Liverpool/Manchester

[Bagpuss]

Haydock is a former mining community; even mentioning Thatcher there could lead to confrontation. Standish is about 2 junctions further up the M6 and is a much nicer town,

According Wikipedia the last colliery closed in 1971, a little before Thatchers time. It's more famous for horse racing than anything.

[brianbetter]

The Leafy Wirral

Come to the Leafy Wirral, Liverpool on one side over the Mersey, Wales on the over over the Dee and the Irish sea to the North. Surrounded by beach and home to many golf courses, inclduing Hoylake (The Open 2006) and Wallasey (home of Stableford).
You are never more than 15 minutes from the sea or the countryside, the Welsh mountains are 40 minutes away and you can be in Liverpool or Manchester very quickly too.
Heswall is the place to be, Rafa Benitez and many Liverpool players live there and for £1m you will get a pad overlooking the Welsh Hills with 6 bedrooms, swimming pool, etc.....

[rootsnall]

Haydock is a former mining community; even mentioning Thatcher there could lead to confrontation. Standish is about 2 junctions further up the M6 and is a much nicer town,

Haydock is ropey but is just about in the right spot to cover a wide spread of daily commutable contract work so you want to be looking for somewhere nicer but still near to the M6/M62. Standish and other green bits to the North and West of Wigan are OK but don't expect anything too exciting if you are still looking for a young free and single lifestyle.

[The Lone Gunman]

Haydock is ropey but is just about in the right spot to cover a wide spread of daily commutable contract work so you want to be looking for somewhere nicer but still near to the M6/M62. Standish and other green bits to the North and West of Wigan are OK but don't expect anything too exciting if you are still looking for a young free and single lifestyle.

Watch out for the pie eaters, they will get you.

[DaveB]

Watch out for the pie eaters, they will get you.

But TLG is working Germany atm so you are pretty safe

For a comprehensive description of the Pie-Eater epithet H2G2 has a splendid entry.

[rootsnall]

Watch out for the pie eaters, they will get you.

I am one ! I'd be more wary of the lobby gobblers.

[The Lone Gunman]

But TLG is working Germany atm so you are pretty safe

For a comprehensive description of the Pie-Eater epithet H2G2 has a splendid entry.

I am from Morecambe I'll have you know!!! Pie eater indeed. I did work there for a while though.
Love that entry. Quite brilliant.

[rootsnall]

I am from Morecambe.

The land that time forgot ! It must of been both exciting and exotic working in Wigan.

I hadn't been to Morecambe for years but took the kids when they were moaning about the muddy beach at Arnside

[SizeZero]

According Wikipedia the last colliery closed in 1971, a little before Thatchers time. It's more famous for horse racing than anything.

No, Parkside in Newton-Le-Willows (major employer in Haydock at the time) was a 10 min drive and that was going strong right up to the miner's strike, which was staunchly observed there, and affected the entire town in one way or another. As with most mining towns since, their industry has gone and nothing replaced it, so it has that 'living morgue' appeal. I wouldn't recommend living there. Standish or Billinge are both a bit classier/nicer scenery, but as Rootsnall pointed out, it's a pretty rural social scene.

[someone has my name]

Cheers all,
Standish ,Billinge bothsounds cool and Worsley? ..
I am married now with a wee sprog .. so left the single lifestyle well behind!