Worst towns in Britain?

[Nightrider]

Stirling

Nice castle though.

 

[Fred26]

As a Hertfordshireman, I'm astonished that nobody's mentioned Stevenage. Once a nice little market town, it is now a deprived hellhole of concrete and roundabouts. Stand in what is for some reason called the Market Square, meaning the bit between the bus station and where Woolworths was, and look around you at the worst example of post-war modernism anywhere. The New Town was designed around the car, creating lots of roundabouts with pedestrian underpasses in them (a gift to muggers). Then there are the lovely modernist features of housing estates and tower blocks (well, those that haven't fallen down yet). The station is horrible, with the only serious building being rather inconveniently on a footbridge, thus limiting space and reducing shelter to a very small part of the platform.

All the blots on the landscape mentioned above owe part of their existence to Stevenage, which I believe was nicknamed "Silkingrad" when first built. I guess that makes sense.

Having been brought up near Basildon, I couldn't believe how pleasant Stevenage was by comparison. It's not that great, but I like the roundabouts, dual carriageways and underpasses.

The station is awful though. Truly abysmal.

 

[Mojo]

There is at least one good feature of Stevenage though. It is the location of the servers hosting RailUK

 

[trainrider1985]

Longport near Stoke not far from Port vale Fc Third world Ghost town, Followed by Luton, Hartlepool is toilet as well and generally anywhere between Clapham Junction and Redhill on the Brighton line
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Yes it is.

No it isn't your passport says Great Britain and Northern Ireland they have a different gauge and you can't use YP Or other Railcards there

 

[Clip]

Newcastle's lovely!

Indeed.. The city centre is stunning with some magnificent architecture and grey street is fantastic..

The rest of the city however could do with some loving.

 

[142094]

The rest of the city however could do with some loving.

As with most cities, the money is spent on where the tourists go. The only tourist I've seen in Byker was looking for Byker Grove...

 

[Chapeltom]

Few from me, based on where I've watched non-league football.

Stoke
Rotherham
Oldham
Rochdale
Heywood
Runcorn
Blackburn
Irlam
Bolton
Wakefield
Atherton
Dukinfield

 

[Clip]

As with most cities, the money is spent on where the tourists go. The only tourist I've seen in Byker was looking for Byker Grove...

Not bad seeing it was filmed in Benwell just down the road from me

 

[142094]

Not bad seeing it was filmed in Benwell just down the road from me

They were a bit suprised when I told them they were in the wrong part of the city...

 

[LE Greys]

Having been brought up near Basildon, I couldn't believe how pleasant Stevenage was by comparison. It's not that great, but I like the roundabouts, dual carriageways and underpasses.

The station is awful though. Truly abysmal.

The various pedestrian/bike underpasses (known locally as the Underworld) are not somewhere you want to stay for too long. Trust me!

 

[43021HST]

Having been brought up near Basildon, I couldn't believe how pleasant Stevenage was by comparison. It's not that great, but I like the roundabouts, dual carriageways and underpasses.

The station is awful though. Truly abysmal.

Not quite the normal thing people associate as being a good tow, if that was the case Bracknell would be top.

 

[Clip]

They were a bit suprised when I told them they were in the wrong part of the city...

We used to knock about there all the time or hodgy park when they were filming and wouldnt let us close..

 

[Ivo]

Not quite the normal thing people associate as being a good tow, if that was the case Bracknell would be top.

Oh, believe me; by New Town standards, Bracknell is only so-so when it comes to dual carriageways and roundabouts. Everyone knows that MK is the King of the duals and roundabouts, but I believe that Skelmersdale (Skem) is the number one when it comes to roundabouts by area. And with that in mind, my next proposal to this thread is, indeed, Skem.

Why? Horrible little place, epitomising the worst of the New Town philosophy. As Mojo has claimed, we might all lambast MK but in practice it isn't all that bad whe you get used to it (which I haven't, but I've seen and heard enough of it on the Internet and in leaflets to suggest otherwise); Skem, on the other hand, is pure concrete in the town centre. And it's not big enough to be of any importance. Not to mention that - at present anyway, owing to Merseyrail plans - its local station is several miles away, and only open six days a week! Plus, from a biased perspective, the 375/385/395 buses between Southport and Wigan actually enter the Arriva depot in the north-west of Skem whilst in service...

Indeed, it's so bad that it's short name is more of a corruption than an abbreviation; in theory, shouldn't Skem be Skelm?

 

[142094]

We used to knock about there all the time or hodgy park when they were filming and wouldnt let us close..

Once got stopped as they were doing filming in part of the Byker Wall, up top of St Peter's Bank. Seemed strange to see them actually in Byker for a change.

 

[Steven11]

every town in the the kent county

 

[43021HST]

every town in the the kent county

I think I can agree with you their, I think the worst one of the lot though is Margate. The population mainly consists of old people and bored chavs.

 

[4SRKT]

I think I can agree with you their, I think the worst one of the lot though is Margate. The population mainly consists of old people and bored chavs.

Just think, in 40 or 50 years the population will consist entirely of bored, old chavs!

