I just wanted to express my appreciation for the great city of Sheffield and it's fine friendly people.
I moved her almost exactly 12 month's ago after spending all my life o'er t' big hill in Manchester and I absolutely love it here.
The Sheffielders are a similar breed to Mancunians IMHO in that they are a warm heated, friendly people who talk to you at the bus stop or on the tram, even though they don't know you - do that in London and people think you're f*cking crazy and want you locked up.
Also, I look forward to taking walks at weekend around Wyming Brook, the Botanical Gardens [which are stunningly presented], the Porter valley, Rivelin valley, Bradfield, Millhouses park, Eccleshall woods - the list is endless. I used to read about the Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire and thought the place would be run by idealogical extremists, but I know realise that public money is spent in areas that most of the public can enjoy the benefits - The parks department who look after Sheffield's green spaces and protected ancient woodlands, public projects like the Peace Gardens are really attractive and then the tram system albeit limited, is a great resource to the city's people.
I know the council hate car users but I've got to learn to live with that and be prepared to buy 2 new sets of steering bushes each year!
I can even go out on the bevvy of a Friday night in 'town' without getting my head kicked in by some f*ckwits - a pleasure very rarely granted by the f*ckwits of Manchester and district!
Then there's the 'proper' pubs, that have real people serving real beer, where you can have a chat at the bar on your way home from work, and take your dog in with you at weekends - there's still loads left in Sheffield - all these pleasure that are being taken away due the closure of the old fashioned street corner pubs which are being replaced by rapidly by souless Wetherspoon type places.
Then I got to thinking - what do Sheffielders think about my old stamping ground of Manchester? I was reading a book by Stuart Maconie entitled 'Pies and Prejudice - a view of the north' in which he said that 'Manchester has fancied it's self rotten for years now' and now as an outsider from Manchester, I can see exactly what he was getting at !!
PS. I recomend this book - it's both very funny and incredibly observant.
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