To think a lot of the Uk looks like a state

[Novembermummy88]

Not sure if I am being dramatic or if years of austerity are really starting to show…? Lately I’ve really started to notice how filthy, run down and falling apart everywhere looks! I live in a town in the south east on the borders of the M25. Every where there are gapping pot holes (can hardly avoid the volume there are now and genuinely concerned I will lose a wheel at some point!), broken lamp posts, the volume of litter / filth on the roads seems very high and can’t remember the last time I saw a road sweeper, and things like pathways are a state, road markings worn out, SO many closed/dilapidated shops….the town just looks awful as do many of the nearby towns! Is it just the South East looking like this? Aibu?! Or have I watched too much Selling Sunsets and setting my expectations too high…???

That was during the festival I remember it well it absolutely stunk, and you could see rats.

Rats are a big problem in Scotland - especially Glasgow...

I think I am right, maybe this was in days gone by, but in Germany it was certainly the case that everyone was responsible for the areas around their houses/businesses, and you could be fined by the council for not keeping it clean. How amazing.

@KnittedCardi correct- they did have some weird rules though about if/when you could hang washing out etc if I remember correctly. Thing is even if the councils were not enforcing my experience in Denmark and Germany is that your neighbours will soon make it known if you are not keeping your surroundings in order in many areas , especially outside the big cities

A lot of it is due to Covid when bugger all was done by anyone. The councils only did what was absolutely necessary and that still seems to be the case. Our local lads football and cricket teams are close to finishing because there aren't the numbers, but "there is nothing for kids to do" apparently. Covid and online shopping has also killed off a lot of the high street, hence empty stores.

People were hit pretty hard during Covid. A mistake but I’m not surprised that we’re still seeing repercussions

Yes, but a couple of police men/women taking on a gang of troublemakers? - I mean none of the public would approach them so it's a big ask to expect police to take such risks.

I think the narrative of police in MSM really needs to change - people don’t respect them nor are they afraid of the law anymore and I feel that’s reflected in so many things down to basic levels of littering. A student was stabbed a couple of days ago near a local college on a Friday afternoon (literally across the road from a primary school, bold as brass) and last night there were 3 more stabbings in Romford. These barely made the local news, scary times.

I once saw a tv programme saying that at one time, if you were given a council house, your garden and home were occasionally inspected. If it didn't measure up to standard, someone would come round to show you how to remedy it. If it still didn't improve, you'd be evicted. Sounds harsh, but being given a publicly funded home is not a right - it's a privilege.

I agree but I doubt many on here will 🤷🏼‍♀️ what is a privilege and what is a right have become enormously conflated and people have a much, much higher sense of what their ‘rights’ are now. Some may argue it’s good but individual rights rarely only affect the person holding them, so I’m not so sure.

The police - largely thanks to incompetent politicians, are losing control.
Career criminals have a joke -
Q: What is the difference between Eton & prison?
A: It's easy to get into Eton... 😂

So what's the point of them if they won't tackle crime? Perhaps we have too many police just wanting comfortable/safe office jobs working family friendly hours and not enough getting off their backsides to go and tackle crime?

This is a really sad thread. Can I ask, is this mostly areas in England or are people talking about Scotland too?

@Sarrho3

I would say that the solution has to begin in the teaching establishments - and should be rolled out across the country: good behaviour, consideration of others, respect for your fellows around you - good manners and treating each other well - these are the bedrocks of society.

There used to be people who taught kids that stuff…now, what were they called? wracks brain

That’s it! Parents.

With respect most parents these days are out at work most of the day and their children spend most of their waking hours at school and with their peers. So education is very much a factor when it comes to learning the right codes of behaviour and good citizenship.

Loads in Wales too.

Can anyone tell me even one thing they like about their area?

@CaledonianDream I love where I live, the nature, the trees, the greenery is amazing. My street is very friendly. It used to look much better though. I don't hate where I live, I love it and want it to be clean, tidy and inspire people to live well, that's the whole point.

Here is an AONB, and in general things work, and are respected! I am very aware that we are lucky to live in a rural area, even if it's not affluent rurality.

@taxguru yes I was thinking the same.

Talking about Scotland: Scotland has a lot of SPACE. Without claiming to speak for everywhere, there is far less traffic on the roads, and there is less of a sense of being packed in among crowds of other people wherever you go. There is a huge amount of stunning countryside, with very few people in it. Nowhere is all that far away from the sea, either. I think that all this does make things feel less stressful and confrontational here. Its not being hot helps too, in my view.

I moved out of London into a village. As much as I miss living in a city and all that it offers, I would never move back. It has to be said, as it is a fact, that when you have a homgenous community,, surrounded by people of the same culture and values it certainly makes a big difference and you can see and feel that in everything around you on a daily basis.

In Brighton the suburbs are generally leafy and well looked after. The sea and Downs are great amenities. It's only towards and in the centre of the city that tagged buildings, beggars/rough sleepers, litter etc make the heart sink.

Scotland is breathtaking in parts that unfortunately does not stop people throwing rubbish out of there car windows, fly tipping is still rife . The big city’s are just like the rest of the U.K. rubbish everywhere. The local councils have huge budget problems, me council has 46 million budget hole this year so I won’t be relying on them to be sweeping the streets and picking feckless twats rubbish that they just drop.

Another bag plastic bottles and cans picked up this morning on my dog walk this morning , if every one took a plastic bag with them when they went for a walk would really help. But most people just think it’s not there problem it’s the councils job. Well not a chance in hell they are going to clean up all the green spaces in my city.

Scotland here. I posted upthread complaining about potholes and rubbish.