Best and worst towns in Britain

Dando

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The good: Shrewsbury, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Wokingham, Tenby, Bournemouth, Dartmouth

The Bad: Slough, Stoke, Blackpool

i went on a stag do to Blackpool once and was there for about 2 hours as it was full of locals looking to fight the out of towners.

another reason to avoid it is that my ex lives there
 

stefanovic

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As no one has mentioned Redditch.

Driving into it makes you wonder where the people are.
Approaching the town centre the unhelpful signs just say Access followed by a number.
Then you are in a one way system which either goes off at a tangent or back round in a circle.
It's even more daunting trying to get out and you are almost bound to meet a road closed sign.
You have effectively been taken prisoner.
It's nothing but a triumph of bungled town planning.
 

Billysboots

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Blackpool is the reason I now live in the north east, I met my ex wife there ?

I’ve been to Blackpool twice in my entire life.

Once, as a 13 year old to see the illuminations when the place was in darkness. The second, to the Police Federation conference, when I spent the bulk of the week either holed up in the Winter Gardens or pissed.

Despite that, even I could see there were few redeeming qualities.
 

Beezerk

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I’ve been to Blackpool twice in my entire life.

Once, as a 13 year old to see the illuminations when the place was in darkness. The second, to the Police Federation conference, when I spent the bulk of the week either holed up in the Winter Gardens or pissed.

Despite that, even I could see there were few redeeming qualities.

Not sure what it is like now but back in the 90s around early October it was like one big orgy, not that I was there for any of that ?
 

PNWokingham

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I went to Blackpool numerous times as a kid on day trips when the lights were on. Roll on 2004 and went on my stag do. What a total sunni hole! Stayed in a faulty towers type hotel on the front. I had a TV- old style 14 inch with a coat hanger for aerial! The reception guy was dealing drugs. The breakfast was unedible as we're the others we tried. I was sad that Blackpool did not win the super casino that towns were bidding for a few years ago. It sure needs it and would no doubt prompt a massive regeneration. Would be a good test case to see if the old adage that you "cannot polish a turd" is true or not!
 

nickjdavis

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I lived close to Blackpool in the late 70's to late 80's. My parent remained in the area up until around 2005....i used to go back and visit a few times a year and it was noticeable the level of decline and decay over the years.

Once you get past the seafront and everything around the illuminations, Pleasure Beach, nightclubs etc, and slip into a few of the murkier backstreets away from the front, you descend into a grim underworld that would not be out of place in a deprived inner city area. I cannot imagine that its got any better.
 

BiMGuy

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Not sure what it is like now but back in the 90s around early October it was like one big orgy, not that I was there for any of that ?

Blackpool in the mid 90s as an 18 year old was brilliant. £10 per person B&B, cheap beer and cheesy night clubs. What's not to like?

Awful place otherwise.
 

Hobbit

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My abiding memory of Blackpool is from about 20 years ago. Walking along the sea front with the children, the youngest daughter, about 10 years old and 10 yards ahead of us, being enticed up an alley by two of the ugliest, evil looking scroats I’ve ever seen. Thankfully I saw what was happening and stepped in quickly.

I shudder every time at the memory, and dread to think what might have happened.

Blackpool = evil, stinking dump.
 

Dando

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My abiding memory of Blackpool is from about 20 years ago. Walking along the sea front with the children, the youngest daughter, about 10 years old and 10 yards ahead of us, being enticed up an alley by two of the ugliest, evil looking scroats I’ve ever seen. Thankfully I saw what was happening and stepped in quickly.

I shudder every time at the memory, and dread to think what might have happened.

Blackpool = evil, stinking dump.

i am sure Blackpool will be over the moon with being thought of so highly
 

spongebob59

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Dover and Clacton.
Inland Luton and I've heard Dartford is a khasi now, once a thriving market town but once all the big employers left the writing was on the wall.
 

srixon 1

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I am from Dewsbury but left there in 1978 when I joined up. My parents still live in the area so I get to visit every now and again. It used to be a nice town, but the best thing about it now is the road out of there. Absolute dump of a place.
 
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