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.

£700 per child?

I live in the NE. It’s a shithole. Crime is rife and police do nothing. I’d move tomorrow if I could.

5 ponies and 5 children? Unless there’s some additional income somewhere and land, I highly doubt anyone is able to afford it on £3500 per month (even if it’s possible to get that much). Also, aren’t horses considered assets when applying for benefits? They’re considered assets for tax purposes.

Enhanced disability is £400 per child £295 per child if disability two child cap is disregarded
Re the money for rent she is covered and has ponies in diy livery

This sounds completely like one town about 10 miles from me. Always had a reputation but has just unravelled completely. We noticed it in lockdown and moved out .... The decline has been scarily quick. Other towns that are close are going the same way to a degree.

look it up on benefit rates you’ll be surprised I worked for the DWP and saw it every day

Bollocks.

I worked for the DWP, back when benefits were actually far more generous than they are now (no benefits cap, no two child cap etc, no LHA limit) and I never came across anyone who would have been able to keep ponies.

Eta: apart from one or two travellers, but most of them didn't keep horses or ponies.

There's a council property in a hamlet near us that has stables, and land, but it's very rural. Oil tank for heating, septic tank for ablutions. A friend works for council said it's idyllic but not wanted because of its location.

Some of these old council properties were presumably for farm workers with big families. Built of quarried stone, they'd be popular with some private buyers.

That does sound idyllic! I’d love to move somewhere remote with land.

Well a couple of miles down the road when it rains heavily the stream becomes a river which rises over the bridge flooding the area which means you can't get into town so you're stuck until it subsides.

@PandoraSocks whatever you think I’m just saying what I know to be true for working there

Hmm, not so good then.

It
Happens every few years. But here flooding isn't a rarity. The water that runs off the mountains and hills ends up in the valley 🤷‍♀️

Where is it? I’m getting a Wales vibe!

@FroggletTowerswithout further information on your geography & the socioeconomic factors specific to your local area it’s impossible to fully comment imo. Apart from the general trends being seen everywhere with retail nose diving & the impact of empty retail premises being vandalised & used for anti social behaviour. What big employers did/does your town rely on, does it depend on any tourism & what is its history - industrial, market, new or county town? Who is your MP & has your local council changed party? There are so many other factors before you could properly explain the change surely?

And so am I.

@PandoraSocks great different experience we agree to disagree ❤️

Indeed 😊

Na. I am right and you are wrong 😇

Oh wow! Hoping to have a holiday there next year.

I hope you have a lovely time 😊

Thank you! 😊

@PandoraSocks in your opinion

I saw some pictures of my home town in the 1980s and it really got me thinking.
I don’t think the death of the high street is due to Amazon. It’s due to chains taking over towns from the 90s.
In the 80s there was a real mix of independent and chains in town, at least 50/50 maybe even more independents and by the 90s it started swinging the other way. There’s a pic of Next in my town in the 80s and it’s so small, a few years later and it was one of the biggest shops in town.
we became far too reliant on big businesses to fill our towns. Maybe that’s why the ones that had lots of independents have failed better. Every time one fails it leaves a hole in the high street.
That and the fact the buildings aren’t owned locally anymore, owned by companies in London charging huge rents.

Well it’s interesting - we popped over to Salisbury today given that Bath where we live is a nightmare what with a huge open air Robbie Williams concert plus the university open day - absolute bedlam. now I’m sure Salisbury has its issues but as an outsider, it was fun, lovely market , pretty clean , nicely bustling and whilst there are some empty shops as there are anywhere it felt bustling and thriving, I saw very few gangs hanging around or masses of homelessness or weed/drugs - I’m sure it is there in pockets and certain areas- but it certainly wasn’t the overriding vibe. - Thing is I think we have places that whilst there are still ‘issues’ still feel vibrant and a pleasant place to be -other places not so much at all - and we are all gravitating to these nicer places if in a position to do so -