What do we think of the results from C4s best and worst plces to live in the UK?

Best Places to live in the UK:
1)Epsom and Emwell
2)Westminster
3)Harrogate
4)Ashford
5)Stratford
6)East Hertfordshire
7)South Cambridgeshire
8)Mole Valley
9)Guildofrd
10)West Oxfordshire

My student housemate lives in West Ewell. Good for him.

well they are obviously wrong because all of those mock tudor, country, mard arse, middle class, sub-urban, organic, commuter town, village, country, bobins places are my idea of hell. i would quite like a nice flat in soho tho

If you think a different option btw, just say so. I should have put an 'other' option but, oh well.

I havent been to all of them but Id guess that Id only consider Westminster. Maybe West Oxfordshire when Im older.

Ashford and Stratford are both awful.

Yeah that was meant to be Stratford upon Avon. Ashford is rubbish. Westminster is ok, but living in the centre of London means alot of inhaling of pollution!

I've found Harrogate through Richmond to Darlington to be some of the most racist places I've ever set foot in. I can clarify this by any of you lot ever meeting my 2 lady houses mates or any 1 of their many many friends from their respective areas. Seriously man, my best mate who's moved down here from Edinburgh knows racism. He's Scottish, he's the first to admit racism is rife up there. But he's physically shocked by the amount and quality (if you will) of the racism down here. Especially from the aforementioned ladies and all their people we know. I think these polls are very misrepresentitive, places like Harrogate and all the other so called best places to live (that're fairly isolated) in the North are quite shite places to live in unless you're white with an income over £25,000 pa. The way they speak about "commoners" too is just as bad.

Bear in mind I'm not making my judgement on my 2 housemates. I'm making this on over 150 people I've met from Harrogate/Richmond/Darlington. All fairly close to each other and linked perfectly.

No-ones ever been racist to me, in Harrogate or Leeds. Darlington is ages away from Harrogate, so is Richmond.

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/best&worst/

Look at the criteria they've chosen. It's a snobs charter. Singling out entire local authoritoes on (the worst example,) employment rate lead to insanities such as the Mole Valley (a collection of soul-destroying well-off housing estates) being one the "best" places to live in the country.

The introduction of crime rates into the equation complicates matters slightly, leading to Nottingham (a relatively well off, but crime-wracked city) being in the terrible ten, but in essence this is a ranking that lists the richest boroughs as the "best" and the poorest as the "worst".

I live in one, which is, well tolerable, but most of the "top" ten areas are shit places to live with shit nightlife, nasty snobby, ignorant inhabitants, and, I highlight Westminster for this, the worst quality of life available for anyone who is not rich.

There's an absurdity in claiming places that where millionaires live (and which is what they've done) are the best places to live. Maybe they are, if you're super rich - and like golf courses and hate humanity. For most of the rest of us, these are some of the worst places to live - you'll not be able to buy a house there, they're boring, the pubs are shit, you're surrounded by knobends, etc.

Epsom town centre on a Saturday night is full of wealthy chavs...

Every night, Harrogate town centre's entertainment district is full of wealthy people binge drinking. Not really chavs, some dress as slappers. Its annoying, because they go round the clubs and bars then walk home drunk through the streets wrecking things.

They're all crap. Its East Hampshire that should top the list :D

Geographically they may be far apart but as you've said already recently no1, they all treat the place as one big area, that being North Yorkshire etc. I had to physically chuck a dozen tits out of my house 2 weeks ago, all from Harrogate. Why chuck them out? Well when you live in Burley, you really don't want idiotic ignorant fuckers all in agreeance about how they hate "paki bastards", especially when they're shouting it so loud the fucking neighbours hear.

Most, well every person I know is not racist, however I would admit that the sort of things I am involved in arent really where you would find these people going. Its very stereotypical but often true, but alot of these scals which go round come from Granby where apparently its 'cool' to smoke, swear and play hell up. People who tend to have things againsts people here, does not involve ethnicity or colour of skin...ect but its usually against a nation- often france, scotland or wales (don't ask me why I dunno), but not one that I hold.
I would say about 70% of people prefer Leeds over York partly down to multiculturalism. No-one has ever been seriously racist to me in Harrogate, Leeds or anywher else for that matter.

