Is our town a shithole..

[FroggletTowers]

Or is this happening anywhere else?

I have been discussing this with friends, family and colleagues recently so won't name our town for privacy reasons, but it is a regular, large town in England, UK.
Nothing particularly special or awful about it, previously.

Since the pandemic, the entire vibe has changed. Almost unrecognisable.
Yes, we have some heavy shop closures like many towns, but the council kept it looking decent as much as it could. Some nice buildings and nature areas, etc.

What stands out most, apart from the general vandalism and dog shit is the weird accumulation of male groups hanging around boozing in public.

So far they have taken over the local park, river walks and nature reserves. They often cluster beneath bridges or across paths where people like to run, cycle walk dogs or take children, making it less safe and filling these areas with waste. Off road bikes have ruined the nature reserves, so less people visit

Sadly the authorities don't seem to be doing much about it, it is as if these people don't have to abide by laws that the rest of us have to. Some buildings adjacent to these areas have windows put through on a regular basis, even in what you'd call 'nice' areas.
Many of them cluster at river bridges and block the path for others, most are very drunk or out of generally.
It isn't unusual to see a large man passed out across the pathway, blocking anyone getting past. If you had a pram or bike it would be really uncomfortable to have to rouse a large drunk at 2pm in the afternoon. Most are local men, with a growing amount of middle eastern men. The vast majority of them are unstable.

We see less women out cycling, walking or exercising now, and this encompasses both MC and WC areas. These people seem to have just multiplied and spread across the entire borough and have taken over all public space.
We live in a decent area that is now seeming to go downhill.
It isn't unusual to see day drinkers sat alone, surrounded by cans on a quiet residential street. And they won't move to let you past.

It's really depressing.

I think she’s lost the plot tbh.

Why don’t you just say where you live OP? Just the county.

Men, regardless their culture of origin, appear to have changed in terms of public behaviour, at least in many places. Definitely something I have noticed.
I think there's something....weirdly, going unchallenged?

I have noticed them blocking up pavements or entrances to stores, no apologies, just a total disregard for anyone else. I don't just refer to those in drinking gangs, either.

I wonder what it is and why that's happening. A few people I know have mentioned it so I'm not alone, but not sure if anyone on here has?

The third one is badly manufactured by a self-interested grifter and liable to blow up in your face.

I agree and it makes me sad. Chester used to be one of our favourite places to visit - it always felt quite upmarket - but the last few years it's become far less salubrious, loads of closed shops and drunk people/stag/hens everywhere. And downright frightening on a race day!

Give us a clue which area you are referring to OP. Then people can give more agreeing/ disagreeing responses.

Whether they are Middle Eastern or not, gangs of rough men hanging around drunk isn't good

That’s sad to hear. Chester is my nearest city. Not been in ages though.

I do recall race days being spectacularly scary though!

In your opinion of course, but I’d be willing to give it the chance… because the other two have proven useless. I feel like I’m out of options.

My town is exactly the same. Lots of open urination too.

The amount of dumped household waste is also a joke.

Locals are accused of racism and feel like the council and police cannot see it. Someone has set up a Facebook group dedicated to the drunks and urinating and it's got a huge following but nothing happens.

Seems to be the way the country is now but with everything happening in N Ireland, I do wonder about similar uprisings occurring

Sad to hear this too, used to love visiting when friends of ours lived there.

Why so snarky? It’s obvious the poster was just setting the scene? Geez.

I saw the thread and wondered if it was Wigan. I think the last three such threads have all been about Wigan. Have never been but am now curious to visit. Is Shit Hole tourism a thing?

I live in a city in NE England. I don't go into the city centre at all, other than for theatre, due to lack of decent shops, homeless beggers (many of whom are actually drug users pretending to be homeless), and, imo, undesirables sitting and wandering around. There are still nice places to walk around the outskirts of the city. The city centre was once thriving - a popular destination for both shopping and nights out. Not any more.

