May 2024
UK's 'forgotten town' with no pub where locals can't even afford to get the bus
The neglected hard-up town in Essex has a grim crime rate and high levels of unemployment.
The small Essex town of Tilbury has a terrible reputation for crime and poverty.
It is not all doom and gloom in Tilbury, which hosts London’s biggest dock, a cruise ship terminal and a massive Amazon distribution centre. But the forgotten town has a list of shameful statistics from unemployment level and crime rate to voting turnout.
The port town does not have a single pub or public toilet. There is also no police station, which could be why the crime rate is so high. The crime rate in Tilbury is 127 crimes per 1,000 people in 2022, which is far higher than Britain’s average of 75.8.
There is also little for young people to do in their spare time. There is no cinema or swimming pool and only a few restaurants where you can dine inside.
Meanwhile, the town's council is an astonishing £1.3billion in debt while the unemployment rate is close to twice the national rate.
Many in the town appear resigned and have given up hope for any top-down changes.
One unemployed local Martin Howlett, 57, told The Sun that he had been forced to sell his car, motorbike, and caravan after missing out on universal credit payments. He admitted that he couldn't even afford the bus fare to visit his dad who is in hospital for cancer.
In the local elections this month, only 18.7 percent of the town's residents turned out to vote - the lowest in Thurrock council's polls.
Maria Cabral, 45, who volunteers at the One Community Centre, also told The Sun: "We are among the poorest areas, it is very sad to see. Even though we have the port and Amazon there is a lot of unemployment. People come in here to collect food stamps, to learn about training opportunities, apprenticeships, possible jobs, because there is no job centre here.”
Sally, 44, echoed this, adding: “Tilbury is finished. I wouldn’t walk down the street at night. I won’t let my five-year-old son go out on his own here when he gets older. They’ve closed down the youth clubs and the only pub is in West Tilbury. There was too much trouble in the pubs in the centre.”
Users on the Essex Reddit forum also confirmed the town's sad reputation.
A person from London, who was considering moving to Tilbury, asked the group whether the stories about the town were true. He posted: "I've driven through main Tilbury, Grays, Thurrock and Lakeside etc and it's not appeared to be terrible, but again driving through and actually living in the area are two different things."
@ComicBookPanda responded: "As someone living in Tilbury, I can honestly say that yes, it is (as terrible as it is claimed)."
@Significant-Shake274 was more blunt: "Tilbury is a s* hole. Stay away."
@Krebbin was more considerate: "You can find great villages in that part of Essex, but they are dull compared to London life. Tilbury, like most big towns on the east side of the Thames is relatively poor and underfunded. Not a place I would choose given other options."
A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said: “We know Tilbury is in need of investment, and residents will start to see improvements as we work with the community to help improve the town and provide new community facilities, using the £22.8million awarded to the town through the Towns Fund.
“The Tilbury Towns Fund Board, which is made up of local business and community leaders, has decided that funding will be used to boost learning and employment opportunities and improve Tilbury’s transport links. Their plans include creating a new Youth Facility in Tilbury.
“Thurrock Council works closely with a great many community groups in Tilbury, including Tilbury Community Forum, Tilbury Riverside Project, local faith groups and One Community, which has received council funding."
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The council will throw money at grants at some of the problems but regeneration will never take off and the whole area is doomed.