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Is our town a shithole..

860 replies

FroggletTowers · 12/06/2025 13:53

Or is this happening anywhere else?

I have been discussing this with friends, family and colleagues recently so won't name our town for privacy reasons, but it is a regular, large town in England, UK.
Nothing particularly special or awful about it, previously.

Since the pandemic, the entire vibe has changed. Almost unrecognisable.
Yes, we have some heavy shop closures like many towns, but the council kept it looking decent as much as it could. Some nice buildings and nature areas, etc.

What stands out most, apart from the general vandalism and dog shit is the weird accumulation of male groups hanging around boozing in public.

So far they have taken over the local park, river walks and nature reserves. They often cluster beneath bridges or across paths where people like to run, cycle walk dogs or take children, making it less safe and filling these areas with waste. Off road bikes have ruined the nature reserves, so less people visit Sad

Sadly the authorities don't seem to be doing much about it, it is as if these people don't have to abide by laws that the rest of us have to. Some buildings adjacent to these areas have windows put through on a regular basis, even in what you'd call 'nice' areas.
Many of them cluster at river bridges and block the path for others, most are very drunk or out of generally.
It isn't unusual to see a large man passed out across the pathway, blocking anyone getting past. If you had a pram or bike it would be really uncomfortable to have to rouse a large drunk at 2pm in the afternoon. Most are local men, with a growing amount of middle eastern men. The vast majority of them are unstable.

We see less women out cycling, walking or exercising now, and this encompasses both MC and WC areas. These people seem to have just multiplied and spread across the entire borough and have taken over all public space.
We live in a decent area that is now seeming to go downhill.
It isn't unusual to see day drinkers sat alone, surrounded by cans on a quiet residential street. And they won't move to let you past.

It's really depressing.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:34

bipbopdo · 17/06/2025 11:32

I do think you should maybe put the phone down and go outside for a bit @Slatterndisgrace. You seem very angry.

And here is another one of the crew.

I’v been accused of all kinds of things.

Yet one of your cowards go running to the mods.

Pathetic.

I suggested you all do some physical labour. Shocking, I know.

bipbopdo · 17/06/2025 11:34

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:29

I am not saying that.

I am saying in 2025 with contraception we can stop this cycle repeating.

But what happens if a family falls on hard times? You can’t just blink kids out of existence because you’ve lost your job or are seriously ill

bipbopdo · 17/06/2025 11:32

I do think you should maybe put the phone down and go outside for a bit @Slatterndisgrace. You seem very angry.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:32

Physical work.

That’s what you need.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:31

It’s ok for posters to accuse other posters of racism, scroungers, scum. Fight back and call those posters back and you get reported.

cowards.

alikelylass · 17/06/2025 11:30

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 10:51

@alikelylass

  1. Can you link to the research evidence you've seen setting out what percentage of asylum seekers speak no English at all. A 2021 report by the Migration Observatory pointed to 9 out of 10 asylum seekers speaking English 'well' or 'adequately' and only 1.4% not being able to speak English at all.
  2. Manual workers don't always need to have good English - construction work, some kitchen jobs, some delivery work, landscaping, some agricultural work, cleaning. My neice's girlfriend spoke almost no English for the first year she was in the UK, but made a decent living doing office cleaning.

From Breaking Barriers -
"84% of asylum seekers said that they did not have sufficient English language ability to get a job. Support with these issues is very limited – in some places waiting lists for English classes are two years long, and the majority of those in classes say that the classes they are doing are not sufficient to learn the language.

As a result, refugees in the UK are 4 times more likely to be unemployed than people born here, and on average earn about half the amount per week that UK nationals do. This is despite high levels of qualifications and skills. "

And even for manual work workers they need to be able to understand English to follow instructions.

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:29

I am not saying that.

I am saying in 2025 with contraception we can stop this cycle repeating.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:29

Crikeyalmighty · 17/06/2025 11:23

I’ve reported @Slatterndisgrace for personal attacks on people - calling people who disagree twats or bone idol idiots who disagree with you is not at all acceptable @Slatterndisgrace - may I suggest you get back to your physical labour and drooling over Farage ( not much sign of physical labour there- just grabbing public money) - you clearly need some physical labour to work off your aggression

You’re a coward, simple.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:27

Crikeyalmighty · 17/06/2025 11:23

I’ve reported @Slatterndisgrace for personal attacks on people - calling people who disagree twats or bone idol idiots who disagree with you is not at all acceptable @Slatterndisgrace - may I suggest you get back to your physical labour and drooling over Farage ( not much sign of physical labour there- just grabbing public money) - you clearly need some physical labour to work off your aggression

Nothing wrong with physical labour. Are you suggesting there is??

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:26

Crikeyalmighty · 17/06/2025 11:23

I’ve reported @Slatterndisgrace for personal attacks on people - calling people who disagree twats or bone idol idiots who disagree with you is not at all acceptable @Slatterndisgrace - may I suggest you get back to your physical labour and drooling over Farage ( not much sign of physical labour there- just grabbing public money) - you clearly need some physical labour to work off your aggression

Never voted farage in my life.

Please prove where I said that.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:25

Crikeyalmighty · 17/06/2025 11:23

I’ve reported @Slatterndisgrace for personal attacks on people - calling people who disagree twats or bone idol idiots who disagree with you is not at all acceptable @Slatterndisgrace - may I suggest you get back to your physical labour and drooling over Farage ( not much sign of physical labour there- just grabbing public money) - you clearly need some physical labour to work off your aggression

lol, well you give it but you can’t take it.

