Closed-minded Northern English towns

Post Reply New Topic

Your thoughts....

I know the title is a little bit across the line but it's how I feel. Literally after 10 seconds of walking through Stoke city centre (my home town) my friend who was dressed up as a woman was getting proper hard-starred at. I can understand if people would want to look but this was like they'd seen a UFO!

Later on I got compared to Osama Bin Laden because of my beard - it was the most ridiculous, loosest comparison I've ever heard. this sort of thing reminds me of primary school. I feel now that I should have responded violently but instead I uttered some random militant atheist comments. I know it happens everywhere but never as frequently as this in the bigger cities. And I should know, I grew up here

[disclaimer: there are also lots of sound people here too, the purpose of the thread is not to knock my hometown)

anyone else know what I'm talking about?

I grew up in a small town in the Midlands. The impression I got was: The smaller and more isolated the town the more parochial and narrow minded the inhabitants are. Larger cities have a larger racial and social mix and tend to be more accepting of people who are different. A sweeping generalisation I know, but I think it holds some truth.

bucephalus: I take great offence to your slur that Stoke is in Northern England. Retract that insult immediately!

(j/k)

I went to small town in northern England.
I tried to buy something in a local shop. The man who owned it would not sell to me.
he said

Is that supposed to be from The League of Gentlemen?

People in the north can be very intolerant and ignorant, but I think its the same anywhere.

I went to visit family near Barnard Castle.
I tried to buy something in a local shop. The man who owned it muttered something completely indecipherable that my stepfather translated as

Oh my, those are a lot of nice photos, Tequila! Thanks for those, brings back fond memories. Such pretty country there (and not just the sheep) My step family had their old family house nearby, a Rokeby address I think. It was built in the 16th century, all crumbly stone and crooked staircases, had to duck to get in the door and all that. An old pub next to a very old bridge was the only business nearby.

When I saw the thread title, I thought 'Oldham'.

The thing is, your friend was probably one of the more 'normal' people there. I don't know about Stoke, but where I live, almost everyone is nuts. They don't know it because their whole community is nutty in a similar way to them. They think they're normal because they never leave their natural habitat.

Burnley?

I disagree, Ragtime. I think it would be rather striking if the post office were in front of the motorcycle.

[edit:] But I do think you're right, that people who live in historical towns should not be allowed to have motorcycles. that's what big paternalistic governments are good for. to protect people from themselves. And yellow motorcycles.