What is it like living on the Isle of Wight?

Annierose · Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 1 Location: Brighton

Hi,

I am currently studying Primary School Teaching at Brighton University and wondered if anyone could help with my research?

For my Geography assignment I have chosen the topic 'An island home'. I have decided to use the Isle of Wight as my chosen island.

I would be most grateful if anyone could give me an insight into life on the island, this could include jobs people have, schools and the people on the island.

Regards

Annie Rose

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Motherbank · Joined: 26 Mar 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Cowes

Hello Annierose -

where do I start! I have been living in the Island not yet four years, I came over when a contract of work ended, I was about to turn 50, and every time I came over for the day I didn't want to go back home. I still don't want to go over to the mainland much: I go for a day trip every so often, that's all. The upside is, it's beautiful country, and even though it's 13 by 23 miles (and getting smaller all the time, thanks to wet weather causing coastal erosion - the Island sits on a stratum of gault clay which aids subsidence - imagine a large pile of books that rests on a plastic bag)it takes a great deal of exploring, and I am always finding places that are new to me. On a fine day the whole sky is luminous with the light of the sea. It is easy to lose sight, in the life of everyday, of what a great bit of country it is.

On the days that are less than brilliant, there are times Wight seems underfunded, underloved, and apathetic - maybe the people are so relaxed they can't be bothered to do much, urgency is a bit of dirty concept - when I lived in Ryde, though it could be a pleasant town, I was aware it has been let down by lack of work, and an influx of lads, in particular, from places in Havant and Portsmouth where people hardly expect much in life. Union Street, a showpiece shopping street leading up from the sea, has become known for its bars, though by day good to stroll through - in the evening it's a bit of a bear garden. On the plus side, the carnivals were very good.

As far as work goes, there just isn't enough. It is the one big minus of the place. Lack of work creates some of the apathy: sometimes there seem to be two Isles of Wight, the one in "Island Life" - a free glossy magazine which concentrates on all that is prosperous and "nice" here - and the seamy side, where you get bowled over in Ryde High Street by a fat lady in a thin-strapped top pushing a pushchair with a fretful kid in it and nobody cares, and someone with a spaghetti-loose smile is leering out of a pub doorway, and the laddoes in beat up old hatchbacks go dopplering by with their stereoes blasting. - And then you go for a walk across the downs: you get up above it all and the sea and all its ships present themselves to you, or you find a little place you never knew existed - magic. It's a complicated place.

I can't tell you about the schools: I wasn't educated here and I don't have any kids: but some of the primaries seem good. I work during the summer at a well known tourist attraction, and we get schools from all over the country - and some of the local primaries have children who actually have good manners and a reasonable attention span.

The bus service does what it can. Personally I think the actual buses are a bit big for the roads. They do tend to run to timetable, but I know that for years there was a two to three hour slot in the afternoons where if you were in Ventnor and you wanted to leave it for Ryde, you had to wait till about six o'clock, as things shut around you. I didn't go there much then! Now I live there I can drive it, so much easier. The roads are at present stricken with potholes after the cold winter and rain, slowly getting fixed.

Which brings me to the local council. The Island is a county of its own, ceased to be part of Hampshire years ago. The council never fails to scandalise the people who live here. Some of the councillors have let themselves down badly: others ride personal hobby horses: and more than once, outside consultants have come in, used up a lot of Island money with plans for this and schemes for that, and gone away in a puff of smoke - we have been ripped off, and the council has hired these Pied Pipers. There isn't a great deal of faith in them. It's not helped by the parking permits having just gone up to £500. We have a pleasant man for a local MP who I am happy to vote for, but he did indulge a bit in the expenses scandal, though not at all the worst offender.

Such is the pride of people here that if anyone, specially an incomer like me, criticises the Island, it's common to be told to head for the ferry. I'm not heading for any ferry: but the Isle of Wight shouldn't be above criticism, perticularly the constructive kind. I came here because I wanted to, and when I see this place failing of its promise in little ways, it disappoints - this really is a place with a lot going for it, it should be reaching out to the world saying Look At This! Instead, maybe it's the hard work we all put in in summer and the inconequentialness of the winters that can make Island residents a bit cynical, and too prone to quarrel among themselves, get a bit huffy and catty maybe - thinking small in a small place. - The upside of this is a wonderfully dry and ironic sense of humour! - But really, nobody wants to see it change too much, because it is good. I used to think it was a wonder that there were so many old kinds of cars on the roads - but much of it is necessity, keeping cars going for as long as possible. Wages here are not as good as the mainland. A job that in Southampton might fetch £15K would bring about £12K here. I always call Southampton the Liverpool of the Isle of Wight, in that that's where young people from here go if they want wages and careers, much as Liverpool drew the young Irish.

It is easy to get impatient with some facets of Island life - but balance that with the relatively easy going pace, the beauty, the self-containedness - and you really don't want to get off a lot.

This hasn't covered everything. - We're not as crime free as the current police adverts make out - there's still a lot of dope, and where you get dope you get mischief: and what with enforced idleness you often get reports of domestic disputes that get unpleasant. I know there are people over here who are fiercely defensive and don't like any criticism of the Island. I was raised in greater London, but I have not been much of a Londoner for some time now. I know where I like to be.

I hope this has been of some help to you and hope you get some more posts to help you consider the Isle of Wight - you need as much info as you can get, other oppinions than mine. - See - a bit of appathy! - Good luck with your studies.

KC1 · **Posted:** 28-03-2010, 11:16 **Post subject:**

An interesting post, Motherbank. You've answered quite a few questions I've been thinking about recently, although I'm not a student doing research.

I'm early 50s, single, and thinking of moving to the IoW in the near future - ie before the end of this year. Work won't be a question, and I'm basically intending to buy somewhere to live and just have an easy life doing nothing particular.

From looking at various websites and comments, I'd noticed that Ryde seems to be the one place which is a bit "vibrant" (which can often be a euphemism for having an active moron culture); although by mainland standards I'd probably think it very genteel and civilised. From your post, it seems that life on IoW is largely as I imagine it would be, and I probably wouldn't be disappointed.

lsc73 · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 37

Armin Tamzarian · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 10

Wight Portal · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 316 Location: Carisbrooke

When it comes to crime on the Island there's always been a lot of urban myths surrounding it.
Pan Estate Newport was described as a no go area after dark if you didn't want to be mugged, once Thatcher started selling off Council housing, Pan's reputation was removed and linked to Spanners Close in Chale Green. This got more hyped up as it was one of the first places on the Island to have CCTV installed.

I'm a bit out of touch now, but I can't think of any dodgy pubs here any more, they've either gone bust, as most pubs do, or have been revamped into restaurants.