Birmingham like two separate cities?
I have noticed that Birmingham is like two differnt places. The south and southwest of Birmingham seem to be populated with mostly ethnic British people as do some of the outer extremities of Birmingham, whereas the north seems to be populated by a mix of different races but seems to lack just one race and thats the British. I moved to Witton Aston so I could be near to Birmingham city university. The area is tolerant because there are lots of different cultures living there. There are disagreements between the different cultures sometimes, but if you keep yourself to yourself you are quite safe in Witton Aston and the people are so friendly. However not many white people seem to want to live in the area. However they live in areas where they pay a stupid cost for their rent just so they can be in white areas. I have noticed that the few British whites who live in this area rarely shop in the Asian shops and they go to Tesco. They also stay in their houses and have little to do with the local community and don't stand outside and talk to neighbours. They hide away Their food shop at Tesco will cost them much more money, but they think it is worth it to behave white and they will spend their last penny in a British shop. I notice a lot of people in Birmingham do not like the forgeiners much and go out there way to avoid them and I've heard jokes about not trusting what they put inside their kebabs and things. Why is there this kind of attitude not to go in an area because its not white? It is like an apartite system. In Soho road in Handsworth I feel awkward because I'm always the only British people there, but I don't come from Birmingham so I don't have a brummy accent. The foreigners think I am Polish because they think I'm English because not many British live in those areas! I know some none white areas are rough, but so are some white areas. Since I moved into an Asian area I have had less problems off people than when I lived in a white area in my home town. It does freak me out a bit though because some of the forgein people lead such different lifestyles and I do feel loney sometimes, like the only Brit in the area and wish more would just move over here LOL
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I don't know where to start lol. I am white and was born in the south of Birmingham and lived there until 2003 (apart from a brief spell in the city centre). I lived in a part of Kings Norton with my mom, the area was fine. I then left home when I was 17, again living in the south. Later after I met my first partner, I moved to the city centre 1991, and lived there for a year. I hated it, pollution and noise. We then moved to a lovely leafy suburb Wythall 1992, and I lived there until 2000. Then back to Kings Norton, a worse part. The white neighbours were appalling, drinking on the streets and general anti social behaviour and once they found out I was gay, that was it, I was targeted. Some WHITE thug even tried to mug me, but I stood up to him. Since 2003, I have lived in Edgbaston/bordering Winson Green. The area is a general mix of all nationalities, and people accept everyone. It is ok living here, I have never felt afraid like I did in the primarily white Kings Norton. I think the key is, we are all just people, there is good and bad in all races. The UK primarily has a problem with white families living on welfare, and not bothering to even try to get work.
As for where I shop, well Tesco or Asda, because they are large supermarkets. The local muslim mini supermarket has excellent fruit and vegetables, which are a lot cheaper than the supermarkets.
I'm white, 56, and I live in south Birmingham, just over a mile from the house I was born in.
Apart from 3 years in Manchester when I went to uni, I've lived around south Birmingham all my life.
I've been in the house I live in now for over 25 years, and I'd say that between about a quarter and a third of the houses in my road are owned by Asians, and the rest are white.
Where I live, in Kings Heath, there is a High Street within walking distance, and there are a mix of shops there, including Asian shops, and supermarkets from a few of the big chains.
At each end of my road there is an Asian shop, and I think most of the residents use these on a regular basis.
The only violence I've been directly connected with was when my son was mugged by a white kid and a west indian kid, but I'm sure the white kid was the instigator of that crime.
Almost all of the residents get along just fine with each other, as was shown during the summer street party that we held. The road was closed to traffic, we had a bouncing castle for the kids, tables of food lined up, musicians playing, and everyone had a great time.
I think that your view that the south side of Birmingham is expensive is a little misguided, although I know that property prices in the area are something like 12 to 15 times more than when I bought my house 25 years ago, but the same can be said about all regions.
Any area is only as good or bad as it's residents make it, and I have no desire to move from my area in the foreseeable future.
Annexation decisions are made between local municipality (city) Your current community's boundaries sound interesting, however you cannot expect the adjoining city to provide any of the incidentals that you need to be successful unless they receive something in return. For example, in the City of Birmingham, you are paying taxes so that you can receive police, fire protection and water/sewer. The adjacent city is not receiving any financial support from you, so they would be less likely to send a police officer out if your neighbors do something criminal. So try to get the services that you need from the one who you're paying your taxes to. If there was anything extraordinary about your community, the adjoining city would have attempted to annex your area long ago.
i thought i was the only one who had noticed
i'm from bartley green which is south west.
most people that live by me are indeed white,
but when i start to travel more i notice the increase in mixed cultures/races.
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