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'Selling' Southampton as a city


pap
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After years of living in Liverpool, I'm slowly coming to realise that I'd like to return to Southampton. Lot of reasons, really - family, friends all that jazz. The problem I've got is my kids. The pair of them were brought up in Liverpool, and their opinion of Southampton is pretty poor - having spent the vast majority of their time sitting in people's houses while the missus and I were plied with copious amounts of tea and coffee.

 

If we move, it'll be September 2012. That means I have roughly a year to win approval from the offspring. The missus believes we have to mount a charm offensive, illustrating all the positive and fun aspects of the city. Having been away for so long, I'm not really up to speed on what's there. How would you 'sell' Southampton to a prospective inhabitant?

 

Kids are 15 and 11 respectively, both girls if that helps.

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Kids are 15 and 11 respectively, both girls if that helps.

 

Not really but please come back in 2-3 years time and rule 1 the first one...

 

Major selling points - about an hours train ride from London. Good shopping at West Quay. Leisure World is pretty good. By and large, probably a safer place to live. To be fair, I doubt Southampton has anything that Liverpool doesn't that would overly excite teenage girls. They might shake off that horrible accent in time however...

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Ah, you get used to the accent. Like a lot of Irish-influenced accents, it comes down to "singing when they speak". Still, I would like them to be able to use RP when they need to, and living down South certainly helps in that department.

 

That said, it did take me about six weeks to fully understand it.

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It's not Liverpool. That in itself should be a good enough selling point. Unless you enjoy the whole "victim mentality" and general filth it's a no brainer.

 

I see what you're doing there. Good luck with that.

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I would have thought that the obvious advantage would be regular attendance at St Marys.

 

I assume that you have raised them as Saints fans.

 

The youngest is unfortunately a Reds fan ( although she's only started liking footy this year ). The eldest doesn't like footy at all, but has admitted that if she had to support someone, it'd be Saints and not Liverpool.

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London an hour away, beaches of Bournemouth nearby, New Forest, the city's parks, West Quay, safer for them to go out more. Not that I know anything whatsoever about bringing up kids, but I suggest that's a terrible age to try and get them to move, should have done it 10 years ago or wait until they're off to Uni.

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I just can't believe he has a wife.

 

How old are your kids? The copious amount of parks is a good start if they are younger. Biggest club in the country if they are older (even though it is an Oceana).

 

Biggest football club as well. FACT

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I just can't believe he has a wife.

 

How old are your kids? The copious amount of parks is a good start if they are younger. Biggest club in the country if they are older (even though it is an Oceana).

 

LOL! I don't have a wife, just a long-suffering girlfriend, but marriage is probs on the agenda.

 

As for parks, they were great fans of the Common and have only really seen a quarter of it. I think half the fun with that place is having a wander on your own and discovering something that (as a kid) you believe no-one else has seen before.

 

The kids are 15 and 11, which is a bit of an awkward age really. They're far too old to go for any bullshyte, so it has to be genuine life-affirming stuff all the way.

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LOL! I don't have a wife, just a long-suffering girlfriend, but marriage is probs on the agenda.

 

As for parks, they were great fans of the Common and have only really seen a quarter of it. I think half the fun with that place is having a wander on your own and discovering something that (as a kid) you believe no-one else has seen before.

 

The kids are 15 and 11, which is a bit of an awkward age really. They're far too old to go for any bullshyte, so it has to be genuine life-affirming stuff all the way.

 

Could you set the 15 year old up on a date with Super Mikey? That would convince her to move, the other would just do what her big sister tells her.

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London an hour away, beaches of Bournemouth nearby, New Forest, the city's parks, West Quay, safer for them to go out more. Not that I know anything whatsoever about bringing up kids, but I suggest that's a terrible age to try and get them to move, should have done it 10 years ago or wait until they're off to Uni.

 

Yeah, posted something similar, and we may still call it off. I was always moving back after they'd gone to Uni, but a few things going on atm that are causing me to accelerate the timetable - and I'm not sure they'll keep for another eight years.

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As your girls are approaching adulthood i'd say escape before they get their hair bleached and turn into fully fledged Scousers.

 

Tell you one thing, if they ever go to the shops in their PJs I have failed as a parent.

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less shell suits,

less people called barry and Terry

less ford cortinas

less theft

less paroxide blondes

 

Unfortunately tdd, this only works if Liverpool is actually exakkkly the same as the depictions in Bread and Brookside, which, to be fair, somewhat accentuated certain aspects of Liverpool life :)

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Could you set the 15 year old up on a date with Super Mikey? That would convince her to move, the other would just do what her big sister tells her.

 

Another no-go. At the moment, her "would" list contains only six entries.

 

1) Sam from Supernatural

2) Dean from Supernatural

3) Castiel from Supernatural

4) Edward from Twilight

5) Jacob from Twilight

6) The good looking bloke who entered Celebrity Big Brother last night.

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Another no-go. At the moment, her "would" list contains only six entries.

 

1) Sam from Supernatural

2) Dean from Supernatural

3) Castiel from Supernatural

4) Edward from Twilight

5) Jacob from Twilight

6) The good looking bloke who entered Celebrity Big Brother last night.

 

But she hasn't met Supermikey yet. He is not called Super for nothing you know.

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Kids find moving difficult no matter how good a place is. I remember moving from Andover to Winchester I was well upset but then I found out over a short period of time that you adjust, and love it. I live in Southampton now and like before I have made it my home.

 

Good luck

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Kids find moving difficult no matter how good a place is. I remember moving from Andover to Winchester I was well upset but then I found out over a short period of time that you adjust, and love it. I live in Southampton now and like before I have made it my home.

 

Good luck

 

You left Andover? No one leaves Andover. Traitor scum.

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Kids find moving difficult no matter how good a place is. I remember moving from Andover to Winchester I was well upset but then I found out over a short period of time that you adjust, and love it. I live in Southampton now and like before I have made it my home.

 

Good luck

 

I'd agree with that. It'd be hard enough going anywhere.

 

Cheers.

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No kids ever want to move as they think they will never make as many friends as they currently have.

 

You just have to ignore it and do it. They'll hate you for about a month but then it will be fine. Wait til the 15 year old finishes school and find her a 6th form down here.

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Southampton has Lucy Pinder

Liverpool has Kerry Katona

 

Clearly Southampton is superior, although unless your kids are a pair of lezzers, they might not appreciate this fully.

 

Almost had a point there, but Katona is claimed by Warrington and the tabloid papers, I believe.

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Now that Tudor House has reopened, we're looking forward to a trip down to my beloved Southampton. Is the Bargate still open, does anyone know? We'll probably do a nostalgia drive around Sholing (where I used to live) and Hill Lane (where I went to school). And, no doubt, we'll have a look at West Quay.

 

Anywhere else we should consider?

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