# Plymouth - Shithole Of The South West



## Bakunin (May 18, 2009)

Right then, for those who don't know me, I was born in Plymouth grew up on Dartmoor, and had the great misfortune to move back to Plymouth about ten years ago. So I'm clearly not trolling as it's (unfortunately for me) my home town.

I regret ever having set foot in this unmitigated, Godforsaken, hellish, cramped, overcrowded, polluted, dirty, noisy, smelly little dump and am only here because I lack the money to be able to move away.

There's very little in the way of culture and the arts, not much for people to do (unless they're tourists) other than get plastered of a weekend, the people are a rather unwelcoming bunch (if not outright hostile to incomers), the social climate is narrow-minded and judgmental of anyone who deviates in the least from 'the norm', the clubland is one of the most violent places I've ever had the displeasure to visit and, in general, the only good thing about Plymouth is watching it recede into the distance on those occasions when I'm pootling off somewhere else, a feeling of blessed release that, sadly, only lasts until I have to come back.

I dislike city life in general, being a country lad, but I particularly HATE living in Plymouth more than anywhere else I've ever been.


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## Voley (May 18, 2009)

Completely agree.


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## _pH_ (May 18, 2009)

Not familiar with the place myself, but I went through it on the train recently and it does look a bit grim. All those grey houses devoid of anything pleasing aesthetically.

But then I understand Plymouth got bombed to fuck during the war so there was obviously an urgent need for replacement housing.


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## Voley (May 18, 2009)

Can you not just move out of town a bit and commute in? The countryside's nice enough around there as I recall.


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## Geri (May 18, 2009)

One peculiar thing we've always noticed about Plymouth is the number of disabled people there. Is there a specific reason for this?


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## _pH_ (May 18, 2009)

Geri said:


> One peculiar thing we've always noticed about Plymouth is the number of disabled people there. Is there a specific reason for this?




Physical disabilities? To do with it being a navy town maybe? war vets? dunno, just guessing


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## Bakunin (May 18, 2009)

NVP said:


> Can you not just move out of town a bit and commute in? The countryside's nice enough around there as I recall.



If I had the money (I'l long-term sick) then I'd be out ASAP, never to return, I promise you. I lived on the outskrits inside the Dartmoor National Park and I've never been happier. But I can honestly say that, since I moved into the city itself, there isn't a day that's passed when I haven't wanted to be somewhere else.


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## Geri (May 18, 2009)

_pH_ said:


> Physical disabilities? To do with it being a navy town maybe? war vets? dunno, just guessing



Yeah, mostly physical - there were a lot of people in wheelchairs.


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## Voley (May 18, 2009)

Ahh, yeah, I see the difficulty.


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## marty21 (May 18, 2009)

haven't actually been in Plymouth for about 26 years, last time I was there, was getting a bus to it, and a connecting bus to the Elephants Fayre, in St Germans, nearby, I drove to St Germans the other day, had a big nostalgia kick 

I've just been on holiday near Plymouth, but didn't feel a need to go into it, I was close to Dartmoor, and that was enough for me, beautiful country, at least you are near it, if you need to get out of Plymouth for a bit


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## Voley (May 18, 2009)

marty21 said:


> haven't actually been in Plymouth for about 26 years, last time I was there, was getting a bus to it, and a connecting bus to *the Elephants Fayre*, in St Germans, nearby,



You have led exactly the same life as me, marty. It's getting a bit scary, tbh. Please stop it.


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## marty21 (May 18, 2009)

NVP said:


> You have led exactly the same life as me, marty. It's getting a bit scary, tbh. Please stop it.





but I'm in london (20 years and counting) you left, I haven't done that yet 


haven't found out where you live


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## Voley (May 18, 2009)

marty21 said:


> haven't found out where you live



I'm not saying either.


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## kerb (May 18, 2009)

One of my regrets was coming back to Plymouth. 

Like you say, culture and arts are truely lacking in this place. The nightlife is just generic disco. No 'nights' as such. 

I'm leaving in August and hope I dont come back (to live) for a looong time.


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## kerb (May 18, 2009)

Saying that you only need 15 minutes in a car in any direction and you are a world away. You wouldnt believe the city you just left after only a few miles


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## rubbershoes (May 19, 2009)

marty21   said:
			
		

> haven't found out where you live
> 
> 
> 
> ...



dont tell him about your tagline NVP 

bakunin  - at least you're not in Torpoint


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## boskysquelch (May 19, 2009)

rubbershoes said:


> bakunin  - at least you're not in Torpoint



but he prolly is in Swilly.


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## damnhippie (May 19, 2009)

it's not great is it. casual violence and bad heroin seemed to be the main things to do, last i remember being there. mind you a lot of british towns are probably pretty similar.


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## SpookyFrank (May 19, 2009)

Bakunin said:


> Right then, for those who don't know me, I was born in Plymouth grew up on Dartmoor, and had the great misfortune to move back to Plymouth about ten years ago. So I'm clearly not trolling as it's (unfortunately for me) my home town.
> 
> I regret ever having set foot in this unmitigated, Godforsaken, hellish, cramped, overcrowded, polluted, dirty, noisy, smelly little dump and am only here because I lack the money to be able to move away.
> 
> ...



I've lived in Plymouth for some months now. It's a shithole alright. The only thing I like about it is the fact you can stare out to sea and pretend you're not really there. It's in such a pretty part of the world as well. Never mind, I'm getting evicted shortly so I reckon I'll just pack a rucksack and fuck off somewhere else with such spare change as can be found behind the sofa.


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## SpookyFrank (May 19, 2009)

Geri said:


> One peculiar thing we've always noticed about Plymouth is the number of disabled people there. Is there a specific reason for this?



There's no way out of town that doesn't involve either going up a big hill or swimming. The poor blighters probably wandered in by accident and never managed to get out again


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## Meltingpot (May 19, 2009)

*Plymouth*

I grew up, went to school and in all spent 20 years of my life there. I agree the place has its problems but I don't accept it's as bad as everyone here says.

