Cambridge is “posh”, right? Internationally-famous seat of learning, high-tech research and development businesses, middle-class leafy avenues?
Well, yes, but travel a mere mile from the historic centre in a number of directions, and it is as chavvy as anywhere else in the UK!
Cambridge chavs live in one of a number of ghastly estates on the edge of the city… Arbury, Chesterton (Chavsterton), Cherry Hinton (a place that chav residents call “Cherrytown”!) and the Whitehill estate are prime examples.
Cambridge also cleverly operates a form of modern apartheid! Those of us who enjoy shopping/socialising in a picturesque, cosmopolitan city centre full of decent citizens have the old part of the city, around the market square and colleges.
Chavs, on the other hand, had their very own town centre built for them in the 80s – the Grafton centre… or in chavspeak… “THE GRAAAAAAAAFTON”!
The Graaaaaaaafton is packed with everything a chav could want and need – Mothercare, Burger King, JD Sports… there’s even a stall in the middle selling Burberry handbags!
Naturally, the Graaaaaaafton is the favoured central hangout for all Cambridge chavs, and innocent civillians who wander into this hellhole in search of a normal shop would be forgiven for thinking that you need to be wearing a shellsuit and burberry cap to gain entry.
But the true masterstroke of the Graaaaaaaafton came when an Italian restaurant was opened on the upper floor near the entrance to the cinema. Instantly, all chavs started taking their Donnas and Traceys to this restaurant, in the belief that it was “classy” – just because it had a few pot plants and candles dotted around. And, of course, it serves “pasta innit” – a class above McDonalds!
The best moment of my chav-spotting career came on Valentines Day… I had taken the other half to watch an early evening film in the aforementioned cinema, and when we emerged at about 7pm, there was a queue of chavs no less than 100 long waiting for a table at this Italian restaurant! Out of hundreds of choices of venues to eat in our fine city, of course the Graaaaaaaafton Italian was the only possible place they could go for that special occassion!
Having never seen so much burberry and fake gold in one place, I stopped for a few minutes to watch… and imagine the hilarity when one-by-one, chavs at the back of the queue dropped out and said words along the lines of “f**k this Lisa, lets get a Burger King”!
So any visitors to Cambridge be warned – avoid the Grafton centre… one of the true motherships of chav activity in the UK!
The problem in Cambridge is not chavs but tramps. I’ve been followed, harrassed and even attacked by tramps on several different occasions. They’re terrifying! Street clean-up needed…
Hello,
I wasnt born in Cambridge but have lived here most of my life..and in Chesterton too!!
The thing with Cambridge is that there is a mixture of so many things and thats what make it a lovely place to live.. of course there are chavs..where isnt there?
I agree with dmulad, whole-heartedly. My brother lives in Cambridge and, as from October, I will be attending the University. After spending a large proportion of my time in, and around, Cambridge over the past few years I believe it is fair to say that, comparable with the region I come from, Cambridge is the loveliest place. I live in Barton; a stones-throw across the Humber Bridge to Hull, 15 miles from Scunthorpe and 20 miles from Grimsby. You begin to feel surrounded as you grow up.
As for the Grafton Centre, it is no worse than any other stereotypical shopping centre in the UK: you mention Mothercare – it is a store for child-care, how do you find that ‘chavvy’? You do not have to drape yourself in Gucci to be considered ‘non-chav’; high-street stores are what Society wants – needs.
If you’re going to jab abuse at the inhabitants and facilities of a town or city, it should be Hull and Grimsby; yet, even then, the image that comes across is a generalised overview that arises from a minority of people who reside there.
How thick are these chavs ??.
See proof that chavs are really thick, only a idiot would attempt to
mug some one on the gown side. I hope you really "threw the book"
at them.
You never know the person your attacking could have a judge as a parent or a police chief.
"it is as chavvy as anywhere else in the UK!"
Have you ever been to Middlesbrough or Liverpool? Cambridge is hardly chavvy at all. Especially the city centre. Even travel the short distance to Bedford and you will see Cambridge has hardly any chavs at all.
"ghastly estates on the edge of the city… Arbury, Chesterton … Cherry Hinton "
Are you blind? Cherry Hinton is predominantly a desirable area. Arbury and Chesterton ghastly? Have you ever been outside of Cambridge city limits? I used to live in Arbury at Carlton Way and in Campkin Road Kings Hedges. It still amazes me to this day that people in these areas think it is bad and chavvy. Those areas of Cambridge may be bad for Cambridge but nationally they are far from it. The areas certainly do not look ghastly, they are quite pleasant – although the similar design of council housing can be monotonous. Also a number of professionals reside in the area reffered by estate agents as noth Chesterton (ARBURY)
"Grafton Centre a hell whole??"
Do me a favour hahaha
"avoid the Grafton centre… one of the true motherships of chav activity in the UK!"
You ought to take a trip to Scunthorpe, Hull, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Hackney or even little Bedford down the road. CAMBRIDGE is relatively chav free – Middlesbrough has a rate of 834 chavs per 1,000 population apparently (if you visit there its believable) Cambridge i would guess around 200-250 per 1000.
we iz da onli tru gangstas in cambridge n dat is da nca cry of arbury no1 beats us we kill it! u all tlkn dwn bout chavs n shit so wot if we r chavs bet wen u were around in ya oldy days u ad sum shit name for ya selves!! fukin ellllll u lot r nuttin
“we iz da onli tru gangstas in cambridge n dat is da nca cry of arbury no1 beats us we kill it! u all tlkn dwn bout chavs n shit so wot if we r chavs bet wen u were around in ya oldy days u ad sum shit name for ya selves!! fukin ellllll u lot r nuttin”
Really? Oh bless you. I’d like to laugh but your illiterate rantings indicate something much more tragic, and I fear humour may not be the appropriate response. Such a shame you might one day breed.
Well count yourselves lucky, you only have to live in cambridge and get to avoid the Junction when boogie is on. Me on the other hand I have to live here and work at the Junction, as you say we get some great gigs and a few good club nights, but when it comes to Boogie wonderland it makes me shiver, infact tonight i get my wish as I am working at the last ever Boogie “wooo hoooo” on the downside I will no longer be able to amuse myself taking the piss out off all the little chav fuckers who come up there in there burberry shirts and matching caps.
Rawganics is a great club night ( not into hip hop myself ) but for the most part the crowd there area good friendly bunch who simply have a love of music.
Im going to star ta project to reveal to the world just how bad Cambridge has become, with a short video.