Zoe Bell

The area surrounding Redditch is lovely , Beautiful countryside , the town itself though is a victim of what I like to call "sixties experimenatl planning"

The road system is a nightmare , the estates poorly planned , with council housing ghettos (one of which I had the misfortune to grow up in). The town infrastructure is falling apart. The core was built around public transport, with deregulation and a lack of profits , the buses no longer run after 6 pm on certain major routes. This is also due to buses being attacked by gangs of youths and the police were not able to contain the situation , allowing the bus company to cite "safety" as the reason for cancelling the routes.

The problem will get worse , Redditch was a big feeder town for workers at the longbridge plant. Both my parents jobs went with the closure of the rover plant. The population is falling , the town is become more rundown.

Could go on but food is ready

maggie and chris

Hi all you Midlanders

I'm Walsall born and Aldridge raised, then Sutton C'field, Harborne, and Pershore. Now live just outside of Lichfield - still Midlands really. OH Birmingham born and raised - worked in West Bromwich for years.

Pvt Chuff

Hi everyone, born and bred in Wolvo, grew up in Penn, then Tettenhall, now living just on the outskirts of town (whoops, I mean city, keep forgetting!) in Albrighton near RAF Cosford. Moving to Vancouver Island in the Summer. For all its faults, I shall miss it (well, a bit anyway), it has some great people.

mjwalker007

Yep, were from the midlands aswell !

originally Tile Cross, then Walmley(Sutton Coldfield) then just outside Redditch , a little place called Astwood Bank . Had a great little village feel about it, with a good school,good chippy and plenty of pubs !!! even though was still only ten minutes from Redditch Town Centre.

If only they had a Chicago Rock in Canada .................... Yeah right !!!!!

Sorry forgot to mention we are now in Beautiful, British Columbia !!! wouldnt change it for the world !!

PurpleLotus

Do we get a prize for being the closest to Dudley lol? Been living in BC for a couple of months now, originally from C/Heath - Proper Black Country ay it! ;-)
Although we're proud to be Black Country born and bred, life here in Beautiful British Columbia is much better...more relaxed, less stress, we get out more, and were lucky to be just 15 minutes away from mountains and lakes ( we can see mountains from the house - all we could see back home was Quarry Bonk! lol ) .... wouldnt go back now for all the oil in Alberta! ;-)
Ps... our dog loves it too! Cor say no mooer con yer!

Purps xxx :-)

jwood

I'm from Cradley Heath. Just down the road from the Merry Hell centre. No not a spelling mistake Merry Hill shopping centre was like walking into the depths of hell, especially around christmas time.
Living in Salisbury, Adelaide now.

PurpleLotus

Yayyyy... a fellow Heathen!
We lived 5 minutes drive from Merry Hill and last Christmas, knowing it was our last there - we walked around that place with gritted teeth, but content that it would be our last time to do so lol
Hope Adelaide is treating you well, isnt it great to escape! ;-)

Purps :-)

jwood

It's beautyful here, not a hooded teanager in sight (well apart from my two that is) Used to aviod Merry Hill like the plauge only venturing there for as short a time as possible.
Liked living in Cradley, neighbours were fantastic.
Was born in Winson Green (not the prison) moved to Kings Norton,Kings Heath, Selly Oak, Mosley and Woodgate Valley.
Left home and lived in Weoley Castle, Leominster, White Heath, Cradley Heath and now Adelaide. Not planning to go anywhere else although hubby likes Melbourne.

PurpleLotus

Yep, same here lol we went to Merry Hill only when it was neccessary, and even then if we could get out of it, we would! I was born and bred in Cradley, never lived anywhere else till we moved to Canada two months ago... and have no regrets! We visited a few times before getting a house etc, came here for interviews, viewed area's, went to real estate places etc... and from start to finish ( from the idea of moving to actually being here ) - the move took us two years.. they went by in a flash, and we know we made the right decision...even the hoodies here are polite! ;-)
Purps :-)

Zoe Bell

While this thread has been resurrected , the double murder thingy going on in Redditch at the moment , the disabled guy that they found in the suitcase and his carer that they found in the woods. Literally on my parents (and my childhood home) doorstep. The guy they've arrested lives on the corner of our block of the estate

Yet another Redditch claim to fame.

misplacedheidi

Lived in WMids from 92-03 (all over). Family in Lichfield.
We're In Kingston now and having fun!

PurpleLotus

Oh Zoe, how awful. I hadnt heard of that particular story, thats terrible. :-(
Purps :-(

Zoe Bell

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...cs/7364261.stm

sister went to school with murdered woman.

Live in Redditch long enough you end up murdered or murderer. It does that to you.

PurpleLotus

Just read that Zoe, thanks for posting it... very chilling. I also read the article about the two young lads who killed a girl for 'dressing goth'? If thats all it takes for two lads to attack someone and kill them these days, theres something VERY wrong.
Purps :-(

Harrypottermouse

I was born and raised in Willenhall...left at 18 lived in up state NY for a while came home, lived in Hull for 4 years, back to Wolverhampton, then to Penkridge, off to Claverham (south Bristol), then for last 5 years in Reading. We're looking to be in Saskatchewan by September