These people most certainly are not scallies. They're the same type of people you'd get down BabyCream or Life. Trendy wankers. Fucking scumbags at that. If you're not white, they don't give a shit. You argue that somebody may have an Asian origin but they're born here, they reply with a call of "why can't they go back to where they came from?". The fact that most of the "pakis" they bitch about tend to come from Leeds doesn't even compute in their tiny brains. All they give a shit about is getting drunk, looking good in their FCUK/Diesel/etc clothes and driving around in their nice cars. Idiots.

Most, well every person I know is not racist, however I would admit that the sort of things I am involved in arent really where you would find these people going. Its very stereotypical but often true, but alot of these scals which go round come from Granby where apparently its 'cool' to smoke, swear and play hell up.

Ah Granby still got it's good reputation has it? You a St Aidens or Grammar lad LN1? I'm an ex Grammar boy myself.

With the benefit of hindsight, Harrogate's a nice place to grow up in, although at the time I found it very small town and inward looking, and similar to you LN1 used to prefer spending time in Leeds. I'll probably end up moving back to Harrogate though when I have kids due to the quality of the schools.

Well theres Rosset and Fisher too! I'm Aidans, Granby is changing the name to Harrogate High School and changing the uniform in september partly to shake off its bad look apparently.
Harrogates a nice place in summer, and ok to meet people. Its rubbish for shopping though and theres not much to do here away from the general things like swimming, going to pizza hut, cinema ect, but in Leeds there is a multicultural city vibe, which I think you can really feel in millennium square when theres an event on. I would admit Harrogate is quite good for living, good access to Leeds, but I wouldnt even look at living here, it is way too expensive- I think they said the average house price was something like £240,000 :eek2: so most people will look straight to Leeds.

I would admit Harrogate is quite good for living, good access to Leeds, but I wouldnt even look at living here, it is way too expensive- I think they said the average house price was something like £240,000 :eek2: so most people will look straight to Leeds.

To be honest, I would expect the house prices in Roundhay, Chap All, Alwoodley, Adel and even my 'hood in Horsforth are comparable with Harrogate prices.

I've found Harrogate through Richmond to Darlington to be some of the most racist places I've ever set foot in. I can clarify this by any of you lot ever meeting my 2 lady houses mates or any 1 of their many many friends from their respective areas. Seriously man, my best mate who's moved down here from Edinburgh knows racism. He's Scottish, he's the first to admit racism is rife up there. But he's physically shocked by the amount and quality (if you will) of the racism down here. Especially from the aforementioned ladies and all their people we know. I think these polls are very misrepresentitive, places like Harrogate and all the other so called best places to live (that're fairly isolated) in the North are quite shite places to live in unless you're white with an income over £25,000 pa. The way they speak about "commoners" too is just as bad.

Bear in mind I'm not making my judgement on my 2 housemates. I'm making this on over 150 people I've met from Harrogate/Richmond/Darlington. All fairly close to each other and linked perfectly.

I'm sorry to say, that is total rubbish.

Ok, so you may have come across a few bad apples from these (disparate) places, but i can't see how you can possibly make such a sweeping generalisation. One of my parents works in Harrogate, and in my experience, Harrogate has a highly educated, liberal population (with the usual quota of bums, scumbags and deadbeats).

None of those. Dartmouth is the best place to live!

Oh yes, I totally agree. Parts of north Leeds are just as desireable, if not more so than some areas of Harrogate.

I remember driving through Harrogate on the way to York the day before my exams. I was pretty impressed! There is so much greenery!

If you were following the A59 I dont know which areas would have had alot of greenbery, some small areas though... The Stray, 200 acres, surrounds the town centre in a U shape from Claro Road-Hospital around to the Leeds Road then down to low Harrogate. Theres also quite a good number of parks. But what do you expect! Flowers and the rest are what its famous for- gold in Europe in bloom.

what's this 'best'? i don't want to live around pony-owners! stealing cars and inhaling pollution might be what some people enjoy!

