Just visited Newport, couldn’t wait to leave, what’s your get me outta here place?

[TheChristmasElf]

Just have just visited Newport for an appointment, we weren’t there long, toilet stop and cuppa in Asda, half hour appointment in city centre and then got lost on the way out but felt very uneasy the whole time were there. It had quite a menacing feel to it and even on the bare aesthetics of the city seemed quite run down with a lots of old closed pubs, shops etc…

I would actually go as far to say it made me feel quite unwell but I guess that would just be coincidence!!

We actually live rural Devon so not even like I’m not used to the odd lay line of two but I was quite relieved to get back on the road…

Has anyone else felt that about a place before?

It's also known as Newton Armpit !!

@Nat6999 I agree that Torquay has become really depressing, especially since the pandemic. I was there last year and the pedestrian area was grim. ☹️ Such a shame as it’s in a lovely setting and used to be more lively, now it’s run down.

Basildon!

I have never hated anywhere but there are some places I have felt odd it

But with the places people say 'it's only kebab, pound, betting shops' if a posh cafe opened up with 10 pound sandwiches and 5 pound coffees and an expensive clothes shops or whatever

How long would they be in business for?

I don’t live in London but it’s demonstrably not a shit hole. It has shit parts like any city, true.

It smacks of envy I’m afraid.

Darlington depressed me, it’s weird because I don’t mind a rough town, I find them interesting! I like Blackpool for instance. Just got a strange sadness in Darlington!

London off limits?

@Adelant ALL of London? Dulwich is pretty different to say Shoreditch, which again is very different to the Hampstead or Greenwich? I find it utterly fascinating.

Were they inside or outside the shop?

Agree with pp about the spooky nature of the Savernake forest road, always make the satnav divert away from it.

For the poster who was greeted by a Nazi salute in Portsmouth, I had to feign very close interest in the ferry terminal one day so the dc wouldn't see the old geezer openly wanking on the other side of the road...

I was born and raised there though, so love it warts and all.

Blaenau Ffestiniog
Port Talbot
Blackpool
Middlesborough
Bridgend

Deal.

Full of little black flies and brexiters.

Local shops for local people with strange local opening hours which could change depending on who knows what. I think you either had to be local or know someone to get into some of them at all. The community cafe was a rare oasis of humanity.

Someone in the supermarket proudly told me they don't have 'naughty' people (i.e. people on benefits) in Deal because they send them all to Margate.

We went home early after watching a car speed up towards a black family crossing the road.

There must be something wrong with me. So many of my favourite places have been mentioned, Glastonbury, Glencoe, Fort William & Tintagel. They are all incredibly atmospheric and I love visiting anywhere that makes you feel something energetic.

Randomly Some years ago I visited Northampton with My Dad & we both had a strange vibe about it. No idea why, no different to any other town really but we both said it felt off.

I forgot Ammanford....so grim! And the place I felt most scared in daytime - Jaywick seafront, although the beach was potentially lovely.

Oh, I love Glencoe and Tintagel, @Thewildling!

Aldeburgh. Horrible pebbly beach.

Haha. I'm sitting here wondering what's the problem with Newport Pagnell (Milton Keynes!)

It’s such a shame our towns are so depressing. I can make a few dying towns, maidstone, Chatham, sheerness. Yet I went to Boulogne for the weekend in October and it’s a vibrant town considering where it is. Lovely bars to sit outside, quality restaurants and unique small shops. Also a fantastic open air market on the Saturday. We seem to be slowly decaying in the U.K.

Yesssssss to WGC. Was there today and always forget how weird it is. It's like, it's on the cusp of being a hip/trendy/coffee bar hang out type place... But has no atmosphere.

Blackpool and Pwllheli.

"Although I find both the one in Wales and the one on the Isle of Wight a bit unsettling."

The one in south east Wales or the one in Pembrokeshire in Wales?
I presume OP means Wales's 3d city Newport/Casnewydd in se Wales. It's pretty run down. It's been better since a shopping centre opened in the city centre. The main mistake before that was to have an out of town shopping centre so the city centre just died.
The good thing is it's only 10 minutes from Cardiff of the train.

No food in Tesco or Aldi? Yeah, right.

They’re incredible! So glad I’m not the only one that loves a good atmosphere

Bridgend, yes a bit depressing.
I find the grey slate of Blaenau Ffestiniog beautiful in its own way though. It's a 'hole' in the national park.

"But with the places people say 'it's only kebab, pound, betting shops' if a posh cafe opened up with 10 pound sandwiches and 5 pound coffees and an expensive clothes shops or whatever
How long would they be in business for?"

They might do quite well, but then everyone would complain about gentrification and locals being pushed out etc.