What's the worst place you've ever been in the UK?

[In2mindsss]

Ill go first.

Morecambe. Nice views but proper creepy.

I grew up in Willesden, quite close to Kilbuurn. I'm nearly 60 and my parents were Irish (this is relevant).

When I was growing up, Kilburn was very Irish, loads of Irish pubs, clubs, shops etc. it did actually have a nice atmosphere and (as well as the Irish shops!) had a good range of chain stores so we always went shopping there. As I got older I had some great nights out there too. It did decline later on , I'd say from the 90s when the Celtic Tiger economy at the time meant less immigration from Ireland. It's a shame, it used to be good there. As a kid I was jealous of friends who lived in Kilburn!

Romford is a rose between two thorns .
What's wrong with Romford?

Stop bigging up the lovely areas of the North, people will come if you do!

I really don’t think it’s an awful thing to discuss. Yes there’s a comedic aspect to how horrible some places are but it’s also important and worth talking about that so much of Britain is so run down and depressing or even unsafe. If someone really can’t cope with their hometown being slagged off, they don’t have to read the thread. I grew up in a notorious northern shitehole and I’m under no illusions about that, even though it also had its plus points like nice countryside.

My choice was Methil, I found it really horrible but that doesn’t mean I’m slagging off everyone who lives there or laughing at them for being poor. I think it’s awful that so many people do live in grim underfunded, hollowed-out towns where there’s no work, drug and crime problems and/or infrastructure decay. We’re a wealthy modern western country supposedly and so many places have been left to rot as inequality between rich and poor skyrockets. It’s a massive political failure that affects millions of peoples’ life chances. At the same time the thread has introduced me to loads of places I didn’t know about or have never been to, e.g. Dungeness sounds really intriguing.

it’s nonsense that we shouldn’t discuss interesting and relevant things because someone might not like it. I’m so fed up of this type of policing telling people it’s awful to ever have a negative view of anything. Britain is going seriously downhill especially post-brexit and I don’t think that’s now some kind of hysterical nostalgic DM-reader view, it’s a reality we should be aware of.

Speaking in the Norths defence now, but a relative has just returned home to Canada, after a two month visit to us in the North. Took her to Northumberland, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, beautiful Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Chester and Harrogate. And there were so many other lovely places on the list which we didn’t get to. I think we can say that there are beautiful places amongst the shitty places. On the drive to the Lakes from my shitty place of residence (Bradford), it’s beautiful lush views of hills and countryside pretty much on my doorstep.

King Billy. Comes alive at night y'know.
Although that's nowhere near the Humber Bridge.

Luton, closely followed by Stevenage.

I've never been to Brighton, but I thought it was supposed to be nice. I'm surprised to see it mentioned so often.

Swindon. Closely followed by Telford.

Agree with Birkenhead being scuzzy as fuck. Used to live there and it’s a culture shock. The only reason I don’t think it’s the worst place is because the park is/was (don’t live there now) lovely. The best part of Birkenhead- mostly because when you’re in the middle of it by the lake and climbing the rocks you forget you’re in Birkenhead. And some of the most kind and wonderful people I’ve ever known I met there.

Kings Lynn - safe enough, but just very depressing. Charity shops, pound shops, unemployment and mobility scooters are my main memories. Best thing about it is the train station to get out of there.
KL is a prime example of the destruction caused by 1970's 'planning', there are some supurb buildings sandwiched either side of a truly hideous shopping area, the buidling destroyed to build the shopping centre were beautiful. Now the late Queen doesn't use the station to get to Sandringham I wonder how long the station, will remain as attractive as it is now!

Blackpool does have the lowest life expectancy in England and Wales for both men and women (used to be Merthyr for women). So what people are seeing who are cushioned form it is poverty and the consequences of poverty which can be pretty shocking. Jaywick is a pocket of very low life expectancy in an otherwise relatively more healthy region.

Personally, I find rural and seaside decay quite threatening. I feel perfectly safe in eg Tottenham but, to be fair, am not usually alone.

Skegness.

This is the worst place you've ever been 😅. You must have a very lovely life.

Holyhead.

went there for a day as staying nearby. 2pm on a Saturday and everywhere was closed! Apart from one cafe and the waitress obviously wished they were. Absolutely bizarre. We didn’t stop long!

nice to see my home town mentioned. It’s not the best place but certainly better than Holyhead!

Sorry - in the NW ! People always say Southport is nice but I found the town centre grim. But it's not unique in this : it's just I expected nice.

I am still LOLing at the person who said Helensborough (sic). Yeah maybe don't hang out with the submariners. It's mainly pretty twee. Try Greenock.

Bath is the worst place you've been?! How very iconoclastic.

Another vote for Bradford. It's my nearest city and I avoid it like the plague.
Last time I went there I said I wasn't going again, unless I didnt have a choice. That was several years ago and I haven't set foot in the place since.

I know! Being disappointed in somewhere that many people love, wouldn’t make them the worst places in the UK, surely. York is full of bloody tourists, but that doesn’t make the city itself awful.

Coventry.

I have never liked it/felt comfortable there. I haven't been back in many years, but when I was growing up, the nearby towns/cities were all being done up, and I felt that Coventry was just grim and left to rot.

I will say, that the people were mostly lovely, though.

I suspect you didn't get a warning for what your faux innocence suggests you did.

Blackpool. Doubt I'll ever go again.

The amount of people who just walk right into you is unreal. I eventually started holding my ground as I couldn't take walking around multi generational groups every few minutes, when they made no effort whatsoever to naturally swerve as we're accustomed to do. A man literally walked straight into me and didn't even acknowledge it. Luckily, I have broad shoulders and a sturdy build so he was the one who took the brunt but still. The arrogance and wilful ignorance was awful, never encountered anything like it.

Perhaps it's improved then. We went for a rainy afternoon about 18 years ago. Couldn't wait to get back in the car.

What’s right with Romford? I’d rather go to Catford!