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.

@Pascha

Lower case k Helen.

Ah. OK. So Kent is here.

Are you using the mobile version?

@Pascha

I think this one is about the right size. Also one of these each?

Well that's Emma's. Where's mine?

I hate to rain on everyone's virtual parade, but is this one of those things that's really only ever going to work for London like everything else ? Where there is enough density of MNers and small enough geographical areas that the listings can actually be useful?

I mean, one page for the whole of NI? Really?

Yes mobile. No problem on the laptop.

@ScarePhyllis

I hate to rain on everyone's virtual parade, but is this one of those things that's really only ever going to work for London like everything else ? Where there is enough density of MNers and small enough geographical areas that the listings can actually be useful?

I mean, one page for the whole of NI? Really?

What do you mean, ScarePhyllis? There are pages and pages in every Local. Have a look here

Although Northern Ireland is not working at the mo - see previous posts.

@Pascha

Yes mobile. No problem on the laptop.

OK

Thanks for letting us know

I mean only one Local for quite large geographical areas.

@ScarePhyllis

I mean only one Local for quite large geographical areas.

Oh I see.

The areas are indeed bigger but you can drill down for info on a very local level. Every Local site either has - or will soon have - a local area label which will let you filter listings etc to a smaller area more local to you.

Am I able to see the local chat threads still? they seem to have disappeared. I was arranging a meet up for the Bath group at the end of this month and don't know where I should be looking. Plus all the events/classes that I have kept up to date haven't crossed over. If I start re-inputting the events/classes will they disappear if there is a later update?

It does look lovely and I like the new format. Though I'd really love to see a calendar style list for events rather than locations [but that's all I see at the moment].

plus I want to use my tsarina name as my local name [as that's what I used to post under] and I can't select it, tells me to choose another.

@kellestar

Am I able to see the local chat threads still? they seem to have disappeared. I was arranging a meet up for the Bath group at the end of this month and don't know where I should be looking. Plus all the events/classes that I have kept up to date haven't crossed over. If I start re-inputting the events/classes will they disappear if there is a later update?

It does look lovely and I like the new format. Though I'd really love to see a calendar style list for events rather than locations [but that's all I see at the moment].

Yes re Local chat threads. They're not there right now because we had to reconfigure stuff but they will be in a couple of days or so.

Events/listings should be crossing over too - although I'm not absolutely au fait with the whens on that one.

And there is a calendar facility: under the big pic on the landing page for each site there is a Today/Tomorrow/Lucky Dip/Advanced search tool. It's just not been switched on yet.

@kellestar

plus I want to use my tsarina name as my local name [as that's what I used to post under] and I can't select it, tells me to choose another.

Did you get a mail from EmmaMumsnet recently, kellestar? I know she mailed every Tsarina about the new plans...

she did indeed, and I've heard from the new denmother [or what'd you m'call it] but didn't know about how change of name goes ahead. I know I'm more of a local contact rather than tsarina, just hoped that I could continue my presence under the same name.

@kellestar

she did indeed, and I've heard from the new denmother [or what'd you m'call it] but didn't know about how change of name goes ahead. I know I'm more of a local contact rather than tsarina, just hoped that I could continue my presence under the same name.

Oh good.

I don't think you can use old Tsarina names any more. Can you choose a new one that is achingly close?

I'm on an iPad and the links didn't work, but did if I just added in the name in the web bar (Belfast)

I think it looks ok but there seems to be a lot of clicking to get where you want to go. Maybe four clicks to get to something. How are you hoping to populate the sites? Is the tsarina supposed to do it?

@WipsGlitter

I'm on an iPad and the links didn't work, but did if I just added in the name in the web bar (Belfast)

I think it looks ok but there seems to be a lot of clicking to get where you want to go. Maybe four clicks to get to something. How are you hoping to populate the sites? Is the tsarina supposed to do it?

We're hoping folks - whether they are/were Tsarina or not - will populate the sites, if they'd like to (please do!)

But we'll also have some Local Editors adding stuff too.

I'm going to put a list of queries together, is it best to e-mail the editor with questions of post here?? I am trying to add an event listing at the moment...

@kellestar

I'm going to put a list of queries together, is it best to e-mail the editor with questions of post here?? I am trying to add an event listing at the moment...

Oh do post them here. Would be most useful

How do you get to be a local editor?

@WipsGlitter

How do you get to be a local editor?

You need to talk to EmmaMumsnet, WipsGlitter. Some sites already have Local Editors but there are definitely some that need 'em!

Where I live can tend towards the full. I never realised how dull until I spent twenty minutes searching my local section for a park, an event, a thing for sale, a class, a meet-up (even a furtive one on a bench, judging by the category photo)...nada.

Dull dull dull. Not full. It's only full of tumbleweed.

What's the best way to contact EmmaMumsnet? Could you post a list of local site that need tsarinas and or local editors?

Creating a listing...area label... trying to list an Sale in Frome as many people come out from BoA, Radstock, MSN etc as it's a 15-20 minute drive away. I know I could list it in Somerset, but would like to increase the amount of publicity for this event in the local area. Does that make sense? I know it can be abused, saw many listings in Bath for southampton/weymouth/cornwall on the old format, but I used to re-position them to the correct area.

Bradford on Avon doesn't appear on that list... would it be classed as Wiltshire?

town.. I've provided one, but it's not appearing in the preview of the listing, just thought this was odd. As I may choose the label Radstock but it might be Writhlington or Haydon.

creating a blurb about the event... there doesn't seem anywhere I can do this, if I choose I want to share this with Mumsnetters but would like Local editor to take over from here. it only submits as a review against my name, but limits the amount you can submit [could it tell you how many characters before submitting?]. Before there was a generous description box that I could use when creating listings.

I see there is a map option in the corner, but could the blank image be filled with the map if there isn't one. :)

I haven't yet posted this listing as I am unsure about posting something with the wrong area label.

I've always liked that I can add some events to Bristol, Somerset or Wiltshire as well as Bath if there have been overlaps of what could be classed as local. I am hoping the my local planner will be useful for keeping a record on MN, but worry that people won't know to look in the other area's to get the event.

Howzat? I keep a google calendar full of events that I share with my phone [geek icon] that's how I keep a note of whats on.

@UltraBOF

Dull dull dull. Not full. It's only full of tumbleweed.

Maybe you can fill it up, UltraBOF?

Do have a look at Bath Local: it'll give you a better idea...