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SIGN of our times: Coun Richard Cowell is delighted after the word ‘Wythenshawe’ was removed from this road sign.
SIGN of our times: Coun Richard Cowell is delighted after the word ‘Wythenshawe’ was removed from this road sign.

‘Road sign would’ve hit house prices’

Nick Towle
9/ 2/2006

NORTHENDEN residents have been accused of getting all 'uppity' about a simple road sign.

The sign, which read 'Welcome to Northenden, Wythenshawe', hit a raw nerve with residents when it went up two weeks ago.

Now, following a storm of protest, the council has erased 'Wythenshawe' from the sign and changed it to 'Welcome to Northenden'.

The decision has infuriated Wythenshawe residents past and present, who claim people in Northenden are hankering for the 'M20 tag' and shamed to be associated with Wythenshawe.

Sharston councillor Joyce Keller, whose ward covers Wythenshawe, said: "They're very snobby down there in Northenden. I can't be bothered to hear about their minor little ups and downs any more. They think they're above Wythenshawe. I think it's very stupid."

The former school teacher, who has lived in Northern Moor for the past 35 years, added: "They think they're something else but it's Manchester just the same. They probably like to think they're in Didsbury. It's all about house prices. It's so foolish."

Pensioner Hazel Wheeler, who moved from Wythenshawe to Withington a few years ago, said: "How snobby can one get? Northenden has been a suburb of Wythenshawe for at least 70 years. I lived in Brownley Green, then Benchill, and both postal addresses were in Northenden and Northern Etchells, Wythenshawe."

She added: "I myself had a boundary change - I still have a Withington postal address even though I'm in the Didsbury East ward. I agree it can be confusing - estate agents are certainly confused - but why would one want an expensive M20 post code when one has M22 and can get much cheaper car insurance, for one thing.

"How a person conducts their life and cares for their environment is far more important than a so-called posh address."

Northenden councillor Richard Cowell, who spearheaded the campaign to have the sign changed, said: "We're delighted that Wythenshawe has been covered over and replaced with Northenden.

"People here say Northenden was here before Wythenshawe - it touches people's sensitivities. We're not in the business of getting people to fall out with each other over a road sign, but it didn't cost much to have it changed and this is an important feature in terms of it being the gateway to the shopping village, as it was intended to be."

However, it seems that even the name change hasn't completely satisfied the burghers of Northenden, many of whom want it relocated on the other side of the Palatine Road Bridge, into so-called 'Didsbury territory'.

The feeling in Northenden is that the Didsbury 'diaspora' is spreading out to neighbouring areas and boosting housing prices in the process.

Coun Cowell said: "People have asked us to move it nearer the bridge. We are looking at this with an open mind."

He added: "There's been a lot of debate about the sign, which is just a small part of an overall strategy to revitalise the village. We fought hard to keep Northenden together at the recent Ward Boundary Commission.

"Areas such as Northern Moor and north Benchill that people associate with Wythenshawe are actually in the Northenden ward."


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Most recent 2 of 3 user comments

   I live in what is now regarded as Moss Nook (10 doors from Woodhouse Park) I am proud to be part of Wythenshawe. Wythenshawe has a stigma attached to it which is gradually being eaten away as the current opportunities available are now more apparent than ever before(care of the redevelopment). People making an issue of the 'boundaries' when they are quite frankly within them does nothing but enhance the stigma. I think it is about time that eyes were opened and that Wythenshawe was judged for what it is and not what it used to be.
Julie, Moss Nook
8/03/2006 at 20:11
   Due to the fact that Northenden is a part of Wythenshawe how can you possibly deny it. so yes you can blame them. It is people like you that give Wythenshawe a bad name, not the people of Wythenshawe. Come back to the real world.

22/02/2006 at 11:25
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