Walmer! Great grocery stores, the Queen buys her organic food stuffs in Walmer (Deal, Kent), Ashford isn't that far away so when you're bored you travel to London, Paris, Lille or Brussels. Great weather. No stupid tourists and Monkey had never heard of the place. What more can you aspire?

Is it bollocks rubbish. How can you speak for my experiences? Just becuse you have some chip on your shoulder about me historically having a pop at Leeds doesn't mean you have to chase me around and discount everything I say, which is quite clearly what it appears you do.

Like I say, I've met 150 to 200 people from these areas, all 17 to 22. Not a single one of them wasn't racist. Now seeing as this is something I AND MY FRIENDS HAVE NOTICED, what right exactly do you have to say "nah mate, it's bollocks"?

By all means dissagree, but you just seem to like slapping me down for your own entertainment, regardless of what's said.

One last thing - I don't actually care. Whatever you say to me certainly won't stop me believing Richmond through Harrogate aren't spiteful little backwards places.

Westminster out of them lot because its right in the heart of London. All the other places are comftable suburban dwellings, not everyone's taste, but yes maybe a very nice place to bring up kids would be better description. Lots of good schools etc, low crime...

Is it bollocks rubbish. How can you speak for my experiences? Just becuse you have some chip on your shoulder about me historically having a pop at Leeds doesn't mean you have to chase me around and discount everything I say, which is quite clearly what it appears you do.

Like I say, I've met 150 to 200 people from these areas, all 17 to 22. Not a single one of them wasn't racist. Now seeing as this is something I AND MY FRIENDS HAVE NOTICED, what right exactly do you have to say "nah mate, it's bollocks"?

By all means dissagree, but you just seem to like slapping me down for your own entertainment, regardless of what's said.

One last thing - I don't actually care. Whatever you say to me certainly won't stop me believing Richmond through Harrogate aren't spiteful little backwards places.

Far from chasing you around the forum dgnr8, I happened to come across a comment unfairly denigrating the character of a town and a region in which i happen to have a lot of very tolerant friends.

Maybe you should read your last post back again before you write about the chip on my shoulder.

100% apology on the chip and chasing vibe. I honestly thought you were a certain other member, who actually does what I said.

However, I don't take back what I said about those towns. I've lost a lot of friends due to living and knowing these people. Like I say, I'm making my opinion on meeting close to 200 people. 200. Not 2 or 20, 200. Now if 200 people of my age talk about nothing but "those fucking pakis", am I really to believe that hey, it's just a small minority? I spent a week in Richmond recently and a weekend in Harrogate. I'm not making my judgement on a 2 day fleeting visit.

By all means the people you know may be tolerant. But they don't speak for the whole of the town (very much the same as these people I speak of don't speak for the town).

And again, how on Earth can you stand there and say "comment unfairly denigrating the character of a town" when all YOU have to go off are your own experiences there? Just because my experiences weren't full of candy floss and buxomed virgins doesn't make my views any less valid. At the end of the day, you can dissagree with me all you like but just because we've had different times in these places doesn't mean that I have to agree with you.

100% apology on the chip and chasing vibe. I honestly thought you were a certain other member, who actually does what I said.

However, I don't take back what I said about those towns. I've lost a lot of friends due to living and knowing these people. Like I say, I'm making my opinion on meeting close to 200 people. 200. Not 2 or 20, 200. Now if 200 people of my age talk about nothing but "those fucking pakis", am I really to believe that hey, it's just a small minority? I spent a week in Richmond recently and a weekend in Harrogate. I'm not making my judgement on a 2 day fleeting visit.

By all means the people you know may be tolerant. But they don't speak for the whole of the town (very much the same as these people I speak of don't speak for the town).

And again, how on Earth can you stand there and say "comment unfairly denigrating the character of a town" when all YOU have to go off are your own experiences there? Just because my experiences weren't full of candy floss and buxomed virgins doesn't make my views any less valid. At the end of the day, you can dissagree with me all you like but just because we've had different times in these places doesn't mean that I have to agree with you.

Fair point.
But should we be making judgements at all, if all we have to go on are assumptions not facts? You say you're not making a judgment based on a fleeting two-day visit, but that's precisely what a weekend is, isn't it?

