How Sunderland is viewed



Dave Herbal said:
I have an annual meet up with friends every December, and this year we decided to do it in Sunderland, rather than the usual Newcastle. One lass from Shields (of all places) twisted like fuck about it, saying that the town was both “rough” and “minging”, despite having never drank there for years. I took them round the fire station area and everyone seemed pleasantly surprised how civilised it was.
Last week we were discussing the next work do and I said we’ve never been to Sunderland. Both the lasses I was talking to raised their eyebrows and said “but it’s rough as fuck isn’t it?” (This from resisdents of Consett. CONSETT!) then went on to explain how one of their boyfriends had a night out here and “got filled in in the first pub”. Now considering Consett is the most violent place I’ve ever been out in, and I see virtually no trouble in Sunderland, where has this reputation come from? Is this really how people view us?
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You have friends ? :-O
 
Steak Pie said:
Dave is frightened of Consett lads, that much is clear.
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I was in Time bar once and there were three separate fights in 30 minutes.

PhilSAFC said:
Town centre is canny grim so probably aye.
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Bollocks. It’s no different to any large town centre for a night out. You’ve got decent older persons pubs and places for the young uns. There aren’t any pubs that are no-go zones, except the Hobo triangle, and that’s handily out of the way.
 
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Dave Herbal said:
I have an annual meet up with friends every December, and this year we decided to do it in Sunderland, rather than the usual Newcastle. One lass from Shields (of all places) twisted like fuck about it, saying that the town was both “rough” and “minging”, despite having never drank there for years. I took them round the fire station area and everyone seemed pleasantly surprised how civilised it was.
Last week we were discussing the next work do and I said we’ve never been to Sunderland. Both the lasses I was talking to raised their eyebrows and said “but it’s rough as fuck isn’t it?” (This from resisdents of Consett. CONSETT!) then went on to explain how one of their boyfriends had a night out here and “got filled in in the first pub”. Now considering Consett is the most violent place I’ve ever been out in, and I see virtually no trouble in Sunderland, where has this reputation come from? Is this really how people view us?
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Hate to say it of my home city, but we are viewed as Newcastles scruffier uglier little brother.

How many people from around the country given a choice of a night out in either would choose Sunderland ?
 
Sidewinder2 said:
Hate to say it of my home city, but we are viewed as Newcastles scruffier uglier little brother.

How many people from around the country given a choice of a night out in either would choose Sunderland ?
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I accept that, but how are the pubs scruffier? It’s not like it’s full of those minging 2 bit bars that make up foreign holiday resorts. You can get proper ale in most of them, and the clientele are fine. I went to Houghton once and there were charvas with their hoodies up on a Saturday night. You wouldn’t get away with that in town.
 
stephen cartwright said:
To get filled in, in the first pub you visit takes some doing

I’ve never witnessed anyone get filled in, without them 100% working their tickets and getting a deserved slap
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It does goes on probably a lot more than you think. I’ve seen people punched, head butted, beaten the shit out of, stabbed and glassed over literally nothing over the years. But you are right it doesn’t happen often and it’s usually people working their ticket.
 
Dave Herbal said:
I accept that, but how are the pubs scruffier? It’s not like it’s full of those minging 2 bit bars that make up foreign holiday resorts. You can get proper ale in most of them, and the clientele are fine. I went to Houghton once and there were charvas with their hoodies up on a Saturday night. You wouldn’t get away with that in town.
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Not saying I agree marra but you asked how its viewed.
 
Dave Herbal said:
I have an annual meet up with friends every December, and this year we decided to do it in Sunderland, rather than the usual Newcastle. One lass from Shields (of all places) twisted like fuck about it, saying that the town was both “rough” and “minging”, despite having never drank there for years. I took them round the fire station area and everyone seemed pleasantly surprised how civilised it was.
Last week we were discussing the next work do and I said we’ve never been to Sunderland. Both the lasses I was talking to raised their eyebrows and said “but it’s rough as fuck isn’t it?” (This from resisdents of Consett. CONSETT!) then went on to explain how one of their boyfriends had a night out here and “got filled in in the first pub”. Now considering Consett is the most violent place I’ve ever been out in, and I see virtually no trouble in Sunderland, where has this reputation come from? Is this really how people view us?
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She must walk about shields with her eyes shut i take it.......................
 
Dave Herbal said:
But I’m wondering where this reputation has come from?
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Mainly on here from people who never even visit place.

They always go to great lengths to tell you how much they avoid it and have done for years, but despite this they are absolutely bang up to speed about how crap it is.

"My Geordie accent is too much hassle"? There's loads of Sandies around the town on a matchday without trouble. Plenty of people come from all over the northeast to visit the Empire absolutely hassle-free.

People spouting utter nonsense, the people are great and friendly on the whole.
 
I think the university plays a part tbh. Newcastle and Durham are very good uni's with a fairly long history. Attracts affluent students etc. Plus we only "recently" made City status and have pretty shit transport links to the rest of the country. Durham and Newcastle have mainline stations (yes I know we connect to it) and Newcastle has an airport and metro links. Both arguably longer history and let's be honest the visitor attractions in Sunderland are pretty much the glass centre and the beach.
 
Dave Herbal said:
I have an annual meet up with friends every December, and this year we decided to do it in Sunderland, rather than the usual Newcastle. One lass from Shields (of all places) twisted like fuck about it, saying that the town was both “rough” and “minging”, despite having never drank there for years. I took them round the fire station area and everyone seemed pleasantly surprised how civilised it was.
Last week we were discussing the next work do and I said we’ve never been to Sunderland. Both the lasses I was talking to raised their eyebrows and said “but it’s rough as fuck isn’t it?” (This from resisdents of Consett. CONSETT!) then went on to explain how one of their boyfriends had a night out here and “got filled in in the first pub”. Now considering Consett is the most violent place I’ve ever been out in, and I see virtually no trouble in Sunderland, where has this reputation come from? Is this really how people view us?
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People from towns around the north east base their drinking experience on a night out in Newcastle and not supporting their own economies. Hence why a lot of boozers struggle in places like consett, cramlington, shields etc because people are going to Newcastle to be weekend millionaires. In people's head Sunderland is the diametric opposite.
Regional bias against Sunderland. It exists subtly and overtly

Local media is biased, political decisions are biased, developmental decisions are biased against Sunderland.

From a young age the term "Mackem" is interchangeable with being a three headed, fire breathing monster that eats kittens. And Sunderland is like Mordor from lord of the rings.

Just wrong perceptions

Paddy O'Dors said:
"My Geordie accent is too much hassle"? There's loads of Sandies around the town on a matchday without trouble. Plenty of people come from all over the northeast to visit the Empire absolutely hassle-free.

People spouting utter nonsense.
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Totally agree this is utter claptrap. Plenty of people I know from around the region drink in Sunderland with no hassle at all. The idea people have accents so different that they get hassle is BS. The uncomfortable truth is the accents are very alike and are indistinguishable to someone from outside the region.
 
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Down south when anybody asks where I'm from they often reply "That's near Newcastle, isn't it?" or "What league are you in now?". When I've taken people to visit they've been pleasantly surprised.
 

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