[News] When council estates were a dream.

[Cheshire Cat]

I grew up on a council estate in Bradford... It was so rough other kids weren't allowed to 'come round' - which annoyed me so much as a child it gave me immense drive to do well as an adult, so not all bad.

To quote :

Nobody thought about or took drugs. : Agreed.. drugs just weren't even a 'thing' back then. Not even weed!

Nobody drank excessively. : They did on our estate. We had paper thin walls and I used to lay in bed at night being kept awake by the jail-hopping scrotes next door shouting down the great white bugle come 11.30pm most nights. Arguments and squabbles used to echo across the estate on Friday and Saturday nights like kicking out time at Mordor...

Nobody stole cars and had the police chasing them through the streets. : Plenty of stolen cars ended up on our estate, but none were taken from it. They were all crap cars.

When the police did have to turn up, there was not a gang of kids and parents giving the old bill a hard time. : I never really saw the police, apart from when they were arresting one of the scrotes next door. They were beyond stupid and used to commit a crime (burglary usually) then bring home their stolen stuff and have it in their house! The rest of the estate were a bit sharper.

Nobody had fridges, long grass and 20 kids bikes in the front garden. : Yes they did on my estate.. Most front yards looked like Steptoes back one.

And, most importantly of all, the cigarette and XL chewing gum machine (free pack every 4th turn) remained on the wall outside the paper shop for my entire time there. Today, I don't think it would last an hour. : Ours would have 'Daz 4 Kaz' marker penned on it, but you're right - it never got smashed or stolen.

Still... it was up North...

This

I lived on an estate in Wigan for 2 years. The main issue was the boyfriend of the girl who lived in the next door flat, who was a 5ft nothing violent scrote and a half. Endless entertainment listening to their rows - less so at 2.30 in the morning.

And the times some kids set fire to the communal bin shute.

And the bloke with his mates in the upstairs flat,and their truly terrible taste in LOUD music into the early hours (one of us had a job to get up for - they didn't).

And the pervasive smell of cannabis in the stairwell.

And when somebody robbed the entire contents of my flat, including all the electrics, clothes, books, records (it was in 1992), microwave, curtains a double bed ffs, and "nobody saw or heard a thing".

Which was when I moved out, and never went back

 

[Blues Rock DJ]

so where do they (and estates in general) get the reputations from?

think Weststander has summed it up perfectly in the thread above yours ?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

This

I lived on an estate in Wigan for 2 years. The main issue was the boyfriend of the girl who lived in the next door flat, who was a 5ft nothing violent scrote and a half. Endless entertainment listening to their rows - less so at 2.30 in the morning.

And the times some kids set fire to the communal bin shute.

And the bloke with his mates in the upstairs flat,and their truly terrible taste in LOUD music into the early hours (one of us had a job to get up for - they didn't).

And the pervasive smell of cannabis in the stairwell.

And when somebody robbed the entire contents of my flat, including all the electrics, clothes, books, records (it was in 1992), microwave, curtains a double bed ffs, and "nobody saw or heard a thing".

Which was when I moved out, and never went back

Look at the positives you didn’t need to pack or hire a van to move.

 

[8049]

I grew up on a council estate in Shoreham and don't share the positive view of most of the other posters on here. When I was very young it was fun, playing with the other neighbourhood kids but then the council put up "no ball games allowed" signs and, over the years, most of the other kids' parents managed to do better for themselves and moved away. From the age of about 11, my strongest memories are of Friday night chip pan fires (at least one a month somewhere), Saturday night drunken fights (banging on doors, "Sharon/Kath/insert name here, let me in, I love you", annual visits of the Mormons to try and save our lousy souls, loud neighbours, being freezing in the winter (no heating upstairs) and the comings and goings (and comings, I guess) of the gentleman visitors to one of the flats opposite. I'm sure it's got worse but it wasn't great back in the 70s and 80s.

 

[maltaseagull]

Not sure that putting rules in would help imho, need to change society .
and share the wealth , education and earning a livable wage is the answer, minimum wage doesnt cover rent and council tax, the worlds gone wrong

There are models of this in Scandinavian countries where it is accepted that there will be unemployment but their benefits allow a reasonable standard of living.
This is paid for by much higher income taxes.
I think that the majority of the electorate in the UK would be unlikely to vote for a party that said we will ensure great health and social care and a fair benefits system allowing a reasonable standard of living in good housing but we will increase income tax from 25% to 30% or more.