 

[Anon Mouse]

My home Town of North Shields, followed closely by Wallsend, Washington, Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes

 

[HST Power]

My home Town of North Shields, followed closely by Wallsend, Washington, Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes

I've lived in North Shields before, but the worst town I've expierenced is Stevenage (but there's no way I live there!!!)

 

[LE Greys]

I've lived in North Shields before, but the worst town I've expierenced is Stevenage (but there's no way I live there!!!)

You get full backing from me on that one!

 

[HST Power]

You get full backing from me on that one!

Cheers! Nice to see a fellow user on the forum nearby to me!

 

[142094]

South Shields is much better than North Shields, although I do like the Fish Quay and Maggie Bank. Very good pint.

 

[HST Power]

And, in defence of North and South Shields, the fish and chips are brilliant there!

 

[142094]

Marshalls at Tynemouth is my favourite, although the Red Hut on Ocean Road in South Shields was a close second. The Harbour Lights pub on the top of Lawe Road is also a very good place for food.

Bloody unfortunate I'm 90 odd miles away from any of these establishments as I type this...

 

[HST Power]

Marshalls at Tynemouth is my favourite, although the Red Hut on Ocean Road in South Shields was a close second. The Harbour Lights pub on the top of Lawe Road is also a very good place for food.

Bloody unfortunate I'm 90 odd miles away from any of these establishments as I type this...

I'm suddenly very hungry!

 

[Max]

Obviously those who have put Hull haven't looked far beyond the vast lines of 158s at the station :roll:, come on, you're nearly as bad as the mass media who tear the city to shreds without even visiting!

Hull- tramps, begging with threats, smackheads, stained concrete architecture( see also Plymouth, Bristol, Newport)

Seriously, I am genuinely interested about where this "stained" architecture is! Hull has a beautiful old town with many interesting building, and an impressive city hall (see links below). Many cities have been wrecked by modernist architecture but Hull hasn't fared too badly, especially when compared with cities like Sheffield and Leeds.

http://www.picturesofengland.com/En...Yorkshire/Kingston_upon_Hull/pictures/1111058
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/47/94/1479475_b9cd10f7.jpg
http://www.accesstickets.com/venue-736-128/Hull_City_Hall.html

The city has just benefitted from a landmark new shopping development next to the station, which has also been extensively refurbished. There are some very nice bars and restaurants popping up in the city centre and in other areas such as Prince's Ave and Newland Ave, with some quite trendy districts developing.

From a things to do point of view, the city has two top quality rugby league sides and a championship football team, a number of interesting museums including the Streetlife and transport museum and a good selection of shops.

I am not saying the city is perfect but I do think people are too quick to judge. Also, to the person who compared East and West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire has some beautiful towns and villages such as Beverley, whereas West Yorkshire has dumps like Morley, Bradford, Pontefract etc. I do think the worst parts of West Yorkshire are far worse than anything on North Humberside.

 

[yorksrob]

Obviously those who have put Hull haven't looked far beyond the vast lines of 158s at the station :roll:, come on, you're nearly as bad as the mass media who tear the city to shreds without even visiting!



Seriously, I am genuinely interested about where this "stained" architecture is! Hull has a beautiful old town with many interesting building, and an impressive city hall (see links below). Many cities have been wrecked by modernist architecture but Hull hasn't fared too badly, especially when compared with cities like Sheffield and Leeds.

http://www.picturesofengland.com/En...Yorkshire/Kingston_upon_Hull/pictures/1111058
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/47/94/1479475_b9cd10f7.jpg
http://www.accesstickets.com/venue-736-128/Hull_City_Hall.html

The city has just benefitted from a landmark new shopping development next to the station, which has also been extensively refurbished. There are some very nice bars and restaurants popping up in the city centre and in other areas such as Prince's Ave and Newland Ave, with some quite trendy districts developing.

From a things to do point of view, the city has two top quality rugby league sides and a championship football team, a number of interesting museums including the Streetlife and transport museum and a good selection of shops.

I am not saying the city is perfect but I do think people are too quick to judge. Also, to the person who compared East and West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire has some beautiful towns and villages such as Beverley, whereas West Yorkshire has dumps like Morley, Bradford, Pontefract etc. I do think the worst parts of West Yorkshire are far worse than anything on North Humberside.

Yeah, I'd have to agree, having spent quite a bit of time in Hull for rugby reasons. The Olde White Harte is an excellent pub, and I often enjoy a jar in the Royal hotel when waiting for my train back.

That said, having been deposited by the bus in Ponte-carlo a few times, I have to say the town centre looks quite nice.

 

[ainsworth74]

That said, having been deposited by the bus in Ponte-carlo a few times, I have to say the town centre looks quite nice.

Well during the day Ponte-carlo is all right after dark into the early hours of the morning less so...

 

[159jim]

Boscombe Dorset. It's horrible, tatty, and run down. The only thing good there is Pokesdown station, with abandoned lifts to play in!

 

[edlivewire]

so basically, everywhere is SH*TE ?