Worst city/town in the UK?

[Jack]

As a teenager I once stayed a night in Rotherham. Never felt the urge to go back!

I also spent a day in Blackpool one January a few years back. A really awful day weatherwise, nowhere open, everything looking run down and grimey. Nothing worse than an empty place that should be full.

[Scouse Hibee]

Rhyl, run down seaside down the last time I was there it was an absolute dump.

[ClewsHibs]

Glenrothes

[Sylar]

Honourable mention for Bangor in Wales! Went for a job interview at the University there once - was so glad to leave again!

[Pretty Boy]

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As a teenager I once stayed a night in Rotherham. Never felt the urge to go back!

I also spent a day in Blackpool one January a few years back. A really awful day weatherwise, nowhere open, everything looking run down and grimey. Nothing worse than an empty place that should be full.

Blackpool is a strange one.

I stayed there for a couple of days whilst down for the Grand National this year and I couldn't make my mind up about it. On one hand some of it is quite charming and some of the art deco buildings are a nice throwback to the heyday of the British seaside resort. It's also easy to see why it's ideal for families looking to keep kids amused for a few days.

On the flip side some of the place is really run down and a lot of it looks like to could be resolved by a lick of paint and a good clean. We met some friends just down the road in Lytham one night and it was like a different world. I suppose the prices paid explain why though.

[snooky]

About 8 years ago I stopped at Morecambe for a few hours.
What a dull and dead place it seemed to be. I felt I was in a movie scene about a post nuclear strike.

[matty_f]

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Blackpool is a strange one.

I stayed there for a couple of days whilst down for the Grand National this year and I couldn't make my mind up about it. On one hand some of it is quite charming and some of the art deco buildings are a nice throwback to the heyday of the British seaside resort. It's also easy to see why it's ideal for families looking to keep kids amused for a few days.

On the flip side some of the place is really run down and a lot of it looks like to could be resolved by a lick of paint and a good clean. We met some friends just down the road in Lytham one night and it was like a different world. I suppose the prices paid explain why though.

Blackpool is a ***** hole. Can't stand the place.

[Mixu62]

Any of the Lanarkshire towns deserve a mention, particularly Airdrie. Also once spent a childhood family holiday just outside Great Yarmouth. No idea what's so great about it. The seaside resort side of the town was OK I guess, though looking a bit tired, but then you walk a bit along the sea-front and find yourself in the middle of an industrial port. Beautiful.

[Haymaker]

Portsmouth.

[Caversham Green]

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I stayed in Reading for a few days when Hibs played Millwall on that "infamous" night and thought it was a proper dump, don't know what its like now though.

It has improved over the time I've been here, but it's still a bit nondescript. Slough is much worse though. I also find Oxford strangely depressing despite some impressive architecture and avoid going into London if at all possible - horrible place in most parts.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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It has improved over the time I've been here, but it's still a bit nondescript. Slough is much worse though. I also find Oxford strangely depressing despite some impressive architecture and avoid going into London if at all possible - horrible place in most parts.

IIRC we paid a wee visit to a nice wee pub in the countryside just outside Caversham called The Cider House, is it still there?

[Caversham Green]

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IIRC we paid a wee visit to a nice wee pub in the countryside just outside Caversham called The Cider House, is it still there?

If it is it's not called The Cider House any more. There's a lot of country pubs round here but I don't know that one.

[Hiber-nation]

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About 8 years ago I stopped at Morecambe for a few hours.
What a dull and dead place it seemed to be. I felt I was in a movie scene about a post nuclear strike.

Back in about 1977 I was on holiday in Morecambe with my mates. We were at the end of the pier disco and when you went for a slash, the pish ran down the plughole in the urinal and straight into the sea.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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If it is it's not called The Cider House any more. There's a lot of country pubs round here but I don't know that one.

Just had a wee search, there's a Cyder House Inn not far from Camberley that looks familiar, may have got my town/villages mixed up!

[#FromTheCapital]

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Hemel Hempstead isn't up to much. Stranraer takes the crown for me though, ****ing hate the place.

Hemel Hempstead always brings back bad memories for me. I used to do some work for a company based there. Anytime I go back nowadays, it reminds me of the feeling of dread I used to get every time I went down to HQ for a meeting. It's not a particularly bad place and there are some very nice villages in the nearby vicinity, although you're correct that it isn't up to much.

