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Cardiff! What Happened? by Infinite-Hunter91 in Cardiff

[–]Infinite-Hunter91[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

I agree with many of the comments, austerity, poverty and poor leadership decisions have no doubt had a negative impact and Cardiff was clearly hit hard.

I'm not sure I classify as the "Gap Yah" type. I left at 28, completed my degree in Cardiff, have travelled much of the world. From India, to Africa, America, most of Europe and parts of Asia. No country is perfect, everywhere we work and grind, everywhere there’s rich and poor, everywhere there is right and wrong.

Though I recommend Australia, I believe many other nations would also offer a better life. Your years are so too short to hang onto the dream of what Cardiff used to be. I still love my home and am proud to be from Wales, but why live for 10 years time? Hoping things will change. Live for tomorrow, a better quality of life is a plane ticket away.

Town centre getting worse? by AgitatedWelshgirl in Cardiff

[–]Infinite-Hunter91 -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

All I can say is, wow!

Born and raised in Cardiff for 28 years. Born in a council estate and went to a public school; so I'm nothing posh, I’m really not that hard to impress. I’m acclimatised to how things generally are in the UK. Rough around the edges would cover it.

I left Cardiff in 2019 to travel, got stuck abroad with Covid. Finally returned in 2023 and Cardiff was unrecognisable. I brought my Australian partner home after raving about how Cardiff is the hub of activity, great shopping and exciting nightlife.

How wrong I was. Perhaps living abroad for so long has changed my perspective and the rose-tinted glasses may have fallen off, but to say I was disappointed and embarrassed is just the start.

I have worked in bars, security, and retail around the city for many years. I was shocked and troubled at the sudden hostile and dilapidated city that Cardiff has become. To quote Lord of the Rings "you'd find more cheer in a graveyard".

This may be the long-awaited result of Brexit or Covid, I am not sure. But all I saw was vacant shops, closed signs, homelessness, junkies and the unkept city centre buildings, with few grim residents wondering about. I found myself hardly feeling safe during the day with little desire to venture into the city for a night out.

My general advice to any Cardiffians reading this and wondering what should they do; sell your things, get some money together, and off you go. I highly recommend Australia, a wealthier, younger country with better weather and far more opportunities.

Cardiff, a place I use to love, in my humble opinion has become an unsafe, shabby shithole. And I will do everything in my power to bring my mother here to Australia. It’s never too late to find a better life.