Rubbish towns

[175mph]

Being a Grimbarian, I have to agree

Plus, as well, I've noticed that Stagecoach seem to find Grimsby a better place to invest in new buses in than Scunthorpe.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

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.

A bit harsh comparing leafy Southport to Blackpool, which has some of the worse urban decrepitude ( second after Jaywick) in the UK. What's wrong with a 70 / 80's feel ? There is virtually no urban decay and you would have a job finding a finer main shopping street than Lord Street.

Perhaps I am a little biased, being born there !

 

[Ianno87]

A bit harsh comparing leafy Southport to Blackpool, which has some of the worse urban decrepitude ( second after Jaywick) in the UK. What's wrong with a 70 / 80's feel ? There is virtually no urban decay and you would have a job finding a finer main shopping street than Lord Street.

Perhaps I am a little biased, being born there !

Southport felt *really* dated in thr mid/late 90s, but had a good spruce-up in the early 2000s.

 

[Bantamzen]

A bit harsh comparing leafy Southport to Blackpool, which has some of the worse urban decrepitude ( second after Jaywick) in the UK. What's wrong with a 70 / 80's feel ? There is virtually no urban decay and you would have a job finding a finer main shopping street than Lord Street.

Perhaps I am a little biased, being born there !

I'm not saying its anywhere near as bad as Chavpool, and my Mum loves going there with her sister. But as places go, it really feels like it never moved out of the 1970s when I used to go there as a young child. There is even still a restaurant on Lord Street that I thought had a 70s feel to be ironic, but it really was still stuck 40 years ago (I forget the name, but if you've ever been there you'll know which one I mean).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Southport felt *really* dated in thr mid/late 90s, but had a good spruce-up in the early 2000s.

Agreed. The shopping area by the station is somewhat rough round the edges (and the station itself is 1960s Brutalist grim), but for a seaside day out it's quite a pleasant place these days.

 

[HOOVER29]

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!!

 

[185143]

Surprised Chatham hasn't been mentioned! Though the 'Spoons was much nicer than I'd expected.

Rotherham is a hole, I'll second that. As is Kirkby. And Wigan. Lowestoft didn't exactly fill me with joy when I changed trains there recently, though in fairness the rain was giving Manchester a run for it's money!

 

[Bantamzen]

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!!

Just being pedantic here but Bradford is not a town but a city.

 

[yorksrob]

Agreed. The shopping area by the station is somewhat rough round the edges (and the station itself is 1960s Brutalist grim), but for a seaside day out it's quite a pleasant place these days.

Surprised Chatham hasn't been mentioned! Though the 'Spoons was much nicer than I'd expected.

Rotherham is a hole, I'll second that. As is Kirkby. And Wigan. Lowestoft didn't exactly fill me with joy when I changed trains there recently, though in fairness the rain was giving Manchester a run for it's money!

I'm quite fond of Southport as a town. In terms of the station, yes the building might be a monstrous carbunkle, but the train shed is quite pleasing.

And Wigan is a splendid town with some decent pubs.

 

[Ianno87]

I'm quite fond of Southport as a town. In terms of the station, yes the building might be a monstrous carbunkle, but the train shed is quite pleasing..

We should be grateful that the trainshed survives and hasn't needed/wanted to be pulled down at any point!

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Rochdale, Heywood and Runcorn. Awful places.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

I'm quite fond of Southport as a town. In terms of the station, yes the building might be a monstrous carbunkle, but the train shed is quite pleasing.

And Wigan is a splendid town with some decent pubs.

The old station front was demolished in 1970, IIRC. Until this time the station had 11 platforms, of which 7-11 were taken out of use in 1967, in filled and used for parking. This is still the case today, but the whole train-shed survived until 1970. The surviving platforms were also shortened.

Indeed, I've enjoyed a pint or two a few times at the conveniently placed Wigan Central pub, situated in the arches under the WCML/ Wigan NW station.

 

[yorksrob]

We should be grateful that the trainshed survives and hasn't needed/wanted to be pulled down at any point!

Or succumbed to penny pinching.

The old station front was demolished in 1970, IIRC. Until this time the station had 11 platforms, of which 7-11 were taken out of use in 1967, in filled and used for parking. This is still the case today, but the whole train-shed survived until 1970. The surviving platforms were also shortened.

Indeed, I've enjoyed a pint or two a few times at the conveniently placed Wigan Central pub, situated in the arches under the WCML/ Wigan NW station.

Yes, there are a few other good ones in the vicinity, but that one's my favourite.

 

[bramling]

Rhyl used to be a nice place in the 70’s.
So did Aberystwyth.