It's got one of the best scenic locations of any city in the world IMO - the views from North Cross down Armada Way and out to the Hoe, down Western Approach towards Drake's Island, or from Mount Pleasant Redoubt in any direction, are truly superb, it's like a miniature San Francisco. Precisely because it's so hilly, you get a sense of space from almost anywhere you live - instead of looking at a back-to-back house right in front of you, you tend to look over it and out to the countryside in some direction.

It could be a fantastic city and one day maybe will be, but IMO it suffers from being a naval city. You get a deep social conservatism as a result there and also a sense of impermanence, because so many people  are on short term postings and aren't there for any length of time, so don't have a long term commitment to the place.

Also, too much of the city centre closes down at 5:30 - 6:00 p.m.  Even the library shuts at 7:30 p.m. (which it didn't when I was at school - blame the cuts). The place is crying out for a decent out of doors cafe culture on a warm summer's evening instead of people just heading home to the suburbs.

There is arts and culture there, but you have to look for it. Try the Arts Centre near the bus station, which puts on some good alternative films  (also a good veggie restaurant there) or one of the folk clubs which meet in pubs every so often. I heard some good sea shanties on my way home from the bus station once, passing a pub holding one such meeting.


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## kerb (May 19, 2009)

Meltingpot said:


> Also, too much of the city centre closes down at 5:30 - 6:00 p.m.  Even the library shuts at 7:30 p.m. (which it didn't when I was at school - blame the cuts). The place is crying out for a decent out of doors cafe culture on a warm summer's evening instead of people just heading home to the suburbs.
> 
> .



I know what you mean. The ideal place would be the barbican which is gorgeous. There are many pubs there and on a bank holiday sunday it is full of pissheads. If you were a tourist and headed down there on a bank holiday you'd be shocked


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## SpookyFrank (May 19, 2009)

Meltingpot said:


> It's got one of the best scenic locations of any city in the world IMO - the views from North Cross down Armada Way and out to the Hoe, down Western Approach towards Drake's Island, or from Mount Pleasant Redoubt in any direction, are truly superb, it's like a miniature San Francisco. Precisely because it's so hilly, you get a sense of space from almost anywhere you live - instead of looking at a back-to-back house right in front of you, you tend to look over it and out to the countryside in some direction.



Definitely agree about the scenery, but of course the flipside is that the place seems to be focussed more on tourists than on locals in many ways. I've never seen a city centre so dead after dark than Plymouth's; those big wide streets and open spaces could be wonderful but there's nothing there but shops and chain cafes. Beyond that you've got the Mutley Plain student ghetto, the hellish Union street (where the city's one major club, in a lovely old building, is empty and decaying since the police stitched up the owners) and the Barbican which is very pretty and does have some nice little places but also gets overrun by drunken wankers a lot of the time. It could, and should, be a wonderful city but it all feels rather tragic at the moment.


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## Meltingpot (May 19, 2009)

kerb said:


> I know what you mean. The ideal place would be the barbican which is gorgeous. There are many pubs there and on a bank holiday sunday it is full of pissheads. If you were a tourist and headed down there on a bank holiday you'd be shocked



Yeah, the Barbican used to be my favourite part of the city but I gather it's gone downhill recently. Sad.

Robert Lenkiewicz was our local cultural icon, I hope they're keeping his studio  / gallery open now that he's gone. He put Plymouth on the map from an artistic point of view (as did Beryl Cook).

I also like Stoke Village, it actually feels a bit like a village and of course it's got far-reaching views from the top of the hill (Mount Pleasant Redoubt).


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## Meltingpot (May 19, 2009)

SpookyFrank said:


> Definitely agree about the scenery, but of course the flipside is that the place seems to be focussed more on tourists than on locals in many ways. I've never seen a city centre so dead after dark than Plymouth's; those big wide streets and open spaces could be wonderful but there's nothing there but shops and chain cafes. Beyond that you've got the Mutley Plain student ghetto, the hellish Union street (where the city's one major club, in a lovely old building, is empty and decaying since the police stitched up the owners) and the Barbican which is very pretty and does have some nice little places but also gets overrun by drunken wankers a lot of the time. It could, and should, be a wonderful city but it all feels rather tragic at the moment.



Agreed.


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## SpookyFrank (May 19, 2009)

Would this be a good point to suggest a Plymouth drinks meet?


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## Asriel (May 20, 2009)

I moved down from London about 3 years ago and really like the place, I was originally in Sutton Marina, now in Stoke Village. Millbay is getting redeveloped (well hopefully)

http://www.cargomillbay.com/?gclid=CIjU1MjxypoCFRAgZwody2Sz2w

Yes, the center is dead - probably because there are no pubs. The Barbican/Hoe area is nice also, but yeah, full of piss-heads on Bank Holidays etc, but where isn't. 

Like someone pointed out, 15 minutes outside the city you've Dartmoor/Cornwall amazing costal walks/beaches.

It just seems to me that Plymouth is 10 years behind any other city, in the sense that over the last few years where there's been the development boom, they've been waaaayyyy behind and only recently thought, look what we've got here - we 'could' make this place a top city, then crash, economy collapses - too late.


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## internetstalker (May 20, 2009)

Bakunin said:


> Right then, for those who don't know me, I was born in Plymouth grew up on Dartmoor, and had the great misfortune to move back to Plymouth about ten years ago. So I'm clearly not trolling as it's (unfortunately for me) my home town.
> 
> I regret ever having set foot in this unmitigated, Godforsaken, hellish, cramped, overcrowded, polluted, dirty, noisy, smelly little dump and am only here because I lack the money to be able to move away.
> 
> ...



You Janner!!


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## fractionMan (May 20, 2009)

I grew up there and it is a bit of a dump.

I'd never move back, that's for certain.


