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Original poster

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

787 replies

moogster1a · 17/02/2012 22:15

...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.

OP posts:
HillyWallaby · 18/02/2012 18:54

Saggy that's so unfair - Colchester is certainly not all grim. you obviously only hang around the wrong end of it! There are plenty of affluent and very attractive areas, a gorgeous park, some (ok, not many, granted, but some) nice restaurants, a thriving theatre and arts scene, and still plenty of expensive chi-chi boutique type shops that haven't closed down. Unemployment is low there too.

HillyWallaby · 18/02/2012 18:56

Although I will concede that as CharlieLima said, it's not the best place to be on a Saturday night. Shock

jammydodger1 · 18/02/2012 18:58

apparently according to dh colchester like utopia against some of the other areas!

Plonker · 18/02/2012 19:36

I really should be defending St Helens here, but unfortunately it is indeed a shithole Sad

Rhyl is a truely dreadful place too.

BrianCoxHasScaryHair · 18/02/2012 19:49

RuleBritannia Sat 18-Feb-12 07:45:50
Well, I've read these posts and have come to conclusions:

4. I have been familiar with places like Croydon for many years and know exactly what posters are talking about. Yes, I will be shot down but people from abroad, including tourists, bring their living habits with them and do not care about our history or architecture. They spit in the street and leave litter and open their smelly eating establishments - with questionable kitchens.

Am I the only person who read this post?

Yes, you do deserve to be shot down, but I think you may be expecting it and disappointed that nobody bothered to read your post comment.

Sorry OP, really interesting and enjoyable thread so don't want to send it off track, but is it just me?

cheapfrills · 18/02/2012 19:55

Glenrothes, Fife - it's turned into a right hovvel - far too many closed units.

NoWayNoHow · 18/02/2012 20:05

Have to agree with Colchester - went there for the first time a year ago and was expecting some kind of super quaintness. It was AWFUL.

Cannot believe someone said Canterbury??!! Shock The bottom of the High St near the West Gate is absolutely beautiful and old and historic, and while the top half/east side of the high st is more commercial in terms of the big chains, it's still really smart and done up nicely. If you want a dive, try Ashford town centre (and I can say that as my parents live there).

Also, Hull - shudder.

MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay · 18/02/2012 20:07

Anybody ever been to Wem?

Anybody ever HEARD of Wem???? It's a godforsaken HOLE at the edge of Shropshire.. allegedly a town, but in reality consisting of a few shops, mostly boarded up and a co-op. That's IT.

Cowley- Oxford... a stone's throw from the 'Dreaming Spires' and so depressing All 'Brighthouse' cash converters, and pound shops. Utterly soulless.

ThePieSmuggler · 18/02/2012 20:14

There can be no argument, after my visit to Rochdale town centre today I can confirm it is officially a hovel.

Intersat · 18/02/2012 20:15

StrandedBear

I remember Chelmsley Wood from years ago! It was bloody awful then as well.

BodaciousTatas · 18/02/2012 20:15

Haha someone's mentioned Erith I was wondering how long it would take. It has a few slightly better shops now though.

Original poster
moogster1a · 18/02/2012 20:17

pie where's my samosa?

OP posts:
TheProvincialLady · 18/02/2012 20:18

No one could call Northampton crap, who has ever spent an afternoon in Daventry town centre. Northampton is where people who have been to Daventry go to recover. Northampton is where people go who have struggled to buy something in Daventry that is not second hand (and smelling of old ladies' toilet freshener), stolen or otherwise illegal. Admittedly there isn't much to buy when they get there, but they can still go to Beatties and pretend it isn't now owned by House of Fraser.

ThePieSmuggler · 18/02/2012 20:19

Ha, anybody that was eating a samosa will probably be wondering why I was watching them intently and assessing them for Mumsnet attributes! Grin

TheProvincialLady · 18/02/2012 20:19

And there is alays Fuckfield.

margoandjerry · 18/02/2012 20:19

I think this is a good moment to reprise the late Linda Smith's joke about Erith. It doesn't have a twin town but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham Grin

BodaciousTatas · 18/02/2012 20:23

Grin margo.

Original poster
moogster1a · 18/02/2012 20:24

You'd have recognised me. I did the mumsnet haircut last week < swishes off whilst admiring reflection of big hair in kitchen window>

OP posts:
georgie22 · 18/02/2012 20:25

I'm a Black Country girl so I know the towns around here could do with some regeneration but the people are great on the whole.
I had the misfortune to spend some time in Barrow in Furness several years ago which I have to say made most of the Black Country towns look positively cosmopolitan! We went to Ilfracombe on holiday a few years ago as I had happy memories of a childhood holiday near there - it was a shock to return. What a dump - the people were odd to say the least and there were numerous grotty (possibly DSS) hotels. Wouldn't return!

ThePieSmuggler · 18/02/2012 20:27

Ahhh, see I was looking for the scarf, or possibly an ironic sausage roll from Greggs Wink

Speaking of which, there are SIX variants of Hampsons/Greggs/Sayers etc on Yorkshire Street in Rochdale. I rest my case m'lud.

MumGoneCrazy · 18/02/2012 20:29

Has anyone mentioned Newport (south Wales) yet?

If you doubt me on it's shiteness then google Newport bouncers, there was a show on c4 last week called bouncers and it shows you Newport nightlife in the town centre at it's best Blush

stressheaderic · 18/02/2012 20:30

St Helens had quite a thriving town centre 5 years ago. Busy shops, lots of nightlife. In a short time, it has become a desolate wilderness.

It still has a few big name stores, River Island, Topshop, WH Smith...but I honestly think they'll be gone within the year.

There were hoardings up for an "exciting new development" with bowling, leisure and shopping, but the recession hit and it never got off the ground.

I hope the new rugby stadium brings more visitors to the town centre.

I also nominate Kirkby. Very big town with absolutely no money, jobs or hope. Insular in the extreme too.

PinkPeanuts · 18/02/2012 20:33

Mitcham. To be specific, Mitcham Fair Green. It is the steaming left armpit of South London. Just, vile.

ZuzuBailey · 18/02/2012 20:35

TheProvincialLady I go to Daventry to recover from shopping in Rugby Grin.

And Daventry has Waitrose and KerryAnn's

BrianCoxHasScaryHair · 18/02/2012 20:36

stresshead I have had many fab nights out in St Helens, but I have to say the last time I went out it was dire (about 3 years ago) and my cousins (all locals) no longer go into town in the evening.

I think they are all hopeful that the new Tesco will bring lots of new customers to the town, they are competing with Warrington's Debenhams and the obvious draw of Liverpool and Manchester though. It's a shame they can't do something a bit more different as Warrington/Liverpool/Manchester all the same shops - even Widnes has new retail parks but again all the same shops!!!

The planners are too busy concentrating on out of town complex's instead of reviving the town centre.