However, I do have a tendency to see the red mist whenever someone makes a negative comment about my precious territory. :bleep:
If people are making racist remarks in your house and you booted them out, well done. That's another plus point for you after helping a woman on the tube recently. :applause:

Yeah that was meant to be Stratford upon Avon.


I was talking about Starttford upon Avon. I'm not much of a fan of leamington spa but its better than Stratford.

Richmond is nowere near and has nothing to do with Harrogate though... Richmond is a bit backward, I wouldnt say harrogate is though, but its shopping has gone down though, partly due to the 'upgrade' of the VSC- more like downgrade and then massive growth of Leeds as a regional shopping centre.

Aye, the majority of people were from Richmond to be fair. Like I say, I spent the week there.

Westminster from that list. I wouldn't like to live anywhere too suburban or rural and there's a hell of a lot to do there.

Out of the list I'd choose Guildford, cos its just down the road.

And again Di Livio, apologies for putting that tag around your neck by complete mistake. I do have a habit of mistaking a few forumers on here for others. I don't know why, avatars and names lead me astray and it gets silly so please, if not accept them, at least note I'm offering my apologies for making out you're something you're quite obviously not.

And again Di Livio, apologies for putting that tag around your neck by complete mistake. I do have a habit of mistaking a few forumers on here for others. I don't know why, avatars and names lead me astray and it gets silly so please, if not accept them, at least note I'm offering my apologies for making out you're something you're quite obviously not.

No problem. Of course I accept your apologies. :)

Guildford and Westminster are nice, so is West Oxfordshire.

The Wirral, the west side of it anyway

Barnes, Fulham, Putney, Richmond.

^ all very decent places to live :)

cheshire??

Where's Straford? If you mean Stratford, which one do you mean? Warks or London?
Actually none of the above float my boat. Shropshire / Hereford / Worcs for rural and Bristol / Bath for citylife.

warks

Not sure Id call Bath citylife

the places refer to the UK's top 10 places to live in order (Epsom the best apparently, Westminster second despite the crime and pollution and then harrogate, ashford and stratford as in Stratford Upon Avon).

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/best&worst/

Look at the criteria they've chosen. It's a snobs charter. Singling out entire local authoritoes on (the worst example,) employment rate lead to insanities such as the Mole Valley (a collection of soul-destroying well-off housing estates) being one the "best" places to live in the country.

The introduction of crime rates into the equation complicates matters slightly, leading to Nottingham (a relatively well off, but crime-wracked city) being in the terrible ten, but in essence this is a ranking that lists the richest boroughs as the "best" and the poorest as the "worst".

I live in one, which is, well tolerable, but most of the "top" ten areas are shit places to live with shit nightlife, nasty snobby, ignorant inhabitants, and, I highlight Westminster for this, the worst quality of life available for anyone who is not rich.

There's an absurdity in claiming places that where millionaires live (and which is what they've done) are the best places to live. Maybe they are, if you're super rich - and like golf courses and hate humanity. For most of the rest of us, these are some of the worst places to live - you'll not be able to buy a house there, they're boring, the pubs are shit, you're surrounded by knobends, etc.

you speak the truth

where is the mole valley?

personally i'd prefer somewhere with a bit of life to it.

From that list:

Westminster
Guildford
Mole Valley
Epsom and Ewell

The rest can go to the dogs.

I'd add Surrey Heath to that list and remove somewhere like Mole Valley. Surrey Heath is home to Frimley, Bagshot, Chobham, Windlesham, which are where a lot of very expensive houses are (Windlesham is home to the most expensive house on the market). I believe that the area is one of the richest in the UK.

where is the mole valley?

personally i'd prefer somewhere with a bit of life to it.

It's in Surrey.

I voted Guildford, but I'd prefer anywhere in the south than the north, just has more amenities, nicer weather and better paying jobs

Anywhere in the south has more amenities than anywhere in the north? What are you going on about.

Chester and the areas past Altricham all the way to Knutsford.

