To not think Aylesbury is the worst town in the UK.

[SerialNameChanger2114]

I mean. It’s not the best place in the UK, but hardly the worst!

www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/property/a38671598/worst-places-to-live-uk/

I grew up in Oxford, I’d say blackbird leys and Witney are worse.

I’ve visited Luton and driven through Slough.

I’ve lived in Aylesbury for 12 years, and other than the traffic, it’s not that much of a bad place! Having read an article about someone stabbed in MK recently, it got me wondering why on Earth it’s so awful!

Hang on, Witney always seems pretty nice to me!

Would agree re Slough, which is pretty grotty in the town centre and along the Bath Road. The worst place I have been though is definitely Stoke! (or possibly some of the East coast towns)

@bubblesbubbles11

the bus station in Aylesbury is quite grim - it is like a very dated underground dungeon where you can almost feel yourself breathing in fumes. The town centre is ok tho, most things you want within walking distance and has a wide enough variety of shops eg waitrose AND an aldi/farmshop etc. I would say I haven't noticed too many independent / boutique type shops tho if that is your "thing".

I don’t disagree. The bus station is dire.

I drive though so I don’t use it. If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist 🤣

Blackbird leys is only one part of Oxford so not representative of Oxford as a whole which although an expensive city benefits from location, open space and history. Witney is a nice town with free parking and lots of independent shops as well as affluence so would never appear on that list. I don't know MK well but there was also a stabbing in Aylesbury just last month.
I don't think Aylesbury is terrible and there are definitely worse places to live but I think it has stiff competition from a lot of more affluent and aesthetically pleasing places around it.

@19bubblesbubbles11
Agreed...horrible place!

The reason Aylesbury might be on the list could be to do with it's proximity to much more affluent areas close by (eg Oxford, Thame area etc) and the contrast in the price of housing stock (buying and renting) being cheaper in Aylesbury area compared with those surrounding more affluent areas.

Across the UK, Aylesbury is not the worse. However compared with other nearby towns it is a bit grim, as the poster above said no nice independent shops. The premier Inn we stayed in was also I suspect in one of the less salubrious areas.

Also shinynewapple22 what nice towns in the west midlands. That's an oxymoron surely!

@bubblesbubbles11

The reason Aylesbury might be on the list could be to do with it's proximity to much more affluent areas close by (eg Oxford, Thame area etc) and the contrast in the price of housing stock (buying and renting) being cheaper in Aylesbury area compared with those surrounding more affluent areas.

It's not. There was a bit of a social media campaign to try and get Aylesbury voted as the worst place to live (can't recall what the catalyst was). Basically it was just a bit of a meme. I don't think a lot of the voters have ever been to Aylesbury, it received 25% more votes than the 2nd worst town.

Aylesbury definitely isn't a particularly nice town, but there are worse. It is the only affordable place left in Bucks, so must be ripe for gentrification and the independent shops that come with it.

I went to Aylesbury for a weekend once and thought it quite nice. Seemed very quiet. Just a typical town really.

@DressingPafe

Most places have their nice and not so nice parts. I used to live in what was classed a desirable village. I’ve seen recommendations to move there on MN more than once. Except I lived on the dodgy council estate on the edge of the village. Lots of crime and anti social behaviour. No amenities. Oh and the stink from the sewage works nearby on hot days! Lovely!

I mean yes if you could afford one of the posh houses near the centre I’m sure it was nice. Luckily I was able to move away to somewhere not as “desirable” but much better for my family.

Sounds like where I live!

The joys of summer = rugby traffic and sewage smells!

It's horrible, we call it "Lamesbury"

Aylesbury is really not that bad.

Didn't someone get stabbed in the town centre a couple of weeks ago?.
It's not the worst place , has a good vegan market every couple of months.

Aylesbury is a bit of a dive compared to the surrounding areas though.

@shinynewapple22

The list seems to have been compiled by readers of Country Living . I imagine they have never visited some of the lovely towns within the West Midlands conurbation!

It is not compiled by readers of Country Living - it is just being reported there.

It is produced by ilivehere.co.uk and the slagging off is wholly from residents of the towns themselves. I look forward to its release each year and the best part is some of the biting comments from residents.

eg.
Accrington (28th) - twinned with Chernobyl
Barnsley (41st) - inspired the film Deliverance
Slough (9th) - If the Earth ever requires an enema, Slough is undoubtedly where the tube will be inserted.
Bradford (10th) - is awash with the kind of people documentary producers dream about

Also I never really get the appeal of "independent/boutique" shops.

Having lived in/visited places full of these, in my experience they fall into one or more of the following categories:

• really, really fucking expensive (the majority)
• selling random nick nacks few people want let alone need, usually described as "gifts" because you wouldnt want to keep this stuff
• niche , eg dedicated to slightly obscure collectables

I actually find quite a lot of the major chain shops/cafes to be far more useful & practical when living somewhere rather than visiting it.

It is produced by ilivehere.co.uk and the slagging off is wholly from residents of the towns themselves. I look forward to its release each year and the best part is some of the biting comments from residents.*

Is there actually a rigorous process to test that people actually do reside there

@Coralblimey

I wonder about Slough sometimes though, I drive through it a fair bit for work and know it hits various MN markers (grammar schools, great commute into London, decent property sizes, access to the river, good shopping in Windsor blah) so it makes me think that actually it might be a mass cover up by the residents of Slough to keep half of Ealing or wherever out of their schools.

Slough residents, feel free to tell me I’m barking

I left there years ago and wouldn't go back if you paid me, so no, deserves the reputation entirely.

Having had treatment at both the Stoke Mandeville hospital in Aylesbury (dated, sprawling but inaccessible to get to) and the Churchill in Oxford, it maybe because they are different NHS trusts, but the Churchill is far far better in my opinion.

Not while Boston exists.

@FrenchyQ By the passenger in his car. Wasn’t a random attack by any means from news reports.

@OfstedOffred it really isn’t that bad, I agree.

@AngelsWithSilverWings I know I live here, but why would you want to visit Aylesbury for a weekend 😳😂

Scunthorpe has to be up there surely

@bubblesbubbles11

Having had treatment at both the Stoke Mandeville hospital in Aylesbury (dated, sprawling but inaccessible to get to) and the Churchill in Oxford, it maybe because they are different NHS trusts, but the Churchill is far far better in my opinion.

@bubblesbubbles11

I’ve not had treatment at Oxford University NHS Trust myself so I can’t comment on that.

My uncle recent had his hip done at the NOC in Oxford and said it was outstanding and the facilities were brilliant.

SMH - it’s getting better. There’s been loads of work done on the A&E, and they are building a new womens and childrens centre which is going up at the moment, and should be state of the art when it’s completed. The staff at Stoke Mandeville are doing they best they can on the resources they’ve got, and let’s face it, the government have let the whole of the NHS system down. People rave about the Florence Nightingale Hospice at the hospital and how good it is, and how well their dying relatives have been treated there. I’ve had 2 children at the hospital and haven’t got a bad word to say about the care and compassion i received.

I've always found Luton and Dunstable deeply depressing to spend time in.

noted Serial.
I didn't really mean to slag SMH off, it was just the contrast struck me, that was all. And I did go to SMH for something completely different from the reason I was at the Churchill so I accept there is some don't-compare-apples-and-pears about my comment.