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

[In2mindsss]

Ill go first.

Morecambe. Nice views but proper creepy.

It feels like that for all locals unfortunately too!

Stoke on Trent was most depressing place I've ever spent the night. Shopping centre was like it had been left in the 60s

Yeah that indoor market is particularly tragic.

Unpopular opinion but totallydontget the love for the midland hotel either

I'm going down to the beach shortly and you do see all sorts of dress down there. Lots of bum cheeks in young women in shorts and very tight leggings, lots of crop trousers for all ages. There are quite a lot of older people there (including us) and some of the very elderly people do wear very smart and classy summer clothes.

An elderly man went past us last week, he was very smart, cotton trousers, shirt and jacket and was also wearing a very dashing hat too. He looked fab.

Ripley market place in winter could rival Siberia - it's always freezing cold!
But there are definitely worse places.

I agree. Belfast is great! I think of it kind of like Dublin was 20 years ago before it became rather soulless and grotty.

Really friendly people, walkable, not overrun with tourists and while there aren't many 'sights' as such, the centre has some nice Victorian architecture and of course touring areas like the Shankill and Falls roads is fascinating, and much safer than some might imagine.

Not sure that Fred and Rose West's pals were all rounded up, or all crimes uncovered. The thought of Stroud gives me the horrors.

Mold in north Wales in the70s.
A trendsetter for urban deprivation.
It would be nice if a mumsnetter was able to say it had improved in the intervening years!

I totally agree, I went a couple of years ago and I felt traumatised on the way back home. I say this as someone who lived in London for over 25 years so well used to the rush hours and tubes and crowds.

Morecambe. Nice views but proper creepy.
I love Morecombe and used to live at Torrisholme.
Blackpool is horrible too
While i agree there are some parts of Blackpool that are horrible, especially around Broomfield, Central and Grange Park, there are some lovely areas and fantastic properties. Everyone focuses on how grotty it is a couple of streets behind the promenade. I wouldnt want to be there by myself late at night but there are plenty of areas that I love.

I know this isn't in the same league as shit run down cities, but... Scafell Pike. We went in from Wasdale Head and I just got such a terrible sense of foreboding, I put up with it for about an hour then I had to leave. It just felt... malevolent? I've never felt like that outside of nightmares before

That is weird, whilst not my favourite LD mountain, I dont mind it. I had the same feelings in many parts of Ireland and said it on here years sgo snd I was torn apart. I dont know whether I had internalised ny grandparents stories of how they were forced out because of their relationship or what but I felt really uncomfortable even though the people I met were nice and chatty. I couldn't wait gor my ferry home.

Slough, Harlow and Newport, South Wales

Birmingham - always get lost. Blackburn - the most interesting place was apparently a shopping centre.

I agree. I went on a 5 day coach holiday up there. We stayed in a hotel in Oban. I thought it was a lovely place.
One day was a trip to Fort William. My companions were very pleased to explore the town. Not me. I pre-booked a boat trip on Loch Linnhe. It was fabulous.The coach driver said I made a good choice.

Probably the only thing I have in common with Philip Larkin is that, like him,I came to Hull for a couple of years and stayed a lifetime. 45 years on I’ve seen lots of changes, taught thousands of yp from all parts of the city and enjoyed the cultural events of 2017 and beyond. I’ve tried to work out what’s kept me here in the Hotel California of Yorkshire but can’t put it into words. I think like anywhere with a ‘grim’ reputation once you get to know its people and places it gets under your skin and you become its passionate defender against outsiders who dismiss it from a distance. Anyone finding themselves lost or sad in Hull I’m happy to guide you past the Wetherspoons and Primark into the Ferens art gallery. We’ll have a pot of tea then stand before one of Frans Hal’s greatest portraits - fresh from her trip to the National gallery in London. If she doesn't put a smile on your face and gladden your heart there is no hope and even an eternal optimist like me would call it a day.

No, I’m defensive because I work in the valley…. Sorry 😳

Some very odd responses on here, Oban, Perth (maligned for not much going on- it’s not a big city)and several
other Scottish towns, all popular tourist areas. Makes you wonder where people live that they judge and write off places.
Whereas, most English cities are deprived and run down; Manchester is depressing and couldn’t wait to leave. Blackpool is one of the UKs most deprived areas so not surprising it made the list.

You must be very close to where I am. That’s my home town.

Not really. Although I haven’t been for a few yrs. It has a good selection of charity shops

I was there last month and, sadly, things have definitely not improved.

I’m talking about Glasto btw, not Brighton 🙂

Is it really worse than Brixton or West Croydon? I've worked in all three and I'd put TH as the nicest, mind you that was a long time ago. I felt really unsafe in West Croydon when I went back a few years ago.

Cardiff is great. How long were you here for? What did you do/see and how long ago did you visit?

I’m far from offended that my nearest town has been mentioned several times. I know Ilkeston is generally considered a shithole but it’s MY shithole and I’ll always have a soft spot for it. Plus Stacey’s Bakery and the Burnt Pig make up for all the bad parts.

And FWIW the worst place I’ve ever bean is Brean near Burnham on Sea.

Perth (maligned for not much going on- it’s not a big city

It was me who mentioned Perth. When I say 'not much going on' I'm not talking about nightclubs or art galleries. I'm talking about anything at all! I just got a very depressing vibe from it. It has a population of about 50,000 so while not Glasgow or Edinburgh it's not a village either.

Whereas, most English cities are deprived and run down;

Most of them? Really? Of course you're going to get rough areas in any city but do you really think that's not true of, say, Glasgow or Edinburgh? Both are home to some of the worst urban deprivation in the country.

Making this into a Scotland vs England thing is just silly.

@Fetchthevet, Bishops Stortford? I think it’s alright but a bit dull and now becoming a bit like a huge housing estate.

@GoldThumb, do you remember the village? One has a scarecrow festival once a year.

@TigerRag, agree with Harlow though they’re apparently regenerating it and they’ll be getting a big M&S food 😂 but it’s a bit of a dump.

I didn’t like Kings Lynn. Jaywick also isn’t very nice. There’s been quite a few places where I’ve not felt massively safe like Brighton. I didn’t like the vibe much at all. I lived in Hull for a long time and I actually didn’t find it too bad. A lot of these places seem to be awful due to deprivation and anti social behaviour probably in part stemming from deprivation.

Agree that Bournemouth has gone downhill. My aunt lives there and says she feels quite unsafe. Drug dealers on the road, sex workers. She saw someone having sex with a sex worker in a phone box opposite her house in the morning. She doesn’t feel very safe there now.