Did you grow up in a nice or rough area?
- Thread starter NathanBB
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How would you rate a B'ham overspill estate - mostly council but my dad bought one of the private ones. Hit the headlines once - highest crime rate in B'ham. Odd as it was a little out of B'ham's boundary.
I suspect a lot of police call outs were domestics and the council have the habit of sticking bad families several houses apart. At times I'd see the blokes from 2 of them fighting each other even though they lived a fair way from each other.
I suspect a lot of police call outs were domestics and the council have the habit of sticking bad families several houses apart. At times I'd see the blokes from 2 of them fighting each other even though they lived a fair way from each other.
I grew up in what I would now consider a modern paradise. In the 50's London became overcrowded, we lived in 'rooms' in an uncles house, in Battersea, the one the Jerries bombed, *******s.
Anyway, the GLC built huge estates outside of London, 3 or 4 were centred around Slough, I grew up on one called Langley, centred around Langley Village, I couldn't tell you how many thousands of houses were built but they were huge in terms of numbers but equally the infrastructure was also built, parades of shops, doctor and dental surgeries, primary schools, secondary schools, grammar schools, it really was an incredible post war achievement.
I was a year old when we moved there so it's all I knew, but I feel priviledged to have experienced it. Of course over the years it changed and possibly isn't attractive as it once was, more overcrowded, more like the place people were moving away from, partly why I moved to Cornwall, which equally, is changing as well, nothing stays the same.
Anyway, the GLC built huge estates outside of London, 3 or 4 were centred around Slough, I grew up on one called Langley, centred around Langley Village, I couldn't tell you how many thousands of houses were built but they were huge in terms of numbers but equally the infrastructure was also built, parades of shops, doctor and dental surgeries, primary schools, secondary schools, grammar schools, it really was an incredible post war achievement.
I was a year old when we moved there so it's all I knew, but I feel priviledged to have experienced it. Of course over the years it changed and possibly isn't attractive as it once was, more overcrowded, more like the place people were moving away from, partly why I moved to Cornwall, which equally, is changing as well, nothing stays the same.
I grew up in a rough part of town, the other kids used to cover me in chocolate and cream and put a cherry on my head, life was tough in the gateau.....
The B'ham version was much the same. Nice too - house a a few hundred yards from the green belt. When it was extended it was not so well thought out and far more cramped. Early 50's compared with say ~65 or so. They also added a large police station then - pretty busy place.
A well spaced council house area near me was cleared recently. High rise and maybe 50-60 houses. Now a rabbit warren of small houses and flats leaving enough space for an Aldi.
Brum, nice areas like any big city and not so nice.
We live up north donkey's years ago with our parents - I recall Harrogate, nice house/area.
Then parents moved us to Leeds, Rounday, nice area det house
Then they moved to london to improve job prospects in 79 for them and us
and that was the best move IMO. The area was ok but busy.
Everywhere I've lived since buying my own place has been nice but as we have moved to quieter
areas, looking back at previous places does not look as nice.
IMO, most people know no different other than the area they live in.
Crime can hit you anywhere but I admit and have seen it on council estates
via work where nice people dont want to live anymore as nighttime gangs/drugs use etc or ruled by a family/gang etc etc.
I've been to blocks of flats with 40/50 residents and just one troublemaker mucks everyone's lives up.
If you live in an area you like, you are luck IMHO>
My parent's stance as is ours IE never live in a council/HA property buy your own. However, it is getting more difficult and people we know in London and their children are moving out of it but having to go further and further from London to buy something half decent and affordable.
The good news is house prices may come down as rates, inflation goes up but its swings and roundabout IMO
We live up north donkey's years ago with our parents - I recall Harrogate, nice house/area.
Then parents moved us to Leeds, Rounday, nice area det house
Then they moved to london to improve job prospects in 79 for them and us
and that was the best move IMO. The area was ok but busy.
Everywhere I've lived since buying my own place has been nice but as we have moved to quieter
areas, looking back at previous places does not look as nice.
IMO, most people know no different other than the area they live in.
Crime can hit you anywhere but I admit and have seen it on council estates
via work where nice people dont want to live anymore as nighttime gangs/drugs use etc or ruled by a family/gang etc etc.
I've been to blocks of flats with 40/50 residents and just one troublemaker mucks everyone's lives up.
If you live in an area you like, you are luck IMHO>
My parent's stance as is ours IE never live in a council/HA property buy your own. However, it is getting more difficult and people we know in London and their children are moving out of it but having to go further and further from London to buy something half decent and affordable.
The good news is house prices may come down as rates, inflation goes up but its swings and roundabout IMO
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I've never lived in council property, always privately rented or owned. My parents were on the council list to get a council house for years, before eventually getting one long after I moved out. I was raised in a two up and two down, with a cellar, then moved to a three up and two down, no indoor toilet, or bathroom, or garden in either. It was dire, though I didn't know it at the time. The living conditions were my reason for moving out ASAP once I began earning. I wouldn't call any of them a rough area, everyone 'was in the same boat' and you could leave your doors unlocked and I don't remember there ever being any trouble.
