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Peterborough then Huddersfield ?

(94 Posts)
Urmstongran Thu 21-Feb-19 13:32:07

Anyone live in either of these towns?

The new league table of 'cr*p towns' by website ILiveHere.co.uk reveals the areas branded 'grotty' and 'run-down' by not-so-proud residents.
Almost 50,000 people responded to the survey, which is carried out every year.

What is it really like living in any of the top 10 worst places? Are they as bad as they are painted?
Here are the worst areas:

1. Peterborough
2. Huddersfield
3. Rochdale
4. Doncaster
5. Hull
6. Rotherham
7. Blackpool
8. Castleford
9. Oldham
10. Blackburn

Are they awful? Lack of investment during years of George Osborne’s austerity measures won’t have helped. But if you live in one of these places - what’s it REALLY like?

Grandmagrotbags Fri 22-Feb-19 10:51:29

I lived in Blackpool for 40 years. Blackpool has a large transient population mainly because of the seasonal jobs.

It has it’s rough areas as well as the more wealthy areas. So a right mixed bag. I live a couple of miles outside Blackpool now but I raised my family there and couldn’t be more proud of how they turned out.

Hm999 Fri 22-Feb-19 10:50:44

I lived in Peterborough in late 90s and really quite liked it. My daughter was a pre-teenager and didn't. It is as though the rest of UK didn't exist which was one of the criticism levelled at it in survey.
When we visited Huddersfield a few years ago, I thougit it was a pleasant, friendly town.

newnanny Fri 22-Feb-19 10:45:50

I went to Hull last summer. I must say we drove along one area where many houses seemed boarded up and empty. Loafs of rubbish by sides of roads and it looked awful. Then we drove on and came across a regenerated area. Such a difference, smart looking buildings. It reminded me of when we had to drive through Glasgow on way to Highlands.

Kim19 Fri 22-Feb-19 10:34:07

I've been to many of the places on the list but never for longer than a few days. My finding has been there are good and bad (or slum and upmarket, if you like) everywhere. We just have to seek them out. Don't think anywhere is totally any one thing. It also very much depends how the finding was arrived at and whose opinions were sought.

alisonsmith4 Fri 22-Feb-19 10:33:35

We moved to Doncaster from Watford 18 years ago and we love it! We have some beautiful countryside more or less on our doorstep - the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales are easily accessible. We have a great new theatre, good museum and art gallery and there are plans to develop the cultural quarter. We also have to mention the famous racecourse! Of course there are rough parts but there were in Watford too! The people are very friendly and welcoming and really do not deserve this label.

Urmstongran Fri 22-Feb-19 10:28:09

I think you’re right 123coco about business rents. My friend has a successful nail salon on the high street and when I went yesterday she told me her private landlord was raising the rent from £1,000 p.m. to £2,000! She is looking to relocate after 6 years.

123coco Fri 22-Feb-19 10:18:06

Blackpool is a hugely deprived area. But what can you expect. The Govt has hiked up business rents so high streets are dying, they don’t believe in decent social housing or any social housing and not 10 yrs of austerity which hasn’t helped the country or people hurt the most. Shame on this government. And everything being neglected by Brexit taking up all time and money we weren’t supposed to have!

EthelJ Fri 22-Feb-19 10:14:21

I'm surprised to see Hull on there. We visited recently when it was city of culture and loved it.

Urmstongran Thu 21-Feb-19 22:42:50

Click bait. Yes when I looked on the web page it was pretty awful I agree Maggiemaybe!
I suppose it just got me thinking as I’d seen a documentary a few months back on Blackpool - Central Avenue - with people queuing up at ATM machines at midnight to access their benefits and the programme and the place was pretty depressing. As Blackpool was on the list, I kind of bought into it and wondered if the people who actually lived in any of those areas agreed with the list.
I was just curious.

Maggiemaybe Thu 21-Feb-19 22:21:20

But Callgirl Chavs isn’t the start of the issues here, although they are in abundance. It’s the slags the sluts the town alcoholica, easily spotted by their red faces and the fact they can’t walk in a straight line. And so on.

