Page 40 | Ever visited somewhere for the day and been really disappointed?

Summerhouse2013 · 2023-04-24T10:33:45+00:00

We travelled to Yeovil in Somerset yesterday for the day, wow, we were so disappointed. It was like a ghost town. Most of the shops were shut, only a handful were open. And towards the bottom area of the town most of the shops were completely closed down. I'd always got the impression there was a lot more to Yeovil. We left after an hour as there was nothing to do.

AskMeMore · 26/04/2023 16:38

Lands End is beautiful scenery, but the awful tatty surroundings do it no favours.

angela99999 · 26/04/2023 16:40

ItsCalledAConversation · 26/04/2023 15:56

Totally agree. I almost had a breakdown spending one night in Abersoch. So many people love it but I found it unfriendly l, dour, bleak and just this dragging sense of doom and hatred. Horrible.

Thame - my grandparents used to live there and I have some lovely memories. But these days it’s full of rich boomers who are offended at the presence of a young family nearby where they are trying to sip their cappuccino. Just the worst kind of NIMBY.

Agree with PPs on Bath - weird geography, a feeling that all the best parties ended 250 years ago and tbh anywhere with that proportion of entitled rich boomers and their braying offspring is going to be a bad place.

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We moved to Bath in 2006 and it was lovely then, however you're right, today it's now full of entitled boomers, brayers and people who moved from London - as we did at that time.

Also the local authority are in self-destruct mode, introducing their own version of congestion zone and incredibly expensive (and very limited) parking. The two main Park and Rides are on the wrong side of the town for most visitors. The authority own a lot of the shops and the rents are so high that interesting small independent businesses find it hard to survive.
We eventually moved away, back to relative normality.

dittbtdity · 26/04/2023 16:41

FlugelHugel · 26/04/2023 15:42

Phoenix Park isn't an actual park - it is a business park that also has the park & ride. It's right on the outskirts of the city (hence the park & ride). I can appreciate why Nottingham might invite a range of opinions, positive and negative, but I should imagine most park & ride sites aren't worth a special visit.

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Well we didn't realise it wasn't an actual park park till we got there. We don't have any interest in car parks unless we want to park our car, which we didn't. Obvs thought it was a park with grass and stuff 😳

TonTonMacoute · 26/04/2023 16:41

Plethora of woo.

Come on people, that's a user name right there!

SuePine73 · 26/04/2023 16:45

Mostar · 26/04/2023 15:37

I was really disappointed with Torquay because I thought we were going to Turkey.

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Wasn't Fawlty Towers set in Torquay? In one episode a guest complained about the view and Basil said something like "What do you expect from Torquay? Herds of majestic wildebeest strolling across the landscape?"

I've just looked it up:
Basil: ‘Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically…’

TonTonMacoute · 26/04/2023 16:47

MummyNeedsADrinkDear · 26/04/2023 00:46

Prague.
Really meh. Lots of graffiti.

A friend of mine worked for Dorling Kindersley on one of the first guide books to Prague about 30 years ago.

It wasn't long after the fall of the Soviet Union and there was no tourist industry, or much in the way of suitable hotels, so DK rented an apartment and the editorial team more or less lived out there for several months.

It was a magical time, she was going to jazz clubs with writers and dissident politicians, amazing restaurants, really quiet and safe to walk around.

She went back again about 5 years later and was so sad to see what terrible damage tourism had done in such a short time. She felt very guilty.

TonTonMacoute · 26/04/2023 16:54

Rottweilermummy · 25/04/2023 19:05

I live near yeovil , its my nearest decent shopping place ( 3 miles to nearest shop ) its got an amazing park called 9 springs but that really is the best it has to offer lol , it's very widespread too so the high street does come across quiet /ghost town but there are shopping outlets in other parts of the town , Sherborne a few miles further is better , quaint and has the Abbey and 2 castles
I'm shocked at people saying Bath though, it's beautiful and so much to see, Each to their own though.
I'm still trying to think of somewhere I was disappointed with lol

DH and I spent a very happy hour in the factory outlet shop at Pittards in Yeovil a few years back.

Two delightful women working there, we came out laden with lovely goodies, including my favourite ever pair of sheepskin gloves.

