I'm going to Milton Keynes tomorrow. Can anyone answer a few questions?

[Kipling]

1. Is is really that ugly?
2. Why the bloody hell was it named after two economists?
3. What, if anything, is there to do there over the weekend?
4. What is the history of it's creation?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

[CitrusLib]

1. Your question caught my eye

My first boyfriend moved to Milton Keynes to help open a large chain theater. He was originally from Kent and was horrified to have to move there, LOL!

I can't answer your questions directly as I've never been there, but according to him it was really that ugly. A 'blight on the British landscape' is how I recall him describing it. I hope it has changed since then. This was over 15 years ago. :)

[wellstone dem]

2. I just read a book by Terry Pratachett

and Neil Gaiman called "Good Omens" which had some hilarious footnoted references. It is about the battle between good and evil, angels and fallen angels.

In one sentence it is talking about how the good and bad angels split up territory and concludes, "(neither claimed any responsibility for Milton Keynes,* but both reported it as a success.)"

The footnoted reference says,

"*Note for Americans and other aliens: Milton Keynes is a new city approximately halway between London and Birmingham. It was built to be modern, efficient, healthy, and, all in all, a pleasant place to live. Many Britons find this amusing."

[Anarcho-Socialist]

3. It wasn't named after two economists

But rather after the original Milton Keynes village which is now part of the city.

Wikipedia has a good entry on Milton Keynes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes

[Kicked in the Taco]

4. They have some nice plastic cows

That's about the extent of my knowledge of the place...

on edit: And I wasn't even right about that. They're concrete.

[ben_packard]

5. Well I live there if it helps...

1. It's not ugly in the way some older run down towns or cities are, but just lacks any real character. No old buildings, old communities, etc. Essentially it's just a city of suburbia, modern housing estates each with identical amenities and a commercial shopping/entertainment centre. It's generally clean, easy to get around, etc and the few older towns that already existed are ok (Bletchley (where I am), Stony Stratford, Wolverton).
2. It wasn't
3. Depends what you're into I suppose. The theatre's pretty decent, as is the adjoining art gallery, and most of the entertainment is in that area (save for the local pubs on each estate). There's a large cinema complex in the same building as the ski slope, and about a million bars and clubs around (Though mostly 'clubby' clubs that I avoid). Live music is a bit harder to come by, but there's a rock club near the train station that's ok and one or two other places. There's also the standard new town 'attractions' (bowling, that laser shooting thing, etc) around and of course live league 1 football of a saturday (very glamorous I assure you ;) ).
Check out the wikipedia entry as suggested.

Where are you going to be based?

[Kipling]

6. Ooh, a ski slope.

Pity about the economists.
I don't yet know where I'll be based... probably wherever my meeting is. Thank you all for your help.

[Taxloss]

7. Milton Keynes does not deserve its reputation.

1. No, it's just rather bland.

2. It isn't - it's named after the village that stood on that spot.

3. There's a ski slope with real snow, run by the French chap who used to run the Millennium Dome. Plus the usual cinemas and bowling alleys.

4. After the war, it was decided to build overflow towns to move population out of London and clear slums. MK is the largest and most successful new town.