Moving to Huntington Cannock

Alij

A few posts under my belt
Hi I'm moving to Huntington Cannock with my partner and 3 young children. Have no idea on area, school etc. Have heard nothing but negative views mainly with only couple of positive!! Find this quite stressful as move is a definite! Would really appreciate an honest view good and bad. I've researched crime etc and although not great not the worst and had a few reccys around area and nowhere is completely awful I'm just puzzled as to why all the negativity. Any help advice would be much appreciated!!!
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
For some reason us Staffordians hate all things Cannock; it's one of those things we can't explain, similar to hating a football team. Therefore you're unlikely to get many positive reviews here.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
For some reason us Staffordians hate all things Cannock; it's one of those things we can't explain, similar to hating a football team. Therefore you're unlikely to get many positive reviews here.
There are many positive things about Cannock.

Firstly it's quite a small town so it doesn't take long to travel through to make your escape to somewhere nice.

Secondly, er, um...






















































Oh yes, I knew there was something. For those with a penchant for wearing their baseball cap the wrong way round and who buy their everyday clothing at Sports Direct, it's the Midlands capital of car cruising. Here those Saxos fizz...
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Hi I'm moving to Huntington Cannock with my partner and 3 young children. Have no idea on area, school etc. Have heard nothing but negative views mainly with only couple of positive!! Find this quite stressful as move is a definite! Would really appreciate an honest view good and bad. I've researched crime etc and although not great not the worst and had a few reccys around area and nowhere is completely awful I'm just puzzled as to why all the negativity. Any help advice would be much appreciated!!!

Hi @Alij


Welcome to the forum.

its a shame that some of the comments have stressed out your move.

@Lucy is quite right in that there is a bit of snobbery in that people from Stafford stick their noses up to those from Cannock.

However, don't be disheartened.

There are places in Stafford that are so unsavoury that you wouldn't want to walk alone at night.

And there places in Cannock that if you walk alone at night, well ....you could wake up in the morning with a very rich husband.

So...I digress.

Huntington isn't too bad.

But its hard to compare...

Where are you moving from...?
 
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Alij

A few posts under my belt
Hi @Alij


Welcome to the forum.

Apologies on behalf of the forum if you have been stressed out about your current move to Huntington.

@Lucy is quite right in that there is a bit of snobbery in that people from Stafford stick their noses up to those from Cannock.

However, don't be disheartened.

There are places in Stafford that are so unsavoury that you wouldn't want to walk alone at night.

And there places in Cannock that if you walk alone at night, well ....you could wake up in the morning with a very rich husband.

So...I digress.

Huntington isn't too bad.

But its hard to compare...

Where are you moving from...?
Ha ha that's ok yep it's pretty much what I have been hearing and yes Ive seen plenty of baseball wearing in Stafford town centre too! I'm moving from Coven. Not my original area and not as lovely and picturesque as people may think but that's just my opinion! Thanks for the reply anyway.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
When are you moving....how old are your three children ?

What are the school options?

The more info you give then the more local knowledge the forum can help you with x
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
I believe there is a very pleasant bus stop sign there. Also I have heard tell the twinning committee from Kandahar are due to visit very soon, so fingers crossed that goes well.
 

Alij

A few posts under my belt
Hi Carole thanks for reply. Yes all the jokes and comments I've heard already about Cannock and I could find the same comments about Stafford, Wolverhampton, Walsall etc so that doesn't bother me. I was looking for a balanced view from someone who maybe can give some genuine advice. My children are 6, 4 and 2. The older two would have to go to the local school, Littleton Green Primary. o just don't get why people are so negative about it as when I've looked around it doesn't seem as bad as lots of areas in Wolverhampton, Walsall etc. Moving end of September.
Thanks
 

Really?

Well-Known Forumite
It makes me laugh that people from Stafford turn their noses up at Cannock. Sorry dears, but time has moved on and Stafford is now a flea pit of undesirables and morons. It is no longer even recognised as the County Town by most people outside of it. I would guess that more people think Stoke is the centre of Staffordshire than Stafford. It has become a tiny irrelevance with a "mightier than thou" attitude but nothing else to offer - rather like Lichfield; but at least they have a Cathedral. I would say Stafford has the same amount of Charity shops as Lichfield and probably the same amount of coffee shops - the only two industries seemingly booming at the moment.

Cannock is a dump - no question - but at least it knows it's a dump and doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. It has a very poor town centre and an economy ripped apart by the destruction of the Mines, but it still has lots of mini communities. Stafford has- a railway station, roadworks, politicians, a destroyed town centre and no real communities as everyone seems to hate each other. Given the choice, I would choose Huntingdon over most of Stafford and then get the train from Penkridge to Manchester for shopping
 

Really?