I think Westminster is the best place to live - and I do. :)

Epsom and Ewell is OK but it's a bit suburban and family oriented for my tastes. I grew up in neighbouring Cheam/Sutton which is pretty similar. I actually think there are nicer places than either a bit further out into Surrey - pretty towns like Dorking in the stockbroker belt.

Devon and Cornwall must be better places to live than that manicured load of posh bollocks called Surrey - I can't think of a more tedious and boring place to live to be honest.

I must say (and I am not turning this into a north/south thing because I think there are good and bad in both), but I cannot understand the choice of Epsom.

Has anyone ever been out in Epsom? Saturday - chav-tastic! The only difference being these are chavs with wealthier mummies and daddies (real gold chains around their neck).

^ Epsom is not chavish compared to rest of the country. It's too posh for that.

Devon and Cornwall must be better places to live than that manicured load of posh bollocks called Surrey - I can't think of a more tedious and boring place to live to be honest.But Cornwall's one of the poorest places in Britain. Transport is poor and opportunities are limited. It has a pretty coastline but in every other way it's not good at all. In Surrey you have access to the best schools and fast commuter lines into London. The Downs are also very pretty.

Out of those places listed I voted Guildford for the all round package, it is quite a lively town with excellent shopping, it has a decent nightlife, low crime, decent high paid jobs and has a good geographical setting in amongst the Surrey hills.

I must say (and I am not turning this into a north/south thing because I think there are good and bad in both), but I cannot understand the choice of Epsom.

Has anyone ever been out in Epsom? Saturday - chav-tastic! The only difference being these are chavs with wealthier mummies and daddies (real gold chains around their neck).

Simple ignorant snobbery Spunks. The point Biosonic is trying to make is that small town young, pain in the arse, thugs aren't always from less well off backgrounds. Places like Epson can be God-awful places to go out, more so than many larger, but, on the whole, poorer cities.

Out of those places listed I voted Guildford for the all round package, it is quite a lively town with excellent shopping, it has a decent nightlife, low crime, decent high paid jobs and has a good geographical setting in amongst the Surrey hills.

Out of that list of life-sapping, spirit-crushing (but rich, if that is what 'best' means) locations, I suppose Harrogate, followed by Guildford. At least both are reasonably sized towns, with a cinema and a few pubs, even if they are two of the least interesting and diverse towns in the UK.

Westminster aside, all the others are collections of soulless commuter villages with no nightlife, culture or amenities and full of Tory-voting, humanity-hating, Daily Mail reading, curtain-twitching self-loathing snobs who are obssessed with house prices and the 'threat' of asylum seekers.

^ Epsom is not chavish compared to rest of the country. It's too posh for that.

Epsom IS chavish - it is teeming with them. They get rat-arsed on a Friday and Saturday night, listen to awful garage, portray a bad-boy image, wear baseball caps, stripey tops, Reebok Classics. The only difference is they have money in their pocket (well, their own money).

^Guildford and Dorking too, if you're thinking about the younger people.

Just so you know btw, those are in the order they appeared, so Epsom the best. There are a few pubs in Harrogate, but there are far more bars, those ridiculously expensive ones. Theres lots of foreign food places too...

^^ they're in the order as prioritised by that fat cow and her baldy nonce sidekick from Channel Four. Thus, the list is useful insofar as the higher up the list the more you are likely to bump into those two two jellyheads and people like them.

Shite, I live in Guildford...

Actually they were assesed on various areas. Can't remember them all, some were education, recreation, transport, jobs, crime, pollution... then the score averaged... So somewhere like Westminster has alot of pollution and some crime but loads of jobs and good transport, so I suppose alot is down to your needs. Alot of people aren't going to be bothered about education for example...

Yeh, 'snever bothered you No.2. :)

:rofl:

Well I live in an area with good schools... Im more bothered than most people anyway

Chester and the areas past Altricham all the way to Knutsford.

I must admit, I was surprised all those months ago when this was published that nowhere in that stockbroker belt between Altrincham and Macclesfield got into the top 10. Wilmslow, for instance, is practically a northern carbon copy of Guildford. Then again, they'd already included Harrogate as their token northern town, so maybe I'm not that surprised after all, the southern bastards :)

From that disappointing and occasionally baffling list, though, Guildford gets my vote.

