Lonely Planet Praises North of Britain

Why it's no longer 'grim up north'

Lonely Planet guide to Britain lavishes praise on buzzing and exciting cities and says urban regeneration has ironed out old divide

Polly Curtis
Tuesday May 24, 2005
The Guardian

Leeds, Birmingham and Newcastle are as "unmissable" as Rome, Venice or Florence, according to the authors of a new guide to Britain.

The Lonely Planet guide to Britain declares that urban regeneration projects have ironed out the north-south divide and it is no longer "grim up north".

Manchester is "one of Britain's most exciting and interesting cities", Newcastle upon Tyne has displayed "miraculous powers of urban regeneration", and Leeds is the "Knightsbridge of the north", the guide says.

Elsewhere, Bristol is "buzzing", Glasgow has a "contagious energy" and Birmingham is "new and improved".

London, meanwhile, is an "essential" part of a trip to Britain despite being "dirty, polluted and overcrowded".

"It might not swagger with the technicoloured exuberance of the 'swinging 60s', but it has long since got its mojo back," the book says.

But some of the capital's biggest attractions do not weather so well. The waxworks museum Madame Tussauds is "toweringly tedious", Buckingham Palace "distinctly underwhelming" and Leicester Square "heaving with tourists".

David Else, the book's coordinating author, said: "When it comes to great destinations, the north-south divide is a myth. Great Britain is now comparable to fine countries such as Italy, which boasts an array of unmissable cities like Rome, Venice, Florence, Turin and Milan."

"British cities are cleaner and tidier, with new buildings, and increasingly there are more outdoor spaces. You're far more likely to sit outside in Britain and eat a meal than ever before, weather permitting."

He added: "You can still find the traditional British ideas attributes, such as candyfloss by the sea and tea and frilly tablecloths in the Yorkshire Dales. But the dirty great concrete cities are long gone."

Leeds has been hailed as the shopping capital of the north and "Britain's Barcelona" ever since Harvey Nichols opened there. The store celebrates its 10th anniversary in Yorkshire next year. The book says: "From cutting edge couture to contemporary cuisine, Leeds will hand it to you in a stylishly designed bag or serve it on a fancy plate."

The book also lavishes praise on the Midlands. "Birmingham isn't what it once was," it concludes, praising the quality of the city centre, the architecture, and the urban renewal projects that have replaced the "dismal industrial parts of the town".

Swansea, meanwhile, is praised for its sea views and nightlife. "Dylan Thomas grew up here and called it an 'ugly lovely town'. With some post-war architectural exceptions, those days are largely history. Swansea is energetic, and has a wide choice of international restaurants and a pulsing weekend bar scene," the guide says.

Ian McMillan, Barnsley football club's poet-in-residence, welcomed the guide's verdict, but said it was a bit behind the times: "It's a cliche that it's grim up north. It's not been grim up north since they did away with industry in 1984.

"Leeds is full of footballers shopping in Harvey Nichols, Sheffield is full of men in hard hats building things and Barnsley is the new Tuscany."

Don Stewart, executive director of Yorkshire Forward, the economic development agency for the region, said: "If you surveyed Londoners about Leeds there's a good chance you'd get flat caps, doilies and Michael Parkinson. But the economy here has changed. It's loft apartments and people with big disposable incomes. It takes time to change that perception."

Not to be missed


Newcastle

The Geordies themselves are the real draw: proud, positive, and blessed (or cursed) with an ability to party unmatched anywhere else in Europe.

Glasgow

Few cities in Britain have the contagious energy that you'll find bubbling away on its streets and in its justifiably famous pubs and bars.

Leeds

Almost perfect reflection of British zeitgeist.

Birmingham

New and improved: a visit is mandatory for anyone clinging to the outdated impression.

Bristol

An artistic incubator and aeronautical hub, combining hip street culture with cutting-edge technology to make it one of Britain's hotbeds of innovation.

Cardiff

Smaller than London or Manchester, but with modern and historic sights, international restaurants, slick bars, and a zinging music scene that make it less overwhelming, just as imaginative, and friendlier.

Swansea

Swansea is energetic, and has a wide choice of international restaurants and a pulsing weekend bar scene.>