Englands Most Depressing Towns

[zzg113]

is Tottenham hell on earth! But let's not forget about it's depressing neighbour to the South, Stamford Hill, and just beyond that, the amazingly over-rated Stoke Newington. In fact, the whole of Haringey and Hackney for that matter. What happened to these places?!

What do you mean what happened to them? They've always been "down-at-heel". In fact Stoke Newington used to part of the Krays "manor", and they comitted one of their most horrific murders there.

[he who dares]

All these crap towns we are talking about, perhaps we should compile a list and send it to Barabara (satan) Goldsmith so she can offer some of the run down, slum properties in these areas to potential ftb's, as Moss side in Manchester is the new up and coming area and yuppie/btl types are simply flocking there to get a peice of the action as i am sure she believes prices will more than double there in the next two years....blah,blah,blah.

[CrashIsUnderWay]

The reason Barbara Goldsmith didn't buy in Luton was because she is SO ugly they wouldn't let her on the train to go see a few 'comfortable 2 beds comfortably with 3.5 times coupel salries only 28 minutes from London'.

They turned her away at King's Cross using garlic and Holy Water.

[Cityfool]

And the winner is Merthyr Tydfil my delightful home town. Violent, dirty, poor and above all just plain cr*p.

[CrashIsUnderWay]

Apparently, most people, when offered the choice, preferred to be a sheep chained to a post in Merthyr Tydfill rather than a buy to let landlord in LUTON.

[dogbox]

Most of the South East of England - just one big commuter community usually with dull shopping centres and full of people who get up early to get a train into London, then who get home late from London.

No character, no sense of identity, just one big blandness.

I disagree, many many very atmospheric couNtry areas will rolling hills, lovely forests and picture postcard villages.

Also some of our bests small towns - brimming with character.

I also adore places like Cornwall but on the whole the towns are very depressing, grey, windswept with a sad unkept feel.

[dogbox]

Northampton's pretty depressing, I think the town centre has been killed by Milton keynes and the suburbs have been killed by the decline in manufacturing.

I nearly put Northampton on my list, but its saving grace is the lovely villages and countryside on the door - step

[dogbox]

I find more depsressing all the once thriving little rural market towns of England that have been turned into posh people's picture postcard museums by posh people who have displaced the local young.

That's worse than a bit of dingy concrete and a few people in tracksuits.

Totally disagree. Its the small well preserved market towns that make life worthwhile here.

France and Germany a much better than us at preserving thier old towns. Many of ouyrs were ruined in the 1950s - 60s.

[timbo]

I'm amazed nobody has mentioned Prestatyn. Chav ridden dump, thanks to Barratt filling the area with the bored offspring of their 'commuting' parents.

Ah, to be a dormitory town....

[Control Freak]

My suggestions for avoidance from living in or near to, are: Portsmouth area, particularly Paulsgrove , Leigh Park, Hayling Island , Havant, Fareham. Southampton, Waterlooville, Bognor, Littlehampton. Gosport

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I take it you are not keen on South Hampshire then? I live (when in the country) in SouthSea, and find it pretty good.

[walker127]

Anybody ever been to Birkenhead?

Birkenhead has been on the National news 3 times in the last 15 years:-

1. There were more scavengers on the tips than any other town in Britain. (Article accommpanied by news footage showing people dragging stuff of the tip)

2. The docks area had a big problem with prostiitutes going 'door to door' looking for buisiness due to lack of customers when the docks closed.

3. There were more drug addicts in Birkenhead than any other town in Britain. (One of the estates got nick named 'smack city')

I lived there for 9 years and I am so glad to get out.

Just to keep on topic, it is still possible to buy a terraced house in Birkenhead for 65K, these houses where going for anything between 10 and 25K, 4 years ago.

http://house.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-5..._t=buy&chnl=buy

[Serpico]

Birkenhead, Wallasey, New Brighton, what is known as the North End of the Wirral, I used to have businesses in Heswall and Wallasey in the 70s, if we had to go to the Ford or Woodchurch estates we always sent two blokes, one to stay in the van in case it got nicked or torched. it was hard enough getting round the stolen burnt out cars and motor cycles. Mersyside PCT records show that they also have the highest suicide rates in the country. S***hole ain't the name for it, open sewer of human garbage is more like it.

Wallasey is famous for its smuggling, luring ships and wrecking and murdering shipwrecked sailors, nothings changed just different targets, old age pensioners.

The Wirral is famous for three things, having more horses per acre and more drug addicts and hookers per square mile than anywhere else in the country. Curtis Warren Merseysides biggest drug and crime baron lived in so called posh Heswall with all the skankey footballers before he got banged up in a dutch prison.

Tranmere £69K would not live there if it was £6K.

[Ursa Major]

Portsmouth is indeed the worst place on earth.

It should be twinned with Mordor.

Spike Milligan got it right - he once was billed for a performance there as Spike "I hate Portsmouth" Milligan

[JBFTB]

Portsmouth is indeed the worst place on earth.

It should be twinned with Mordor.

Spike Milligan got it right - he once was billed for a performance there as Spike "I hate Portsmouth" Milligan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to live near there, I wouldn't say it was amazing but it's not that bad....I find Liverpool to be one of the most soul-destroying places though.

