How Sunderland is viewed



They watch too much Geordie Shore

A few years ago, I was at a wedding down Teesdale, and the locals were very complimentry of Sunderland which took me by surprise. Its probably a Tyneside/North Durham thing who think Newcastle is the be all & end all of the north east.
I live in Teesdale and the locals love Sunderland and the mackems, especially me of course .
 
Some good points made on here. Just to pick up on a few...

Regional bias - I’ve mentioned this on other threads before. Since I took a job on the Tyne I’ve been in many discussions and meetings that related to either regional infrastructure projects or regional tourism projects and many others regarding regional funding. Sunderland is generally poorly represented, that’s one issue. The more significant is the constant anti-Sunderland propaganda (dramatic, granted but it’s the best word for it) that comes from the mouths of very senior people within the region. Often it’s said as a joke, but it stays with people who start to believe it. These little jokes and the “banter” (f***ing hate that word) are insidious, it grows and grows until the bants become a perceived reality. How we stop this I have no idea, but it starts by not laughing and not joining in with the tossers that instigate it.

Pleasant surprises - I’ve brought loads of people to Sunderland from all over the UK, Europe and North America. The UK based people are always pleasantly surprised because their preconceived ideas are generally very negative. Those from further afield generally don’t have such preconceived ideas and therefore just think it’s a really nice place, but the shops are shit close really early.

Self-deprecation - as Mackem, Wearsiders , whatever, we have crossed a line. The self-deprecation That is preprogrammed as part of our ways and our sense of humour has become self-hating. It pains me to say it but you will find no bigger critic of Sunderland than the ordinary man or woman in the street. Just look at the threads on here, whenever the city centre is talked about or something new is announced “it’s shit”. Even the Netflix documentary, before people had seen it “it’ll be shite, not for me, wont watch that shite again”, what f***ing chance do we stand when we destroy ourselves from the inside?
Good post this.
 
My mates from Whitburn refuse to come to into Sunderland for a drink over Christmas when we’re all home because of how rough it is.

Now I don’t like the town much but it’s safe to say they’re a bunch of f***ing idiots. They have never actually been to Sunderland for a drink before.
You are right, they are idiots- it's 2.5 miles ffs- they live nearer the town centre than people in Pennywell do.
 
Where i live not many people know much about the city unless they are football fans. I have to tell them it's close to Newcastle.

Often when I say I support Sunderland the first thing they say is either 'unlucky' or 'why. They find it strange I support the team where I was born rather than a top 4 team.
That's because they're all wankers .

And you do you think people around the country actually know where Durham is? The people who ask "is that next to Newcastle?" more than likely couldn't point out Newcastle on a map either. This "it's near Newcastle" line doesn't help people understand where Sunderland is IMO, if you want to do that "it's in the North East" will do.
Let's be honest, most people couldn't point to London on a map. Whenever I tell people I'm from County Durham the usual response (when there is one) is " Is that in Ireland ?
 
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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
TBF, when I first moved to the town I live in, it had a shocking reputation. A couple of weeks after we moved, we had a few friends come to stay, and decided to try out the local pubs. There were 17 of them at the time, in what is a relatively small town. The first pub we went into was, as we'd been warned, really rough. They wouldn't even serve strangers. We moved on, but had to give up in the end because one of the lads in our group was beat up for looking at somebody the wrong way. Now the town is very different. Ultra trendy with the hipster fraternity, and full of bars that are unwelcoming for a very different reason. I don't know what's worse. Pubs that are too rough, or pubs that are too cool.
 
TBF, when I first moved to the town I live in, it had a shocking reputation. A couple of weeks after we moved, we had a few friends come to stay, and decided to try out the local pubs. There were 17 of them at the time, in what is a relatively small town. The first pub we went into was, as we'd been warned, really rough. They wouldn't even serve strangers. We moved on, but had to give up in the end because one of the lads in our group was beat up for looking at somebody the wrong way. Now the town is very different. Ultra trendy with the hipster fraternity, and full of bars that are unwelcoming for a very different reason. I don't know what's worse. Pubs that are too rough, or pubs that are too cool.

Too rough.
 
"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.

on the whole yes but every single time we came to Sunderland for a night out we got grief ( mid to late 80s )

we probably stood out mind, always a mini bus full because there was no transport from Birtley to Sunderland and we wouldn't know where we were going either, never ventured into town on a matchday from Roker
 
on the whole yes but every single time we came to Sunderland for a night out we got grief ( mid to late 80s )

we probably stood out mind, always a mini bus full because there was no transport from Birtley to Sunderland and we wouldn't know where we were going either, never ventured into town on a matchday from Roker
That's a sad tale but to be fair, a group of Sunderland lads would probably attract bother in Birtley . We'd f***ing nack them of course .
 

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