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## djbombscare (May 20, 2009)

JANNERS


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## Asriel (May 20, 2009)

If you think Plymouth is bad, try Beeston in Leeds, now that really is a fu**ing shit hole


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## Meltingpot (May 20, 2009)

Asriel said:


> I moved down from London about 3 years ago and really like the place, I was originally in Sutton Marina, now in Stoke Village. Millbay is getting redeveloped (well hopefully)
> 
> http://www.cargomillbay.com/?gclid=CIjU1MjxypoCFRAgZwody2Sz2w
> 
> ...



There used to be some OK pubs in the city centre, the King's Head by the bus station is one I remember fondly. Very friendly and a good choice of cider (marked up on a blackboard). 

The Unity (also near the bus station) was also popular with the "quick drink after a day at the office" set and was one of the first pubs in the city to have a no smoking section.


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## SpookyFrank (May 21, 2009)

Asriel said:


> If you think Plymouth is bad, try Leeds. Now that really is a fu**ing shit hole



Corrected 

Oh no, wait a minute...



Asriel said:


> If you think Plymouth is bad, try Yorkshire. Now that really is a fu**ing shit hole



...there, that's definitely right.


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## pk (May 21, 2009)

Leeds pisses on Plymouth from a great height.


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## Asriel (May 21, 2009)

'Beeston' in Leeds is a shithole of the highest order, Leeds city center yeah wipes the floor with Plymouth, however, the area's around Leeds are also fucking shitholes. , it is fucking grim up north.


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## DotCommunist (May 21, 2009)

Corby.

Thread won


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## internetstalker (May 21, 2009)

DotCommunist said:


> Corby.
> 
> Thread won



true


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## Idaho (May 21, 2009)

pk said:


> Leeds pisses on Plymouth from a great height.



Definately. Leeds is probably a mid to low table division 1 city, whereas Plymouth is fighting relegation to the conference.


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## Meltingpot (May 21, 2009)

Leeds is about three times the size of Plymouth IIRC, so that's not a fair comparison IMO (though I still think Plymouth's got better scenery). Plymouth can't grow any bigger because it's got natural barriers in the way of its expansion in the form of the Tamar river, the Sound, and Dartmoor national park as its hinterland.

I think a fairer "south west" comparison to Leeds would be with Bristol.


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## Gromit (May 21, 2009)

I've been to Plymouth once. Class me as a tourist if you must.


When to a footy match. Nice stadium but crap result (my team lost).
Walked along some sea path (past where the nudists go acording to my mate, but we didn't see any, not that i wanted to).
When to a couple of bars near the Barbican where my ears started to bleed from the music that was set to 11 on all the speakers (it might have been 12 it was that loud) so we left.
When to another bar that seemed to be full of couples consisting of really young women (early 20s) with really old men (50s and 60s). I would have been too young for these women being in my 30s.
Ended up in The Union Bar which i really enjoyed.
Next day we had breakfast and played snooker in some daggy social club somewhere.
Then a really nice lunch in a pub near the hotel.

Overall it was a mixed bag of wierd, not nice, nice, not fun and fun.


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## Cribynkle (May 21, 2009)

Asriel said:


> I moved down from London about 3 years ago and really like the place, I was originally in Sutton Marina, now in Stoke Village. Millbay is getting redeveloped (well hopefully)
> 
> http://www.cargomillbay.com/?gclid=CIjU1MjxypoCFRAgZwody2Sz2w
> 
> ...



I hope it gets better, it's got so much potential but I moved out 12 years ago for uni and at the moment can't imagine ever moving back. The new shopping centre's rubbish and there's no nightlife that I'm aware of that doesn't involve drinken chain pub shenanigans. Union Street's always been awful - esp since they closed JFK's (sob!)


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## Fuzzy (May 21, 2009)

Asriel said:


> It just seems to me that Plymouth is 10 years behind any other city, in



you not been to truro?


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## purplex (May 21, 2009)

Fuck me, did Gloucester pass you by? Its where the north begins.


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## 3_D (May 22, 2009)

Plymouth? Horrid. Been to Home Park a bunch of times over the years. In the 80's their fans always used to throw rocks at us and then run away. These days they just run away. Inbreds.


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## Meltingpot (May 23, 2009)

Fuzzy said:


> you not been to truro?



Again, Truro is small so it's not really fair to compare it with large cities with more cultural and other opportunities.

All the same, there's stuff going on in Truro if you look for it, it's just that there's only two or three clubs (because it's small) so people hang out at the same places all the time and it can get boring. I've been told it's not much fun being a teenager there.


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## jusali (Jun 2, 2009)

I have fond memories of Plymouth.
Monroes, The academy  the warehouse, Zena's, the SAS, Positivity Alpha raves. Raves over in cawsand, tripping knackers on the hoe to the backdrop of an Easygroove tape in ford escort xr3i. 
Coming down in Mount edgecombe, going down to the Barbican to find records and getting pissed at the pubs. Having a Caspian on Mutley plain having just run the gauntlet from the pub on a roundabout (forget it's name)
Someone always wants to fight you in Plymouth though


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## London_Calling (Jun 2, 2009)

I've only been there two or three time but I really got the feeling it suffers from what the Luftwaffe did to it. Or maybe how the planners rebuilt it. I'd imagine the naval presence also gives it a distinctive non-cultural vibe but the way the city looks . . .


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## pootle (Jun 2, 2009)

jusali said:


> I have fond memories of Plymouth.
> Monroes, The academy  the warehouse, Zena's, the SAS, Positivity Alpha raves. Raves over in cawsand, tripping knackers on the hoe to the backdrop of an Easygroove tape in ford escort xr3i.
> Coming down in Mount edgecombe, going down to the Barbican to find records and getting pissed at the pubs. Having a Caspian on Mutley plain having just run the gauntlet from the pub on a roundabout (forget it's name)



That sounds like my student life in Plymouth! I liked Plymouth when I was there about 10 years ago ( ) and when I went back about a year ago was v impressed at the tarting up of the place! But then, I have spent a large chunk of my life in Gloucester...


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## SpookyFrank (Jun 2, 2009)

London_Calling said:


> I've only been there two or three time but I really got the feeling it suffers from what the Luftwaffe did to it. Or maybe how the planners rebuilt it. I'd imagine the naval presence also gives it a distinctive non-cultural vibe but the way the city looks . . .



