Nice Towns

[cactustwirly]

A few more round me:

Hungerford
Newbury
Thame
Abingdon
Wallingford
Henley-on-Thames
Marlow
Windsor (in Winter without all the tourists)

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Berko is a nice place to live rather than to be bothered visiting, I'd say. Not that I've actually lived there, but from observation. Other than for the museum I'd put Tring in the same bracket - perfect semi-rural commuterville with an excellent (if a bit unpunctual at the moment) train service to London.

Really, this thread is a bit difficult because there are a lot of quite nice places in the UK.

Berko has character - splendid Home and Colonial bric a brac store , (with quirky top floor cafe) - superlative pubs - especially the Rising Sun along the canal , the Castle, (good for train watching) good shops , (especially the Oxfam bookshop) - etc.

More there than Tring.

Yes , there are plenty of good places , and it is uplifting to discuss them.

 

[Tracked]

Ludlow - Did a Heart of England rover in May, quite liked it, especially the brewery near the station!
Kenilworth - Another HoE visit, the area up near the castle was very nice
Worcester - was up on the roof of the Catherdral there, some great views
Alnwick - nice area, could also nominate Alnmouth nearby, it was snowing when I went, and still nice

 

[si404]

Chesham is pleasant but struggling

well being in a sun-deprived freezing bowl, with bad contact with the outside world (highly congested road - singular, poor radio/TV signal) doesn't help make it pleasant.

while Amersham always feels to be a bit up itself.

only in our superiority over Chesham (and then mostly jokingly)...

...and a few other things too, like Britain in Bloom victory drives and the like.

I think that, however, quite a bit of up itselfness is early impressions, rather than the true self. But then this just me as someone from the 'sham trying to toot my town's horn, so perhaps this paragraph is part of that up itselfness!

 

[greyman42]

Sheringham, Cromer, Falmouth, Penzance, Appleby, Settle, Skipton, Knaresborough, Whitby, Sandwich, Deal, Folkestone, Hastings, Weymouth, Tunbridge Wells, Southport, Wigan, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield.

I was in Huddersfield recently and the town centre seemed run down.

 

[Calthrop]

I couldn't resist trying a comparison exercise to see whether any places feature both in this thread as perceived "nice" towns; and in the concurrent thread, as perceived "rubbish" ditto. (No obvious reason why not, or that it need be a flat-out contradictory matter: many things in this world are not "all of a piece".) I've observed "pro" and "con" opinions in the respective threads: on Stevenage, and Settle; Hastings and Southport drew a little "flak" in the "Rubbish Towns" thread -- but found, in that thread, more defenders than "antis". (@yorksrob here, as quoted below: for this poster, Settle, Hastings and Southport rate as "nice".) Quite a number of other towns rated in this thread as "nice", had their names cited in the "Rubbish" thread; but as instances of OK places, in contrast to all the hell-holes.

Sheringham, Cromer, Falmouth, Penzance, Appleby, Settle, Skipton, Knaresborough, Whitby, Sandwich, Deal, Folkestone, Hastings, Weymouth, Tunbridge Wells, Southport, Wigan, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield.

@yorksrob -- interested to see your approval of Cromer. I have no first-hand experience of the place -- have travelled through it by train a few times, but never alighted there. However, on another (non-rail) message board which I spend time on: there's a frequent poster who is a lifelong inhabitant of Cromer -- in his posts on that board, he gives a picture of much about the town, that's decidedly ugly: high incidence of crime / violence / alcoholism / drug addiction / mental illness; and general seaside-resort-that's-seen-better-days syndrome. (He does see, and refer to, a likeable side to Cromer as well.) As above, of course -- little in life is all good or all bad, and different people can have, sincerely, different perceptions.

From my part of the world: on passing through Henley-in-Arden, it has struck me as a thoroughly pleasant smallish town.

 

[yorksrob]

I couldn't resist trying a comparison exercise to see whether any places feature both in this thread as perceived "nice" towns; and in the concurrent thread, as perceived "rubbish" ditto. (No obvious reason why not, or that it need be a flat-out contradictory matter: many things in this world are not "all of a piece".) I've observed "pro" and "con" opinions in the respective threads: on Stevenage, and Settle; Hastings and Southport drew a little "flak" in the "Rubbish Towns" thread -- but found, in that thread, more defenders than "antis". (@yorksrob here, as quoted below: for this poster, Settle, Hastings and Southport rate as "nice".) Quite a number of other towns rated in this thread as "nice", had their names cited in the "Rubbish" thread; but as instances of OK places, in contrast to all the hell-holes.