I, like all kids back then, was allowed to roam freely all day and I took full advantage and walked miles.
I live much more comfortably now, never any problems in the area and it's still an area where it is safe to leave the doors unlocked. The areas where I was brought up and were safe, now I describe as very rough and dodgy areas.
I, like all kids back then, was allowed to roam freely all day and I took full advantage and walked miles.
I live much more comfortably now, never any problems in the area and it's still an area where it is safe to leave the doors unlocked. The areas where I was brought up and were safe, now I describe as very rough and dodgy areas.
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Probably not much wrong with the locales mentioned, it is the inhabitants who ruin them.
Not so sure about not so nice areas really. It was a pretty prosperous area and really old fashioned testaments went years ago. There is plenty of good housing stock. Worst may well be council builds in say the 60's as far as looks go. Some people might say what live in a terraced house, no way but they many tend to be spacious and even have a moderate sized garden. Servant bells can still be found in some. My nan used to live in one, rented. They may all still be. There are areas with smaller terraced properties.
House prices pass but I bought something of a bloke who lived in the sticks in London a while ago. He seemed to think his house would fetch far more than around here were I live now - it wouldn't. Birmingham and other places joining it form a sort of conurbation. A very large range in house prices. I live in one of the middling+ ones for houses of a similar size. It's discounted as it's on a B road that has too much traffic on it at times. Mentioning £450k looks to be way out now. It's a pretty popular area and has a wide range of house prices. Even a sot of L of older ex council houses, Few blocks of flats.
Even a barn conversion with a few flats in it. Some good more recent builds too.
Balsall Heath, Sparkbrook, Moseley come to mind.
I have family in Harborned they are in the most expensive road there and it is fantastic a road I would live in if it was up London but the property price would be around the 3/4 mill I gues out of our reach
I have family in Harborned they are in the most expensive road there and it is fantastic a road I would live in if it was up London but the property price would be around the 3/4 mill I gues out of our reach
All rather varied as far as type of house is concerned except maybe Balsall Heath. SparkX as there is a hill and brook - there was a rather palatial place on a nice road just above the stratford road I would have bought like shot when we were looking ~35years ago. They would only sell to some one who had completed. At the same time I made an offer on a house in a road in Moseley. Bigger houses on the other side and one of those was the first to go for £1m in Moseley. Probably a peak but gives you an idea. We also looked at a house in Sir Harries road which is near town centre. There were some exceedingly expensive houses down there. We looked at a Georgian one but a bit out of reach really. Oddly cheap too.
Sparkbrook and hill - getting into 30's semi land and some better. I haven't been back there recently but lots far from being run down. My parents lived in a flat in a run down town house in Sparkhill until I was 5. Dad got a better job and we moved. Not all of the houses in that road were run down. In some areas| Aston springs to mind these are being knocked down.
Moseley. There are all sorts of houses in the area. I wouldn't mind living in the house of the bloke who started Lucas up. Lucas turned it into a training centre. It's a bit big for me as are some others in the same area of Moseley.
I'm biased. B'ham born and breed from black country stock. I've visited towns all over the place and for city living I think it's pretty good. I'd throw in large chunks of the surrounding conurbation as well. Some of those are naff in places but lots aren't. The entire area can be surprisingly mixed housing wise. Some areas of B'ham have a name, seen as desirable. Those can be rather mixed as well. Bonneville is a good example. Shirly - lot newer in places - I wouldn't live there same for parts of Solihull.
I see where you are coming from and all I've heard about the 3 areas was nasty stuff. But as you posted, even within those some nice roads.
I have a family memeber and their family there as per post and we went to watch cricket at the Edgbaston cricket ground i think it was called - one day thing, lovely weather. the day before we went to the bullring and sat on these steps watching people in th market - it is a nice place but like all areas they have their bad ones
Solihull, one of my family always talked about moving there but moved to Harbornd from Womrone I think it is called.
Must dash going out for a bit to eat as still sunny.
I have a family memeber and their family there as per post and we went to watch cricket at the Edgbaston cricket ground i think it was called - one day thing, lovely weather. the day before we went to the bullring and sat on these steps watching people in th market - it is a nice place but like all areas they have their bad ones
Solihull, one of my family always talked about moving there but moved to Harbornd from Womrone I think it is called.
Must dash going out for a bit to eat as still sunny.
people will tell you that the country can't afford housing and public services today.
Is the nation's economy really worse now than it was after the war?
No, we just have voters and governments that don't care.
One of my uncles and his wife had first a small holding, then later a small farm out in the Dales. As a youngster I spent lot of the summer holidays out there, the main draw being the fantastic apple pies his wife used to make. They had no kids of their own, so I was absolutely 'ruined' by them.
