Northern cities 'beyond revival'

mr_x · Northern cities 'beyond revival'

warning... another long post to do with the news to follow

A very strange article on BBC News about how the North is aparently not worth living in.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7556937.stm

(note - read that ^ before the rest of this)

Now as a true Northerner and a proud one at that I have a few things to say about that.

Newcastle is a fantastic city - I know it's not necesserily targeted in that article, but I've been to alot of cities throughout the UK, let me list them:

Newcastle
Durham
Sunderland (but only for a job interview - thank god!)
Middlesborough
London
Birmingham
Nottingham
Coventry
Derby
Leicester
Leeds
Bradford
Glasgow
Edinborough
Carlisle

Out of that list, there's only 2 cities I like and 2 I love.
I love Newcastle and Durham
and I like Carlisle and Edinborough.

Even if I wasn't biased, which I might be a little there, that wouldn't change.

Noticed how none of them are in the south.

I've been to London once, that one time was enough for me to feel that I don't want to go there again. Wondering from the travel lodge to a takeaway I felt threatened around every corner I walked, despite being with a group of about 8 people. I felt like somebody was going to pop out and attack us or something. It wasn't a nice feeling at all.

I do find it funny how Sunderland has been one of the 'cities' singled out, because yes, they are right, it is a dump beyond regeneration! The only thing worthwhile for Sunderland is to send the bulldozers in.

However, I love living up here, Newcastle City Centre, i think, is the best City Centre in the UK, maybe even in Europe, it's the only place where you can go down a narrow alley and not feel threatened. The vibe around the town is fantastic, the atmosphere on a match day (or after a match if we've won) just can't be beaten. Everybody is friendly up here... The ones who aren't friendly are either tourists or have come up here from the south.

I have friends from Birmingham who've been up here, they thought Birmingham was a great city to live in, until they came up here, now 2 of them want to move up here once they're finished with Uni, they enjoyed the place that much.

The nightlife in the Newcastle is regarded widely as the best in the UK. You've not had a proper night out until you've had a Geordie 'neet oot on the Toon'.

I find it funny how people, especially in London, say "I've been North to Birmingham and it wasn't overly good." BIRMINGHAM IS NOT THE NORTH YOU RETARDS!!!! And then they go on to slate the north on how it's a shit hole... Or those who have never left London, who don't know any better, still attack us for no reason at all... If they'd ever been up here, the truth is (no bias involved), they'd like it up here - as long as they don't go to Sunderland!

Now, I know I'm planning on moving South, but that's for job related purposes only, there's next to nothing up here in the IT industry, but no doubt as more and more things become computerised and technology advances, jobs will open up up here, and I'd leap at the opportunity to move back! If I had the choice, I'd be staying here for life!

hystericali

I read it on yahoo news and was

I was born in Edinburgh, and that will always be my most favourite place. I moved to Cambridgeshire from the age of 7-9, and then to the Chesterfield area from 9 onwards.

I like all areas. I like this area, Sheffield is nearer, but I prefer Nottingham. I love London though, and we go down there for day trips alot.

I get annoyed that the southerners all assume the north is a shitehole. I live 5 minutes away from the Peak District, and you can't beat that in my opinion.

There are good and bad parts to all towns and cities, pluses and minuses - even London! I wish people would stop generalising. How would they like it if us northerners dared to slate the south?

TreeHeart

Wow there are more people in Liverpool than Iceland!!

Well having only lived in Slough and never been up North of England I can't really comment, but I did live in Slough for 8 months and had an alright time, we never had any problems that I remember, well we had thieves in the shop, but that will happen anywhere! I was never really afraid at all.
I love London, it's a great city, but of course there were times I felt afraid, especially at night around Piccadilly.

This is happening in Iceland too and in Ireland too I presume, all the big jobs are in the big cities. In Iceland it's in Reykjavik, I mean over half the population live/move here for work. Farmers are having to close their farms and cull their herds as they have no one to take over from them, their kids move on to get better jobs miles from their homes. It's a sad fact of life really