Hello everyone - please can you tell us what you think of Mumsnet Local?

[JustineMumsnet]

Do you use it? If you do - how do you find it? What works, what doesn't ? Is there anything (here we go, nice ham blah blah) you like us to add/ we could do to make it better?

Thanks,
MNHQ

ps if you haven't used it yet here are some tips on getting started

never use it

Think I added a listing about dd1 preschool as I think its fab and never looked at it again, just went and looked and theres hardly anything on my one (I live in a huge town) and noone registered on the 'meet a mum' section

Yep, agree in should be in active convos. Have just noticed there was a meet up in Oxford last week arranged by VictorianSqualour (albeit about a documentary) that I would have trundled along to, had I known about it.

I go and look now and again, not really interested in groups for lesbians and most of the local stuff is for Ipswich, I don't really consider myself local to Ipswich.

I rarely use it, my local is so boring i think there is maybe a couple of messages a year! Would love a local meet up too!

I am the Tsarina Bath, but rarely use it

I am happy to rescind my title. [bad Tsarina]

People that I know could qualify as local to me aren't listed, and those who are I've never heard of.

Like others I've entered info for competitions but not for any other reason.

I keep forgetting about it, tbh.

Ditto, mine isn't local enough - Inverness is my focal point, which is over 100 miles away. Never bother looking at it (though I occasionally add listing if there is a competition in the offing!)

I'm sorry I don't use it. I originally had a look at the 'stuff to do' map and thought it was pretty good. I didn't even know there was a local chat site (but wouldn't be interested in it anyway)

I also wouldn't put in my postcode because I like my annonymity (or perception of annonymity) and don't do meet-ups because I'm a curmudgeon and don't actually like people .

Also, don't really see why there's a local talk board - duplicates the main board IMO.

Recommmended tradesmen is a good idea, but I didn't know it was there until this thread prompted me to go and have a look!

My local area and the surrounds have quite a lot of listings. Ok I did some of them (I am one of the tsarinas) but it's not just me, many other listings have appeared, too.

Justine, please can someone send me info on how to tidy up the listings again, as some need to be deleted as they are out of date? But I have a suggestion - if people see an inaccurate or duplicate listing, could there be a 'report this listing' type link, to bring the listing to the attention of the mumsnet team so it can be deleted or amended by mumsnet HQ? Would there be the resources for this? Or can you advertise and pay for a rota of mumsnetters/Tsarinas do this?

I did some listings yesterday, as it happens, and found they were mysteriously duplicated. At other times I have filled in the listings form but the listing has never registered. So I think the adding listings process could put people off.

FWIW, I know of a large, local internet site that had problems with its 'activities and events' section. This had been a good source of info while the webteam were responsible for adding listings. Once the team stopped doing this and asked people to voluntarily add listings, the content of the site dwindled alarmingly. The webteam then had to relaunch the 'activites and leisure' section and go back to having a member of staff inputting the listings.

I think it would also be good to encourage people to add comments and reviews to existing listings, so you get a collection of views on a particular attraction. This would make it feel more 'mumsnetty'. Could you consider running competitions which people can enter by posting a review about attractions already listed? And create a review attraction form that is separate to the add a listing form. I think it's easier to post a comment about an attraction, rather than list it for the first time, as you don't have to research the correct address, prices, etc. It would also add value to the listings.

Also, can you add print-off discount vouchers to local listings for local attractions to encourage people to look on the local sites?

I think it would also be good if local talk threads appeared more prominently in active conversations.

HTH

I am currently subscribed to Dundee and can't unsubscribe, it's gotta be 400 miles away!
So could you do that for me?

Personally I think it would be better if you were able to access all the listings without having to subscribe which would help with things to do if say on holiday in that area.

I would post on mine but have made many frank postings here about my trials and tribulations ttc that I'm not sure I would want people I might meet irl to know right away.

Could we maybe have second usernames to use on local postings if need be?

we started posting our sw london meet-ups in Local but its a real bore that it doesn;t come up in active convo's even if you're opted in to it because I keep losing the thread (as do other people).

thats a good point furball - lurking on a different area could be helpful

Furball's reminded me of something else - as I can't access mumsnet local unless I subscribe, so that means I can't use it from work, as it would be against our internet policy.

By lissielou on Wed 23-Apr-08 22:20:46
By nappyaddict on Wed 23-Apr-08 22:11:42
i used it until i realised it didn't come up in active convos so no one ever saw what i was posting.

me too!
would also like a meet-a-mum board tbh. a friend of mine visited mn and was put off by the local board.

me three.

also, the idea of signing up for emails about meet ups and things happening locally is a good idea. (as tsarina, am happy to do the emailing - and maybe the organising if furnished with a list of addresses)

It is a bit uninspiring tbh... if I go somewhere, I will always add a listing, but I would never think of looking there before going out (but maybe that;s just me )

The main thing, the absolute must-have is for it to appear in active convos.

Also, another thing that worries me about the local sites is how often they are policed. I don't have time to regularly scan every single listing in my area to check for bad or inaccurate comments. What if a really nasty troll started adding messages?

I've not used it much - I try to remember to look now and then, but to be honest it doesn't seem to have much relevance to me.

I have a look every so often but like the others, don't recognise names there, don't want to put a profile or my postcode up and most of the recommendations I know about already.

Usually I forget it's there as I only go to active convos

Im in teesside, middlesbrough and theres only a handful of mnetters local, of which ive not had replies from..its useful to check on whats happening in the area but not a lot of info there as like i said not many from this area

ours is quiet (did you find your ring TMMJ?) and i don't check it regularly in any case.

If i want someone from where i am i would prob start a thread in meet ups.

I don't read the listings either tbh.

For whoever said that lots of local MNetters don't have profiles and they have never heard of them.....I only have a profile temporarily while DS3 is on there, ordinarily i wouldn't have one and i am hardly quiet round here

MumOfMonsters - Are you ok?