Over the years, an unspoken divide has been created between two parts of England. Like the east and west of America, the English have consciously formed the North, and the South. There is much discussion and disagreement over where the north begins and the south ends; some saying Birmingham is the lowest point of the north, and other groups saying it is the highest point of the south. There is also argument about where the Midlands are situated- a “grey area” in which the centre of the country is situated and where many places are undecidedly placed. But are there truly differences in the characteristics of a Northerner or a Southerner; can we identify where someone is from by not just their accent?

One major connotation with being a northerner is the fact that they are classed to be friendlier- people form places like Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle or Yorkshire are regarded to be more openly familiar and friendly in public, they may seem to make more of an effort to interact with people in close proximity to them. People in places like London may be in too much of a rush to consider doing this or may not wish to deal with the hassle small talk can bring. Despite this kind reputation however, many Northerners may portray themselves to be ‘harder’ than someone in the south. They may think themselves better in a fight, or harder to offend because they are from the hard North.

The climate between is also different, the north experiencing more extreme weather such as snow or long periods of rain. Places like the Yorkshire dales are also regarded to be a lot greener and more open than the south; northerners are surrounded by more country. They are more used to a country stroll- many people residing in London see a visit to the country as a big excursion. Another notable difference is the way each group discusses the issue of money; people from the South are much more discreet with the topic, yet in visits I have made to places like Bradford, Yorkshire, cost of everything is widely mentioned in every conversation. Each time I stated I was from London, the reply was always a comment about the cost of living in the south, and how everything is London is much more expensive. Even in big franchises like McDonalds, Dominoes or Greggs the food sold in the north costs less than in the South, with up to even a 30% increase in price. To counter this, a beefeater spokesman has said “we have a policy of setting prices based on the local market conditions and demographics, irrespective of whether the region it is in the North or South of the country.”

Eating habits of the respective groups seem t differ also. In the North, more carbohydrate rich foods such as pies are regarded to norm, and there is a cultural idea of putting gravy on chips that many southerners do not comprehend. Many people in the north have more of an appreciation of a wider range of sports, as rugby is much more celebrated. Many people that originate from the north will happily return to support a local team. In fact, northerners seen to have a slightly purer feeling of loyalty towards their home town- in the south, they may not feel like they belong due to the stereotypes that their thicker accents may bring.

As someone that has been born and raised in London, yet with Yorkshire routes and family, I feel as though I have experienced both sides of the divide. Even though someone from the North would be happier to strike up a conversation on a train, and as a southerner this may seem alarming, this divide is not a malicious one; our differences just highlight our countries unique qualities- the North and South still form to make who England is.