Why does everyone hate Birmingham?

I used to live in an area that classified as Selly Oak and it was beautiful. There was a massive park near by and the most beautiful roads with amazing houses. It was also close to the uni, maybe it wasn't the traditional selly oak area?

For those who live in Brum....I'm leaving the RAF next summer to start teacher training. Where are the really nice areas to live? I'm looking to buy a house and get my daughter into a decent school.

I'm often struck by the ethereal beauty of Rooster, the architectural wonder of Omco and the wondrous visual delight of Gunnies.

Hardly anyone on here knows who these bands are (except UB40 & Black Sabbath). Shame. :/ I love Godflesh, Broadcast & JKB. Do you like Jesu?

Well if that's how you think, then I know why a lot of people would hate it. Either Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast should be the "Second City of the UK", particularly because they all host national legislatures, similar to London and most other countries.

Selly Park, maybe?

Second city depends on nothing but population. Given that those cities you referred too combined have only a marginally greater population than Birmingham, they have no right to be even mentioned.

Also, are you actually comparing Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh to London or is my brain just not working properly?

The problem with the Brummie accent, as with any regional accent, to be honest, is that it's often difficult to understand what is being said, and besides that it is just irritating to listen to.

A Second City isn't just about the size, it's about how "important" it is economically, culturally and politically.

Haha "second city". Brummies bang on about that but other cities in the UK like Edinburgh and Manchester have much higher profiles. I admit, B'ham's reputation is probably a tad unwarranted but for love nor money will I go there to live- it is dire.

Who gets to judge this importance? How is it measured?

All wonderful I'm sure, but its hardly bigger and better than what is available in Bristol or Sheffield or Liverpool or Manchester or Nottingham or Leeds or Newcastle or all the other English cities that its considerably bigger than.

My point is: given its population, Birmingham should feel much bigger and more dynamic and happening than those places. It should have a host of world class museums and art galleries. But it doesn't.

What's Birmingham good at? Highstreet chain shopping and the NEC. It doesn't even have a very big airport.

I quite like Brum, I grew up near it and have been there hundreds of times.

Exactly. That's why people don't like it when people from Birmingham go on about it "deserving" respect for being the Second City, when that title is highly subjective.

Seriously, everyone in this country seems to hate Birmingham.

People always saying how it's a ****hole or how dumb we sound with our accents.

What have we done to deserve this ill treatment?

Birmingham deserves respect as the Second City of the UK.