54 year old Sel Employed male from North Kent

Question 1. Give your reasons and analyse your motives for living in the district where you do live.

I was originally born in an Essex village on the East coast. I move around Essex, as my father was a policeman in the county. When I started working, I moved to Southampton and then to London. Towards the end of my career, I too was a police officer, I moved back to Essex to be near my family. I met my wife (second marriage) and moved to a small hamlet between Rainham and Sittingbourne. I lve living out in the country, surrounded by farms and green fields. In my 20's and 30's I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of city life, but grew out of that. Now in my 50's I love the peace of the countryside.

Question 2. In what ways do you consider yourself different from your neighbours?

I am very fortunate to have retired from the police at an early age...49. Now I work from home and like that flexibility. Whilst all of the immediate neighbours work, we have a splendid group who will assist readily. So, in many respects I do not consider ourselves different socially. We regularly hold group social functions and get on well.

Question 3. When you go into pubs, which bar do you use and why?

I do not regularly go to pubs now as we live quite some way from one. I am very pleased that people are not allowed to smoke in the bars...I used to find the smoke filled room irritated me and made my clothes smell awful.

Question 4. What priced seats do you use at the cinema and why?

The price of cinema tickets are now priced about £16.00 for two. We often use the two for one offered by the orange mobile phone company, which is better value. The normal price seems to be very expensive, and it is so much easier to wait for it come out on DVD or Blu-Ray and watch it in the comfort of my home.

Question 5. What forms of food, drink or amusement are thought “infra dig”* or not quite the things in your circles?

Because we live in an overly tollerant society, I cannot think of a food or drink thought to be beneath one's dignity, and that probably goes for amusements also.

Question 6. Are you sensitive on the subject of accent and have you made any attempt to change your own?

I like to hear regional and foreign accents, it sets us apart and gives a sense of identity. I am from Essex and never really developed what I would call a local accent. I would perhaps describe mine as estuary Essex mixed with Home Counties.

Question 7. Do you make a habit of using the following words and phrases? If not, what is your reaction when they are used by others?

All of those would be considered as old fashioned, what my father would have used (he was born in 1920), with the exception of Okay which is widely used. Cheerioh, Bye-bye Tooleoo have been replaced with 'Cheers Bye or See you', Not half has been replaced with 'Right' and Ta replaced 'Cheers'. The rest are by and large just 'mate'. Both Chum and Pal are canned dog foods...

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