What’s wrong with Aberystwyth? For a seaside town it’s pretty smart and vibrant, no doubt assisted by being a university town. It’s nothing like as rundown as Rhyl.

Also in Aber’s favour is it’s home to a rather nice steam railway...

 

[PeterC]

For small towns I would nominate Lydney, which seems to have the sole function of making Chepstow look up market by comparison.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What’s wrong with Aberystwyth? For a seaside town it’s pretty smart and vibrant, no doubt assisted by being a university town. It’s nothing like as rundown as Rhyl.

Also in Aber’s favour is it’s home to a rather nice steam railway...

I was going to say, Aber is pleasant enough. Doesn't even need mentioning in the same sentence as Blackpool!

To add to rubbish seaside towns/cities (or towns/cities by the sea), I was only there briefly but Cleethorpes looked fairly nasty. And Portsmouth is a rat-infested dump.

 

[matacaster]

Bradford is just the place if you used to be a fan of wacky races. In the stone age, there wasn't insurance, licences, highway code and valid MOT's and little has changed in Bradford since then as far as motoring is concerned. A taxi driver doing a high speed U-turn when the traffic lights changed (yes, in the middle of the intersection) just about sums of the standard of driving. There are, however, a terrific variety of charity shops, but none have anything of quality to sell. The fairly recently created mirror pool by the town hall is out of action as the pump room was destroyed by flooding!!! Happily this event has not in anyway diminished the ranks of cider-drinking dossers who frequent the area. The placement of the new Broadway shopping centre, which not only makes linking the two stations much more difficult but also manages to place an eyesore in what was at one time the rather attractive Forster Square, is a development unlikely to commend itself to the local heritage society. Another interesting feature, peculiar to Bradford is the way that the owners of the many terrace houses in the outskirts of the city feel that they MUST have a unique shape / materials / colour scheme for their dormer extension on the roof, preferably in complete contrast to their neighbours. Bradford is also very experienced in planning for mega projects, sadly none of which come to fruition, but all take an inordinate amount of time and money before slipping away into obscurity.

In Deighton, Huddersfield, the local rag announced recently that someone was applying for permission to open a wild west saloon (yes, really)- several readers pointed out that there were plenty of guns in the locality so it might be a popular attraction!

 

[yorksrob]

Slightly off topic, but I loved this and still do

Ha ha, very good - more of a TV mash-up

 

[cjmillsnun]

The only[1] town that sets off swearing checkers. Perhaps apt.

[1] Not quite: https://goo.gl/maps/vbnNJNHVxe5hYpUJA

What about Peniston and Clitheroe? They also should get off swear filters..

Anyway. Crap towns

Havant
Bedworth
Horley

 

[AM9]

What about Peniston and Clitheroe? They also should get off swear filters..

Anyway. Crap towns

Havant
Bedworth

I used to live in Fareham, mmm, no wonder they say never go back!

 

[Robin Edwards]

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.

I echo your thoughts.
Letchworth Garden City prized itself on bespoke housing design and lots of green spaces. More recent estates are less desirable but overall I wouldn't place Letchworth in the same category as say Stevenage keeping my choice of example local.
For information and back in the 1970s when I worked in Letchworth, the local authority didn't allow any pubs - can you imagine a town with no pubs? Hotels sold alcohol obviously but other than that, the Town Centre was dry!

 

[GoneSouth]

How did it take #96 posts before Bradford got a mention?

It has a magnificent gothic city hall, fantastic theatre and concert venues, fabulous Victorian architecture, but...

I have never seen a town or city in the uk with a worse litter or fly tipping problem! What a shame, could have been a beautiful place but neglect, industrial decline, grand ideas that were never likely to win the funding they required, being the end of the line as far as rail and motorways are concerned and being overshadowed by its bigger and wealthier neighbour have left Bradford drowning without a place in the 21st Centaurus.

Not all negative though, it remains one of the friendliest places I’ve visited.

 

[Dibuzz]

I'm quite fond of Southport as a town. In terms of the station, yes the building might be a monstrous carbunkle, but the train shed is quite pleasing.

And Wigan is a splendid town with some decent pubs.

And the best Rugby League team in the North West

How did it take #96 posts before Bradford got a mention?

It has a magnificent gothic city hall, fantastic theatre and concert venues, fabulous Victorian architecture, but...

I have never seen a town or city in the uk with a worse litter or fly tipping problem! What a shame, could have been a beautiful place but neglect, industrial decline, grand ideas that were never likely to win the funding they required, being the end of the line as far as rail and motorways are concerned and being overshadowed by its bigger and wealthier neighbour have left Bradford drowning without a place in the 21st Centaurus.

Not all negative though, it remains one of the friendliest places I’ve visited.