Indeed. Exeter has suffered even more from the devastating Luftwaffe/fuckwit planners tag team. 

And that Drake's Circus thing they built in Plymouth, who decided to make the car park in the shape of a giant concrete arse? Which cunt is it that signs off on crap like that?

e2a: yer tis:


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## SpookyFrank (Jun 2, 2009)

In the interests of fairness, here are a couple of nice photos of Plymouth:


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## jusali (Jun 3, 2009)

pootle said:


> That sounds like my student life in Plymouth! I liked Plymouth when I was there about 10 years ago ( ) and when I went back about a year ago was v impressed at the tarting up of the place! But then, I have spent a large chunk of my life in Gloucester...



I was at school and went to art college there, I left in 93 to got to uni in Leeds, now, that is a shithole not just a shithole but they have the audacity to be pretentious about their shithole. I remember clubbing up there was like some fucking fashion parade to bad italo house blaring out of Back to Basics etc.
Not like gurning your tits off at the Academy wearing a pair of baggy dungarees! 
I fuckin' hated Leeds.......


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## BlackArab (Jun 3, 2009)

jusali said:


> I was at school and went to art college there, I left in 93 to got to uni in Leeds, now, that is a shithole not just a shithole but they have the audacity to be pretentious about their shithole. I remember clubbing up there was like some fucking fashion parade to bad italo house blaring out of Back to Basics etc.
> Not like gurning your tits off at the Academy wearing a pair of baggy dungarees!
> I fuckin' hated Leeds.......



By coincidence I went to Leeds around that time to visit a friend who was a student there. She lived in the Hyde Park area and I remember walking around thinking it was like going back in time. They had lines of washing strung up over the street ffs. Not been back since. 

Proper shithole.


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## likesfish (Jun 3, 2009)

went to union street once got out alive by persuading very gullible marines
s we were "special forces "and legged
 ended up carrying two baby matlots back to there camp who were so pissed they couldn't stand yet kept threating to attack us with iron bars they were using as crutches to stay upright

nice place
at least its not portsmouth


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## BlackArab (Jun 3, 2009)

likesfish said:


> went to union street once got out alive by persuading very gullible marines
> s we were "special forces "and legged
> ended up carrying two baby matlots back to there camp who were so pissed they couldn't stand yet kept threating to attack us with iron bars they were using as crutches to stay upright
> 
> ...



Lived in Pompey, nowhere near as bad as Plymouth!


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## Meltingpot (Jun 3, 2009)

SpookyFrank said:


> In the interests of fairness, here are a couple of nice photos of Plymouth:



Thanks, these are great. I took a few of Plymouth back in the early 80's but I can't post them up because they're film shots as opposed to digital.


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## CornishAcid (Jun 19, 2009)

jusali said:


> I have fond memories of Plymouth.
> Monroes, The academy  the warehouse, Zena's, the SAS, Positivity Alpha raves. Raves over in cawsand, tripping knackers on the hoe to the backdrop of an Easygroove tape in ford escort xr3i.
> Coming down in Mount edgecombe, going down to the Barbican to find records and getting pissed at the pubs. Having a Caspian on Mutley plain having just run the gauntlet from the pub on a roundabout (forget it's name)
> Someone always wants to fight you in Plymouth though



Haha, I'm glad someone else has fond memories. Alphawave nights were the shit, as were digital blasphemy, dimensional schism, magick bullet. My first days of being a naive little raver were spent there so the grotty little shithole will always have a place in my heart.

As far as non violent clubbing in Plym goes I'd reccomend the Voodoo Lounge...electro, breaks, psytrance, breakcore and other such tomfoolery.


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## stupid dogbot (Jun 19, 2009)

I lived in Plymouth for two years. Never again.


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## jannerboyuk (Jul 5, 2009)

Meltingpot said:


> I grew up, went to school and in all spent 20 years of my life there. I agree the place has its problems but I don't accept it's as bad as everyone here says.
> 
> It's got one of the best scenic locations of any city in the world IMO - the views from North Cross down Armada Way and out to the Hoe, down Western Approach towards Drake's Island, or from Mount Pleasant Redoubt in any direction, are truly superb, it's like a miniature San Francisco. Precisely because it's so hilly, you get a sense of space from almost anywhere you live - instead of looking at a back-to-back house right in front of you, you tend to look over it and out to the countryside in some direction.
> 
> ...



i agree with this having been born, schooled and lived in plymouth for 23 years. still fond of the old place but then i live in happening cardiff, at least happening relative to plymouth. plenty of potential but lacking direction, leadership and a sense of focus now the dockyard has died.


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## jannerboyuk (Jul 5, 2009)

Meltingpot said:


> There used to be some OK pubs in the city centre, the King's Head by the bus station is one I remember fondly. Very friendly and a good choice of cider (marked up on a blackboard).
> 
> The Unity (also near the bus station) was also popular with the "quick drink after a day at the office" set and was one of the first pubs in the city to have a no smoking section.



i used to love the kings head - part of the cooperage, err little old pub round the corner triangle. fond memories can be made from a small part of a city like plymouth if you know a group of sound people.


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## jannerboyuk (Jul 5, 2009)

Oh yeah is the nowhere inn still going? always liked that place maybe a bit punky/hippy for some tastes


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## Voley (Nov 22, 2015)

Bakunin said:


> Right then, for those who don't know me, I was born in Plymouth grew up on Dartmoor, and had the great misfortune to move back to Plymouth about ten years ago. So I'm clearly not trolling as it's (unfortunately for me) my home town.
> 
> I regret ever having set foot in this unmitigated, Godforsaken, hellish, cramped, overcrowded, polluted, dirty, noisy, smelly little dump and am only here because I lack the money to be able to move away.
> 
> ...





Voley said:


> Completely agree.



Well, despite having agreed to all of that some time back, I'm thinking of applying for a job there soon.

