Rubbish towns

[Tooktook]

Barking also!!

 

[Butts]

Surely one of the worst is Dudley, where practically all the chain stores upsticked to Merry Hill soon after that Shopping Centre was built. And that was in the days before 'austerity'.
Another contender for ' Crap Town UK' must surely be Cumbernauld.

West Bromwich is hardly an oasis of culture either - including The Hawthorns !!!

In fact the whole of The Black Country is largely an excrement tip !!!

Having lived in Dudley, Halesowen, Cradley Heath and Old Hill I speak from personal experience.

 

[Butts]

Anywhere in Fife.

Oops, I’m not speaking to my Fifer Mum, so I shouldn’t say that.

I used to live in Dalgety Bay which is okay. St Andrews is nice as well having visited it many times when my Daughter attended the University.

However if you are talking Buckhaven and Methil - totally agree !!

 

[scotrail158713]

Fort William (a shame considering the surrounding country)

Yeah. I was there last week and it wasn't the nicest place I’ve been to - again though it was blowing a gale and pouring with rain which made it worse. The surrounding scenery made up for it though - it is a stunning area.

 

[scotrail158713]

I used to live in Dalgety Bay which is okay. St Andrews is nice as well having visited it many times when my Daughter attended the University.

However if you are talking Buckhaven and Methil - totally agree !!

Fife is a very mixed area - some lovely areas and some not so lovely areas. It does seem as if the further north you go the nicer it is - there are some exceptions though.

 

[cactustwirly]

Twyford was pleasant enough (or would have been, had I not had to work there !)

It is!

 

[Bantamzen]

Blackpool is my nomination

Seconded, its a town I really can't wait to get away from whenever work makes me go there.

Of other towns I'm not keen on, Southport is one. On first arrival it doesn't look so bad, but retains a real 70/80s feel to it. A kind of Blackpool with a slightly less grizzled face & less chavs getting shizzled. Another is Northwich, given that it lies close to some quite opulent parts of Cheshire, its decay seems relentless even though they recently built a new retail area close to the river. Sadly many units are still very empty, and the town seems quieter every time I go through it.

 

[AM9]

With the mention of Essex, this has got me thinking of Romford.

Romford is where the 1980s siblings band Five Star (which I was never a fan of them) were from, who tried to mimic Jackson 5. During my primary school days, there was a classmate of mine (a girl) who was openly a fan of Five Star.

Needless to say, I have never met anybody else since then who has openly admitted to being a fan of Five Star.

Romford is an interesting example of a suburban Essex town taking a steady downward path to what it is today, much of it today being similar to post-Ford's Dagenham. In my youth, it had estates of differing vintage but each respectable of their kind: Mawneys, largely between the wars, Rise park, '50s semis and south of the GEML, a gradual rise from late victorian, through '20s properties up to quite lare and desirable mini-mansions in Emerson Park. Harold Hill was a good example of a post-war council estate which was largely providing good quality social housing.
Since then continual infill has rendered the whole area of the former Romford as an amorphus land of mediocrity.

 

[telstarbox]

Splinter thread: Which is the best / worst London borough?

 

[SteveP29]

Can be summed up as classic telly with a banging theme tune

Slightly off topic, but I loved this and still do

 

[Aictos]

When I opened this thread the first places that came to mind were Luton, Dunstable, Skelmersdale and Holyhead.

I disagree on Dunstable, it’s a nice quiet well laid out market town - certainly nothing on the scale of some of the other locations mentioned here...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Even the name Gravesend doesn’t help, but it does have a wonderful Sikh temple.

Of course if you dislike Gravesend there’s a easy escape route by ferry to.......Tilbury

Not to mention the grave of Pocahantas.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Epsom.

Broken glass everywhere on the pavements after Friday and Saturday nights - too many drinking places in the town.

Rapidly becoming a clone of Croydon in architectural terms.

Could not your honourable MP deal with this (personally) ?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Barking also!!

I took a side trip there (wanted to see how the Gospel Oak line was now - not having been on it since I managed it in the last century)

The railway was fine - from a retail point of view - Barking Centre is truly shocking and poor. Everything for a pound. (or less) , I have heard bad things about Romford , but it was far , far better than poor old Barking.

Of course - almost in desperation , the Evening Standard keeps talking BKG up as a great and affordable place to move to.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

I don't like Milton Keynes. They steal other people's football teams and their richer commuters overcrowd Chester - Euston services. And the last time I was there, the only pub anywhere near the station was a b****y Wetherspoons.

