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Retirement Destinations?

When I lived in Whitby it was sometimes almost impossible to walk along the west Cliff sometimes, the wind could be extremely strong and could blow people off their feet. We got cut off for 3 days once in the winter too, snow ploughs couldn't clear the roads.

Cheers BB
Plus the ever-present Goth hazard.
 
When I lived in Whitby it was sometimes almost impossible to walk along the West Cliff, the wind could be extremely strong and could blow people off their feet. We got cut off for 3 days once in the winter too, snow ploughs couldn't clear the roads.

Cheers BB

We've had that in sunny Essex, last time the army dug us out. Asked them in for a quick drink when they got here; never seen two bottles of scotch disappear so fast.

Then back on the loading shovels.
 
We've been twice (yes we gave it a second chance), I agree awful place, massively narcissist people - terrible, we won't be back

Were you mingling exclusively with hedge fund managers and venture capitalists :)?

There are 10 odd million people living within the boundaries on NY City and that many again in the greater NY metro area , the vast majority of whom, IME, have pretty normal personalities and are quite helpful to strangers.

Having said that, one can run into obnoxious folk anywhere, but that ought not detract from the intrinsic merit of the city.

I personally have had some very unpleasant experiences when visiting the UK, from rude sales staff at Harrods to the dismissive proprietor of a high end audio store (now defunct, name on request) where I went to buy a Revox tuner-preamp, was refused access to the facilities, told to use the loo at the local train station and come back to finalise the transaction. Then there was the truly obnoxious proprietor of a camera store in Camden (Nicholas Camera?) who responded to my polite enquiry about a second hand Leica displayed the store by asking me in a very aggressive tone why should he sell me that camera when he had regular customers who would buy it anyway. My response to such situations is to shrug and walk away. Life is too short, etc. it’s the individuals, not the city.
 
The broadband requirement was a tongue in cheek reference to a minimum level of development.

The pace of development can be very rapid.

About 4 years ago we went to see the Taj Mahal. During our trip we stayed for a few days in a small village with dodgy drinking water - boil before drinking - and poor phone service. I just heard that the village and its surrounding district now have fully functioning high speed internet. Netflix and Disney would be pleased.
 
Were you mingling exclusively with hedge fund managers and venture capitalists :)?

There are 10 odd million people living within the boundaries on NY City and that many again in the greater NY metro area , the vast majority of whom, IME, have pretty normal personalities and are quite helpful to strangers.

Having said that, one can run into obnoxious folk anywhere, but that ought not detract from the intrinsic merit of the city.

I personally have had some very unpleasant experiences when visiting the UK, from rude sales staff at Harrods to the dismissive proprietor of a high end audio store (now defunct, name on request) where I went to buy a Revox tuner-preamp, was refused access to the facilities, told to use the loo at the local train station and come back to finalise the transaction. Then there was the truly obnoxious proprietor of a camera store in Camden (Nicholas Camera?) who responded to my polite enquiry about a second hand Leica displayed the store by asking me in a very aggressive tone why should he sell me that camera when he had regular customers who would buy it anyway. My response to such situations is to shrug and walk away. Life is too short, etc. it’s the individuals, not the city.
You see in that situation for maximum effect you should have been more wholehearted in your criticism and condemned the
the entire population of the UK..
Ps any New Yorkers I spoke to were without exception cheerful and friendly.
 
You see in that situation for maximum effect you should have been more wholehearted in your criticism and condemned the
the entire population of the UK..

I’m here to defend my city, not to discuss the slave trade and the colonial enterprise, says he :D.
 
Were you mingling exclusively with hedge fund managers and venture capitalists :)?

There are 10 odd million people living within the boundaries on NY City and that many again in the greater NY metro area , the vast majority of whom, IME, have pretty normal personalities and are quite helpful to strangers.

Having said that, one can run into obnoxious folk anywhere, but that ought not detract from the intrinsic merit of the city.

I personally have had some very unpleasant experiences when visiting the UK, from rude sales staff at Harrods to the dismissive proprietor of a high end audio store (now defunct, name on request) where I went to buy a Revox tuner-preamp, was refused access to the facilities, told to use the loo at the local train station and come back to finalise the transaction. Then there was the truly obnoxious proprietor of a camera store in Camden (Nicholas Camera?) who responded to my polite enquiry about a second hand Leica displayed the store by asking me in a very aggressive tone why should he sell me that camera when he had regular customers who would buy it anyway. My response to such situations is to shrug and walk away. Life is too short, etc. it’s the individuals, not the city.
Staff being rude in hifi shops was the norm in the 90s. I was sneered at more times stay I care to remember. Told that I couldn't have a den of a Gyrodec because "you've only got a Rega 2" . OK. I left, bought an LP12. I had the money too. Refused a demo of a £500+ amp because "if you aren't definitely going to buy today I'm not wasting my time". OK. Goodbye. Bought a Quad instead. Then got sneered at in Leeds for having said Quad. "What are you doing messing around with that old thing?" "Because it sounds better than anything I've heard in your shop". Hifi retailers, I don't miss them.
 
I was disappointed when I last visited Whitby. Seemed to have lost the allure it had when I was younger. I prefer Staithes.
 
Unfortunately Whitby is a victim of its own success. When I lived there it sometimes got fairly packed in the summer but the winter was extremely quiet. Now it seems packed almost every weekend from March to October. Many second homes and holiday let’s mean it’s hard for locals to get on the housing ladder. I struggled to see a future for myself there 30 years ago and most of my school friends are spread far and wide. I certainly wouldn’t retire there, no hospital and the nearest 20 miles away. The winter can be very unforgiving and it’s a nightmare to get about in the summer.

Cheers BB
 
we were in Whitby for a few days in the 2nd week of April across a weekend and it was very quiet
 
Unfortunately Whitby is a victim of its own success. When I lived there it sometimes got fairly packed in the summer but the winter was extremely quiet. Now it seems packed almost every weekend from March to October. Many second homes and holiday let’s mean it’s hard for locals to get on the housing ladder. I struggled to see a future for myself there 30 years ago and most of my school friends are spread far and wide. I certainly wouldn’t retire there, no hospital and the nearest 20 miles away. The winter can be very unforgiving and it’s a nightmare to get about in the summer.

Cheers BB

The same could be said of many/most seaside towns, including my own favourite of Southwold (Adnams brewery, Battle of Sole Bay, River Blyth etc) nevertheless I would still retire there tomorrow given half an opportunity.
 
Staff being rude in hifi shops was the norm in the 90s. I was sneered at more times stay I care to remember. Told that I couldn't have a den of a Gyrodec because "you've only got a Rega 2" . OK. I left, bought an LP12. I had the money too. Refused a demo of a £500+ amp because "if you aren't definitely going to buy today I'm not wasting my time". OK. Goodbye. Bought a Quad instead. Then got sneered at in Leeds for having said Quad. "What are you doing messing around with that old thing?" "Because it sounds better than anything I've heard in your shop". Hifi retailers, I don't miss them.

Never had that experience personally with regard to hi-fi. Perhaps it's a regional thing. From my first visit in the mid eighties I was always welcomed at Sound Advice, Loughborough (Derek Whittington) whether buying or not, although I did spend quite a lot of money there over the years. Later on it was the same at Cymbiosis, Leicester (Peter Swaine). Couldn't have asked for more really.

Having said that, the patronising and sneering thing was a defacto experience at musical instrument shops when perusing geetars, etc. No matter the location. Go figure.

John
 


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