We visit Lye - the town where there’s more than meets the eye
Lye is a region with negative connotations, but do the locals think they are warranted?
When people think of Lye, in Stourbridge, they might envision high crime rates, burglaries and and an area struggling with poverty; however, we asked the question, ‘Is this what the locals really think?”
According to outsiders' opinions, Lye is a place where you would expect to see a mess of anti-social behaviour, drug use, and aggressive street begging; however, when we visited, we were met with smiling faces and high hopes.
We were asking the question ‘what is Lye really like?’ and what the locals actually think is great about the area they live in.
Glenn Ruffle, the vicar at Christ Church, on High Street, said that the area has ‘great people, great kids, and great teachers’.
He said: “Lye is a really great area. The two kids' schools are really good; I’ve been into them and held assemblies, and they are full of great teachers and great children.
“I think there are a lot of people struggling to pay their bills though. There is a lot of work in the community to try to help people who are struggling.”
Eleanor, from Halesowen, said that she likes that Lye can be a “united society or community”. She goes on to say that the “council does a good job” and that people have been employed to try and bring cohesion.
Eleanor, from Halesowen, said that she likes that Lye is a ‘united society’, and that the council ‘does a good job’.
She said: “The local council does a good job here. Lye can be a united society if people just took the time to get to know and understand each other.
“There’s an intentionality to look for unity here; if you seek it, you’ll find it.
“If you’re looking for a way to forge togetherness, I think you can find that.”
Michael, from Motley Drive, said that one of the best things in Lye is the church, because he can “go in there and be sad” but the church staff will ‘have you laughing’.
He said: “The church is great.
“You can go in there and be sad, but they will always say ‘come on, let’s have you laughing’. It’s amazing.”
So despite the negative connotations of this relatively small and close-knit community, the locals seem to have positive vibes and aspirations, and show plenty of love for their neighbourhood.
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