How is it now? Last time I was up there (admittedly only for an afternoon) it looked alright. 

Am I making a huge mistake?


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## gosub (Nov 22, 2015)

I'll see your Plymouth and raise you:   Bridgewater.


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## mauvais (Nov 22, 2015)

The missus is from Plymouth but I think it's a miserable concrete mess. One of the few places I've been where a stranger's opening gambit has been straight out racist.

Plymouth Man: hello mate, where are you from?
Me: Southampton [nb: not where I'm from, but bear in mind that I think Plym is a notably miserable concrete mess]
Plymouth Man: ah, shit, full of fucking Arabs isn't it

Niiiice. Although it has some decent parks and countryside.


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## toggle (Nov 22, 2015)

Voley said:


> Well, despite having agreed to all of that some time back, I'm thinking of applying for a job there soon.
> 
> How is it now? Last time I was up there (admittedly only for an afternoon) it looked alright.
> 
> Am I making a huge mistake?



it probably is alright in small doses. 

but i reckon you would well regret living too close to the place.


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## Poot (Nov 22, 2015)

Voley said:


> Well, despite having agreed to all of that some time back, I'm thinking of applying for a job there soon.
> 
> How is it now? Last time I was up there (admittedly only for an afternoon) it looked alright.
> 
> Am I making a huge mistake?


It is awesome and you should move here, I mean there, immediately. The people are incredibly good looking and really very sophisticated.


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## Libertad (Nov 22, 2015)

Voley said:


> Well, despite having agreed to all of that some time back, I'm thinking of applying for a job there soon.
> 
> How is it now? Last time I was up there (admittedly only for an afternoon) it looked alright.
> 
> Am I making a huge mistake?



Don't do it if you can possibly avoid it.


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 22, 2015)

Definitely a mess, a lot less concrete then commonly thought Plymouth: the architecture is palpably the work of men in their dotage I'm ambivalent as ever towards my home town but I personally miss it. Not sure what mid sized postindustrial English city can be thought of as much better really...


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## Libertad (Nov 22, 2015)

gosub said:


> I'll see your Plymouth and raise you:   Bridgewater.



Bridgewater is the stinkiest place I've ever been to in these septic isles.


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## toggle (Nov 22, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> Definitely a mess, a lot less concrete then commonly thought Plymouth: the architecture is palpably the work of men in their dotage I'm ambivalent as ever towards my home town but I personally miss it. Not sure what mid sized postindustrial English city can be thought of as much better really...



one that didn't see more destroyed by the attentions of town planners than by wartime bombing......


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## weltweit (Nov 22, 2015)

I interviewed at Plymouth Poly 30 years ago. Can't remember the outcome but I went somewhere else. Didn't have any views, good or bad, about the place but I have never had reason to go back.


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## Voley (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> but i reckon you would well regret living too close to the place.


There's the rub, I think. Flats in the city look affordable for me - well the cheaper end of the market does - but I wouldn't want to be running a car. Looks like there's some nice countryside just out of town which would suit me better but then I'm going to have petrol/MOT/insurance and what-have-you on top of the rent.


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## Voley (Nov 23, 2015)

Poot said:


> It is awesome and you should move here, I mean there, immediately. The people are incredibly good looking and really very sophisticated.


I don't doubt it for a moment. If this move happens you must take me drinking with all your beautiful sophisticated acquaintances.


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> one that didn't see more destroyed by the attentions of town planners than by wartime bombing......


Thats a big list


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

Voley said:


> I don't doubt it for a moment. If this move happens you must take me drinking with all your beautiful sophisticated acquaintances.


It goes without saying that the Urbz enclave in poor old Plymouth is The Nowhere Inn The Nowhere Inn


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## Voley (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> It goes without saying that the Urbz enclave in poor old Plymouth is The Nowhere Inn The Nowhere Inn


A boozer for old punks with a good selection of ale? I think you've just sold the place to me.


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

Growing up in Plymouth I've no doubt it was one of the most homophobic places you can imagine, a bit better now but at the time this personified things for me How brutal homophobic murder 20 years ago changed Plymouth for the better


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## Voley (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> Growing up in Plymouth I've no doubt it was one of the most homophobic places you can imagine, a bit better now but at the time this personified things for me How brutal homophobic murder 20 years ago changed Plymouth for the better


Fucking hell. And as recent as 1995 eh?


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## Voley (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> It goes without saying that the Urbz enclave in poor old Plymouth is The Nowhere Inn The Nowhere Inn


Just been watching the rockabilly/folk bands and stuff on that page I think that place would deffo have to be my local, thanks for that.


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## mauvais (Nov 23, 2015)

Also I'm still _furious_ about the time that we went for breakfast at Royal William Yard, and foolishly expecting at the very least a big fat sausage, I was presented with pure hipster-cum-Napoleonic-era austere naval twattery involving no choice at all but bread for dickheads and hardboiled egg. And I don't like egg. See you in hell, Plymouth.


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## butchersapron (Nov 23, 2015)

gosub said:


> I'll see your Plymouth and raise you:   Bridgewater.


No such place.

The pub by the station (king James vaults or something like that) used to have an internal wimpy bar.


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## jusali (Nov 23, 2015)

Racism and Homophobia in spades from what I remember too.


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## Cribynkle (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> Growing up in Plymouth I've no doubt it was one of the most homophobic places you can imagine, a bit better now but at the time this personified things for me How brutal homophobic murder 20 years ago changed Plymouth for the better


Oh god, that was 20 years ago?! I remember going past Central Park the following morning and seeing it all sealed off  and the horror of what those young boys did. I've not been back for 10 years and now and then have a nostalgia for the place but then remember why I was so desperate to leave


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

Voley said:


> Just been watching the rockabilly/folk bands and stuff on that page I think that place would deffo have to be my local, thanks for that.


This has been going for 20 years as well, you may like it Plymouth Punx Picnic


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## Poot (Nov 23, 2015)

So funny to read about my local haunts on here  I was just thinking about how I haven't been to the Nowhere for ages. 