I am sure all of NSC, being generous caring people, would agree to this but the rest of the country? Nahh

 

[Surrey_Albion]

There are models of this in Scandinavian countries where it is accepted that there will be unemployment but their benefits allow a reasonable standard of living.
This is paid for by much higher income taxes.
I think that the majority of the electorate in the UK would be unlikely to vote for a party that said we will ensure great health and social care and a fair benefits system allowing a reasonable standard of living in good housing but we will increase income tax from 25% to 30% or more.

I am sure all of NSC, being generous caring people, would agree to this but the rest of the country? Nahh

Not sure what youre getting at, on estates you were frown upon for ebing unemployed and everyone had a job even if it was a **** job, i think stating everyone on a council estate is on the rock amd roll says more about you than me, i was just saying the average wage doesnt cover rent and council tax

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Not sure what youre getting at, on estates you were frown upon for ebing unemployed and everyone had a job even if it was a **** job, i think stating everyone on a council estate is on the rock amd roll says more about you than me, i was just saying the average wage doesnt cover rent and council tax

That’s why working people have to claim Working tax benefits and council tax rebates.

 

[banjo]

Council estate boy too. Only have fond memories of growing up.

 

[Brovion]

Echo what others have said. We moved into the Mash Barn council estate in Lancing (Daniel Close) when it was built in 1967. My (divorced) mum bringing up three children on her own on just a student grant, family allowance and a few part-time jobs - and the help and support of our neighbours. It was a fantastic community where everybody looked out for everybody else. Everybody knew everybody, everybody helped everybody. My mum made lifelong friends there and has always said it was the best place she ever lived, even though we were dirt poor and financially she was at rock bottom.

All gone now of course. 'Right To Buy' destroyed it.

 

[theboybilly]

I loved my council estate childhood. There were fights amongst the kids and occasional petty crime but nothing major really. We had some families that thought they were above council estate living but they shared the same rubbish shute so that showed 'em. Everybody got along in the main until the early 80s when Greenwich Council thought it a good idea to import the problem families from other areas like Thamesmead (which was a sought after place to live at the time). These folk were never likely to learn from the decent folk but rather they would just p*ss off the people already living there. I was glad to get out and buy my own place away from there. It is unrecognisable as my childhood home now.

 

[METALMICKY]

Born and raised on an Eastbourne council estate in the 70's and only have fond memories. People worked, gardens and properties were looked after, as kids we behaved and there was no trouble whatsoever. So what's changed?

The council stock has been sold off to housing associations who just don't care and do all on the cheap and who let out to anyone. Gardens are unkept and the cliché broken down cars sitting on driveways have appeared. Younger kids run up and down the street unsupervised whilst the older ones just lurk on corners with a beer and a pseudo pit bull in tow ( in reality a staffie). In my view this is perhaps not just a council estate issue but is perhaps magnified in such areas. Within society as a whole there has been a decline in standards of decency and responsibility.

 

[maltaseagull]

Not sure what youre getting at, on estates you were frown upon for ebing unemployed and everyone had a job even if it was a **** job, i think stating everyone on a council estate is on the rock amd roll says more about you than me, i was just saying the average wage doesnt cover rent and council tax

I wasn't having a pop at you or anyone . Just trying to point out that many people in the UK expect great healthcare and benefits but not to pay higher taxes to cover the cost.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

I wasn't having a pop at you or anyone . Just trying to point out that many people in the UK expect great healthcare and benefits but not to pay higher taxes to cover the cost.

Theres a fair few who get away with i agree, the very rich and the third generation benefits people, hence equality and education needs reforming, its unfair if you are a young family earning 18k a year and council tax and rent eqaute to 1100 a month , yet a busines earning millions a tear is allowed a tax loophole , along with many of the privileged

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

I grew up on a council estate in Shoreham and don't share the positive view of most of the other posters on here. When I was very young it was fun, playing with the other neighbourhood kids but then the council put up "no ball games allowed" signs and, over the years, most of the other kids' parents managed to do better for themselves and moved away. From the age of about 11, my strongest memories are of Friday night chip pan fires (at least one a month somewhere), Saturday night drunken fights (banging on doors, "Sharon/Kath/insert name here, let me in, I love you", annual visits of the Mormons to try and save our lousy souls, loud neighbours, being freezing in the winter (no heating upstairs) and the comings and goings (and comings, I guess) of the gentleman visitors to one of the flats opposite. I'm sure it's got worse but it wasn't great back in the 70s and 80s.