Agreed about the Devon and Cornwall bit too, morestoreysplease. I fear, however, that by then the program's producers must have strayed so far from the M25 that they started coming out in a rash or suffering from nosebleeds.

Harrogate should be high up, but then again I would also say there are many northern towns and regions that should be high up. Chester and that area is well known for being a good area, most of the area north of Leeds, York too. It is quite southern biased. They towns they picked are probably right but probably as they researched more southern towns than northern I bet.

Harrogate should be high up, but then again I would also say there are many northern towns and regions that should be high up. Chester and that area is well known for being a good area, most of the area north of Leeds, York too. It is quite southern biased. They towns they picked are probably right but probably as they researched more southern towns than northern I bet.

Therefore, by your own logic, you've dismissed the poll you've created as bollocks, and quite rightly too! :laugh:

Simple ignorant snobbery Spunks. The point Biosonic is trying to make is that small town young, pain in the arse, thugs aren't always from less well off backgrounds. Places like Epson can be God-awful places to go out, more so than many larger, but, on the whole, poorer cities.I'm not ignorant about Epsom - you are. Have you ever been out there? I have and believe me compared to most places in Britain it's not chavvy at all.

Epsom IS chavish - it is teeming with them. They get rat-arsed on a Friday and Saturday night, listen to awful garage, portray a bad-boy image, wear baseball caps, stripey tops, Reebok Classics. The only difference is they have money in their pocket (well, their own money).It's not teeming with them at all. Sutton or Croydon maybe but not Epsom.... :no:

I re-iterate - Devon and Cornwall are much better, not for the schools or the money or the designer shops or the nightclubs or the "nice Surrey hills" or the "fast commuter lines into London" (horrific thought), because they are most of what Surrey isn't. Away-from-it-all beautiful scenery with blue blue sea and offering a quality of life most of us would relish.

^ Yeah but in my opinion poverty, backwardness, and zero opportunities are not quality of life. Cornwall is one of those places that's nice to visit on holiday but offers few opportunities in life. What can you do there? Where can you go? The sea may be blue but that still doesn't make me want to live the life of a recluse hiding away from all that human society has to offer. Meanwhile Surrey offers easy access to London's cultural attractions and opportunities whilst still living amongst pretty countryside. Surrey is so leafy and some of the country roads in Surrey, with the trees growing right over them, are beautiful. Indeed away from the coastline I'd say Surrey was actually prettier than Cornwall with its landscape scarred by old tin mines.

It's not teeming with them at all. Sutton or Croydon maybe but not Epsom.... :no:

Epsom is teeming with chavs. It may be genteel by weekday and early evening, and the High St is nice - very pretty and some good restaurants (I have had cracking Italian meals there) but by God when it approaches 9pm and the Epsom kids hit the town drunk it changes. I am sure there are nice bars where the posher ones go, but by and large it was pub after pub with a shit DJ (or even just a CD) playing pop-garage (Misteeq anyone) with bolshy lads and gobby girls copping off with each other between gulps of Stella.

...Indeed away from the coastline I'd say Surrey was actually prettier than Cornwall with its landscape scarred by old tin mines.

No chance! With the rolling moors of Bodmin and the beautiful countryside around St Austell and Newquay? And that's without the best coastline in Britain!

Cornwall might not be wealthy but people who live there are 'richer'than most of us with clean air, beautiful scenery, decent facilities (Truro is good for shopping), good roads, low crime and polite locals. Oh and they have fresh food and drink good beer too (not of the synthetic tripe such as Carling, Stella, Carslberg etc.)

I know it hasn't got many art galleries or high business or a multitude of things to do, but that is the trade off you have to make. :)

I guess at the end of the day it comes down to what each individual considers more important when considering a place to live, generally if you are young you are likely to enjoy town/city life and all that the town/city has to offer, but if you are heading towards your latter years then somewhere quiet and beautiful like cornwall will most likely be where you want to spend the rest of your days.

