Discussion
mawds said:
Coventry is an unmitigated shithole. Never ever go there. Ever. I have never been to a worse place, and I've been to Hull.
I once left a job in Coventry to get one in Hull (Walsgrave to Hull Royal). Reason? - because Hull is nicer.
Whilst I worked in Coventry, I used to commute from my Dad's house near Stoke - meaning I had to get up at 5am & got home around 8-9pm, despite the offer of free accommodation in Coventry, because I wanted to be as far from the place as possible for as long as possible.
Bearing in mind that it was Stoke that I was going home to, I think this illustrates how bloody awful Coventry is.
Lois, I bet you're really looking forward to this week-end now !
Concrete city! thats the only fair comment this place can be given! im not sure where the ibis hotel in Coventry is, but generally the train station is a nightmare. there are a few cinemas, bowling alleys etc in coventry also as mentioned above, the transport museum always used to be rather good, there is also the cathedral which is right next to the uni.
i would say birmingham or stratford are much more cultural with a few more museums and attractions.
It would be great to catch up again too if there is time
i would say birmingham or stratford are much more cultural with a few more museums and attractions.
It would be great to catch up again too if there is time
The Ibis and Formule 1 hotels (use that word in the loosest sense for the F1) are both within walking distance of the train station on the edge of the City Centre.
Both are perfectly fine as long as you aren't expecting the Ritz. Only difference between the two is the rooms in the F1 are NOT ensuite.
Last time I went back to Cov (lived there for 6 or so years) was the night before PF2003, and I stayed in the F1 (£20 or so).
If drinking far too much is not on the agenda then Stratford is a nicer place to go, as are Leamington and Warwick, but I'm not sure you could spend a whole day there without getting bored.
Both are perfectly fine as long as you aren't expecting the Ritz. Only difference between the two is the rooms in the F1 are NOT ensuite.
Last time I went back to Cov (lived there for 6 or so years) was the night before PF2003, and I stayed in the F1 (£20 or so).
If drinking far too much is not on the agenda then Stratford is a nicer place to go, as are Leamington and Warwick, but I'm not sure you could spend a whole day there without getting bored.
vixpy1 said:
If you think Coventry is bad... Have you been to Stockport!!!
I doubt you could find the place.
It is a shit hole but not as bad as Coventry and of course quite a long way from you which is fast becoming its most redeeming feature 
Bear in mind of course that Stockport is the model the deputy prime minister is proposing as the gold standard for the green town of the future. So a shit coming to your town soon....
in a decent town hall with a Lambo dealership nearby does not a shit hole make..... Having been born and bred in Coventry, I feel I must leep to the City's defence. Unfortunately, due to the fact that everything stated in the previous posts is on the whole correct! The fact that I moved out of the hole @16 goes a long way to prove that, but should you have the misfortune to visit, the station itself is worth a look, it's a listed building, and I think it's a rather beautiful modern design. Then theres the Cathedrals, old and new, the new one contains the Sutherland tapestry of Christ, which is a quite impressive peice of needlework, the old one contains , well nothing!. The transport museum as previously stated is interesting, but someone said there was a tour of the Truimph factory!? Well, the Triumph motorcylce factory at Meriden closed down before I left in 1982, and the Standard Truimph car factory is now a shopping centre so no joy there I'd imagine. In a nutshell, not a place I'd bother with.
Whilst Coventry is a heavily industrialised town that got a fair share of Germany's ammunition thrown at it in WWII, with rebuilding in a post-modern 50s and 60s style there are some parts worth a visit.
I would start with the Cathedral and then go towards the town hall area. There are a number of wooden beam buildings that are well preserved. You can then make your way to the Motor Museum. I would consider going to the museum Jaguar have on Browns Lane if it is open.
What is sad about Coventry is that until the 1960s it was the centre of Britain's automotive industry, and was significant in the production of machine tools, bicycles, phones, textiles, aircraft, buses, engines and tractors. As the companies got merged into BL and Chrysler, then demerged post BL or sold to the French, so the need for tooling and parts made in the area dropped, causing the decline of the place. Jaguar and Peugeot are amongst the largest employers in the area.
God awful depressing, but fascinating like an aircraft crash.
I would start with the Cathedral and then go towards the town hall area. There are a number of wooden beam buildings that are well preserved. You can then make your way to the Motor Museum. I would consider going to the museum Jaguar have on Browns Lane if it is open.
What is sad about Coventry is that until the 1960s it was the centre of Britain's automotive industry, and was significant in the production of machine tools, bicycles, phones, textiles, aircraft, buses, engines and tractors. As the companies got merged into BL and Chrysler, then demerged post BL or sold to the French, so the need for tooling and parts made in the area dropped, causing the decline of the place. Jaguar and Peugeot are amongst the largest employers in the area.
God awful depressing, but fascinating like an aircraft crash.
Coventry will always have a place in my heart because that is where my mum and dad met. My mother came to live in Coventry on her 21st birthday. She worked for the Humber Motor Company.
The Specials are also from Coventry
Leamington Spa and Warwick are both very pleasant towns, as is Stratford-upon-Avon, if you don't mind a shortish bus trip.
>> Edited by EmmaP on Friday 15th October 01:26
The Specials are also from Coventry
Leamington Spa and Warwick are both very pleasant towns, as is Stratford-upon-Avon, if you don't mind a shortish bus trip.
>> Edited by EmmaP on Friday 15th October 01:26
I lived in Cov for 4 years, and the place still has a special place in my heart. Yes the architecture's awful, but I wouldn't have swapped the people for anything. I think it's because everyone, near and far, has a go at Coventry, something to do with all of us putting up with the same s
t every day. Spend enough time in the city centre and it feels almost like a small village, the way people are to each other. All of the above is chavs aside, of course. 
A lot of the criticism is well-justified, but there is lots going on if you look hard enough, and I've never made so many friends so quickly as I did in Cov.
t every day. Spend enough time in the city centre and it feels almost like a small village, the way people are to each other. All of the above is chavs aside, of course. A lot of the criticism is well-justified, but there is lots going on if you look hard enough, and I've never made so many friends so quickly as I did in Cov.
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