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

Yes it is true. Are you telling me that I am imagining it? I have experienced being the only white person on a ward in a hospital here and having men constantly staring at me, talking in another language and smirking etc. Coming back from the loo to my curtains pulled back, staring at me whilst it clearly being in appropriate to do so.

I’ve also been the only white person in medical settings a few times and have always been stared at by the other men in the waiting area.

I have no experienced this in clinical settings where everybody has been white so I can only presume skin colour is coming into play here.

Forgive me for not enjoying living somewhere where this happens.

Ugh, please don't do the 'green' thing. Ethnic minorities are not aliens, that's incredibly offensive.

And clearly going by your OP, you do give two shits.

Yeah Solihull is fine although the subtext of your post makes me think you want 'white' rather than 'fine'.

Following this post, are you going to continue to insist this is 'nothing to do with race'?

Some areas are basically turning into slums. They have been for years now.

Tell you what, take up my recommendation of walking down the Soho road. See if you still feel the same then. You won’t. You’d feel (and be) extremely unsafe.

Well this thread has jumped the shark.

Please get a grip, nobody is staring you down because you’re ‘white British’. I used to live in a very white (read: racist) area, the ‘wannabe gangsters’ would shout verbal abuse and be physically intimidating to anyone that wasn’t them.

Nothing to do with ethnicity and the way you jumped to that so quick means I don’t believe you have no issue with multiculturalism.

@Hatebirmingham 100000% it is all in your head.

I can't imagine having an ego that big OP strangers don't give a shit about you. Much less whisper about you in hospital.

It’s not to do with race. It’s to do with the culture I have found in Birmingham.

So who is making it into slums? You are part of the city too, or were, you have a responsibility too. Complain to your council, your MP.

You felt a need to namechange though? Orvdid you actually come on and create an account just to post this?

I'm interested to know why you have any need to go to the 'shitty' parts of Birmingham if you live in Edgbaston.

Ok. When multiple people I know (including the staff at the hospital!) have experienced similar things 😂.

Being a rundown area does not make them not
”quintessentially UK”.

The UK has poverty too.

Must be hard being the only white person in the village op

i had an Asian man stare at my vag for ages recently while I was unconscious - mind you he was my gynaecologist

No. I have lived in very multicultural areas in the past and have never had an issue.

I'm white and lived in sparkhill for a time and I was welcomed and never made to feel intimidated. I'd imagine OP probably gets a different response because her whole demeanor is screaming out that she's too good for the area

I bet you were quite happy to be treated by the non white doctors and nurses though.

@Hatebirmingham that just means all your friends and acquaintances are racist too.

Sadly HCP are not automatically exempt from being racist either - they have done many studies on it.

Which is this hospital that lets droves of Muslim men pull back the curtains in a woman's only ward to stare at you, smirk at you and talk to you in a foreign language?

Name the hospital, let's all complain to the hospital and Reform.

Solihull is so much nicer than Birmingham. Or if you go north, anywhere from Sutton Coldfield up to about Stafford (Stoke and Derby... Not so much). Poverty is the root problem for Birmingham IMO and that's not likely to change soon. I am a proud Midlander but can't see myself moving back.

Dorridge and Knowle are def not Solihull as in the town but they are not great for teen entertainment sort of thing, bit too large country village atmos. But all three areas are fine. We are further out Leam/Warwick but its still not far neither is Coventry all reach B'ham in 30 ish m on the train. Its not great driving in but trains are fine and for trains in general v reliable. Schools wise Warwickshire is still grammar schools and has some great private schools. Secondary not sure we shine that brightly certainly my own daughters experience wasn't great. If you move into CV34 areas in Warwickshire you can get access to good bursaries for Warwick School which has great rep. Leamington does have reputation for a great place to live and a lively life style but it is also a student town serving Warwick Uni which isn't far (nor is Cov and Bham Unis also accessible on a day visit) which might be something to bear in mind for later education and the kids staying at home still.

Does multiple = 1 (as in you?)?

I live in a town where 30% of the population are Muslim and have never experienced any of the issues described by the OP. It's fine. People are people, we've all got the same issues with kids who think they're gangsters and paying bills and working and doing the school run. Weirdly this thread is making me feel mildly affectionate about Birmingham (where I was born) which isn't something I thought would ever happen!

Of course.

I walk down Soho Road. It’s definitely more rundown than when I was school age but I am still there regularly visiting family that live nearby or heading to Davis bakery.

I cannot say I feel “unsafe” doing either of those things.