We really wanted to get one of their whole cow skin rugs, but just didn't have anywhere big enough to put it.

Cariadm · 26/04/2023 16:54

canyon2000 · 24/04/2023 12:54

Yes!! I spent a day in Amsterdam and thought the same. When I arrived they were clearing up all the detritus from the night before and it was dirty and smelt of piss and weed. Then spent the rest of the day trying to avoid being run over by cyclists! It didn't inspire me to ever return.

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Like the first poster, who also thought it a good idea to visit a large, massively historic old city FOR THE DAY what exactly were you expecting to see in that short time and why did you even go for a day?! It sounds like you 'arrived' in the centre, maybe the Leidseplein which only probably smells of 'piss and weed' because of all the tourists who go there simply to get drunk and stoned, (many on a day trip?) Maybe if you had spent a few days there, just opened your eyes and mind a little, perhaps jumped on a few trams and walked around to see the rest of the city, took a trip on a canal boat to see the fantastic old buildings from a different perspective, spent a couple of hours in the Rijksmuseum perhaps? Smpled some of the local food and drink apart from chips and mayonnaise? It's a diverse, interesting and very beautiful city and the Dutch are friendly and welcoming, well they used to be, but I hear they're now more than a little fed up with the so many 'day trippers' peeing and vomiting everywhere so obviously they're also 'disappointed' in you!! 🙄

FlugelHugel · 26/04/2023 16:56

@dittbtdity to make it worse, if you were in the city centre, you would only have been a short walk from the Arboretum which does have trees and grass and a rose garden and stuff 😩

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 16:59

@angela99999 I'm definitely not a brayer- lol and not rich (we rent) I do agree about the park and rides though- and the congestion zones. Although in other ways I think the council do well here with a lot of tourist traffic and finite resources. Problem is we did look at other places when we moved back from abroad (we lived here for 5 years before going to Denmark) and our list of where we liked was pretty short (I don't drive either) I would have preferred to go back to kingston /richmond area but we couldn't quite run to it as need quite a big place and we were outbid in Guildford, winchester and marlow. My H is bloody fussy -

Deathraystare · 26/04/2023 17:00

I liked Bath when I was there. It was a very hot day. I got one of those top deck viewing buses. I did not know they gave you headphones. No one mentioned it. I did suddenly notice everyone hade headphones about half way through but I did not want to leave my seat!

TheaBrandt · 26/04/2023 17:15

Bath is really gorgeous- would be gutted to move away from it - why would you?! There’s traffic congestion everywhere just cycle much easier and less stressful.

Floralnomad · 26/04/2023 17:20

Deathraystare · 26/04/2023 17:00

I liked Bath when I was there. It was a very hot day. I got one of those top deck viewing buses. I did not know they gave you headphones. No one mentioned it. I did suddenly notice everyone hade headphones about half way through but I did not want to leave my seat!

We did the bus tour when we went and really enjoyed it , we also loved the Abbey , not so sold on the Roman baths . What really finished the day off well was finding a cake shop / stall in the indoor market that sold really nice gf cakes .

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 17:24

As I said @TheaBrandt we did look elsewhere when we came back but struggled to find anywhere that came near to the facilities for a mid sized place - and was also very attractive with great countryside on doorstep. We did find a nice rental house in Guildford which we like too and same again in Winchester but were outbid (well over asking price) on both of them - but I'm glad to be back and have some nice friends here too which was a big bonus. I always wonder where these people who hate it actually live !!

angela99999 · 26/04/2023 17:28

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 16:59

@angela99999 I'm definitely not a brayer- lol and not rich (we rent) I do agree about the park and rides though- and the congestion zones. Although in other ways I think the council do well here with a lot of tourist traffic and finite resources. Problem is we did look at other places when we moved back from abroad (we lived here for 5 years before going to Denmark) and our list of where we liked was pretty short (I don't drive either) I would have preferred to go back to kingston /richmond area but we couldn't quite run to it as need quite a big place and we were outbid in Guildford, winchester and marlow. My H is bloody fussy -

We loved Bath when we first went there, but it felt as though the council traffic management was done almost entirely to make money, to the detriment of local inhabitants. I get your point about managing tourist traffic, but they seemed to forget that normal people have to go to the supermarket, park near the market and local tradesmen need to travel across the city in their older vans.
We lived in an area which became very popular and spent years renovating our house, only to find that we were surrounded by new people with a lot of money and not much in the way of neighbourliness!