I'm not saying there aren't dickheads - there really, really are. But there are some really brilliant people here too. I made friends really quickly after moving from London and I never looked back. 

mauvais if you hang out at RWY that's just what you get. Go somewhere nice next time!


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## mauvais (Nov 23, 2015)

Poot said:


> mauvais if you hang out at RWY that's just what you get. Go somewhere nice next time!


I didn't choose the place!


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## Poot (Nov 23, 2015)

mauvais said:


> I didn't choose the place!


Well who did? Kirsty Allsopp? Jacob Rees-Mogg?!


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## Sea Star (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> Growing up in Plymouth I've no doubt it was one of the most homophobic places you can imagine, a bit better now but at the time this personified things for me How brutal homophobic murder 20 years ago changed Plymouth for the better



I grew up in Plymouth too. not only homophobic but probably even more transphobic! No wonder it took me till age 47 to come out!

Since then I've been back a few times to see my family and I've not had any problems but that might be because I pass well, or that Plymouth has moved on since I were a kid.

Having said that when I stayed in Plymouth last year, at Derrys Cross, after about 10pm on a Friday night I was just too scared to leave the hotel; and I haven't been too scared to go anywhere in London, even when I didn;t pass too well!




_pH_ said:


> Physical disabilities? To do with it being a navy town maybe? war vets? dunno, just guessing


most likely due to the levels of poverty there. I've noticed this too. I'd be surprised if many ex military settle in Plymouth when they retire; more likely to go back to whatever part of the country their family is from.



3_D said:


> Plymouth? Horrid. Been to Home Park a bunch of times over the years. In the 80's their fans always used to throw rocks at us and then run away. These days they just run away. Inbreds.


you mean you try to attack them? Considering my elderly Dad, my young niece and some of her friends all go to Home Park regularly, I think it makes you the inbreds.


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## toggle (Nov 23, 2015)

butchersapron said:


> No such place.
> 
> The pub by the station (king James vaults or something like that) used to have an internal wimpy bar.



james street vaults.

they do pizza now (or at least did when i was in there last year)


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## butchersapron (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> james street vaults.
> 
> they do pizza now (or at least did when i was in there last year)


Yeah, they were still doing that week before last when i was in there. They were also noticeably tardy with their opening - 10 past 12 instead of 12. And their website says 11 as well.


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## toggle (Nov 23, 2015)

butchersapron said:


> Yeah, they were still doing that week before last when i was in there. They were also noticeably tardy with their opening - 10 past 12 instead of 12. And their website says 11 as well.



i wouldn't know, never went in before about 4. catch the right day (or perhaps wrong depending from your POV) and it's full of the history dept staff and postgrads.


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## toggle (Nov 23, 2015)

Voley said:


> There's the rub, I think. Flats in the city look affordable for me - well the cheaper end of the market does - but I wouldn't want to be running a car. Looks like there's some nice countryside just out of town which would suit me better but then I'm going to have petrol/MOT/insurance and what-have-you on top of the rent.



suggest you mention on here what areas you're looking at so you can try for one with the lowest dickhead concentration.


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## Libertad (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> suggest you mention on here what areas you're looking at so you can try for one with the lowest dickhead concentration.



Callington might be a good compromise, bussing in and out of Plymouth? Then there's Saltash but the less said about that the better.


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## toggle (Nov 23, 2015)

Libertad said:


> Callington might be a good compromise, bussing in and out of Plymouth? Then there's Saltash but the less said about that the better.



or somewhere up the tamar valley line.


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

Stoke or lipson are ok, Barbican has some good flats on occasion. This is my current favourite  http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property...itter&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=renting


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## Libertad (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> or somewhere up the tamar valley line.



Thinking about it Liskeard might be a better bet, bus and train to Plymouth.


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

Great place for a break if the sophistication of Plymouth gets tiring Keveral Farm - Organic Farming Community


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

Or jump on the cremyll ferry for this Welcome - Maker Events Festival and Camping in Cornwall


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 23, 2015)

And someone needs to me tell if this is a decent new pub or hipster fad Welcome


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## Cribynkle (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> or somewhere up the tamar valley line.


Calstock


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## Poot (Nov 23, 2015)

Stoke or Mutley I reckon. You can walk everywhere and there are good bars and pubs. I think I'd get fed up of the commute if I lived in the East Cornish towns.


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## Poot (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> And someone needs to me tell if this is a decent new pub or hipster fad Welcome


My goodness, sounds very worthy, doesn't it? Well, if you insist I may be forced to stop there for a pint and report back.


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## CNT36 (Nov 23, 2015)

Poot said:


> Stoke or Mutley I reckon. You can walk everywhere and there are good bars and pubs. I think I'd get fed up of the commute if I lived in the East Cornish towns.


The commute from the West Cornish towns is not better.


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## toggle (Nov 23, 2015)

CNT36 said:


> The commute from the West Cornish towns is not better.



nods, it was ok doing it twice a week. but 5 days a week would have killed me


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## CNT36 (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> And someone needs to me tell if this is a decent new pub or hipster fad Welcome


Pretty forgettable. There is a decent Pizza place and a Good Chinese on that street though. The one time I've been there was waiting for a pizza to cook. The progressive musician that night was shit. Uses to goto Chams on the road but stopped when it changed hands. The Junction and the Underground both in Mutley are good for music.


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## CNT36 (Nov 23, 2015)

toggle said:


> nods, it was ok doing it twice a week. but 5 days a week would have killed me


I only need to do it twice a week usually once by car and once by train. Have had to do 4 or 5 days now and then and it soon gets boring especially by road.


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## toggle (Nov 23, 2015)

CNT36 said:


> I only need to do it twice a week usually once by car and once by train. Have had to do 4 or 5 days now and then and it soon gets boring especially by road.



yeah, at least on the train i can use the lappy. unless it's a train full of kids. 

and i had some control over my schedule so could do mostly the 6 quid offpeak fares. 

and i';m 2 mins from the station one end and 5 at the other. 

could have been a shitload worse


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## fractionMan (Nov 23, 2015)

jannerboyuk said:


> Stoke or lipson are ok, Barbican has some good flats on occasion. This is my current favourite  http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property...itter&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=renting



It's nice round there imo.  I grew up 5 mins walk away!


