Rubbish towns

[bramling]

I've only been there once but from first impressions - Newhaven? (Especially considering its surroundings.)

I think your first impressions are correct.

However many of the towns on the south coast are particularly unpleasant. We spent two nights in Chichester earlier this year to walk the Selsey Tramway - arrived at about 2200 in the middle of the week and the place seemed like a war zone, the whole town literally reeked of cannabis.

It does seem to be the case that coastal towns in general, and ports in particular, rate amongst the worst. I’d much rather be in a stereotypical northern small ex mining town than some of the SE coastal towns.

 

[d9009alycidon]

There are a whole clutch of Central Scottish Towns that can be described as Rubbish, I was born and went to school in Coatbridge, but stayed over the DMZ in Airdrie. Even back in the 80s Coatbridge was a dreadful place that I dared not go into in the evening, but since Monkland district council was set up both towns have been in decline and there is not much between them now, thankfully I moved away!
Other nominees
Cumbernauld - new town planning gone mad, the older part of the new town centre is a hideous monument to brutalist architecture.
Ayr Town Centre, when said in the local accent sounds like Ayrton Senna, (both unfortunately dead)

There are several more

 

[Cletus]

No-one mentioned Dover. Whilst it wasn't quite Rhyl, it wasn't too far off.

We arrived at the station,, walked to the front , and immediately walked back to the station

No-one had mentioned Dover because it's not that bad. A 10 minute walk to the seafront won't reveal much of the town.

You don't come here for shopping, but the cliffs, the seaside and the history make up for that.

 

[EM2]

I've only been there once but from first impressions - Newhaven? (Especially considering its surroundings.)

Never have I seen a town more clearly dying on its backside than Newhaven, we were there at 1pm on a Saturday and it was empty. There was a travel guide that in its entry for Newhaven said 'There are buses every twenty minutes to Brighton. Be on one'.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Clacton On Sea - My grandparents moved there 15 years ago so I visit a few times a year, I've seen the town sadly decline in recent years, the decline seems to have accelorated over the past 2 years however. Crime and drugs seem rife, myself, my partner and young son used to stop in the Travelodge but our last two visits were less than pleasent, dealers openly doing business on the road outside, vagrants sleeoping in the enterance and a distinct smell of weed through the hotel. We now stop in the Premier Inn on the sea front which is worlds apart from the Travelodge.

Me and the missus have just had a very nice week holidaying in Clacton, renting a beautiful house on Marine Drive by the beach. I won't hear a word against the town. Can't understand how it was voted 2nd worst seaside resort in Britain. Some people are so snooty.

 

[GusB]

Blairgowrie

I'd never been to the place until I'd decided to avoid A9 roadworks and take an alternative route. We wanted to find somewhere to stop where we could at least get a cup of coffee, and possibly a soup-and-a-sandwich to tide us over until we got home (and more importantly for my ageing parents - somewhere to pee). Nothing was open other than a few pubs, and those didn't seem very desirable. The one-way system is a bloody nightmare. Eventually the almighty Google found us a Tesco, where we were able to grab a few sandwiches, but the coffee machine was in the petrol station which appeared to be coned off and closed, and the member of staff who directed us there was clearly unaware of this fact. I'm sure it's a nice place on a sunny day, but on a soggy Saturday after 5pm - nul points.

 

[Typhoon]

Never have I seen a town more clearly dying on its backside than Newhaven, we were there at 1pm on a Saturday and it was empty. There was a travel guide that in its entry for Newhaven said 'There are buses every twenty minutes to Brighton. Be on one'.

The guide is wrong. Nine buses an hour (12/12A & 12X for a quicker exit). Demand has clearly increased since the guide was written.

 

[Typhoon]

No-one had mentioned Dover because it's not that bad. A 10 minute walk to the seafront won't reveal much of the town.

You don't come here for shopping, but the cliffs, the seaside and the history make up for that.

And its Banksy?

 

[Cletus]

Not for long. It’s meant to be for sale (£1m), and the building is due for demolition.

 

[Typhoon]

Not for long. It’s meant to be for sale (£1m), and the building is due for demolition.

Visit while you can!

To be honest I keep taking photos when I'm in Dover as I'm surprised its still there. Mind you, I thought it was for sale when the painting was first done. Symbolic demolition date - 31st October?

 

[Cletus]

As it’s Dover, it could be there for years yet!

 

[433N]

Most suburbs of London are grotty, at least those north and west of it.

True except for the 'at least north and west' bits. Remember Carshalton and Camberley.

Most suburbs of London are grotty, at least those north and west of it.
Saarbruecken is particularly scabby, which really surprised me.

I found Saarbruecken nice enough but any scabbiness can be forgiven due to its location 2 miles down the road from the Voelklingen Ironworks which is an absolutely brilliant must-see.

 

[bramling]

Me and the missus have just had a very nice week holidaying in Clacton, renting a beautiful house on Marine Drive by the beach. I won't hear a word against the town. Can't understand how it was voted 2nd worst seaside resort in Britain. Some people are so snooty.

I take it you didn’t go for a walk southwards along the sea front, towards Jaywick / Seawick / St Osyth?

Clacton itself is okay (ish) in my view, but it sits as the focal-point of a *very* troubled area. A friend of mine took a job on a holiday park near there, packed it in within days as there was so much trouble.

 

[trainophile]

I googled Redruth to see if it’s worth a visit while I’m on my Cornwall Rover, and stuff came up about it being one of the most deprived towns in the country. That surprised me, I thought all Cornwall was pretty okay due to tourism.