I was on a Chester & S. Clwyd CAMRA train trip to Halifax on Saturday using the new through service - and everybody was very pleasantly surprised by how nice the town centre has now become.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't like Milton Keynes. They steal other people's football teams

I do understand the issue with the effective purchase of a league place hence the "franchise" jibe (in other sports this is common but in football generally not). I don't however think it was "stolen" from anyone. It had near enough lost all its support and money (with people supporting other London clubs instead) and was going to collapse very quickly. Winkleman both saved the now MK club and football support in Wimbledon itself - AFC was born and became successful precisely because of the adversity it caused. People often band together in the face of adversity like this.

Yes, Winkleman should have put his money into MK City and built it up (the former Bletchley Town FC). But that was more about the purchased league place (and subsequent failure of that club) than anything else.

and their richer commuters overcrowd Chester - Euston services

No Chester-Euston services call at commuter times. Be careful not to start sounding like the Daily Mail, calling all rail travellers commuters! (And a VT Only ticket is cheaper, not more expensive, reflecting the less frequent service).

And the last time I was there, the only pub anywhere near the station was a b****y Wetherspoons

That part is true, though. CMK only really contains chain establishments anywhere. It's the nature of a new town, unfortunately. To find independent free houses (or traditional tied houses) you need to go to an older part of town e.g. Wolverton, Bletchley, Stony, Fenny or Newport.

I was on a Chester & S. Clwyd CAMRA train trip to Halifax on Saturday using the new through service - and everybody was very pleasantly surprised by how nice the town centre has now become.

I've not been there since I went for a job interview in about 2001 (with the bank of the same name). It was a bit average but OK then. Maybe I'm overdue another visit.

 

[Tooktook]

I took a side trip there (wanted to see how the Gospel Oak line was now - not having been on it since I managed it in the last century)

The railway was fine - from a retail point of view - Barking Centre is truly shocking and poor. Everything for a pound. (or less) , I have heard bad things about Romford , but it was far , far better than poor old Barking.

Of course - almost in desperation , the Evening Standard keeps talking BKG up as a great and affordable place to move to.

I fully agree.

The town does not feel safe and is very run down in parts.

There is a road adjacent to the train station where there is open drug dealing.

I’m even aware of a friend who works for C2C, stating that their is an agreement for drivers to receive taxis to and from the depot due to previous staff being mugged after walking !!!!

Only in the last year someone was shot inside Barking station.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I disagree on Dunstable, it’s a nice quiet well laid out market town - certainly nothing on the scale of some of the other locations mentioned here...

I agree - was there on Saturday , by no means "posh" , but has some very decent Georgian buildings in good order and is a place where those who cannot afford the stupid property prices in St Albans or Harpenden - can make their first purchase. Dare I say the ex rail line - now a busway , and the nearby Downs assist the ambience of the place. Reasonable amount of new house building going on.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I agree - was there on Saturday , by no means "posh" , but has some very decent Georgian buildings in good order and is a place where those who cannot afford the stupid property prices in St Albans or Harpenden - can make their first purchase. Dare I say the ex rail line - now a busway , and the nearby Downs assist the ambience of the place. Reasonable amount of new house building going on.

I too don't mind Dunstable. Considered living there at one point.

Luton on the other hand...

 

[PeterC]

Romford is an interesting example of a suburban Essex town taking a steady downward path to what it is today, much of it today being similar to post-Ford's Dagenham. In my youth, it had estates of differing vintage but each respectable of their kind: Mawneys, largely between the wars, Rise park, '50s semis and south of the GEML, a gradual rise from late victorian, through '20s properties up to quite lare and desirable mini-mansions in Emerson Park. Harold Hill was a good example of a post-war council estate which was largely providing good quality social housing.
Since then continual infill has rendered the whole area of the former Romford as an amorphus land of mediocrity.

I haven't been back since my mother passed away in 2011 but by then it certainly wasn't the town that I grew up in and I had no desire to move in to the old family home despite being a far better house in a more convenient location than the one that I own. These days I would rate the town over Ilford though, I was there last year and the centre did feel as if it was on a definite downward spiral.

 

[bramling]

Letchworth GC can be added to that list as can Skegness but am surprised that the worse place in the UK hadn’t yet been mentioned... Step forward Sheerness on Sea!

I’m amused at the mention of Letchworth given that it voted itself something along the lines of nicest town in Britain only a few years ago. Yes it does have some rather nice parts, but one presumes whoever judged this wasn’t taken to places like the industrial area or some of the estates which are encountered very soon outwards of the town centre!

I wouldn’t have said Letchworth is awful though, there’s a lot worse.

 

[fishquinn]

I disagree on Dunstable, it’s a nice quiet well laid out market town - certainly nothing on the scale of some of the other locations mentioned here...