COWARD.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:24

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:21

How could contraception have stopped my mother's father from developing schizophrenia and leaving her mother to raise three daughters alone?

My situation is fine thanks. My mum married my very working class dad (also raised by a single parent) who went on to become a diplomat and she's now living on a very lovely index linked civil service pension in a lovely detached home, with all the love in the world. Sadly this doesn't mean that she is now completely unaffected emotionally by the poverty and humiliation she experienced as a child. Children deserve protection from the impact of poverty. I can't think of a better use for government spending than investing in the wellbeing of children.

Oh look. Now we have the SYMPATHY VOTE!!

Eyes forward comrades!

Nobody has suffered like this!

Crikeyalmighty · 17/06/2025 11:23

I’ve reported @Slatterndisgrace for personal attacks on people - calling people who disagree twats or bone idol idiots who disagree with you is not at all acceptable @Slatterndisgrace - may I suggest you get back to your physical labour and drooling over Farage ( not much sign of physical labour there- just grabbing public money) - you clearly need some physical labour to work off your aggression

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:22

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:18

Look at the animal kingdom. Survival of the fittest. There must be a reason why nature intended that???

If you are in difficult situation use contraception or abstinence at least until you are back on your feet. Commonsense.

@Pistachioitaliano

Oh, you're a fascist!

😂

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:22

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:18

Look at the animal kingdom. Survival of the fittest. There must be a reason why nature intended that???

If you are in difficult situation use contraception or abstinence at least until you are back on your feet. Commonsense.

Look at the animal kingdom…..

Did you seriously just say that!

How embarrassing.

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:21

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:15

I am sorry to hear about your situation

This does not need to be repeated in 2025 as we have contraception.

If anyone created such a situation now they should take full responsibility for their own circumstances.

How could contraception have stopped my mother's father from developing schizophrenia and leaving her mother to raise three daughters alone?

My situation is fine thanks. My mum married my very working class dad (also raised by a single parent) who went on to become a diplomat and she's now living on a very lovely index linked civil service pension in a lovely detached home, with all the love in the world. Sadly this doesn't mean that she is now completely unaffected emotionally by the poverty and humiliation she experienced as a child. Children deserve protection from the impact of poverty. I can't think of a better use for government spending than investing in the wellbeing of children.

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:18

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:13

Do you want to force employers to give people jobs, including people with a history of incarceration, people with really poor work records because of chronic illnesses and serious mental health diagnosis?

Is that what you're suggesting?

You appreciate there will always be people who employers don't want?

Look at the animal kingdom. Survival of the fittest. There must be a reason why nature intended that???

If you are in difficult situation use contraception or abstinence at least until you are back on your feet. Commonsense.

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:18

This reply has been deleted

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Crikeyalmighty · 17/06/2025 11:17

@Slatterndisgracedon’t need one thanks, I’ve got a perfectly good business and I never copy and paste because I’ve got a brain - you make big assumptions - I come from a really working class mining town , my dad was a roofer, lived there till I was 33 , I’ve done lots of jobs involving a lot of physical labour - are you saying the only people worth having an opinion are cleaners or farmers or carers or dustbin men etc - all these are much needed jobs in society, but it doesn’t make their views any more valid . What counts as physical labour anyway?? Because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn't make them necessarily wrong if you examine the ‘facts ‘ and not the ‘feelings’ -

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:15

This reply has been deleted

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Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:15

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:03

@Pistachioitaliano

"Benefits need changing. How do you think we managed in the past. If you needed food or shelter you worked. The state didn't support you."

My mum was born before the birth of the modern welfare state. Her father developed schizophrenia and was sectioned. He died decades later having never left hospital. Her young mum had had 3 young daughters by the time he got ill, and had to work full time, while leaving her kids with various neighbours, some of whom were abusive. Because she was on a low wage and didn't get help with her rent (no housing allowance) she became homeless. My mum is 90 now and still tears up remembering the humiliation and fear of this time in her life.

People like you make comments like that because you're unimaginative and ignorant. You have no concept of the harm to mental and physical health of those living in absolute destitution. My mum is still living with the psychological impact of being raised in abject poverty 80 years ago.

I am sorry to hear about your situation

This does not need to be repeated in 2025 as we have contraception.

If anyone created such a situation now they should take full responsibility for their own circumstances.

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:13

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:07

We have 2 problems:-

1 Too many lazy indigenous Brits
(Not all)

2 Too many low skilled immigrants (not all)

Solution- get the indigenous into work and stop immigration of low skilled.

How: changing benefit system and stopping immigration of low skilled people of all colours.

Do you want to force employers to give people jobs, including people with a history of incarceration, people with really poor work records because of chronic illnesses and serious mental health diagnosis?

Is that what you're suggesting?

You appreciate there will always be people who employers don't want?

Slatterndisgrace · 17/06/2025 11:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Sabire9 · 17/06/2025 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Who are you talking to?

Me?

I have a job thanks.

Pistachioitaliano · 17/06/2025 11:07

We have 2 problems:-

1 Too many lazy indigenous Brits
(Not all)

2 Too many low skilled immigrants (not all)

Solution- get the indigenous into work and stop immigration of low skilled.

How: changing benefit system and stopping immigration of low skilled people of all colours.