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## twentythreedom (Nov 23, 2015)

I was in a rehab in North Devon, as a weekend group activity we went indoor snowboarding at a place in Plymouth - it was chaos  Ten sketchy, sickly rehab bods, dressed wrong, completely hopeless at snowboarding, falling all over the place then stopping for roll ups while the staff got increasingly exasperated

More recently the finish line of the Fastnet Race is at Plymouth 

The maritime side of it is great, otherwise a bit of a shit hole ime


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## Libertad (Nov 23, 2015)

twentythreedom said:


> I was in a rehab in North Devon, as a weekend group activity we went indoor snowboarding at a place in Plymouth - it was chaos  Ten sketchy, sickly rehab bods, dressed wrong, completely hopeless at snowboarding, falling all over the place then stopping for roll ups while the staff got increasingly exasperated



Feels wrong to "like" that ^^^ but what the hell.


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## twentythreedom (Nov 23, 2015)

Libertad said:


> Feels wrong to "like" that ^^^ but what the hell.


It was funny as fuck tbf


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## Voley (Nov 29, 2015)

toggle said:


> suggest you mention on here what areas you're looking at so you can try for one with the lowest dickhead concentration.


Mannamead? What's that like? Rents look affordable.

I've done the job application now - it's basically the temp job I'm already doing but in Plymouth and permanent - so we'll see if anything comes of it.


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## Voley (Nov 29, 2015)

Getting out of town a bit there's a lovely little cottage for rent in Bere Ferrers but that'll mean an hours drive each way. Might be worth it though; looks like a lovely area. The issue of whether I need a car is a moot point now, though, as I need one for the job so the places out of town a bit are looking more appealing.


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## Thora (Nov 29, 2015)

My brother lives in Mutley.  It seems nice.


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## Bakunin (Nov 29, 2015)

Voley said:


> Getting out of town a bit there's a lovely little cottage for rent in Bere Ferrers but that'll mean an hours drive each way. Might be worth it though; looks like a lovely area. The issue of whether I need a car is a moot point now, though, as I need one for the job so the places out of town a bit are looking more appealing.



Bere Ferrers in on the Gunnislake branch line to/from Plymouth. I would warn you that it's a single line meaning two hours between trains in either direction. Beautiful train journey, though.


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## toggle (Nov 29, 2015)

Voley said:


> Getting out of town a bit there's a lovely little cottage for rent in Bere Ferrers but that'll mean an hours drive each way. Might be worth it though; looks like a lovely area. The issue of whether I need a car is a moot point now, though, as I need one for the job so the places out of town a bit are looking more appealing.



if i was living up there, I'd use the train to get to plymouth as much as i could. the first half of the drive from bere ferers to plymouth is a maze of tiny roads, the second half is stop and go commuter traffic. in bad weather, or when every fucker is using their car, an hour is an underestimate.


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## jannerboyuk (Nov 29, 2015)

Voley said:


> Mannamead? What's that like? Rents look affordable.
> 
> I've done the job application now - it's basically the temp job I'm already doing but in Plymouth and permanent - so we'll see if anything comes of it.


Mannamead is the posh bit


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## Voley (Nov 29, 2015)

Thanks for the replies, folks. All very helpful, thanks. Not sure about whether I'd want to live in town or in the sticks a bit now. The area by the Tavy looks really nice but the commute would be a pain, right enough. Anyhow, all dependent on 1. getting the interview and 2. how that goes, now. Thanks again.


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## Libertad (Nov 29, 2015)

Voley said:


> Thanks for the replies, folks. All very helpful, thanks. Not sure about whether I'd want to live in town or in the sticks a bit now. The area by the Tavy looks really nice but the commute would be a pain, right enough. Anyhow, all dependent on 1. getting the interview and 2. how that goes, now. Thanks again.



Best of luck Voley, let us know how you get on.


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## Voley (Nov 29, 2015)

Libertad said:


> Best of luck Voley, let us know how you get on.


Thanks. Will do.


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## fractionMan (Nov 29, 2015)

I really like to be by the sea, so I'd recommend the hoe or thereabouts.  Stonehouse used to be cheap, but I think it's gone all posh this last decade.


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## Poot (Nov 29, 2015)

Voley said:


> Thanks for the replies, folks. All very helpful, thanks. Not sure about whether I'd want to live in town or in the sticks a bit now. The area by the Tavy looks really nice but the commute would be a pain, right enough. Anyhow, all dependent on 1. getting the interview and 2. how that goes, now. Thanks again.


Mannamead is posh indeed! I would avoid Bere Ferrers because pretty as it is, as toggle says it's a pain in the arse to get to, even though you can see Plymouth just across the river! V frustrating. Actually because of geography, there are lots of areas around Plymouth that are quite tricky to get to. See also Turnchapel and anywhere near Mount Edgcumbe and Torpoint, unless you're happy to rely on a ferry all the time. 

Plymouth is spreading north and east at speed, and many of those areas are new and quite soulless. But probably quite safe. 

If you wanted the sticks, some of the areas around Yelverton are nice but close enough to be an easy commute. I have a soft spot for Tavi but it's a bit of a trek, especially in the winter when it snows on the moors. 

I reckon Mutley and Stoke are the best, but if I could afford to live on the Barbican I probably would.

Best of luck!!!


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## mauvais (Nov 29, 2015)

Mutley's full of students though, is it not?


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## Poot (Nov 29, 2015)

mauvais said:


> Mutley's full of students though, is it not?


Well, yeah. There are students, but they actually limit the numbers of HMOs on any street around Mutley. Also they've built thousands upon thousands of student flats in the city centre recently, so it's probably less popular with students than it used to be.


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## Voley (Nov 29, 2015)

Poot said:


> Mannamead is posh indeed!