I haven't been to Dunstable for a good while but seem to remember it being run down and unpleasant but it's definitely the least worst out of the three I gave (Luton is utterly horrific). Maybe I'm misremembering.

Another one for the list having just come from there, Rhyl. Complete with a very unpleasant smell.

 

[Aictos]

I haven't been to Dunstable for a good while but seem to remember it being run down and unpleasant but it's definitely the least worst out of the three I gave (Luton is utterly horrific). Maybe I'm misremembering.

Another one for the list having just come from there, Rhyl. Complete with a very unpleasant smell.

It's changed and for the better with investment being seen in the town centre.

I’m amused at the mention of Letchworth given that it voted itself something along the lines of nicest town in Britain only a few years ago. Yes it does have some rather nice parts, but one presumes whoever judged this wasn’t taken to places like the industrial area or some of the estates which are encountered very soon outwards of the town centre!

I wouldn’t have said Letchworth is awful though, there’s a lot worse.

My recollection of Letchworth is the nickname that it had which wasn't enlightening aka Chavworth Garden City, the only highlight is the railway station.

I agree - was there on Saturday , by no means "posh" , but has some very decent Georgian buildings in good order and is a place where those who cannot afford the stupid property prices in St Albans or Harpenden - can make their first purchase. Dare I say the ex rail line - now a busway , and the nearby Downs assist the ambience of the place. Reasonable amount of new house building going on.

Indeed plus as the town centre has seen a lot of investment from planting, markets to traffic calming measures etc...

The Busway makes commuting very attractive for those working in Luton with frequent services all day, yes only Arriva actually runs 24/7 but as they are the only operator to serve the airport from Dunstable I'm sure that can be overlooked.

The only drawback is the heavy local traffic that trundles though the town centre.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I haven't been to Dunstable for a good while but seem to remember it being run down and unpleasant but it's definitely the least worst out of the three I gave (Luton is utterly horrific). Maybe I'm misremembering.

Another one for the list having just come from there, Rhyl. Complete with a very unpleasant smell.

By my qualitative methods , Dunstable has improved.

One hears terrible things about Rhyl , and I have some "interest" in visiting less economic and socially beneficial places being a geographer and the fortunate owner of free rail travel , however i have not yet plucked up the courage to visit Sheerness (on-Sea) - neither have I been able to persuade anyone to come with me. I was last there for work about 20 years ago , when it had functioning industries. Not now.

I have to say from previous "days out" - Morecombe was pretty tragic (despite the art-deco Hotel) , much of it either closed down or demolished and 2 hours in Blackpool was 1 hour and 45 mins too much.

There are some pretty dire places in South Wales (to correct the balance) - Onllwyn comes to mind , much of the smaller Rhondda Valley , Abertillery. Etc.

 

[Aictos]

By my qualitative methods , Dunstable has improved.

One hears terrible things about Rhyl , and I have some "interest" in visiting less economic and socially beneficial places being a geographer and the fortunate owner of free rail travel , however i have not yet plucked up the courage to visit Sheerness (on-Sea) - neither have I been able to persuade anyone to come with me. I was last there for work about 20 years ago , when it had functioning industries. Not now.

I have to say from previous "days out" - Morecombe was pretty tragic (despite the art-deco Hotel) , much of it either closed down or demolished and 2 hours in Blackpool was 1 hour and 45 mins too much.

There are some pretty dire places in South Wales (to correct the balance) - Onllwyn comes to mind , much of the smaller Rhondda Valley , Abertillery. Etc.

Sheerness on Sea is so depressing that arriving by train, the first thing you want to do is get out of there by the same train.

Unless it’s changed!

 

[AM9]

I haven't been back since my mother passed away in 2011 but by then it certainly wasn't the town that I grew up in and I had no desire to move in to the old family home despite being a far better house in a more convenient location than the one that I own. These days I would rate the town over Ilford though, I was there last year and the centre did feel as if it was on a definite downward spiral.

I grew up in Barkingside, and it certainly isn't for me now. Ilford feels very much now like Upton Park/Boleyn area did.
I think it's inevitable that once you leave the area that you grew up in, later experiences make direct comparisons less valid. For instance, St Albans is a far more attractive place to live in than any of my previous home locations, (which include mid and northeast Essex and south Hampshire). The eye sees what it wants to when there is no easy escape, - but when returning just for a visit to the old town, all is visible and the comparison is with an optimised view of the present home town.

 

[Cletus]

The most depressing place I have been to recently is Rhymney, having walked there from Pontlottyn last week.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool.

 

[175mph]

Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool.

I find Grimsby to be slightly better than Scunthorpe though.

 

[Puffing Devil]

I find Grimsby to be slightly better than Scunthorpe though.

Being a Grimbarian, I have to agree