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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

403 replies

Lieger · 26/04/2024 22:33

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?

OP posts:
Fifthtimelucky · 27/04/2024 21:32

"Wells, the smallest city in the UK, is lovely"*

I’m sure the smallest city in the UK is St St David’s.*

@KimberleyClark: you are right. St David's is the smallest city in the UK. Wells, which is absolutely beautiful, is the smallest city in England (excluding the City of London).

Halfemptyhalfling · 27/04/2024 21:51

All places are worse than they were it's just some places had a longer slope so are better.

parkrun500club · 27/04/2024 21:52

cassiatwenty · 27/04/2024 17:20

How do you feel about Fleet? Surprised to see it included there!

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Town centre is rubbish, like so many others. I can never quite understand it as it's an affluent area with little deprivation, and schools are good so people don't "need" to spend money on private schools, so have plenty of disposable income, but the shops won't open there.

Otherwise it's quite leafy. Used to be the safest Tory seat in the country, which tells you something!

parkrun500club · 27/04/2024 21:56

PrincessOlga · 27/04/2024 20:50

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.

St Andrews has to be the most overrated place in the UK. Unless you like golf and ruins. I like neither, my DH likes the latter so he laughs at me when I moan about St Andrews.

parkrun500club · 27/04/2024 22:00

Idontfinkso · 27/04/2024 17:21

My DS lives in Belfast and keeps sending me links to beautiful houses that cost about 2p!

My DH works for a company which is all about return to office but has a branch in Belfast. When people try to work from home, they try to threaten people with moving their job to Belfast.

I'd just ask their London-centric selves why they think moving to Belfast is a threat!

GingerPirate · 27/04/2024 22:03

Bath, St Albans....
Didn't go to the dogs yet.
But these are the only two I'm sure about!
😁
Seriously, it's shit.
When the proverbial door opens again,
off I f*ck.
Back to Prague.

Corilee2806 · 27/04/2024 22:11

Agree with others that St Albans is lovely and family friendly but very pricey - lots of people moving out from London.

In herts and still nice but not quite so expensive - Hitchin, Harpenden, Berkhamsted, Hertford, Bishops Stortford, Tring.

Poppypops76 · 27/04/2024 22:15

I’m not sure I agree about Bath - it used to be lovely. Went there last weekend and was shocked by the amount of homelessness and smell of weed everywhere. Oxford, Marlow, Henley or Cheltenham would get my vote. All eyewateringly expensive though!

PigglyWigglyOhYeah · 27/04/2024 22:20

Musicaltheatremum · 27/04/2024 08:29

It's gone to the dogs. Dirty, full of potholes everywhere roads a disgrace. I stay out of the centre now.

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It's all relative, isn't it? I live in Lincolnshire, which is also absolutely riddled with potholes and filth (and foul misogynists wearung grey tracksuits) but lacks the beautiful skyline, history, culture, shopping, transport links and educational opportunities of Edinburgh. I could cheerfully overlook a few dodgy roads and a bit of chewing gum on the pavement for what you have.

Poppypops76 · 27/04/2024 22:22

takemeawayagain · 27/04/2024 16:59

Yikes I wonder why the greater Malverners wouldn't want to mix or have the Malvern linkers at their event when you describe them as 'getting smashed on cans of woodpecker they'd snuggled in, fights breaking out and the police getting called' at their event.

It's pretty obvious with that behaviour why they wouldn't be welcome - although obviously unless they came with a sign on their head no one would actually know where they lived. I know which side I'd want to be living in though!

I'd say Hungerford, Marlborough, Winchester, I agree with slightly controversial Newbury too. Wantage I've heard is quite nice but never been.

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Nope, Wantage falls very firmly into the “dump” category. Beautiful market square now filled with vape shops, estate agents, Ladbrokes, charity shops and Greggs. It’s awful.

Jazzicatz · 27/04/2024 22:28

AngeloMysterioso · 27/04/2024 19:28

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.

i wouldn’t say Tunbridge Wells is that great as a town centre - so many empty shops, not much going on. I wouldn’t say it has a thriving centre.

allfurcoatnoknickers · 27/04/2024 22:31

Oxford is my home town, it's lovely but it's completely unaffordable. Salaries are crap and the cost of living is absolutely insane.

Lilacdew · 27/04/2024 22:35

Tristar15 · 26/04/2024 22:51

Lots of lovely places in the North East - Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Morpeth, Hexham, Corbridge to name a few.

This is true. I was driving through Tynemouth the other day and thought how beautiful and vibrant is looked. Like a lovely place to live. Whitley Bay is similar.

Lilacdew · 27/04/2024 22:37

allfurcoatnoknickers · 27/04/2024 22:31

Oxford is my home town, it's lovely but it's completely unaffordable. Salaries are crap and the cost of living is absolutely insane.

Also it has a massive homeless population. I remember seeing several tents in the churchyard in the centre of town. People live in those tents.

baroqueandblue · 27/04/2024 22:39

In Waitrose early
Stickers not yet yellowing
Their fall comes later

I thank you 😬

lovemycbf · 27/04/2024 22:46

Brighton is an utter shit hole I'm sad to say ,I grew up there and it was so lovely back then but I wouldn't live there if you paid me now sadly

cassiatwenty · 27/04/2024 22:48

@parkrun500club Your irrevence cheered me up. I feel the same about Fleet @baroqueandblue And I thank you, I love poetry

cassiatwenty · 27/04/2024 22:50

@PigglyWigglyOhYeah I agree with you. Cities have their problems ofc, but they have opportunities many other places don't. Edinburgh looks magical.

Floatlikeafeather2 · 27/04/2024 22:54

WorriedMama12 · 27/04/2024 20:15

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.

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But Princes Street was like that in the 70s, which is the last time I was there.

TheSnakeCharmer · 27/04/2024 22:56

MuggedByReality · 26/04/2024 23:02

Forget cities & look at towns. The East Midlands is my part of the country and round here Ashbourne, Bakewell, Belper, Ashby de la Zouch & Market Harborough are all great places to live. West Bridgford is also good, but it’s a suburb rather than a town.

Ashbourne has gone downhill considerably though. When I ived there 30 years ago, it was a beautiful little town full of independent shops, art galleries and cafes. Now it's got a subway and several vape shops. Belper used to be a bit of a hole, but i've heard that it has really changed for the better. You can't beat the countryside though and some really beautiful villages around there.

TheSnakeCharmer · 27/04/2024 22:57

lovemycbf · 27/04/2024 22:46

Brighton is an utter shit hole I'm sad to say ,I grew up there and it was so lovely back then but I wouldn't live there if you paid me now sadly

I went recently, having not visited for 25 years and whole heartedly agree. It is not the place that it once was. I wouldn't go back.

thirdistheonewiththehairychest · 27/04/2024 23:06

Don't come to Brighton whatever you do

TheSnakeCharmer · 27/04/2024 23:07

Twinstudy · 27/04/2024 11:17

I'm quite surprised by so many responses saying York. It's actually my home town, I haven't been back in a while but all I hear from my friends who are still local is how awful town is on a weekend. Full of drunken stag and hen parties, people completely wasted by 2pm, throwing up in the street, shagging in the alleys in broad daylight etc. it sounds pretty grim to me.

But has it gone to the dogs, or have your friends just all grown up?

lovemycbf · 27/04/2024 23:20

@TheSnakeCharmer it's actually a sad run down place now such a shame really

Firebird83 · 27/04/2024 23:23

Exeter