If you're looking for that, Scotlands the place! Glasgow has all the elements and oppurtunities of a big city but so ridiculously close to Loch Lomond and all that area. The two are practically side by side. Cornwall is nice but not much there, London has all the big city stuff but not much scenery- Strathclyde and Argyle/Bute have both!

I've found Harrogate through Richmond to Darlington to be some of the most racist places I've ever set foot in. I can clarify this by any of you lot ever meeting my 2 lady houses mates or any 1 of their many many friends from their respective areas. Seriously man, my best mate who's moved down here from Edinburgh knows racism. He's Scottish, he's the first to admit racism is rife up there. But he's physically shocked by the amount and quality (if you will) of the racism down here. Especially from the aforementioned ladies and all their people we know. I think these polls are very misrepresentitive, places like Harrogate and all the other so called best places to live (that're fairly isolated) in the North are quite shite places to live in unless you're white with an income over £25,000 pa. The way they speak about "commoners" too is just as bad.

Bear in mind I'm not making my judgement on my 2 housemates. I'm making this on over 150 people I've met from Harrogate/Richmond/Darlington. All fairly close to each other and linked perfectly.

How can you class an entire town racist just by your personal experiences? There are plenty of places in the North that are decent, not just based on wealth but considering the communities and the people. You appear to associate this behaviour with being from the north which is totally wrong and narrow-minded. A lot of my 'white' friends from Bradford are some of the most liberal people you'll meet, especially with regards to immigration and race, so please don't generalise a place or it's people based on some incidents. People don't realise the good side of a city or it's people because they only want to see the bad. Asians and whites do, overall, live in harmony up here in the 'north'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4509604.stm
North-South divide 'blown away'

Living standards in parts of the North are as high as in the South
There is only a small North-South divide in living standards in England and Wales, according to Barclays.
The bank looked at salaries and living costs to assess which areas enjoyed the highest living standards.

Areas in London came top, but nearly half the best 50 locations were in the north, including parts of Cheshire, Sheffield and Leeds.

Barclays said the study "blew away" the idea you have to live in London or the South East for high living standards.

Standards assessed

The group found people in the south of England still enjoyed higher salaries than those in the north of England and Wales.

If the cost of living is factored into the equation... the wealth map of England and Wales changes dramatically

Mark Till, Barclays

But when living costs were factored in to reach an assessment of standards of living, then the North-South divide closed markedly.

In total 24 of the 50 areas with the highest living standards were north of the line between the Severn and the Wash.

The highest placed northern area was Tatton in Cheshire, which came third.

Other parts of the North to make it into the top ten included Sheffield Hallam, Altringham and Sale.

Macclesfield, Harrogate, Hexham, and Haltemprice and Howden all missed out on a top 10 slot but made it into the top 20.

"Simply looking at earnings would tell you that it is London and the south east that are paved with gold," said Mark Till, Barclays spokesman.

"However, this is not the only factor which determines how wealthy any individual actually feels.

"If the cost of living is factored into the equation... the wealth map of England and Wales changes dramatically."

(Organised Table: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4509604.stm)
TOP 20 AREAS IN ENGLAND AND WALES BY LIVING STANDARDS

Region Area Average earnings Earnings after living costs
London Kensington & Chelsea £50,438 £50,438
London Cities of London and Westminster £41,868 £41,868
North West Tatton £32,763 £41,466
Yorkshire Sheffield, Hallam £29,738 £39,697
South West Cotswold £30,770 £38,295
South East Beaconsfield £37,152 £38,102
Yorkshire Leeds North East £28,415 £37,931
North West Altrincham and Sale £29,582 £37,440
London Richmond Park £37,203 £37,203
North West Macclesfield £29,301 £37,085
South East Esher and Walton £36,054 £36,975
South East Mole Valley £36,043 £36,964
South East South West Surrey £35,791 £36,705
West Midlands Stratford-on-Avon £27,753 £35,873
Yorkshire Harrogate and Knaresborough £26,870 £35,833
East Midlands West Derbyshire £28,574 £35,471
West Midlands Warwick £27,241 £35,212
Yorkshire Haltemprice £26,376 £35,209
South East Maidenhead £34,305 £35,182
East Midlands Rushcliffe £28,307 £35,137
Source: Barclays