Is Luton the UK's ultimate cr@p town?

**Chris** · 27-09-2004, 09:52

With apologies to Stuartbe ...

http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...6/nluton26.xml

Is Luton really the worst? And what about the other towns in the list?

Bifta · 27-09-2004, 09:59

Obviously a complete fix, I mean, Swindon should be no. 1 but it's not even on the list! Nice to see Portadown made an appearance though and presumably that's Bangor in Wales not NI.

Julian · 27-09-2004, 10:05

I can't believe that Portsmouth didn't win.

And how on earth did Milton Keynes end up only 35th.

Mr_love_monkey · 27-09-2004, 10:05

I'm surprised Croydon is at 32 - I would have put it at number 1....

Nugget · 27-09-2004, 10:06

Quote:

Jay Rebbeck, 27, a management consultant from Luton who has recently moved to London, voted for his home town in the survey. "I was born in Luton and have been avoiding it ever since," he said.

That's a good selling point for it, isn't it

I can't believe Scunthorpe didn't even make the list - on good days, it's raining and murky and 'orrible when I drive in. On bad days, I can actually see the urban concrete hell-hole

Halcyon · 27-09-2004, 10:16

I thought Coventry was meant to be the most dead place in the UK.

Ramrod · 27-09-2004, 10:18

I'm really surprised at Windsor, Kew and Bournemouth being in the list

27-09-2004, 10:25

20,000 people is a very small sample making it almost meaningless. Where was the survey conducted? Luton Airport?

TigaSefi · 27-09-2004, 10:33

luton airport!!! luton airport!!!

Gareth · 27-09-2004, 10:49

Having spent 3 years living in Bournemouth, I'm kinda surprised (and disappointed) to see it in the list. I found it a great place to live - plenty of things to do, lovely countryside on the doorstep, great beaches, reasonable-ish nightlife. Plus, there used to be a great fish & chip shop on the high street in Winton... really cheap but massive portions of the best tasting fish & chips. I've yet to find anywhere as good. If I could get a job in Bournemouth, I'd gladly move back.

I'm living in Swindon now, and was glad to see it not included in the list (despite Bifta's comments!). The town centre is an eye-sore, admittedly, but it's got everything that you could want. Swindon borough council isn't the worst-managed counil I've ever seen, there are plenty of employment opportunities, there's sufficient housing for all tastes and requirements (just steer clear of any areas beginning with a P

) and it's ideally situated geographically being an hour from London yet also on the doorstep of the beautiful Cotswolds, and only a short drive from Wales or the South Coast.

In my opinion, there's a lot worse places to live .........such as Bromsgrove, for example.

Nugget · 27-09-2004, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary_580

20,000 people is a very small sample making it almost meaningless. Where was the survey conducted? Luton Airport?

You've got to remember that this is a poll conducted for a 'funny' book.

I don't know if anyone here read the first 'Crap Towns', but it described Hull as having 'the smell of death'! Now I have to accept that this is actually true, but it's still done in a humourous way

Bifta · 27-09-2004, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDW1975

I'm living in Swindon now, and was glad to see it not included in the list (despite Bifta's comments!). The town centre is an eye-sore, admittedl

Mmmm, you forgot to mention all the outlying area's too, e.g. Liden, Penhill, Park South/North etc all of which are complete sh*tholes.

Quote:

but it's got everything that you could want.

It certainly has, crap nightclubs, crap pubs full of people spoiling for a fight, ignorant shop staff with that AWFUL semi-bristol accent, extortionate rental prices for houses (I was paying 600 + council tax a month for a tiny 2 bedroomed terraced, as opposed to ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£400 for a new, huge 4 bedroomed detached over here), absymal public transport, buses turn up when they feel like it, dreadful road infrastructure developed by a feller from Oxford who has never driven a car in his life (try getting in or out of the town during rush hour .. no chance!)

Quote:

Swindon borough council isn't the worst-managed counil I've ever seen

It's certainly far and above the worst I've ever seen, the kind of council that likes to dig all the roads up at once, towards the end of the year, for no other reason than it costs money and if they don't spend that money, they won't get the same budget for the forthcoming year. Also, the staff that deal with council tax are lying sh*tbags that caused me no end of grief over an error on their part.

Quote:

there are plenty of employment opportunities, there's sufficient housing for all tastes and requirements (just steer clear of any areas beginning with a P

) and it's ideally situated geographically being an hour from London yet also on the doorstep of the beautiful Cotswolds, and only a short drive from Wales or the South Coast.

I think that's about all it has going for it.

Quote:

In my opinion, there's a lot worse places to live .........such as Bromsgrove, for example.

I've never lived there, I have however lived in several other places on the list, and none of them were even half as crap as Swindon.

**Maggy J** · 27-09-2004, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julian

I can't believe that Portsmouth didn't win.

And how on earth did Milton Keynes end up only 35th.

What's wrong with Portsmouth?It's got a lot going for it.It's got bags more history than Luton and it's one of the oldest naval ports.There are some very good shopping centres,a very good selection of restaraunts and a good nightlife.Now the Tricorns going we only have the Millennium Tower to worry about.That is the only blot on the landscape as far as I'm concerned.

Bifta · 27-09-2004, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

What's wrong with Portsmouth?It's got a lot going for it.It's got bags more history than Luton and it's one of the oldest naval ports.There are some very good shopping centres,a very good selection of restaraunts and a good nightlife.Now the Tricorns going we only have the Millennium Tower to worry about.That is the only blot on the landscape as far as I'm concerned.

Well, that and Southsea

Julian · 27-09-2004, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

What's wrong with Portsmouth?It's got a lot going for it.It's got bags more history than Luton and it's one of the oldest naval ports.There are some very good shopping centres,a very good selection of restaraunts and a good nightlife.Now the Tricorns going we only have the Millennium Tower to worry about.That is the only blot on the landscape as far as I'm concerned.

I know there will be people loyal to the place Incog.

For those who haven't had the pleasure, there are 3 roads into Portsmouth. The main one (the M275) features a rubbish mountain at the beginning, followed by Pounds's scrapyard (featuring dead submarines, wrecked amphibious landing craft and piles of rusty metal) on both sides as you head towards town. You then go over the Rudmore roundabout and on your left is a long block of flats famous only for its crime level.

And as for the Millenium Tower - way over budget and unlikely to open for another year - 5 years late.