To nominate as the country's worst town centre....

[moogster1a]

...Rochdale.
Good God it's a god forsaken place. There appears to be half a dozen payday loan shos, a few poundland things and some mobile 'phone shops.
It's got so bad that even maccy d's has shut down.
It's only redeeming feature is that Gabbots farm is still clinging on.

I once went to Newport.

Bro: See? Told you it is a complete dump.
Me: Well yes, but all towns have grotty, abandoned areas in the suburbs. I'm sure the centre of town is much nicer.
Bro: This is the main high street.
Me:

cumpygrunt Ohh I don't know, Clydebank does have a KFC AND two McDonalds.... ;)

I live close-ish to Clydebank, we always head over to Braehead for shopping. Glasgow city centre is much nicer than a few years ago, still hate that from a certain point Argyle Street is rubbish though!

Another one voting for Swindon here. Completely crappy, half the shops now closed and the other half just general rubbish. I think there are more Wetherspoons in town than any other shop
It always baffles me when people say they are travelling here to shop.

Another vote for Bracknell. Although great if you are looking to buy a plastic bucket.

Butwhyisthegingone Are you nominating Daventry?!

I offer you Harlow can not think of any independent stores at all

I was about to say Harlow too HumanCatapult

*HomeEcoGnomistFri 17-Feb-12 22:50:39

Farmworth*

You must live near me HomeEcoGnomist. I'm in Walkden - huge Tescos, 70%+ unoccupied shopping centre and 10 million takeaways. Still better than Farnworth though as at least there's not that underlying edge of violence. I love that little independant frozen food shop though, always go in for the bargain m+s and waitrose stuff.

DH once pointed out to me in Farnworth that everyone but us had something in their mouth as they walked along the street - dummy, Greggs saus roll, fag, can of special brew ... he's right, I can't walk around there or any other crap town now without noticing it, it's a weird crap town phenomenon.

I'm from Chelmsley Wood, it is not that bad!

I have to agree with both Farnworth and Leigh. So depressing you'd cry.

Sunderland is a veritable palace compared to some of the places I have been to. But although it's where I live I still get a bit depressed in the city centre.
Worst for me are :
St.Helens, Skelmersdale (Skem), Coventry and Stockton

Ever been to birkenhead? Hell on earth!!!

GhastlyBespokeSat 18-Feb-12 08:16:52

I have to agree with both Farnworth and Leigh. So depressing you'd cry.

--

I don't mind Leigh too much, but then I like really cheap and nasty indoor markets (I'm not being sarcastic, it's a childhood thing). Eccles is another bad one - what a dump. There is a price war between two pound shops there, I think they're down to 87p and 84p respectively. It also never EVER stops raining there*

*might not be true in meteorological terms, but it feels like it.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Bridlington. It's such a depressing place and even the opening of the revamped Spa hasn't lifted it.

Saggy you're spot on about business rates. We are on first name terms with the appeals chap at the council, he has a backlog of 2 years of appeals to sift through. It's not worth running a commercial venture from Colchester, the business rates are astronomical.

Another one for Peterborough here. Although that post office has now been demolished. But the whole place is awful.

No-one mentioned Kidderminster yet then?

No one has mentioned Kidderminster? It came second in Crap Towns of Britain a few years ago (can't even excel at that), beaten by Luton iirc.

It has a fine Town Hall and a good Victorial church but that's it. Church Street has been cut off from aforesaid church by a 1970s ring road; it has a monstrosity of a 60s tower block all lichened and grubby, right in the centre and a plethora of pound shops. Populated by pasty overweight folk with a pie in one hand and a fag in the other.

(It's my local town centre, though not where I live , so I'm allowed to be rude about it)

Jackie i think you may have almot have won it but dont forget Stourport

sassy Im not sure that should admit it but I used to live near it onfact i lived near a few of places on here

My mother left me outside a lift in Rochdale indoor market once when I was three. I've never been tempted to revisit the scene.

I agree with whoever mentioned Rotherham. There is a Tesco. That's about it. Dh grew up there and says it wasn't so bad until Meadowhall (big out of town shopping centre) was built. Now it's all boarded up shops and poundland type places. And awful pubs.

infact I can give you the winner .Preston

TSC Clacton is the armpit of the East coast. Great Yarmouth is a suppurating pustule on the armpit of the East!