Is Manchester a dump, Is it that bad living up North ?

[RebelSouls]

There's nothing like a vicar's sympathetic ear in times of trouble. They can help deal with a death in the family, a marriage on the rocks or teenagers running wild.

And in the worst case scenario, they'll even be there if you work for the BBC and have to move North.

The Corporation is to be given its own vicar to counsel staff through the upheaval of relocating from London.

Around 1,500 BBC employees have been asked to move to Salford next year. By the end of 2011 some of the BBC's biggest shows, including Match of the Day and Blue Peter, will be produced there.

The 220-acre site at Salford Quays, known as MediaCity, is to be the new home of five BBC departments including sport, Radio Five Live and children's television.

Around £200million is being spent on the move and employees are being given relocation packages of up to £11,000 each to offset the cost.

The Beeb has also agreed if necessary to buy their London homes for up to 85 per cent of their value.

Last night a BBC source said: 'Many of the London staff were horrified by the prospect of moving up North and there will no doubt be people who need counselling about their change of surroundings.

[jno]

that's only part of the garden, CD, other bits stretch into Buckinghamshire and Hampshire.

[sara3]

jno, that's a fab photo of a small part of your land, top marks :o)

[China Doll]

Impressive garden.

I'll tell you where else I really dislike, Woking. My friend works there, awful place.

[trapped]

Sqad it has just been tarted up and extended, cost millions. If you think that it is a dump please stay well away from Oldham and such places.

[sara3]

I still work in N London!!!!

[Sqad]

trapped....I will try and suppress the urge to keep away.

[Bobbisox]

warm and friendly are the Northerners, I am not keen on whippets, skinny bloody dogs!
I am frightened of birds, so the pigeons are out!
never owned a flat cap in my life, we have pubs here and not 'wine bars' that are really pubs anyway, I will help a stranger if he fell down in the street beside me, not step over him as happened to my step son when he collapsed getting off a the tube (appendicitis)We are courteous mostly but we do have our fair share of Chavs, who hasn't?

[tamborine]

the new media centre is known as 'Manchistan' :)

[sara3]

Man In Black.. they're not paved with gold, y'know ;o)

[tamborine]

pavements are for tourists....locals drive 4x4s

[RATTER15]

I'm so lucky to live in Devon, I get woken by the birds singing, I'm 2 Min's drive to the beach, I live in a country lane surrounded by fields and moorland 30 Min's drive.

We run our dogs on the beach daily and we have just been loaned a field 100 yards from our front door full of trees and wild flowers, we just clearing some rough areas and turning it into a nature area for us and our dogs with a big BBQ area.

I couldn't think of a nicer place to live :)

[Count-A-Strong]

Manchester is a dump. The city centre is in need of some serious investment and is fringed with very delapidated areas such as Ancoats. They have tried around Salford Quays but it's way outside the centre. If your told you have to move with your job then it can be very traumatic, loseing friends, being away from family, kids changing schools etc but with all the controversy surrounding the church and it's various factions together with the whole concept of religion loosing it's value in modern society, I don't think a vicar is the best choice for a councellor. But hey, that's the old outmoded
BBC values reappearing.

[craft1948]

I could never move to Manchester........I mean for god's sake it's at the wrong side of the Pennines........

[TWR]

Live in the North people speak, live in London, you are on your own, I used to stop at Tonbridge many years ago twice a week in the same pub on the same night this went of whilst I was Delivering to the town, Not one person spoke after I had ordered my drink not even hello. Nice EH.

[joeluke]

I am originally from the north west but agree that Manchester is a carbuncle on the ar5e of northern England (as is Liverpool - how it ever got to be European city of culture is one of the best jokes ever!)

[dothawkes31]

hey, i they don't like it they can always join the dole queue, there are thousands of folk up here that will gladly take their jobs and not whinge about it