@yorksrob -- interested to see your approval of Cromer. I have no first-hand experience of the place -- have travelled through it by train a few times, but never alighted there. However, on another (non-rail) message board which I spend time on: there's a frequent poster who is a lifelong inhabitant of Cromer -- in his posts on that board, he gives a picture of much about the town, that's decidedly ugly: high incidence of crime / violence / alcoholism / drug addiction / mental illness; and general seaside-resort-that's-seen-better-days syndrome. (He does see, and refer to, a likeable side to Cromer as well.) As above, of course -- little in life is all good or all bad, and different people can have, sincerely, different perceptions.

From my part of the world: on passing through Henley-in-Arden, it has struck me as a thoroughly pleasant smallish town.

Funnily enough, when I first visited the place in 2008 (the departed Woolworths was still in evidence), the town had a gloomy air and I didn't take to it.

However, in the last few years, I have visited it again, and I've noticed the place has a gothic splendour that's quite striking (particularly standing on the pier and looking back at the seafront).

I've not noticed the crime/violence etc, but have been able to get a good cream tea/ice cream.

I guess this is the case with a lot of our seaside resorts. The ugliness is there to be seen, but so is the beauty !

 

[Antman]

Haha, I wouldn't say Reading or Nottingham are that good places to live, Reading has some really rough suburbs, so does Nottingham.
My parents used to live in Nottingham, and they couldn't wait to move out.

I've always found Nottingham quite pleasant but clearly we all have different views on things.

 

[yorksrob]

I never took to Reading when I lived there in the early noughties. I think I can mention it as it was only declared a City after I'd moved there.

 

[si404]

I never took to Reading when I lived there in the early noughties. I think I can mention it as it was only declared a City after I'd moved there.

Still not a city...

 

[Carlisle]

However, on another (non-rail) message board which I spend time on: there's a frequent poster who is a lifelong inhabitant of Cromer -- in his posts on that board, he gives a picture of much about the town, that's decidedly ugly: high incidence of crime / violence / alcoholism / drug addiction / mental illness; and general seaside-resort-that's-seen-better-days syndrome. (He does see, and refer to, a likeable side to Cromer as well.)

I’ve heard similar reflections from former residents of places like Stranraer, even though they appear fairly quiet on the surface

 

[yorksrob]

Still not a city...

Ah cheers. I believe it was thinking about it at the time.

 

[gswindale]

Still not a city...

Tell that to the signs on The Oracle shopping centre!

At least one directs you to the city centre!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Tell that to the signs on The Oracle shopping centre!

At least one directs you to the city centre!

MK is another town that often describes itself as a city. Though in MK's case it is because the Commission for the New Towns called it a "New City", and prior to becoming a unitary authority its offical title was "The Borough and New City of Milton Keynes". A "new city" was simply to signify it as the largest of the New Towns (being a slightly different model from the others), and not to imply city status. It sort of makes sense if you consider it as one word - if it was in German it might be a "Neugrossstadt", which could have a totally different meaning from a "Grossstadt" on its own, if you see what I mean.

Oddly, if you get on a bus in MK you ask for "city please", whereas in most actual cities (other than ones where you ask for the fare rather than the destination, e.g. Manchester) it's "to town".

 

[yorksrob]

MK is another town that often describes itself as a city. Though in MK's case it is because the Commission for the New Towns called it a "New City", and prior to becoming a unitary authority its offical title was "The Borough and New City of Milton Keynes". A "new city" was simply to signify it as the largest of the New Towns (being a slightly different model from the others), and not to imply city status. It sort of makes sense if you consider it as one word - if it was in German it might be a "Neugrossstadt", which could have a totally different meaning from a "Grossstadt" on its own, if you see what I mean.

It's not until Her Majesty says it is.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's not until Her Majesty says it is.

It is a "New City". It is not a "city". The terms have different meanings; the former does not convey status and is simply a brand created by the Commission for the New Towns to describe a large "New Town", the latter does and is given by Royal Charter or somesuch.

Preston, to use an example, is a new city (having received the status recently) and a city (as it has city status) but not a "New City" (because it was not designated so by the Commission for the New Towns, despite having a few suburbs which were built under the New Towns project).

 

[yorksrob]

It is a "New City". It is not a "city". The terms have different meanings; the former does not convey status and is simply a brand created by the Commission for the New Towns to describe a large "New Town", the latter does and is given by Royal Charter or somesuch.

In that case, it's not a city, as you point out, but a "large new town".

 

[Bletchleyite]

In that case, it's not a city, as you point out, but a "large new town".

It's a "New City", which *is* a large "New Town" (not a "city"), because that is what it was designated. Indeed, as I mentioned, pre-unitary authority its official designation was "The Borough and New City of Milton Keynes". I think people who give out those designations know better than you

 

[Calthrop]

Funnily enough, when I first visited the place in 2008 (the departed Woolworths was still in evidence), the town had a gloomy air and I didn't take to it.

