Things Dudley do right! (Dudley in general)

Member Name: ziggybaby

Product:	Dudley in general
Date:	09/04/03 (1499 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: the people, Cheap shopping, Lots to do

Disadvantages: litter, bad press

Dudley has been getting some bad press in the last few months, so I would like to redress the balance somewhat with my experience of having previously lived in Dudley.

I'd been living in a small, quiet village in the 6 years before moving to Dudley. There was only one problem with village life - it was boring! So I started a search for a new house, and found the perfect house situated near to Dudley town centre. Having been a frequent visitor to Dudley during my childhood I was well aware of the problems people normally associate with Dudley, but as they were relatively minor (litter, graffiti, town centre being a little run down, that sort of thing), that didn't put me off. I also knew that Lenny Henry had grown up in Dudley, so I told myself "If it was good enough for him, it's good enough for my family". I moved in within a month.

I got to know my new neighbours fairly quickly, and found Dudley people to be very down to earth, and surprisingly helpful and generous - they'd do anything for anyone! Every community has its bad apples though, and there were a few more "dodgy" types who are always trying to make a bit of extra cash by any method available to them - but I stress these were few and far between! I'm just trying to give you a balanced picture here.

Dudley town centre itself has been a market town since 1260. The original outdoor market is still thriving, and is open 6 days a week. Another 2 indoor markets are also now open for business. As for shops in Dudley, many of the bigger retailers have moved out of Dudley, favouring the nearby Merry Hill shopping centre, leaving Dudley without such a variety of shops. Those that have stayed are generally the discount type stores, but this does of course make Dudley a cheap place to shop.

Just 5 minutes walk from the shopping centre is Dudley Zoo. I'm not going to go into the right or wrongs of zoo's here, but I will say that Dudl
ey Zoo do seem to take good care of their animals and provide the public with educational talks about the various animals they look after, and the conservation issues surrounding them.

Situated within the Zoo grounds is Dudley castle, which was founded in 1071 and reputed to be haunted by several ghostly figures. During the busiest times of the year visitors are invited to take part in a ghost walk, for which there is no extra charge. There is also a visitor centre in the castle grounds, where you are able to go and find out more about the castle's fascinating history.

Entrance fees (which include entrance to both the Zoo and the castle) are; adults £7.95, children (4 - 15 years old) £5.00, and children under 4 get in for free. Alternatively a family ticket is available for up to 2 adults and 3 children at £27.00. If you're a regular visitor to Dudley you may be better off buying a season ticket, for which you will receive unlimited visits to the zoo and castle for a year, regular copies of "Zoo Nooz" magazine, and free parking on the zoo car park for a year too! Season ticket prices vary according to number of people included on it, but if you're interested you can check the prices on their website - www.dudleyzoo.org.uk.

Just outside Dudley town centre is Himley Hall, a stately home previously owned by the earls of Dudley. The Hall itself is open for just a few hours a day, from March to October, but the Hall grounds also play host to the annual Dudley show every August, and various art and craft exhibitions at other times of the year. Himley hall is also very well known for its spectacular fireworks display every November.

Dudley Museum and Art Gallery boasts a collection of over 12,000 fossil and rock specimens, and an extensive fine art collection. Not my kind of thing personally, but the great thing about it is it's free, and it's open all year around. They also occasionally host temporary exhi
bitions, where, for a short time, they will show collections of things other than their usual fossils, rocks and art.

The most well known of Dudley's attractions must surely be the Black Country Museum. Situated on a massive 26 acre site, attractions include exploring the underground coalmine, regular demonstrations in sweet making, glass cutting and metal working. You can even see a silent film in the replica 1920's cinema, and try fish and chips in the 1930's chip shop! Entrance fees are a little expensive at; adults £9.60, children (aged 5 and over) £5.50 - under 5's get free entry - but well worth the expense for an enjoyable day out. A family ticket is also available for £27.00 - which covers 2 adults and up to 3 children.

From the Black Country museum operate trips through the Dudley canal tunnel. The tunnel is said to be haunted by a man who was murdered there, and by the ghosts of 2 children who drowned after their raft capsized. Surprisingly no-one seems to be cashing in by operating "ghost" trips along the canals, but general trips are always on offer.

The Wren's Nest National Nature Reserve in Dudley is still (I'm told) visited by geologists from all over the world, as perfectly preserved fossils have been found in the limestone rocks. More often though the Nature Reserve is visited by locals walking their dogs, enjoying picnics or playing football. It is certainly a very pleasant place to be, and worthy of a visit.

Despite it's bad press, and despite being a little neglected and run down in parts (as mentioned earlier), I think that Dudley still has an awful lot going for it! I probably wouldn't recommend it as a place to live - I myself moved away a couple of years later - but as a place to visit it's bound to have something to please everyone.

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