Total and utter rubbish, btw. I wish I could afford to live there! smile

callgirl1 Thu 21-Feb-19 21:55:59

We moved here to Boston, Lincs, nearly 42 years ago, because it was so much nicer than where we were living at the time. I admit that it has gone downhill quite a bit since then, but it`s nowhere near as bad as this site paints it. And my BIL has just moved to Otley, if it was that bad he wouldn`t be there, he considers himself a bit posh.

Maggiemaybe Thu 21-Feb-19 20:37:08

What a load of tosh. It’s a clickbait site full of adverts for budget cosmetic procedures, loan companies and links to even dodgier sites. Reviews from would-be comedians. Example: Otley, known as grotley Otley... Only it’s not, and it’s also far from grotty. It’s sad that this gets publicity year after year and so do all the towns (sorry, sh*tholes) on their list.

andycameron69 Thu 21-Feb-19 19:56:38

thanks

Urmstongran Thu 21-Feb-19 19:46:54

Ha andyC❗️
Hello. I like your optimism!

andycameron69 Thu 21-Feb-19 19:45:47

so excited no deal

PECS Thu 21-Feb-19 19:37:15

At the moment, though it does not always feel like it, less than 10% of UK is built on. Not that I am advocating covering our beautiful country with buildings!

Washerwoman Thu 21-Feb-19 19:20:16

Well sadly we are losing nearby green belt to hundreds of new houses so developers like Redrow obviously think houses here will sell! Another frustration when there are so many brownfield sites still derelict,
The housing market seems pretty vibrant and ironically it was only last year we were on the front page of the Sunday Times home supplement as one of the fastest growing house markets .I've always joked one of the best things here is how easy it is to get away!to either a nearby city,or lost in the hills.

Grandma70s Thu 21-Feb-19 19:04:47

I’ve had a proper look at the website and it certainly is rubbish. Not a scientific study at all, or even a serious commentary. Ignore.

Urmstongran Thu 21-Feb-19 19:01:31

I think your probably right washerwoman in that it’s a load of old tripe. But thank you for taking the time to post.

It must be pretty upsetting/annoying if you live in one of these areas that get castigated like this.

I wouldn’t like to be trying to sell a property in one of them this week.

Washerwoman Thu 21-Feb-19 18:57:28

Born and bred in one on the list and still live there.There's no doubt the town centre has got run down in recent years and we are losing our M &S which won't help.Our Labout council is probably one of the most ineffective out there with it seems no vision .Granted austerity cuts havent helped .But our nearest town of a similar size seems to have a council that's much more proactive.And that really frustrates a lot of locals here. But our town is packed with architectural gems,unlike some souless towns I have visited down south.
However we have one of the top 6th form colleges in the country,a vibrant university with some amazing new buildings, fantastic countryside on our doorstep - I'm 10 minutes from the town centre but can walk out of my door straight into woods and fields with stunning views.The outlying villages are buzzing with small independent businesses, great farm shops and some lovely restaurants.We have a theatre, music and literary festivals and we are a short hop on the train from 3 major cities with even more culture.
The village I live in has a large estate which has had some notoriety for anti social behaviour but also some lovely roads with houses worth a million plus.A real mixed bag like the town in general.Like many ,many towns in the UK.I have seen this survey before and personally think it's a load of old tripe.

PECS Thu 21-Feb-19 17:34:31

Oh my.. we are not a big town but we did pop up!

GrandmaKT Thu 21-Feb-19 17:18:23

I have never lived in Peterborough, but visited it for work a few times in the last 3 years. I thought what a lovely town centre it was. Shows what i know!

KatyK Thu 21-Feb-19 17:17:51

Well I think it is mycat As mentioned above, everywhere has a mixed bag and there are some awful and some posh areas here. I like it because we have theatres, restaurants as well as lovely countryside within easy reach. I'm sure most people feel the same about their home town.

Jalima1108 Thu 21-Feb-19 16:59:38

Ah well, it is not featured.
So heave a sigh of relief (or get worried that it is only a virtual town and we're not real).

PECS Thu 21-Feb-19 16:56:32

www.ilivehere.co.uk/area

Try this link and put your town in the space. I think it is based on the last census so a bit out of date!