We did originally live in the Richmond area and have happily gone back to west London. Fortunately we no longer have children living at home so could buy somewhere smaller.
Sorry, this is away from the point of the thread, but hope that you continue to be happy in Bath!

Matildalamp · 26/04/2023 17:33

Please can we continue this thread, it’s really cheered me up!

Cariadm · 26/04/2023 17:35

TheaBrandt · 26/04/2023 12:32

Absolutely agree with Chick. Also researching the place / reading novels set there etc so you can appreciate it more. Turning up negative with arms folded and a “come on then impress me” attitude is not conducive to a fun time.

That said anyone would struggle with Yeovil but wholesale dismissal of London / paris /Amsterdam is quite embarrassing!

Agree 100% and have posted the same observations in response to several moans on here myself!! The worst one so far was someone was disappointed in Barbados...BARBADOS in the CARIBBEAN!!!!

angela99999 · 26/04/2023 17:37

I loved Amsterdam, I went for a week to work but didn't get much done as there was so much going on there. Just walking about there was a joy!

Matildalamp · 26/04/2023 17:37

Justaflippertyjibbet · 26/04/2023 13:20

Seaton Carew. I thought it sounded so lovely.

I’ve always thought it sounded like a Sherlock Holmes villain.

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 17:40

@angela99999 Yep- I like south west London too. We lived there for quite a while and did look again this time- we couldn't quite run to it though- we run a business from home and needed a typical 4 bedder but not terraced and anything suitable was about £1k a month over the budget. I guess I've been really lucky here as first time we had lovely neighbours both sides ( who were locals) and this time I've got a lovely neighbour too - very neighbourly- other side is indeed an incomer who is selling and I don't think I've seen her more than twice in 6 months. Luckily I'm 1 minute walk from the Uni bus- so I don't have to faff with town parking - my H moans about cost though when he does park in town !!

angela99999 · 26/04/2023 17:47

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 17:40

@angela99999 Yep- I like south west London too. We lived there for quite a while and did look again this time- we couldn't quite run to it though- we run a business from home and needed a typical 4 bedder but not terraced and anything suitable was about £1k a month over the budget. I guess I've been really lucky here as first time we had lovely neighbours both sides ( who were locals) and this time I've got a lovely neighbour too - very neighbourly- other side is indeed an incomer who is selling and I don't think I've seen her more than twice in 6 months. Luckily I'm 1 minute walk from the Uni bus- so I don't have to faff with town parking - my H moans about cost though when he does park in town !!

You obviously chose well, we were on another hill where buses were reduced to one an hour for 7 hours of the day!

dittbtdity · 26/04/2023 17:51

FlugelHugel · 26/04/2023 16:56

@dittbtdity to make it worse, if you were in the city centre, you would only have been a short walk from the Arboretum which does have trees and grass and a rose garden and stuff 😩

Dang

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 17:55

@angela99999 I've got one every 3 minutes all day till about 7pm and then one every 10. Uni holidays not quite so good- one every 16 minutes- but liveable with- I don't drive so it's an absolute boon- we live near Uni- last time we lived in Bathwick so was just 10 minutes walk in - on the flat!! I def think you have to be selective here- otherwise you would spend a fortune on parking- my friend lives in Oldfield park as a lot of the old student houses are being done up and back to family homes again - and that's very convenient too -

angela99999 · 26/04/2023 18:15

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 17:55

@angela99999 I've got one every 3 minutes all day till about 7pm and then one every 10. Uni holidays not quite so good- one every 16 minutes- but liveable with- I don't drive so it's an absolute boon- we live near Uni- last time we lived in Bathwick so was just 10 minutes walk in - on the flat!! I def think you have to be selective here- otherwise you would spend a fortune on parking- my friend lives in Oldfield park as a lot of the old student houses are being done up and back to family homes again - and that's very convenient too -

We were in Widcombe, up the hill, really nice place. But getting a bit posh now - maybe that's why the buses are getting worse?

Crikeyalmighty · 26/04/2023 18:29

Yep widcombe hill is lousy for buses- easy walk into town downhill but hell of a drag back!