Thanks Poot. I'm surprised it's that affordable then if it's the posh bit. £450pcm for a one bed flat with a garden on rightmove atm. Looks like it needs a bit of work to be made homely / bit of sprucing up in the garden and whatnot but price is about the same for round here.


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## fractionMan (Nov 29, 2015)

Here's a cheery article

Daily Mail claims Plymouth people will turn cannibal and eat elderly relatives if Jeremy Corbyn becomes Prime Minister


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## SpookyFrank (Nov 30, 2015)

Voley said:


> Thanks for the replies, folks. All very helpful, thanks. Not sure about whether I'd want to live in town or in the sticks a bit now. The area by the Tavy looks really nice but the commute would be a pain, right enough. Anyhow, all dependent on 1. getting the interview and 2. how that goes, now. Thanks again.



Ivybridge is nice and you've got trains into Plymouth from there.


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## BigMoaner (Nov 30, 2015)

i think the country as a whole is getting shitter.

i think we will really start noticing the effects of our retail markets moving online and the dominance of the giant out of town malls/supermakets.

drab, run down, london centric, with hairdressers, bargin shops, fast food and metro type shops - i think this is the future as more and more of our money is spent online.


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## rubbershoes (Nov 30, 2015)

fractionMan said:


> Here's a cheery article
> 
> Daily Mail claims Plymouth people will turn cannibal and eat elderly relatives if Jeremy Corbyn becomes Prime Minister




it's a win/win


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## Voley (Dec 4, 2015)

Ah well. The job I applied for has been withdrawn. We're having a fairly major reorganisation atm so I had an inkling this might happen. So I shan't be joining any of you in The Nowhere any time soon. Pity. I was rather warming to the idea. This reorganisation might throw up some other jobs up your way though so I'm not entirely writing the idea off.


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## Poot (Dec 4, 2015)

Booooooooooo!!!!


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## Voley (Dec 4, 2015)

Poot said:


> Booooooooooo!!!!


Thing is, Poot, now that I'd got it into my head that living up there might be for me, I've started looking at other jobs going up there. The opportunities aren't *cough* _hugely diverse_ but they're shitloads better than down here. So you never know. That bit by the Tavy looked right up my street, irrespective of the nightmare commute.


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## Poot (Dec 4, 2015)

Voley said:


> Thing is, Poot, now that I'd got it into my head that living up there might be for me, I've started looking at other jobs going up there. The opportunities aren't *cough* _hugely diverse_ but they're shitloads better than down here. So you never know. That bit by the Tavy looked right up my street, irrespective of the nightmare commute.


Yeah, the streets are paved with gold  

I always think we're completely isolated but further west it must be really hard to find anything to suit.


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## Voley (Dec 4, 2015)

Poot said:


> Yeah, the streets are paved with gold
> 
> I always think we're completely isolated but further west it must be really hard to find anything to suit.


There's fuck all down here believe me. Management know this and act accordingly, as you'd imagine. It genuinely surprises them when you start looking elsewhere though. Handing in your notice and throwing caution to the wind a bit is met with utter incomprehension. That's quite gratifying.


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

The issue with Plymouth is the lack of investment and overall education. It's very much 40 years behind the rest of the United Kingdom. They seem to have this belief that the British empire is still there. Brexit land as well. Casual racism and xenophobia is the norm there and anyone between the age of 23 and 60 has left.. Its laced with immature students and the elderly. I spent a few months there and left. Old town syndrome and sadly narrow minded. But Devon and Cornwall have this in common. 

They are pretty to visit but no normal human being could stay longer than a week.


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## butchersapron (Sep 10, 2017)

Pretty sweeping there bert. You sound almost like a shocking internet persona.


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## Libertad (Sep 10, 2017)

AMITNAL said:


> But Devon and Cornwall have this in common.



Huge generalisation. Get to fuck.


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## Poot (Sep 10, 2017)

Yeah, fuck off, nob.


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## mrs quoad (Sep 10, 2017)

Plymouth has two of the UK's nine women-only residential rehabs.


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## Poot (Sep 10, 2017)

jannerboyuk said:


> And someone needs to me tell if this is a decent new pub or hipster fad Welcome


I've been hanging out here a bit. Good beer and cider and seems like a good spot. Not as up itself as I thought, actually (though I still prefer the Fortescue)


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

Libertad said:


> Huge generalisation. Get to fuck.



Awww, you a local from there? Never mind


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

Poot said:


> I've been hanging out here a bit. Good beer and cider and seems like a good spot. Not as up itself as I thought, actually (though I still prefer the Fortescue)



The land of a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget tbh.

#plymouth


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

Poot said:


> Yeah, fuck off, nob.



Only one comma needed after 'fuck off'

Are you from Plymouth? Sorry


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## Libertad (Sep 10, 2017)

AMITNAL said:


> Awww, you a local from there? Never mind



I'm not playing with bits of kids so off you fuck.


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Pretty sweeping there bert. You sound almost like a shocking internet persona.



Pretty sweeping statements tend to be truthful and honest, because they are.


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

Libertad said:


> I'm not playing with bits of kids so off you fuck.



Ok didums 

Have a great day, in Plymouth


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## butchersapron (Sep 10, 2017)

AMITNAL said:


> Pretty sweeping statements tend to be truthful and honest, because they are.


Fuck me  - shocking stuff. Especially for the internet.


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## Poot (Sep 10, 2017)

I think we can all learn from this. I'm glad you finally arrived to point out the error of our ways.


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

Poot said:


> I think we can all learn from this. I'm glad you finally arrived to point out the error of our ways.



Self reflection is great. I do it myself at times. One has been known to a cunt, in the past of course.

Jokes aside, Plymouth needs government investment and I find it unfair that the city has been neglected, for 5000 years.


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## Poot (Sep 10, 2017)

AMITNAL said:


> The land of a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget tbh mate
> 
> #plymouth


I'm not your mate.


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## AMITNAL (Sep 10, 2017)

Poot said:


> I'm not your mate.



Never said I was


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