Coo-eeh! Come tell us what you think of the New (hopefully much better) Mumsnet Local

[EmmaMumsnet]

Hello. We've been aware for a while now that MN Local isn't all it could be and we've been beavering away for several months now to make it much, much better.

And today's the Grand Unveiling of the all-new, all-singing, all-dancing (well, OK, not quite singing and dancing just yet) Mumsnet Local

We've reorganised the Local sites a bit (they were a bit random, geographically speaking, before). And, if you go to your nearest Mumsnet Local site, you'll see there's much more to it and it's much easier to find your way about. There are loads more categories for listings and space for reviews, and you'll find nearly new inside an expanded Classifieds section - which should make your Mumsnet Local an altogether more helpful place to hang out. Don't worry, we haven't lost the talk threads from old Local. They'll be reappearing in the new sites very soon.

Some Mumsnet Local sites are still a bit light on listings and info (we're working on that right now) but, if you'd like a look at what we're hoping all Mumsnet Locals will look like pretty darn soon, do have a butcher's at Bath. If you want to share something with other Mumsnetters on any of the sites, just click on Add a Listing (the pink button on the right just under the navigation bar).

Sites that are not far behind include Bedford, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bolton & Bury, Manchester & Trafford, Bournemouth & Poole, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Exeter, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton, Surrey, and in London? Barnet, Lambeth, Hackney, Haringey, Hillingdon, Islington, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Waltham Forest boroughs.

And we're hoping all the other Local sites, including those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will be hot on their tails. We're looking to entice people to look after these sites, but more on that soon.

We've designed an easy-to-use Meet Ups page. If you want to volunteer to organise a regular meet-up in your area, just email [email protected] . There are more bits and pieces and snazzy new features to come, too. Once --Tech's had a bit of a lie down

We do hope you like what you see. Do let us know what you think - as ever, all feedback is most welcome.

I have tried local.mumsnet.com/worcestershire and I get the error message popup about the application being improperly formatted

Helen - I am on a Windows 7 PC (using IE8) - I haven't tried it on my phone yet.

@stealthsquiggle

Helen - I am on a Windows 7 PC (using IE8) - I haven't tried it on my phone yet.

OK, we'll flag this to Tech. Thank you.

I am getting no problems at all viewing the pages. Just thought I'd add that as it must be disheartening to only get the problems posted so am trying to balance it out a bit.

(Am using windows vista and google chrome)

@boredandrestless

I am getting no problems at all viewing the pages. Just thought I'd add that as it must be disheartening to only get the problems posted so am trying to balance it out a bit.

(Am using windows vista and google chrome)

Thank you - and hurrah!

And it's OK: it's almost impossible to test something like this enough to cover all the bases and all the ways people view MN, so we're actually vv grateful for the feedback.

But the nice feedback's best of all, obvs!

I just tried it (through all different routes) on my Android phone and get a whole different set of errors and still no content, so I shall shut up now before Tech sends the boys round...

Um, County Durham doesn't really have anything to look at. Pops up blank on the map. I can't even get a flasher in the search bar, let alone type in it.

@stealthsquiggle

I just tried it (through all different routes) on my Android phone and get a whole different set of errors and still no content, so I shall shut up now before Tech sends the boys round...

Yep. We have some glitches if you're accessing on an Android, we're afraid
We hope to fix those soon.

@ouryve

Um, County Durham doesn't really have anything to look at. Pops up blank on the map. I can't even get a flasher in the search bar, let alone type in it.

Yes, Northern Ireland isn't working at all right at the moment. Sorry. We're on the case.

Hi, I'm back having spent the night and all morning in techy glitch Groundhog Day and will answer more of your questions and take some notes

@HelenMumsnet

[quote Jux] thank you, garlic. I am very embarrassed.

Olivia (and Tech), I'm terribly sorry. I just had to scroll up a bit and there was Devon, Exeter and Plymouth. All links worked. I went to Devon and then to Exeter, but gave Plymouth a miss as it's getting late.

It looks lovely and works well.

I would quite like to have a link that gives me the opportunity to go to any of those 3 Devon, Exeter or Plymouth, from any page within the local site, iyswim. But I am nitpicking.

Well done you lot!

Gah! Just seen that you'd alread found it. Ignore me!

Will pass on your suggestion re going to other sites, Jux.[/quote]

Hi Jux,
When the My Local Sites feature is working, you'll be able to choose say Devon as your primary sites, but have Exeter and Plymouth in your list of favourites. You'll only be two clicks away from any of the sites in your favourites list.

Got there!
I pasted the link into my browser, got to the white page with code initally BUT then re-loaded the page (using the refresh (F5) button) and it worked!

Stroke of genius that was. (not)

SO SO sorry for giving you grief HQ...

ah, so you're saying that while we can click onto the county, towns will have their own menu-within-area sort of technical

Oooooh it's lovely well done!!!

@HelenMumsnet

[quote ouryve] Um, County Durham doesn't really have anything to look at. Pops up blank on the map. I can't even get a flasher in the search bar, let alone type in it.

Yes, Northern Ireland isn't working at all right at the moment. Sorry. We're on the case.[/quote]

Helen's gone for a lie down. Northern Ireland is working now, and erm, County Durham is being fixed.

@DameMargotFountain

ah, so you're saying that while we can click onto the county, towns will have their own menu-within-area sort of technical

Yes, once sites have got a Local Editor, they will have area labels which will make things much more local. We need people with local expertise to think about the area labels? It's near impossible for one person to do it using a map and no actual local knowledge

@dinkystinky

Hmm, just went to post about a performing arts school and its crashed my computer!

Which browser were you using Dinky?

@dinkystinky

Ok Helen - will get on trying to put in some info about the Queens Park Activities/shops there. However will most likely only annoy the people in Harrow, Stonebridge Park, Northwick Park etc areas who are nowhere near QP....

Once a site has a Local Editor, area labels will be added

have emailed you Emma

windows internet explorer Emma

The links in your OP, the local option in the blue tool bar, and the MN local bit that runs on the side of my page all throw up error messages - I am on an IPad.

Can't wait to see the local pages once they are up and running

I can only see London ones..

Thanks, HelenMN - all done now. :)

@dinkystinky

windows internet explorer Emma

OK, we know there's a problem with Internet Explorer. Tech are onto this.

@DameMargotFountain

have emailed you Emma

Thanks Dame Margot, I'll have a look in a minute.