I like Bradford, always seems to be something going on when I've been there but it can be very loud.

The worst town by far is St. Helens, or what's left of it.
Main street is full of empty shops, drunk/drugged people and chuggers.
There used to be some beautiful buildings but they all seem to somehow catch fire and have to be demolished then suddenly a property developer buys it.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

What’s wrong with Aberystwyth? For a seaside town it’s pretty smart and vibrant, no doubt assisted by being a university town. It’s nothing like as rundown as Rhyl.

Also in Aber’s favour is it’s home to a rather nice steam railway...

"The Biarrtiz (sic) of Wales" - and still a very decent place. Generally well kept and home to just a few cultural artefacts such as the National Library , Theater , - nothing at all like Rhyl (or similar) - wide range of welcoming alehouses. What is not to like.

 

[GoneSouth]

I like Bradford, always seems to be something going on when I've been there but it can be very loud.

I agree, always enjoy a visit but wouldn’t want to live there. Some of the places not too far away would make a much nicer places to live and you can then just visit when you want / need to. It definitely needs to find itself a purpose in the world once again and regain some pride, much like it has when the wool trade made it wealthy.

Moving south, has anybody visited the soulless town of Swindon recently? Apart from lots of fast trains to London, what does it have to offer the world?

 

[W-on-Sea]

Swindon is the nearest big town to where I live. It *is* a bit grim, the town centre, the run-down inner suburbs north of the centre, and the new-town style suburbs in most other directions.

Good points? Lots of trains out, sure. A few nice residential districts in the old town and railway village (splendid Victorian architecture there), a few nice pubs if you know where to find them, a certain amount of regeneration (even if largely restricted to the area around the designer outlet and "Steam" and National Trust offices in the oddly named Even Swindon). And lovely countryside in every direction, and delightful places a few miles out of town in most directions too. It's a reasonably friendly town, though.

Trowbridge, though - I struggle to say anything good about that.

 

[adrock1976]

I agree, always enjoy a visit but wouldn’t want to live there. Some of the places not too far away would make a much nicer places to live and you can then just visit when you want / need to. It definitely needs to find itself a purpose in the world once again and regain some pride, much like it has when the wool trade made it wealthy.

Moving south, has anybody visited the soulless town of Swindon recently? Apart from lots of fast trains to London, what does it have to offer the world?

Swindon is the nearest big town to where I live. It *is* a bit grim, the town centre, the run-down inner suburbs north of the centre, and the new-town style suburbs in most other directions.

Good points? Lots of trains out, sure. A few nice residential districts in the old town and railway village (splendid Victorian architecture there), a few nice pubs if you know where to find them, a certain amount of regeneration (even if largely restricted to the area around the designer outlet and "Steam" and National Trust offices in the oddly named Even Swindon). And lovely countryside in every direction, and delightful places a few miles out of town in most directions too. It's a reasonably friendly town, though.

Trowbridge, though - I struggle to say anything good about that.

Does Swindon have the Magic Roundabout?

Not the nursery age children programme, but a road design where each end of the road at the roundabout has a mini roundabout, meaning that you can take the shortest route to the desired road to exit the roundabout, even if it is anti clockwise.

 

[bramling]

I echo your thoughts.
Letchworth Garden City prized itself on bespoke housing design and lots of green spaces. More recent estates are less desirable but overall I wouldn't place Letchworth in the same category as say Stevenage keeping my choice of example local.
For information and back in the 1970s when I worked in Letchworth, the local authority didn't allow any pubs - can you imagine a town with no pubs? Hotels sold alcohol obviously but other than that, the Town Centre was dry!

I think Letchworth is still fairly thinly spread with pubs and the like even today. No doubt many take the train to Stevenage instead, or Hitchin for the more ”discerning”.

Letchworth’s okay, but nicest in Britain it certainly isn’t - by a long way.

 

[Condor7]

We visited Dumfries a few years back and it was very run down, if tumble weed had rolled down the town centre it would not have surprised us.
However we went back last week and a lot of effort has gone into improving it. There is more work to be done which I hope they do as with the magnificent river that runs through the town it could be a stunning place.
What we did notice however is that it appeared almost everyone seemed to smoke, in such contrast to most places these days.

 

[Bantamzen]

I agree, always enjoy a visit but wouldn’t want to live there. Some of the places not too far away would make a much nicer places to live and you can then just visit when you want / need to. It definitely needs to find itself a purpose in the world once again and regain some pride, much like it has when the wool trade made it wealthy.

Moving south, has anybody visited the soulless town of Swindon recently? Apart from lots of fast trains to London, what does it have to offer the world?

Why wouldn't you want to live here may I ask?