[grunt]

Watford.

[HibbyScott]

Ipswich is a dreadful soul destroying place - and my nearest "big" town. Would much rather drive the hour to get to Norwich than the 10 minutes to get to Ipswich!

[The Modfather]

Whitburn, was there for a funeral for an older generation of the Fiances side a few years ago, wouldn't fancy living there.

Sheffield. Been down the last 6 years for the snooker. The first year we left the hotel and turned left looking for a pub. We didn't know the city centre was to the right, we walked for at least 20 minutes of utter desolation with literally nothing open. Ended up near Brammall Lane and that was a grim area. The immediate environs at The Crucible are nice, don't venture further than that other than the hotel when down.

Another mention is the area between Glasgow airport and the city centre. Had to get a rearranged flight home to Glasgow the year we had the bad snow. Hadn't heard of any of the towns on that line but they all looked like the land that time forgot.

[hibs#1]

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Blackpool is a strange one.

I stayed there for a couple of days whilst down for the Grand National this year and I couldn't make my mind up about it. On one hand some of it is quite charming and some of the art deco buildings are a nice throwback to the heyday of the British seaside resort. It's also easy to see why it's ideal for families looking to keep kids amused for a few days.

On the flip side some of the place is really run down and a lot of it looks like to could be resolved by a lick of paint and a good clean. We met some friends just down the road in Lytham one night and it was like a different world. I suppose the prices paid explain why though.

We've been too blackpool a few times over the years anow your right it is a strange place as you say some really nice buildings and plenty to do plus reasonably priced all round but even going on one Street back is pretty grim some real dodgy characters kicking about.
We went on a Saturday last year the place was mobbed,absolutely roasting and filled with stag and hen parties just felt there was real tension in the air sort just waiting for it too all kick off.
Really just come away from the place with a sore head but sort of enjoy it at the same time

As for bad towns in Scotland I'm going Alloa and Callander

[rodhibs55]

Birkenhead absolute dump

[Geo_1875]

Barnsley - like a live version of the Jeremy Kyle Show.

Merthyr - As someone said earlier, when towns lose their industry they lose their soul.

Sunderland - only been there for the football but the area around the Stadium of Light is like a setting from an apocalypse movie.

[Green Man]

Dundee. The first time I ever went there I was aware I was approaching a mass of grey. It didn't get any better. Horrible place.

[LancashireHibby]

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Rhyl, run down seaside down the last time I was there it was an absolute dump.

Worth a revisit, we happened to end up there for a stroll in the summer and they have done a nice job of tarting up the harbour and promenade.

There's a definite link in a lot of these places and now defunct industry. Any number of ex-mill towns in East Lancashire (Blackburn, Burnley, Nelson and the like), the old steel or mining towns in Yorkshire (Doncaster, Featherstone, South Elmsall spring to mind) plus there can be few places that match Motherwell for sheer greyness.

[Hibby Bairn]

Had the misfortune of having to change trains once in Warrington. Had an hour to spare so went for a wander.

Scary place.

[Sylar]

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Dundee. The first time I ever went there I was aware I was approaching a mass of grey. It didn't get any better. Horrible place.

Oh, it certainly used to be an awful place, but now? Maybe I'm biased because I lived there for a few years but the city I left wasn't recognisable to the city I arrived in.

[heretoday]

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Oh, it certainly used to be an awful place, but now? Maybe I'm biased because I lived there for a few years but the city I left wasn't recognisable to the city I arrived in.

Clearing up that dreadful hotel was a big step. Coming off the TRB is a more pleasant experience. Once all the waterfront and museum are finished Dundee will be even better.

[marinello59]

Buckie.

[overdrive]

Wolverhampton is a complete hole of a place. Missed my connection there on my way to Oxford (which as someone else has mentioned isn't that great itself). It was quite late and I had to hang around for another train. It was like being in the land that time forgot. I think I had the only face on show. Everyone else I saw there either had hoodies pulled tight across their face or were wearing a balaclava.

The weird thing was that up until that point I had assumed Wolverhampton must be a nice place as my then boss was from there and was quite posh.

[heretoday]

S****horpe was a bad place to spend three months working back in 1974.

We used to work every day to get the job finished sooner.

[snooky]

Maybe not the worst place I've been in but visiting Stornoway was certainly a big disappointment.
Nothing like the picturesque town the song conveyed.