So I’m off to Penzance instead!

 

[Greetlander]

Being a Grimbarian, I have to agree

I’ve never heard of the Grimbarians. Are they enemies or allies of the Klingons?

 

[Jimini]

Not sure if Gravesend has been mentioned yet, but I ended up there last night with a few chums. Whilst sitting in the 'Spoons having a drink, glanced outside only to see two chaps doing what I assume was crack cocaine in full view of the pub. Lovely stuff. A cursory wander around the rest of the town didn't seem much better to be honest. Nice pub down by the Tilbury Ferry though.

 

[bramling]

I googled Redruth to see if it’s worth a visit while I’m on my Cornwall Rover, and stuff came up about it being one of the most deprived towns in the country. That surprised me, I thought all Cornwall was pretty okay due to tourism.

Redruth / Camborne is very much the exception in Cornwall, no doubt at least partly due to it being the heart of the mining area. Camborne in particular is dire.

Having said that, they’re still worth a visit if one is into history, indeed there’s a number of interesting railway-related walks in that area. But if one is after azure blue seas, golden beaches and quaint fishing resorts then definitely look elsewhere!

Elsewhere in Cornwall, Looe is a bit ropey by Cornish standards, perhaps because it’s the first resort one comes to and is easily reachable by train. Bodmin is an expanded town that’s also very variable, although I’ve stayed there and found it fine to be fair.

 

[Howardh]

No-one had mentioned Dover because it's not that bad. A 10 minute walk to the seafront won't reveal much of the town.

You don't come here for shopping, but the cliffs, the seaside and the history make up for that.

Dover - isn't there an "island" or some kind of extension into the sea made of all the rubble cast off by the channel tunnel building which has been made into a park? That would be an attraction in itself, and I assume the railway passes by looking at a map?

 

[Cletus]

That’s Samphire Hoe. It’s on the Folkestone side of Shakespeare Tunnel. Was originally Shakespeare Colliery, then the entry point of the 1970’s aborted channel tunnel build.

It can be accessed from the A20 through a tunnel.

 

[EM2]

I'd always thought that Wellingborough was quite a pleasant, well-to-do place so we decided to go for a wander.
Won't be doing that again.

 

[yorksrob]

Redruth / Camborne is very much the exception in Cornwall, no doubt at least partly due to it being the heart of the mining area. Camborne in particular is dire.

Having said that, they’re still worth a visit if one is into history, indeed there’s a number of interesting railway-related walks in that area. But if one is after azure blue seas, golden beaches and quaint fishing resorts then definitely look elsewhere!

Elsewhere in Cornwall, Looe is a bit ropey by Cornish standards, perhaps because it’s the first resort one comes to and is easily reachable by train. Bodmin is an expanded town that’s also very variable, although I’ve stayed there and found it fine to be fair.

Looe's great ! But the seagulls are particularly antisocial.

 

[Howardh]

That’s Samphire Hoe. It’s on the Folkestone side of Shakespeare Tunnel. Was originally Shakespeare Colliery, then the entry point of the 1970’s aborted channel tunnel build.

It can be accessed from the A20 through a tunnel.

Thanks!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Anyone been to Port Talbot ?

 

[bramling]

Looe's great ! But the seagulls are particularly antisocial.

To be fair, when I’ve visited it’s always tended to be on a sunny summer Saturday, which clientele wise doesn’t shine the place in its best light. Then coincidentally I found out a certain person at work whom I don’t like goes there on a regular basis, which to me sort of summed the place up. I couldn’t resist making the point that we’d stayed in Fowey which is rather nicer!

 

[yorksrob]

To be fair, when I’ve visited it’s always tended to be on a sunny summer Saturday, which clientele wise doesn’t shine the place in its best light. Then coincidentally I found out a certain person at work whom I don’t like goes there on a regular basis, which to me sort of summed the place up. I couldn’t resist making the point that we’d stayed in Fowey which is rather nicer!

Well, I do like Fowey as well - but for obvious reasons it's a little more difficult to get to !

 

[bramling]

Well, I do like Fowey as well - but for obvious reasons it's a little more difficult to get to !

Yes that’s what keeps it nicer!

 

[bramling]

Anyone been to Port Talbot ?

Funny you should say that, driving through there on the M4 earlier this evening, we commented that at some point we will probably be spending a week or two there as a holiday to do various things in the local area!

The backdrop is quite impressive in its way, I can imagine what the town’s like though.

 

[trainophile]

Yes that’s what keeps it nicer!

Interesting implication there, possibly meriting a thread of its own... are coastal places with a railway station grottier than those without one?

 

[Greetlander]

Rhyl used to be a nice place in the 70’s.
So did Aberystwyth.
Can’t stand Blackpool, much sooner have a day at Southport.
Redcar
Bradford
Halifax

OMG!!

Ok I’ll bite. I’ll give you Redcar and Rhyl and I concede Blackpool and Bradford can lack charm. That leaves Aberystwyth - somewhere I’ve never managed to be offended by and Halifax. Surely you cannot find against Halifax with the best urban setting of any town in the North. Majestic hills, honeyed sandstone, I get damp eyed just thinking about it.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes that’s what keeps it nicer!

Funnily enough, I think the distance from a motorway is what helps to keep Cromer and Sheringham so pleasant.

On the subject of the thread in general, there's a lot of dissing of the South Coast resorts going on. I think that with one or two exceptions perhaps, the South Coast is generally splendid and charming, from Margate to Mousehole.