We moved to Bradford, West Yorks from London in 1975 to find affordable housing. Despite predictions from London-centric friends and relatives that we were mad and would soon return to the London area we are still here. Took a while to acclimatise to the slower pace of life, but we would not go back, even if we could afford it. There are all sorts of people anywhere you choose to live. It is very dangerous to generalise. There are people with an insular outlook on life everywhere.
Anyway we made our choice and that’s it.

Hey Shing, glad you enjoyed my post! Yes, definitely keen explore some more of it and actually a little sad I didn’t get up there earlier.

I was pretty close to Bradford but didn’t visit, only because I was staying with friends/family in Leeds, Darwen and Keighley, which make a loop around Bradford rather than through it. I saw a few documentaries about Bradford a couple of years ago though, they were all about difficulties with race relations and how the city has real problems with racial segregation etc. but I’ve not really read up on it much recently.

I also find the North-South divide irritating, and didn’t even realise so much about it until recent years. It’s just something I grew up hearing and didn’t grow up in a family who questioned the media’s spin of it being grim and pointless in the North. I really think that the North has a lot to offer, and it’s true that with a bit of money for regeneration it can really thrive – just like with Liverpool.

Thanks for the book recommend, always appreciate film/book/etc. recommendations, and I’m very fond of Orwell. Also looking forward to seeing your post about the North whenever it’s done! =)

However, I grew up in Bradford which probably has the worst reputation of them all but it’s got a fascinating history. You only need to look up at the architecture to see that this used to be one of the most powerful and thriving cities in England due to the Industrial Revolution but now it’s only a shell of its former self – pound shops and pubs dominate the city. I guess Bradford is a city which you could actually call ‘grim’ but it’s my home and I’ve spent years exploring the interesting aspects of the city to see it in another light. However, I appreciate that tourists don’t have this time and will probably find it difficult to speak kindly about it.

On the other end of the spectrum, I now live in London and the cost of living has been a big shock to me, it’s no surprise to hear that some of your friends located to the North. I find this South-North divide very irritating – instead of bridging the gap the Government keep pummelling money and development into the South. It’s no surprise that parts of the North look ‘grim’ because it’s being entirely neglected which has huge economical and social knock-on effects .

If you’re interested in knowing a little more about the topic, I think you’ll like The Road to Wigan Pier by Orwell, it’s brilliant!

Sorry, I’ve totally rambled on, but I’m very passionate about the North, and this subject in general :)

Yes, true words. The south is also having a lot of problems with unemployment too, although I know it’s not as widespread as the north. I was surprised when friends of mine actually moved up north for employment as well! One friend is a biologist, another works in logistics, and one in radiography. I guess people go where the work suits their skills.

That’s such a funny thing to say! Tea is for the afternoon, like afternoon tea. I didn’t even know that Northerners switched it all up.

Where are you living now, Naomi?

Yes, everything was lovely. I visited Newcastle and Durham a while back and really loved that too, I’d forgotten even! I took the advice you gave me on CS and went to Betty’s too! Actually I ended up in both Betty’s (the original and the garden centre type one?) just by coincidence of seeing 2 different sets of people in one day. haha.

I think the friendliness definitely depends on where you are… I haven’t explored enough of the north to know though!

More like the flooded south!

It really is, I think lots of us are just brought up being told that by people who’ve never been though – such a misconception. I think living there would definitely take a lot of getting used to, you’re right.