This Town

[baggiebloke]

Adolf and Betty seem to have a lot to answer for. Or maybe not.

[Ournextstriker]

Some buses back in the day had “City” as destination when they were heading for town.

[MrBater]

I’m perfectly aware of what “the City” is. It’s the whole going into town thing, nothing to do with areas of London. I don’t know why I’m even bothering to argue this, to be honest.

So when a mate says to me “I’m going in to town” I don’t know if they mean Solihull, which is a town local to us both, or Birmingham, which isn’t a town.

The only person I know who lives in Solihull borough that doesn't refer to Birmingham as "town" lives in Balsall Common and refers to Coventry as "town".

Why though? 

And please don’t reply “because we always have”

Why is a dog called a dog, why is a cow a cow?

Probably comes from when there were no cities, and people went to town to buy and sell wares and then maybe have a few drinks etc...

[Fulham Fallout]

I’m perfectly aware of what “the City” is. It’s the whole going into town thing, nothing to do with areas of London. I don’t know why I’m even bothering to argue this, to be honest.

So when a mate says to me “I’m going in to town” I don’t know if they mean Solihull, which is a town local to us both, or Birmingham, which isn’t a town.

The only person I know who lives in Solihull borough that doesn't refer to Birmingham as "town" lives in Balsall Common and refers to Coventry as "town".

Why though? 

And please don’t reply “because we always have”

Why is a dog called a dog, why is a cow a cow?

Probably comes from when there were no cities, and people went to town to buy and sell wares and then maybe have a few drinks etc...

Things won’t improve unless you question them.  As a business analyst my most often used question is just one word. “Why?”  and the reply is often “because it’s always been done that way” which is no justification.

I’ve just had a Google and couldn’t find anything, other than another Brummie (not me) posing the same question 5 years ago, asking if everyone else used town (when it’s a city).  The answer was yes from 2 replies.

[Tom Joad]

Well I was in town (Brum) yesterday evening after our game, with several others who all agreed to meet in town (Brum) and then got the train back to our town (which isn't a city) where we all live. Hope that clears it up. I wasted the evening talking football, music, beer and nonsense when we could have been changing the nomenclature for the greater good of mankind.

[Sliced]

So when a mate says to me “I’m going in to town” I don’t know if they mean Solihull, which is a town local to us both, or Birmingham, which isn’t a town.

The only person I know who lives in Solihull borough that doesn't refer to Birmingham as "town" lives in Balsall Common and refers to Coventry as "town".

Why though? 

And please don’t reply “because we always have”

Why is a dog called a dog, why is a cow a cow?

Probably comes from when there were no cities, and people went to town to buy and sell wares and then maybe have a few drinks etc...

Things won’t improve unless you question them.  As a business analyst my most often used question is just one word. “Why?”  and the reply is often “because it’s always been done that way” which is no justification.

I’ve just had a Google and couldn’t find anything, other than another Brummie (not me) posing the same question 5 years ago, asking if everyone else used town (when it’s a city).  The answer was yes from 2 replies.

If you understand the importance of questions, then when your mate says  “I’m going to town” and you don’t know if he means Solihull or Birmingham couldn’t you have asked him “Do you mean Solihull or Birmingham?”

[Protheroe]

If you understand the importance of questions, then when your mate says  “I’m going to town” and you don’t know if he means Solihull or Birmingham couldn’t you have asked him “Do you mean Solihull or Birmingham?”

But he'd look at you like you were fucking mad, because no one ever meant Solihull when they said they were going into town.

[Psalm23]

If you understand the importance of questions, then when your mate says  “I’m going to town” and you don’t know if he means Solihull or Birmingham couldn’t you have asked him “Do you mean Solihull or Birmingham?”

But he'd look at you like you were fucking mad, because no one ever meant Solihull when they said they were going into town.

Unless he was a business analyst, then he might've answered WHY, the fuck are you asking me such a stupid fucking question.

[CA Baggie]

Business Analyst? Arf.

I hope you’re not analysing Bad debts or Provisions as you don’t understand how they work.

[MrBater]

So when a mate says to me “I’m going in to town” I don’t know if they mean Solihull, which is a town local to us both, or Birmingham, which isn’t a town.

The only person I know who lives in Solihull borough that doesn't refer to Birmingham as "town" lives in Balsall Common and refers to Coventry as "town".

Why though? 

And please don’t reply “because we always have”

Why is a dog called a dog, why is a cow a cow?

Probably comes from when there were no cities, and people went to town to buy and sell wares and then maybe have a few drinks etc...

Things won’t improve unless you question them.  As a business analyst my most often used question is just one word. “Why?”  and the reply is often “because it’s always been done that way” which is no justification.

I’ve just had a Google and couldn’t find anything, other than another Brummie (not me) posing the same question 5 years ago, asking if everyone else used town (when it’s a city).  The answer was yes from 2 replies.

Oh now the truth comes out, you're a fuggin' BA...

Birmingham wasn't always a city, most cities weren't. They were gowns, do it's logical that it's a hangover phrase. It really doesn't warrant that much thought. Your BA analogy is daft, this is not a business process, it has no impact on anything. It really is just is.