[Closed] 'Move to the Country' - why does this annoy me!

My OP certainly seems to have raised some interest. Some of the comments (ignoring the blatantly flaming ones) show the low level of understanding regarding rural communities and that's where where I feel the real issue lie.

I've absolutely no problem with new people moving into my area, but when many of them do they bring with them a lifestyle and mind set that is more akin to living in a large urban setting rather than adapting to the more rural and community focused ways that living in a rural setting often requires. Some move in expecting the place to be like a setting of Larkrise or Candleford. So many new people in my area rave about the fact that the local community is a wonderful close knit one, so friendly. But these invariably semi retired people do not see (or choose not to see) the poverty and unemployment on the estates, the excessive drinking, the drugs, the poor education standards of the local schools. No all they see are green fields with cute lambs in them, the views, the fresh air etc etc. It makes me wonder about the people who move to the country to give their kids a better life. Most of the new kids I know who live out in the country are bored sick with it and can't wait to get into a town to see their mates.

With regards rural poverty, it's there alright, compressed into dismal housing association estates in the towns, cut off from the support network of their families because of the appalling public transport, high fuel prices, and the fact that the had to move out of the villages and hamlets where they grew up because of house prices. Employment rates are falling because most of the new employment does not require unskilled labour.

I fear soon the last of the rural communities will be gone, replaced by a new community that has created some kind of new twee community that is based on pure snobbery.

brandeberryj That's right anyone who lived in rural areas never owned there own property. Furthemore they ate shite for breakfast everyday while you just talk it. Nothing like a bit of left wing generalistion. By the way the last century was 1900 - 2000?

brandeberryj may believe that I'm talking shite,but I'm talking from family experience in Cornwall. Perhaps brandeberryj is too young to know, or too detached from his / her own roots. (the fishing thing was a metaphor, as I stated).

Anyway, my grandfather was the first person in our village to be allowed to buy his house. The local estate owned all the land, all the houses, the pub, the church, the village hall- everything. He could buy because he did well in the Royal Dockyard, but also because he played cricket with the local baronet. Subsequent sales of property in the village (to generate cash for the struggling estate) were advertised in London rather than locally. A few were sold to local tenent farmers, but almost all were eventually sold to "monied" outsiders. Double whammy for local working people. Not only were the sale prices way above what could be afforded on a rural wage, but the stock of local rented / tied housing also disappeared.

And no, I'm not talking centuries ago. This happened in the 60s and 70s

My OP certainly seems to have raised some interest. Some of the comments (ignoring the blatantly flaming ones) show the low level of understanding regarding rural communities and that's where where I feel the real issue lie.

OP you've managed to raise some very painful issues here. My own posts on here are admittedly more inflammatory, but it is a topic that makes me very angry and desperately sad.

GlitterGary - Member
All I find the countryside good for is fly tipping. It's so expensive and difficult to get rid of rubbish any other way.

Plus, the countryside smells of poo. And the locals wear funny red jackets and ride horses.

Someone should tell them it's 2011, not 1811.