However, in the last few years, I have visited it again, and I've noticed the place has a gothic splendour that's quite striking (particularly standing on the pier and looking back at the seafront).

I've not noticed the crime/violence etc, but have been able to get a good cream tea/ice cream.

I guess this is the case with a lot of our seaside resorts. The ugliness is there to be seen, but so is the beauty !

My brother has actually spent time in Cromer, visiting friends there some years ago. His impression was very unfavourable; but that's largely because he was there in the middle of a cold winter -- he'a a hot-weather sort of guy, and he found Cromer then, a place of horridly Arctic bleakness !

I’ve heard similar reflections from former residents of places like Stranraer, even though they appear fairly quiet on the surface

I've heard -- of all places -- Girvan, a little way up the coast and up the rail line toward Glasgow; described as almost like a war zone, because of misbehaving young folk. To avoid falling into despair, I have to reflect that people are people, almost worldwide; hence usually a great deal of: bad, good, and in-between. I expect that North Korea is an orderly and tranquil and safe-if-you-don't-upset-the-authorities place; but at what a price...

 

[yorksrob]

My brother has actually spent time in Cromer, visiting friends there some years ago. His impression was very unfavourable; but that's largely because he was there in the middle of a cold winter -- he'a a hot-weather sort of guy, and he found Cromer then, a place of horridly Arctic bleakness !
.

I expect I'd probably quite like it in the depths of a bleak winter.

But I'm strange like that

 

[Typhoon]

I expect I'd probably quite like it in the depths of a bleak winter.

But I'm strange like that

In my opinion there are a significant number of towns, especially coastal towns, that look especially appealing after a sharp frost, a snow flurry, or during a squall or storm. These events can emphasise the attractiveness of traditional buildings (if there are any).
Also, bad weather tends to keep the scrotes inside, of course!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've heard -- of all places -- Girvan, a little way up the coast and up the rail line toward Glasgow; described as almost like a war zone, because of misbehaving young folk. To avoid falling into despair, I have to reflect that people are people, almost worldwide; hence usually a great deal of: bad, good, and in-between. I expect that North Korea is an orderly and tranquil and safe-if-you-don't-upset-the-authorities place; but at what a price...

I think you do get more youth misbehaviour in these quieter, seemingly nicer places because there genuinely is less for them to do, and the devil makes work for idle hands, as it were. In MK youth misbehaviour of the kind you mention is really very low because there's plenty of stuff going on.

 

[PeterC]

I think you do get more youth misbehaviour in these quieter, seemingly nicer places because there genuinely is less for them to do, and the devil makes work for idle hands, as it were. In MK youth misbehaviour of the kind you mention is really very low because there's plenty of stuff going on.

True, after about 8pm I feel more comfortable in Camden Town than in most provincial towns that I have visited.

 

[Calthrop]

I think you do get more youth misbehaviour in these quieter, seemingly nicer places because there genuinely is less for them to do, and the devil makes work for idle hands, as it were. In MK youth misbehaviour of the kind you mention is really very low because there's plenty of stuff going on.

Those islands which, I gather, one should refer to as "Scilly" (not "the S. Isles") -- generally reckoned Garden-of-Eden-like (and they felt thus to me, on my one brief visit there): I have uneasily wondered -- isn't it likely that many of the kids native to the islands, find the place horrendously boring: who knows what bad stuff they avidly do, or at least dream of doing? (Hope that I'm wrong here !)

 

[Calthrop]

I expect I'd probably quite like it in the depths of a bleak winter.

But I'm strange like that

Me too; but brother is a natural "torrid zone" type, born by some clerical error, in a cool-to-cold northerly clime.

 

[Cambus731]

Nice towns imo:
Maidstone
Burnley
Colchester
Halifax

Nice cities imo:
Perth
Chelmsford
Norwich
Cambridge
Preston
Inverness
Nottingham

 

[Hardcastle]

Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Stratford upon Avon, Evesham, Pitlochry, Penrith, & Keswick spring to mind.

 

[yorksrob]

Me too; but brother is a natural "torrid zone" type, born by some clerical error, in a cool-to-cold northerly clime.

Ooh, I can't be doing with a hot climate !

 

[ian1944]

Wantage, very nice, unlike the nearby Didcot (not). Support for Thame and Alnwick, also Morpeth. What they all have in common is a nice townscape, hard to define but you know when somewhere doesn't have it, e.g. Ashington, and a lot of individual shops. A good old-fashioned ironmonger helps, like Scotts in Peebles, which in addition does have a nice townscape plus riverscape. As do Kelso and Melrose. I like Allendale Town, too, maybe a large village rather than a town but it does have its own Co-op society.

 

[radamfi]

Wantage, very nice, unlike the nearby Didcot (not)

But which is actually a better place to live when you consider that Didcot has its own major rail station and better amenities in general?