[Serpico]

Liverpool should be dragged out to the mid Atlantic, so that Bush can get his stealth bombers to test there latest smart bombs on it

[halip66]

I am from New Brighton & lived in Birkenhead for years, I always wondered why the French did nuclear testing in the South Pacific when places like Birkenhead exist.

When I go back there I am always happy to leave.

[fed up renting]

I'm amazed nobody has mentioned Prestatyn. Chav ridden dump, thanks to Barratt filling the area with the bored offspring of their 'commuting' parents.

Personally Rhyl does it for me, even the funfair looks sad.

Surprised no one from the NW has mentioned Ellesmere Port too, 1960's dump. I did pass my car test there though!

[Lucky Southern Seller]

I would agree whole-heartedly with the Dagenham/Barking area. However, now moved to Cheshire and there are a few gems up here, namely:

Winsford

Runcorn

North Warington (as already suggested)

Also, used to live in Hull and found Goole was very depressing. I recently went to Brid (lington) and found it hugely depressing. Its funny how seaside resorts are the most depressing!!!

[Lucky Southern Seller]

Also, used to live in Hull and found Goole was very depressing. I recently went to Brid (lington) and found it hugely depressing. Its funny how seaside resorts are the most depressing!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll say depressing one more time!

[fed up renting]

Agree re Winsford, Runcorn, how about adding Widnes to that too!

We went to Skegness a few months ago for the first time - never again, on a par with Rhyl

And Blackpool too

Abit surprised someone thought Nantwich was a dump though, I think it is a fairly pretty black and white market town.

[FreekBear]

Anything along the A23, from brixton, through streatham down to croydon. Add peckham to the list too.

[George]

90% of English towns? I dont know many good ones. Burnley you can buy a shit stained facade of a terraced property in the heart of BNP zone for only 20k.

[zzg113]

Burnley you can buy a shit stained facade of a terraced property in the heart of BNP zone for only 20k.

BARGAIN!!!!!!

[nsr240]

There is a lot of supercilious bile being disgorged on this thread... especially this one. Toulouse is a shithole of the first order with disastrous architecture and some of the most unfriendly inhabitants I've ever had the misfortune to meet in a contained area (I worked there for 2 years). And Valencia has race problems every bit as bad as Oldham. Many people here are just listing towns that they've heard are crap or have been to once or twice. Instead of chortling smugly from behind your Daily Mails why don't you find out about the many people who live and work in these places and are trying their damndest to make things better for themselves, their children and their communities. The friendliest, most characterful community I have ever lived in was West Bromwich in Birmingham -- it is people that make towns, and if the architecture/planning is crap, then they should be given the opportunity to help change it -- not laughed at by people who think that this country is going to hell in a handcart and that everywhere outside the UK is wonderful after visiting on holiday a couple of times.

all of it.

british towns are awful .

just think

manchester

birmingham

leeds

sheffield

cardiff

hull

or

toulouse

lyon

bordeaux

nantes

nimes

or

toldedo

cordoba

sevilla

valencia

alicante

what a shithole is the uk. i need to escape.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Guest negativeequity]

There is a lot of supercilious bile being disgorged on this thread... especially this one. Toulouse is a shithole of the first order with disastrous architecture and some of the most unfriendly inhabitants I've ever had the misfortune to meet in a contained area (I worked there for 2 years). And Valencia has race problems every bit as bad as Oldham. Many people here are just listing towns that they've heard are crap or have been to once or twice. Instead of chortling smugly from behind your Daily Mails why don't you find out about the many people who live and work in these places and are trying their damndest to make things better for themselves, their children and their communities. The friendliest, most characterful community I have ever lived in was West Bromwich in Birmingham -- it is people that make towns, and if the architecture/planning is crap, then they should be given the opportunity to help change it -- not laughed at by people who think that this country is going to hell in a handcart and that everywhere outside the UK is wonderful after visiting on holiday a couple of times.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent post.

I have been laughing tongue in cheek at all these people who post that this town is a sh!thole or that city is. (hence ironic posts "Wales is a dump" to try and show how silly the view that whole cities / regions / towns are sh!tholes is)

Especially FTB who say they are to posh for certain towns and cities ( see Luton threads)

A little story.

A new FTB couple come to a town where they are thinking of buying a house ( lets say Luton just for fun).

They ask a wise old local what the town is like ?

He says "what was the town like you came from ?" The young FTB couple say it was terrible, horrible people, pollution, litter,crime etc etc

Wise old local replies its much the same here.

Later that day another young FTB couple come to town and ask the wise old local man whats it like here ?

He says "what was the town like you came from ?" The young FTB couple say it was very nice, friendly people, nice parks, nice areas etc etc

Wise old local replies its much the same here.

The moral of the story if you are the type of person who slags of places you will probably slag of where ever you live.

If you are the type of person who sees the best in where you live. You will see the best in where you live.

Most peole realise that evey town / city in the world has good parts and bad parts.

Sadly many on HPC seem to prefer the chav style " yeah mate that place is a sh!thole"