is a Tory town, —Reform is more popular in the poorest areas.

Have you been to Pakistan or India? I have and 100% do not want the UK to adopt their cultural norms, standards and political corruption.

Knowle / Dorridge / Bentley Heath / Chadwick End/ Hockley Heath / Mokspath/ Hillfield are lovely to have grown up in and still great to raise a family in . Feels safe, good state schools, parks and countryside around us , rail and road links into Brum and London ( though parking at Dorridge and Solihull stations are a nightmare ) .Solihull is a separate metropolitan borough from Brum as we were formed from parts of Warwickshire so we Silhillians think of ourselves as outside. It is multi cultural but less so than Brum .

I like Solihull. I think it's quite posh. Whilst it is part of Birmingham, it feels nothing like it. YANBU

OP is the one who brought up race.

I do understand what you're getting at but the way you've worded it has wildly racist undertones so you might want to sit with that.
However I was a medical student in brum and had to do placement in sparkhill and smethwick and I will never ever forget how unsafe it was travelling to and from via public transport in winter.
None of us stayed in Birmingham.
Maybe Worcestershire or Warwickshire and commute if you must.

Op was the one who first brought colour into the conversation.

Something tells me you are the one who hasn't been to Pakistan?

Either way, it's fine, nothing to see here - literally no one wants to turn the UK into Pakistan. No one.

Thank you! I completely agree.

Yeah, at least say what you mean, OP 🙄
Just looks like another thinly disguised thread to rant about not enough white people about nowadays.

It really, really is fact in some parts.

I am part Indian, before I get jumped on.

Very white friends who like the Green Party (open borders etc..). We have debates about it. I am politically homeless atm but don’t think greens are for me (also their attitude to women etc.)

Areas where I AM stared down due to what I presume is my skin colour.

But you don't live in Sparkbrook do you?

I think Solihull would probably be white enough for you.

I spent my childhood there, by the way and I know Birmingham well.

🤣🤣 I'm a Brummie and have lived in sparkbrook before so I know what it's like. As I'm not racist it was not a problem

Maybe you just have RBF?

OP if you had said "AIBU to not want to live in Birmingham because of the level of poverty and depravation in some areas is too high". I could understand it sort of (although not really because I can't see any reason for HAVING to go to poorer areas especially if you have a car)

What made it grim was the fact that you said "there are areas where white British people would be stared down" because it simply isn't true. You are basically saying "I think the brown people look at me funny"

The honest truth is they don't care about you or you being there - they are too busy with their own lives.

Not in the slightest. Our street is mostly Chinese. We’ve made lots of friends and our children all play together etc etc - all genuinely lovely people who I’d love to keep as neighbours. I couldn’t give two shits as to whether somebody is white, green or brown if they are nice to be around.

Maybe if all the white people stopped leaving, it would change things?

You can't expect an area to stay white if all the white people leave.

Birmingham is an awful place. I feel unsafe visiting and the last time my parents were there they were followed by a man who looked like he has planning to mug them. I would move as far away as possible. Solihull is too close.

I have worked in sparkbrook and am brown myself.

The racist stuff to one side, it's still not a nice area. People are rude and hostile.

My sister lived there for years and my niece lives out that way. I suspect that that area would suit the OP too.

So who are the mystery white people that you expect to stay and keep it white enough for you?

I have lived in Birmingham for over 25 years . Mixed race muslim (white asian). The irony here is the only unpleasant experiences I have had here have been due to being perceived as a foreigner. Having said that i love living in brummie and also feel safe and most people are friendly and kind. Also for what its worth my white side of the fam ( including my mum) love coming to Brummie and shopping/eating out in the so called 'non white areas'. She was down recently and didn't have one unpleasant look or stare because she is white. Also to end on a bright note, yesterday when out shopping whilst at the till an asian lady and her son (had accents ) helped the lady behind them (an old white lady on a mobility scooter) load her shopping . I noticed it and thought how lovely. So for the most part people are kind and friendly but its only the bad that makes for good headlines.

Thank you