Bristol City view

The irony of their fans calling Johnson smarmy. Hate Cotterell wih a passion, epitome of smarmy ******* if ever I've seen it.

 

I have to admit, snow does get in the way of things sometimes, when you're not sliding around on it

 

That was my excuse at the time. Made whilst laying on the settee, in the warmth of our home.

 

Fair enough mate. I've never understood why people rave about Paris, but it has been piss wet through every single time I've been. A lot of people rave about Nottingham, but having lived there for three years I'd describe it in exactly the same terms as you did Bristol. But I guess it didn't help that I was struggling with my career and absolutely skint when I was living there. Had I been more assured in my life at that time, I'm sure I'd have very different memories of the place. Several of my best friends are either from Bristol or moved there after Uni, so it's no surprise I always get a warm welcome there.

 

I can identify with that and how lasting impressions of a place are often those that reflect negative/difficult experiences endured there.

Leeds probably my equivalent to your Nottingham.

Best memories and all time favourite for me is Cambridge.

Apart from tarn of course.

 

I definitely think there's a lot of truth in what you're saying, but London also has some fabulous things - stacks of world class museums that are all FREE. Huge swathes of green parks. The most incredible and diverse selection of restaurants, which are on the whole very reasonably priced if you search around and stay away from the tourist traps. Granted , it's a bit of a trial to find any decent accommodation for a reasonable price, and in summer it is an absolute hell-hole. But visiting in Spring or Autumn is always fantastic. Having said that, I'd never in a million years want to live there.

 

Not done enough of Leeds to comment fully, but my general experience is of an endless one way system and very expensive parking!

People on here generally slate Sheffield but I love it. Spent six very happy years there both at uni and working. I'd move back there in a heartbeat if there were any decent jobs, but sadly that long seems to have been a problem in Sheffield.

 

You're not wrong about the Leeds one way system - took me 6 years to get out!

Never really warmed to the city in that time and feel much more affinity for Sheffield too. Never lived there but played a lot of football and worked in the city a number of times.

I think it's a South Yorkshire thing, because for all the needle, rivalry and their inability to say thee and tha we're not that dissimilar.

Both struggling with collapse of respective industries and looking to rebuild.

Had a few good sessions down West Street in my time plus a few at the Leadmill too.

Currently in Newcastle watching sun come up over the Tyne.

Now this is a place I like.

 

Well I'm from Mexborough and I lived in Bristol for 3years, I can safely say there are areas of Bristol worse than anything you'll find in Doncaster:-
Filton, Southmead, St Pauls, pretty much anywhere south of the river. We played 5-a-side at a sports centre not far from Ashton Gate, I know councils like to put these places in sh*thole areas to boost the local economy, but my God, its the first and only time Ive been into a corner shop where you basically had a couple of square feet to stand in and were surrounded by iron grils, you couldn't touch anything - it was like a scene from The Wire. Yes, there are some very nice areas in Bristol, but they are outnumbered. Typical big city attitude, like Leeds, thinking because they've got a nice shopping centre and a few bars that everyone forgets about the no-go areas and sky high crime rates.

 

I think that everyplace has good parts and bad parts and depending on your own personality you'll either love the good bits enough to put up with the bad bits or not.

Apart from Leicester, that place is a sh1thole of the highest order with absolutely no redeeming features.

It should be firebombed, then bulldozed then the land sown with land mines just in case anyone ever thought about rebuilding it.

And I base all that hatred on having to spend 45 minutes in the National Express bus station on every trip from Barnsley to Oxford between 1989 and 1992. *******s.

 

What is/was it you liked so much about Cambridge, RedYarmy?

 

I was a student at Emmanuel College 1987-90.

Had great digs just off Parker's Piece next to Police Station.

Drank a lot of good ale in Free Press, got on well with locals, played a lot of football at great venues across a simply stunning city and got taught political philosophy/Russian revolutionary history by the leading lights in their field. Much of this wearing that Sandal Bayern Strip with the white stripe down the side.

Loved the feel of the place, never had a spot of bother and having got a First bitterly regret my decision not to stay on and pursue a life of academia.

Saw Billy Bragg there for first time, watched Reds lose 2-0 at Ipswich when McGugan broke his leg, cycled out to Grantchester, marched against the poll tax, sunbathed by the River and ate great pizzas at Sweeney Todds.
Been back a few times and never want to leave.

 

Love Cambridge. Sheriff, a good BBS friend studied at Emmanuel 92-95. My other intelligent mate went to Kings, and I knew a girl well who, like me, was studying Radiography, she at Addenbrookes, though I was studying in Sheffield. Had some fabulous weekends down there - nurses residences, summer nights drinking in The Mitre and riverside at The Anchor, Footlights, Midsummer Common (Strawberry Fair??), Parkers Piece. Also lucky enough to stay in Kings and Trinity College. Just a wonderful place and wonderful people.

 

Kings is breathtaking as, I imagine, were the nurses' residences which I sadly never graduated to!

The Anchor was the last pub where I was refused service for looking too young and the Mitre another favourite of mine, along with the Granta.

Strawberry Fair was the free music/arts festival on Midsummer Common near Jesus.

Gazing out as I know am across the Teesside skyline the dreaming spires of Cambridge are but a distant dream.

 

Beautiful city. I went for an interview at Sydney Sussex college but didn't get in. Don't regret it, as my life would definitely not have panned out in the very interesting way that it has if I'd gone there (it would probably have panned out in a different, very interesting way instead).

One of my favourite memories of a gloriously sunny day there is seeing a lot of very slow moving buses and wondering why they weren't driving quicker. I then realised that there was some sort of obstruction in the road, but couldn't understand why nobody was beeping. It was only when I moved closer that I realised that a (very famous) bloke in an electric wheelchair was driving down the road instead of on the pavement. A pedestrian quickly saw him and lifted him up on to the pavement, and he continued his journey into the university grounds. It always brings a smile to my face when I think about the peculiarity of what I saw, and then the conscientious passer by helping the professor. Not in any sort of condescending way, Stephen Hawking is one of my all-time heroes.

 

I saw him around a few times when I was there and share your admiration of him.

What you describe just epitomises how life was down there.

From memory Sydney Sussex was right in the centre opposite Sainsbury's. Had some good football clashes with them.

 

What the chuff are you two on about.

 

Great stuff! Wow, a First - you should have done a PhD.

I have lived here since 1989 and used to run an educational centre. As such, I had a lot of contact with College fellows (some Nobel Prize winners), including a young history Fellow at Emmanuel who would allow us to visit that beautiful college.

 

Who'd've thought it? Barnsley bulletin board populated by toff and farming lovers. Stay in the country or leafy suburbs and shut your eyes to the grubby areas of life. That way your sensitive souls will not be damaged too much.
Everywhere has good and bad areas. Even Cambridge. Yes and I've had a week at Kings and had my wine off the little train that chugs round the table ( to be fair the King's wine cellar is pretty decent and they don't have a separate cellar for fellows compared with outside guests!). I also lived in Bristol for six years and it's a fantastic place. The whole point of it is that it's a real historic working city coupled with an incredibly diverse population. You'll find horrible people there but most are just the same as anywhere.

P.S. For the sake of fairness I ought to say that I've lived in a little village in North Yorkshire for the past 29 years - so I can't really talk!

 

Which village you in BR?