General Chat

Now here's one that could run and run, nicely I hope.....

Just been talking on phone to someone from Cheshire who now lives in the South East.

Without giving too many details here ,the conversation turned to whether she would move back up 'North' ?
.
"no!" couldnt move back after nearly 30 years in S.East as couldn't go back to the slower pace of life after living somewhere "where things happened at a fast pace" . The implication being from everything that was said that the north is still behind the times...

LOL, had to laugh as person doesn't live in town and not what I would call a 'social whirl' (ie doesn't often go to London for theatres, etc........)
I have lived in both, born Merseyside ,lived all over the place inc' S.East so know the areas referred to.

What do you Northerners/Southerners think?!

Rosex

Well I am from the South East born in Folkestone and grew up in sourrounding areas Hythe and Dymchurch. Moved to SE london in late 70's and lived in and around London / Kent and did the rate race work for 20+ years.

Moved to the West Country three years ago and have never looked back. It was hard at first pace of life slower - working more relaxed and not silly hours. Wages are lower but so is cost of Living.

I travel to london three of four times a year with work and I could never live there now. I came out of a tube station recently and a taxi driver called someone a See You Next Tuesday! I was mortified and offended - five years ago I wouldnt have probably even noticed.

Have only ever lived up North Rose and am quite happy here too! I live in a small village but am near major towns so best of both worlds!
Dawn

I was born and bred in Rochester Kent. At some point when I left school I became a commuter to London but it really wasntworth the hassle so gave that up. When hubby got made redundant and the house prices were rising at agrand a week we decided to move up north. Been here for about 19 years now and would certainly not be able to afford to move South. Although we only live in a terraced house we own it outright where as my brother is still living in Rochester and has just had to go onto working nights just to keep his head above water. My other brother died from heart attack aged 37 and if my living brother does not slow down a bit I can see him going the same way.

i live up north, and i don't think we are behind the times, it's just an illusion some southerners have about us, come and visit our citiesthen tell us we are behind the times lol
all my family were londoners to way back 16 century, so i am not particularly biased.

Always feel out of this debate as I live in the Midlands, so where does that leave me!!
Seriously I like London but I don't think I would like to live there. Conversely I would go mad living somewhere too quiet. I live near a fairly big city but not in one and that seems to suit me.

I do understand what your friend means Rose.....here in the South East it is the pace of life that seems to make you yearn for holiday time to get away from everything.....living only 20 miles from London the house prices have soared beyond belief.....my children seem to work very long hours for their pay, prices seem quite high and everyone seems in a hurry......if I want to drive from one estate to the other, before 9.30 in the morning, I get caught up in loads of traffic, all trying to get to work....

On the other hand my Mum and Dad moved to Cornwall, and they were so laid back and happy there....my Sister and BiL had a bungalow there for years and moved down 8 years ago.....my Sis travels back here to Herts to see my niece and negotiates the M25 and M1 and cannot wait to get back to Cornwall for the peace and quiet and slower pace of life.....she feels like she is on speed when she gets here, .....I had to spend 4 months in Cornwall at the beginning of 2006 and when I got home the difference was so noticeable.....all so busy,busy,busy......but it is too late now....my children live here, so I will not move now....my friend and husband recently moved to Derbyshire and say it is the best thing they ever did for the pace and quality of life......but when you live here, you just get used to it.....I am not complaining...

I used to deel at home on the underground but when we went down a few weeks ago I felt very uneasy on there. I got very fed up with all the security messages being transmitted on the tube the whole time. I know there is always a risk and its at the back of your mind but those messages are keeping the thought of it at the front of your mind.

PS...I originally came from Camberwell, so where I live now seemed like a little bit of heaven....

I'm from up North too. County Durham. I live in a medium sized town. I wouldn't consider myself to be really provincial or really cosmopolitan. Somewhere in between I suppose. I don't think the cities in the north are particularly behind the times compared with the south, but then perhaps the rest of the country would be considered behind the times by the standards of London. Perhaps it's less of a North/South divide and more a city/rest of the country divide!

My brother works in SE and wish he would sell up and move before he kills himself doing such long hours (lot of it travelling to and from work). If they did they would be able to manage on much less money than they 'need' at the moment but can't see it happening...can't be too specific just in case someone is reading this! lol

The one thing I do miss is being able to go to the theatre or galleries etc in London as working in Kent I could (at that time) afford to go on days off .

Rosex

I was born a "Yorkshire Pudding" but have moved around the country quite a bit over the last 21 years.
What I found most upsetting/annoying was when I first moved to Southampton and everyone said they couldn't understand me!
Am now settled in the East Midlands and feel a bit land locked but love it.

Well, I am a country girl - born in a small village in Lancashire, and now live about 5 miles down the road in another small village, so cannot comment on city life - North or South - but I am happy - ignorance can be bliss some times lol

Ann xxxx

I've always lived about 30 miles from London to the south - but my daughter now lives (since Uni days) and teaches in the Manchester area - she would never return to this area to live as there is far more happening, concerts, theatres, art galleries, museums etc., nearer to her home and a new tram link in progress as well, also good road links and an airport close by.

Whenever I visit she always has somewhere 'new' to take me and we have a wonderful time in town or country areas.

She has has over the last couple of months organised an 'event' which takes place next Sunday and has been interviewed in local paper with photo, and on local tv/radio, it is also being advertised in Guardian Guide this Saturday.

I was born and bred in Gosport (near Portsmouth) and have recently moved to Doncaster (well a village on outskirts) and people do have a wrong perception of the North. There is more for us to do here and I think a better quality of life than I had in the South - I used to spend a lot of time visiting my inlaws in this area before we moved. There is so much more opportunities here - loads of money being spent on re-development and infrastructure - I love it. I just hope the Northern peeps like me too - they tend to think I'm 'posh' with my southern accent - which I can assure you I am far from!!!

Tracy x

The implication being from everything that was said that the north is still behind the times...

er yeah right!!!!!!

Ooop North is brill, I am biased, Manchester use to be rubbish, but the change in the city over the last 10yrs has been amazing, great nightlife, theatre, culture, huge city with fab people.

same goes for other northern city too-think most people pay too much attention to corrie if you ask me

catherine
xx

ooooo wonders why the post below mine was deleted.

Cheers valley.Leeds is another example of a top northern city.
catherine
xx

WOW David Tennant! lol on my thread.....faints.......best Dr Who since tom Baker!

Catherine.......the person I was talking to comes from Chester so not exactly out in the wilds!lol

Rosex

I live in lovely Winchester - very expensive, but I can walk to work. Unfortunately the last bus to the areaI llive in is 6:50pm.
In my life, I have lived in many places from the Borders of Scotland to the Shetlands and many places in between. From Cornwall to Cumbria, but never in the North of England. However, I have been on holiday to the Midlands and Shrewsbury and would love to go further north and explore the area.
I'm not bothered about the pace of life - but you would never catch me staying in London for more than a week!!
My attraction to a place is the history and scenic countryside, and I know there's plenty of that 'oop North' !!!

maggie

sure is maggie!!