None of the places so far mentioned, I'm afraid.
But I am not sure why it is relevant. For myself, I was interested if this is a growing issue in other areas, which a quick search tells me it very well might be. A discussion about such issues shouldn't require my postcode.

I have no wish to upset anyone from our town, either, so would prefer to be discreet.

I assumed the deleted post.

That seems a bit ‘conspiracy theory’ rather than it being a complex problem.

Maybe your area needs a new police and crime commissioner. We have had a bit of what you mention around here earlier last year, and I agree it makes the area much more depressing and feel unsafe. I had to change the route walking to preschool because I didn’t want DD subjected to men with their d**ks out pissing and worse in the street. But we have a lot of local policing teams that meet regularly with communities in various neighbourhoods and recently the issue has really improved.

One part of the city had a lot regulars drinking on the benches in the pedestrian areas but recently the council put in a new urban playground with more seating and now there are many more parents sat there instead. So I think part of it is having facilities that make it easier for a wide variety of people to use these areas so that they don’t become spots for dodgy behaviour.

But then again many councils are broke (in part due to dodgy funding allocation by previous governments) and can’t afford schemes to benefit the community.

Ive noticed that grass roots local candidates that are willing to get out into the community can also be a huge benefit. (Regardless of party colours) Our local councillor is part of the litter picking team and constantly doing stuff.

Some people say politics doesn’t affect everyday lives but if the people we elect work in the local community and listen to local views it will be possible to turn the situation around.

The OP seems pretty reasonable, she’s said the majority are white British men. I think it’s OK for her to want to talk about this, particularly given that it’s reducing the ability of women and children to feel safe. Sometimes I think the goading comes from the other side in these conversations. As if they want to virtue signal by putting words in the OP‘s mouth and start an argument rather than a reasoned discussion.

I think @WestwardHo1 has really summed it up. Years go people used to care what the neighbours thought, what your friends parents thought. There are plenty of threads on MN where there is very poor behaviour towards neighbours, teachers well just anyone who isn't you or in your demographic. Many youngsters are also being brough up with this attitude. I just don't know how we can instil a bit of pride in people.

I have no idea what the answer is, I really wish I did

Have you read all OP's posts?

And if the third has a label saying it’s going to electrocute and kill you?

It's happening everywhere. My parents have lived in the Notting Hill/Kensington area of London for 43 years and there are gangs of men cropping up everywhere.

I recently walked through Bayswater's shopping district while visiting mum, and I counted 11 homeless/obvious drug addicts lying on the pavement on just one street (Queensway) and multiple guys nestled in doorways or at the back of dental practices and other buildings when I left the main road and took the scenic route through the backstreets

I saw 1 woman defecating/urinating in a shop doorway opposite the 100 million pound new Whitleys shopping centre, and a cluster of 10-15 shabby drunks squatting in the stairwell of a large housing block opposite the local Waitrose. The noise and the smell of skunk was overpowering

My parents and their neighbours have had to call police several times to get groups of homeless/drug addicts removed from their street, where they like to camp out on people's doorsteps at night or sleep in the local residents communal garden and dog park. (Of course, they trash the place). 2 dumped a pair of mattresses in a neighbour's back garden and tried to set up a base there!!!

My parents have friends in Kentish Town, Primrose Hill and Camden who report similar issues ... There are also occasionally big groups of young men (roadmen) hanging around outside housing blocks and local parks as well, drinking/smoking at all hours.

outside London, my friends in Northampton, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Manchester/Cheshire report similar issues to yours OP. It's incredibly grim. Instead of rioting over the bogeyman of 'mass' immigration, people really ought to be protesting about this.

New laws introducing curfews or bans on large groups congregating like this are really needed for these guys. It's not right that we have to be hyper vigilant now while simply going about our lives

Amazed how so many posters have fallen for it.

Totally agree. They just lost a lot of policy items that lots of people want - lower taxes, increased housing, productivity, sort out the NhS… absolutely no outline on how to fund.