You make a great point about being freezing in the winter.
We had gas hot air heating, every 30 minutes you would smell gas and it would go BANG!
Instead of getting the council in to fix it my Dad would just say Fire number one.
The hot air never made it upstairs and when we had freezing winters it was so cold in my bedroom I used to get dressed for school under the blankets, there was ice on the inside of the windows.
Thinking back the house was also full of asbestos.
Fond memories though.

 

[dazzer6666]

I never lived on a council estate, because my (very working class) parents scrimped and saved enough go put a deposit of a few hundred quid down on a millworkers cottage - so with a mortgage of £1500 they were proud houseowners......

Both sets of grandparents though lived on council estates throughout their entire lives and I spent ages with both of them. Mum’s parents estate, in the same village, was fairly typical. Everyone knew everyone, always in and out of each others houses, with always a few local scrotes and loonies about but these were quite often ‘dealt with’ if they crapped on their own so to speak. Every so often someone ‘new’ would move in and they’d be viewed with suspicion for AGES, and if they were foreign, even longer [emoji23][emoji23] The local copper’s car was often parked up on the estate but we all knew he was ‘taking down particulars’ most of the time as he was always in the same house.

Had many happy days up there with lots of pals, and of course the odd beating from a few too.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I never lived on a council estate, because my (very working class) parents scrimped and saved enough go put a deposit of a few hundred quid down on a millworkers cottage - so with a mortgage of £1500 they were proud houseowners......

Both sets of grandparents though lived on council estates throughout their entire lives and I spent ages with both of them. Mum’s parents estate, in the same village, was fairly typical. Everyone knew everyone, always in and out of each others houses, with always a few local scrotes and loonies about but these were quite often ‘dealt with’ if they crapped on their own so to speak. Every so often someone ‘new’ would move in and they’d be viewed with suspicion for AGES, and if they were foreign, even longer [emoji23][emoji23] The local copper’s car was often parked up on the estate but we all knew he was ‘taking down particulars’ most of the time as he was always in the same house.

Had many happy days up there with lots of pals, and of course the odd beating from a few too.

My mum and dad could have done the same as yours in buying a house...but as my Mum was quick to remind me ‘’we had you’’...so council house upbringing it was....not sure I recognise all these stories...my best mates were those who lived ‘over the wall’ in the private sector....everyone didn’t know everyone...maybe just the group of houses you were close to....i probably know more where I live now than my parents did.....maybe it’s more a question of what part of the country you grew up in

 

[dazzer6666]

My mum and dad could have done the same as yours in buying a house...but as my Mum was quick to remind me ‘’we had you’’...so council house upbringing it was....not sure I recognise all these stories...my best mates were those who lived ‘over the wall’ in the private sector....everyone didn’t know everyone...maybe just the group of houses you were close to....i probably know more where I live now than my parents did.....maybe it’s more a question of what part of the country you grew up in

Probably a lot to do with it......this was in a small village in deepest mid-Devon. Wasn’t much distinction between council and non-council families really. Fairly gentle place all round.

 

[maffew]

I grew up on an estate and it was bloody terrifying. Run by 2 or 3 extended families, and kids 6 or 7 years old as hard as nails really beating the living crap out of each other. Teens making you go home and steal your dads deodarant so they could sniff it or set fire to something. Often their school

And that was just the girls. The ones who werent pregnant anyway

 

[Lower West Stander]

My mum and dad could have done the same as yours in buying a house...but as my Mum was quick to remind me ‘’we had you’’...so council house upbringing it was....not sure I recognise all these stories...my best mates were those who lived ‘over the wall’ in the private sector....everyone didn’t know everyone...maybe just the group of houses you were close to....i probably know more where I live now than my parents did.....maybe it’s more a question of what part of the country you grew up in

I think this is true.

I didn’t grow up on a council estate but when I lived in Manchester in the 80s, there were some god awful places no more than half a mile from where I lived.

These are the places where the Brady and Hindley committed their crimes and drug gangs ran free. No way would I feel safe walking through some of those streets at night. Also remember my grandma telling stories of the fights she used to watch from the kitchen of her council flat.

Would I feel safe in Moss Side today? No.

So I really think it depends on where you lived. And I don’t think that’s changed much over the years.


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[Bry Nylon]

Nothing but happy memories of council estates growing up as a teenager on the Weald.

I didn't live on one, but the girl I was seeing did. Her mum, her older brother and older sister all worked night shifts at a local chicken factory so I had carte blanche to spend Friday evenings round there with my hand down her knickers whilst we watched 'The Word.'

You can't buy memories like that.