General Chat

just remembered - the Cotswolds - all those lovely villages - Broadway, Stow on the Wold, Moreton in Marsh, Bourton on the Water, - absolutely delightful - if you've never visited any ot them, take a look

ah - I see my posting has been restored - thank you GR :-D

Paula I understand that its proximity to the North Tyne river makes it popular for fishing but for those who prefer more active pursuits there is also an excellent 18-hole golf course and a fitness centre.

I have recently spent a long weekend in Bellingham on the banks of the North Tyne, known as the gateway town to Kieer & Forest Park. The town boasts a thriving community that supports a cafe, three pubs, a family-run hotel (excellent by the way) with swimming pool and numerous B&Bs. It was such a beautiful area, with amazing views. I have travelled extensively but Bellingham quite possibly has the nicest friendliest people I have ever met on any of my travels.

Incidentally Rollo, I haven't forgotten about that PM - I'm just pulling together some additional information and stats.

I don't think the people caught up in it would have described it as a "good blitzkrieg".

Perhaps just a little insensitive?

mmmm..... well the revamped city centre post-IRA shows what a good blitzkreig can achieve and the trams are a plus.
OTOH parts of Manchester have a log long way to go still.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/harpurhey

The market - which got firebombed a little while ago - must be UK HQ for fake tat.

The problem with Liverpool is the terrible dereliction and urban decay which is still more than visible, making parts of it quite ugly.
Look at Manchester on the other hand and you will see a city that has pulled itself up through massive investment and regeneration and is now a thriving, bustling city that has placed itself firmly in the 21st century. It isn't perfect but it can certainly show Liverpool a thing or two.

I had a lovely time in Liverpool when me 'n' him went to visit a few years ago. He went to watch the cricket and I spent my time looking around. I was only sad to see many of the beautiful old (Victorian?) houses derelict and presumably awaiting demolition. They've probably gone now :-(

Edit to add - bizarre (seems to be in 'in-word') :-D

OH taught in Devon for some years in the '60s ................

lovely surroundings, lovely town, wonderful people



except in the months between April and November :-)


He knew every little country lane around the small town, in order to get from A to B

he even knew the spots along most of those lanes where he could "climb the hedgerow" to get out of the way of the tourist.


He often made sure that he had 2 or 3 15-18 year old rugby players in the car ............. so they could lift his Morris 1000 out of the ditch or hedgerow where he had been "driven" by a tourist. :-D



We actually live in a tourist town now ..................... "isn't it lovely" "I'd love to live here"



yep ...........................


but we never go anywhere near the lovely areas in summer :-)


That is, unless we have visitors to want to see said "hot spots".

"You are so lucky to live here" ...said the numerous day and week tourists to the 'beauty spot' I used to live in.

Lucky? yes to a point...if you don't want adequate public transport, if you don't want the nearest town's station waiting room to be open when it's pouring and blowing a gale in January and the next train is in an hour (if it runs at all ) or be able to shop easily, if you don't need a hospital closer than 50 miles, if you don't mind a good 50% of shops closed for the winter, if the only 'local entertainment' is watching the local teenagers (who are of course bored silly because there is nothing for them to do) get drunk and graffiti walls or smash and dump things ( which will of course remain there until the tourist season is imminent)).....and of course IF in the summer you enjoy not being able to get a seat on the train, or walk on the pavement, or have a quiet night ( because what you can actually hear is not the sea or the gulls but the hotel karaoke going on till the early hours.....)

Visiting a place for a day or a fortnight can lead lots of people to think that place is wonderful all year round, but during a long wet winter many of those people who have moved there on the back of a lovely holiday wish they never had. :-)

now way would I pillory you Sylvia :-D

Although Cardiff is a lovely city, I would not venture into the town centre on a Friday or Saturday evening - full of drunks falling about all over the streets - we have a large student population who seem to binge drink on weekends - same as most cities I suppose

Cardiff Bay [once the Docks] used to be a "no go area" but now it's really lovely with lots of nice restaurants, bars and the Millennium Centre for great shows

Uttoxeter then and now is famed for its race course ... so when slipping on my fingerless mitts to have a count up inheritance from J Blair contributes zero. He was quite a colorful character though and def. made a good impression in Chester.

Like my ancestor I also like the geegees and Chester has great places to eat right by the racecourse :-) and the OH can go shopping in the Rows. It is too far from London to drive unless Motorway Cops live is your sort of thing. Virgin take a couple of hours from Euston thought they are very mean on seat sizes/legroom so 1st is better - advance purchase it doesn't cost much more.

I do sometimes wonder what 20 Watergate would fetch today :-(

AnnC


I lived in Liverpool for 5 years, admittedly back in the 60s

I've visited for a 2 or 3 days a couple of times since I left, the most recent visit being in 2001.

It is not the city I lived in ............ and even then there were huge areas where one did not go.

In fact, even when I lived there ................... women from the university did not walk alone down Brownlow Hill to the fancy Adelphi Hotel, or John Lewis, or any other shopping, even in the afternoon .................. due to the area we had to walk through.

I never even considered getting a job in Liverpool after university.


Yes, there were very pleasant places in the city, and I Iived in some of them, near Stanley Park, Calderstones Park, down near the river ................ but there were too many other less pleasant places


In our last visit, I found the centre of the city dirty and messy, with lots of loungers about. Same for Manchester!

and heaven forfend finding a good cup of coffee :-)



Pillory me if you like .......... I have spoken as I found!



Maybe it is the difference in a 1 or 2 day visit versus living there for many months!

does that mean you have a lorra lorra money Rollo :-D

Chester is a great place with the only cloud on the horizon footballers wives ... by some miracle it has avoided urban improvement from the late victorians to the various C20 knock it down and they will come persuasion.

One of my ancestors set up shop there in Water St. and made quite a lot of money out if it. Good thing to given his losses at Uttoxeter. Here is a thumbnail bio. about him.
http://www.selectsurnames2.com/blair2.html#e

:-D

I'm just sticking up for Liverpool which has an unwarranted reputation for being crime ridden - take a look at this site and Liverpool doesn't feature at all

Britain's crime hotspots: Astonishing new figures identify ..
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389085/Britains-crime-hotspots...
... Crime rates have been compared for every postcode in England, ... police.uk, allows anyone to ...

I spent a lovely day in Liverpool and Chester a few years back -both lovely cities

Even the nicest places have a downside, even if it is only that they don't have a decent cafe where you can get a nice cup of tea :-)

I also expressed negativity about a place on this thread .......... 2 places, in fact :-)



but no-one has taken me to task for that



I repeat what I said in my post on Saturday ..............................


"as a side bar ................. I do wish some members would leave other members alone.


If you don't like what is posted, just ignore it.


Don't open threads started by people you don't like.



It looks awfully like harassment ............... and that is illegal!"



I would add to this ..............

............... it is getting exceedingly boring for the rest of us to keep reading the harassing comments.


Keep away from threads if you can't stand the poster or his/her comments!

annCardiff I do not wish to argue with you on this thread which is supposed to be a pleasant thread.

It was not negativity, it was a comment about a particular place based on fact. Attempting to draw me into an argument is more likely to cause negativity and is something that would not be welcome on this thread, I am sure.

I hope you have a good day.

As such, of course people may possibly mention places they do not like because it is all relative and opens up discussion about why people do or do not like a particular place.