Well-Known Forumite
and with the new Co-Op you will probably never need to actually go into Cannock. Huntingdon is fine, lots of new houses and a new primary school eager to please. The secondary schools are a bit big for my liking but seem to be ticking all the right boxes for Ofsted, if you trust that sort of thing. As long as you can prevent the kids from getting the Cannock accent you will be happy, Good Luck !
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
It makes me laugh that people from Stafford turn their noses up at Cannock. Sorry dears, but time has moved on and Stafford is now a flea pit of undesirables and morons. It is no longer even recognised as the County Town by most people outside of it. I would guess that more people think Stoke is the centre of Staffordshire than Stafford.

You may building Stokes relevance there, a lot of people dont even know it is in Staffordshire, it's a unitary authority as well so its arguable if its part of us. Also I don't want to live in a world that won't allow us to mock Cannock. What is this, communist Russia.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Personally I'm not sure I'd be happy sending my boy to the school there. There have been several instances of some odd news stories appearing about the school in the local press. An example http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-threatening-letter-parents-met-outrage.html.

What concerns me is not mainly what the head said, but why so many kids would be pulled from such a visit in the first place, considering these occur in primary schools up and down the country on a near daily basis as an ordinary part of the curriculum.

There have been other instances of parent boycotts/demos, which if you search you will probably find quite easily.

Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised by the OFSTED report, for what such a document is worth. http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/index.php?q=filedownloading/&id=2395017&type=1&refer=0

You'd have to go and take a long, hard look at the place, unannounced, during normal school times to make a judgement as to its suitability for your children.

As for Huntington itself, bit of a mixed patch. Some decent housing, some less so. I have found the folk that I have met from there to be kind and friendly. The local pub is ok, considering the social mix in the area. Very much on the plus side is that Cannock Chase is within easy walking distance.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
It makes me laugh that people from Stafford turn their noses up at Cannock. Sorry dears, but time has moved on and Stafford is now a flea pit of undesirables and morons. It is no longer even recognised as the County Town by most people outside of it. I would guess that more people think Stoke is the centre of Staffordshire than Stafford. It has become a tiny irrelevance with a "mightier than thou" attitude but nothing else to offer - rather like Lichfield; but at least they have a Cathedral. I would say Stafford has the same amount of Charity shops as Lichfield and probably the same amount of coffee shops - the only two industries seemingly booming at the moment.

Cannock is a dump - no question - but at least it knows it's a dump and doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. It has a very poor town centre and an economy ripped apart by the destruction of the Mines, but it still has lots of mini communities. Stafford has- a railway station, roadworks, politicians, a destroyed town centre and no real communities as everyone seems to hate each other. Given the choice, I would choose Huntingdon over most of Stafford and then get the train from Penkridge to Manchester for shopping
Oh dear, really? :rolleyes: :zzz:
 

Alij

A few posts under my belt
Thank-you for some genuine information and some more positivity! Yes I know Cannock town centre isn't great and it's somewhere I wouldn't particularly shop anyway my question was about Huntington itself. Yes I read the news item about the school and yes I will definitely be visiting. The school my children are in now is lovely on the outside little village school but not that great and hasn't been for a while so it's hard to judge. Thanks again its good to read something that is actually of use to me!
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Also I don't want to live in a world that won't allow us to mock Cannock. What is this, communist Russia.


I totally agree that the forum wouldn't be the same without a bit of banter.

However, I personally think that if it's a persons first post, especially a post where the person is asking for advice, then sarcastic remarks are not particularly kind, helpful or welcoming.

Just my opinion of course.
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
Bantz.

Also the OP took the responses with a pinch of salt, in good humour. I make one jokey comment and get singled out. This is like when I mentioned a fisting joke to Julian Clary all over again.

edited. That in itself is another joke, I have never met Julian Clary.
 
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Alij

A few posts under my belt
I totally agree that the forum wouldn't be the same without a bit of banter.

However, I personally think that if it's a persons first post, especially a post where the person is asking for advice, then sarcastic remarks are not particularly kind, helpful or welcoming.

Just my opinion of course.
 

Alij

A few posts under my belt
Hi Carole I didn't take offence to the remarks at all and I take it for what it is however getting some positive comments was more useful to me!! Thankyou though I appreciate what you said.x
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Also the OP took the responses with a pinch of salt, in good humour. .


Hi Carole I didn't take offence to the remarks at all and I take it for what it is however getting some positive comments was more useful to me!! Thankyou though I appreciate what you said.x


I know that no offence was taken but how is anyone supposed to know that when they reply to a first time poster?

I have seen people new to the forum who have posted something then never to return because they have been ridiculed.

In real life if I was at a gathering where most people knew each other and then a stranger came in and asked a question....my first words to her wouldn't be rude or insulting (even if it was meant as a joke). I happen to think that forum etiquette should follow the same principle.

I don't wish to argue or fall out with @PeterD , we just have different opinions about it that's all.
 
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