To ask which towns/cities have NOT gone to the dogs?

[Lieger]

We are likely relocating in a couple of years. Just seen a thread about towns being full of people fighting and off their heads on drugs, empty high streets, rubbish everywhere, tent cities etc. Is there anywhere in the UK that hasn’t gone to hell?

Amersham, Thame, Tring

St Albans is a lovely place to live and very family friendly

Edinburgh is beautiful but it has its share of extremely dodgy suburbs, just like any major city.

This is the city where 'Trainspotting' was set after all.

@IcedPurple

I live there, so know it pretty well!

The Glasgow Science Centre is amazing and next to a lovely lake.

Also known as the River Clyde!!

Any big city has good and bad. There are lots of homeless people and beggars in Glasgow city centre, Sauchiehall St has gone way downhill and is all pound shops and crappy chain shops, but other parts are nicer. Edinburgh has seen a lot of changes in Princes St - the big shops which were there when I was growing up there (BHS, Littlewoods, Jenners, Debenhams, Topshop) are long gone.

Belfast - yes lovely, we were there recently too, but there is a noticeable homeless/drug problem around the bus station / Europa hotel with big security guards on the door of the Tesco express.

Right.

So you'll know it's not much different to any city. Some naice areas, some dodgy areas, some average areas.

I live in Tunbridge Wells and it’s very nice- the top high street and shopping centre could do with a little bit of a kick up the arse but it’s still decent and there are lots of thriving independents. Good schools, lots of parks and playgrounds, gorgeous surrounding countryside.

Also as someone who grew up in Edinburgh too - tourists don't ever see Wester Hailes or Craigmillar or Pilton. Because they arrive at the airport and travel into the city through Corstorphine and Murrayfield which are the nice bits, or arrive into Waverley. So they have this idea that all of Edinburgh is like the New Town.

I've just returned from a break in Cheltenham and it was lovely. I didn't see any of that.

I appreciate that we all have different views on what 'going to the dogs' mean, though.

In my home country everybody seems to think that Barcelona is the coolest city on earth and I think it's an overpriced dump full of pickpockets!

Liverpool is my favourite British city. And I've lived there, not just passed through so don't think I'm looking at it with 'touristy' eyes. There are rough areas, sure, but no more so than in any city its size. It's not pretty in the way that Edinburgh or Bath is pretty, but it has a charm all its own, with a great sense of community. There is something very special about Liverpool.

Edinburgh has the looks but Glasgow has the personality.

I prefer Glasgow too.

Nottingham aren't even in the top 20 most dangerous cities! I love nottingham born and bred here! Although we now live in a Nottinghamshire village (we where fortunate to cone into money young) I do miss living in St anns and if we ever lost our money I wouldn't hesitate to move back in a heart beat!

I live in TW too, and agree with most of what you say, but there are issues with antisocial youths at the top end of town, in and around the RVP....and there are definitely drug problems...!

Definitely, I live in a drab little market town but the crime rate is low and schools are quite good.

Chester, Knutsford, Wilmslow

Indeed. What they've done to Princes Street with the mish mash of old buildings and new architecture is a crime. And the centre is full of tourist shops all blaring out bagpipes and selling shite like magnets and postcards. It used to be a lovely city.

Get The Times 100 best places to live guide. Sorted 😉

I absolutely love Edinburgh and moved there in 2009.
Yep there are shit bits but they’re nothing compared to the shit bits in other cities.
Scottish Borders and Northumberland way is lovely as well.

Where would you recommend?
I would perhaps look at Germany, or certain less touristic Spanish cities. Generally some smaller historic chocolate box towns that aren't main tourist attractions.

However, I do find that a number of well-known French or Italian cities (having been to a number last few weeks) really seem to suffer with overcrowding, bad traffic, and really bad public services/ street cleanliness, e.g. open bins on the streets almost all week round.

We are in Bath- it has its issues because it attracts the 'spare any change crew' and yes we do have some big estates, it's not all Georgian flats - but we do have quite a lot of Marshalls - yes we do have 'some' empty shops because it has an awful lot of retail but we still have plenty to make a nice mix of chain and indie etc. the more I see of other parts of the UK , the more it seems pretty ok . I think it's big enough not to notice the slightly shitty areas but small enough to be liveable- where I live we have a terrific regular bus into town too and taxis aren't too bad either - could it be better- yes- does it compare well with other places - yes. I love York too

@IcedPurple love Liverpool- probably my favourite big city - hugely under rated too - also love the Wirral

I think most cities have nicer and less nice bits. We love Whitley Bay and it has lots of the stuff you’d want/like to have as a family (good schools, nice play parks, beaches, a library that’s open decent hours and runs lots of activities, decent leisure centre with pool, independent restaurants/shops and cinema, a theatre, an ice rink, plenty of extracurricular activities - dance/various sports, fine art classes, scouting, languages, drama, swimming etc). It also has some boarded up shops, some scruffy pubs, charity shops, a B&M, betting shop and a greggs. There are sometimes drunk people pottering about the centre (particularly in lovely weather).

Of the smaller places I've been Marlow is still lovely as is Henley and Winchester - though a bit cafe culture and not great for practical stuff- nice to sit around in for coffees/lunch. Same goes for Wimborne-. Liked this a lot. I was also quite impressed at Salisbury- much better than I thought and whilst not as chi chi - was actually more practical than lovely Winchester I thought.

I've had a very long think and I reckon the only answer about which I could say I am 100% convinced fits is: St Andrews in Scotland.

@APassionFruitMartini I live in Madrid. It's paradise compared to what I hear about U.K. cities (and have seen on recent visits). Lots of independent shops and eateries, lovely parks, vibrant, laidback, beautifully clean and safe. I feel very lucky to live here, and feel sad that Brexit makes moving abroad so more difficult now.