Ok, so Middlesbrough isn't pretty...

Robert Hislop

but it's NOT the worse town in Britain!! Have ya seen Luton, Doncaster or Gateshead?!?!
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apples · First team regular Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 382

Or Liverpool (Speke, Breck Road Areas), Merthyr Tydfil, Wakefield, Cas etc..............
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Ivan Dobsky · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject:

It made me laugh that they thought Middlesbrough was worse than Stockton! Shocked

It's certainly alot better than it was when I moved to the area ten years ago.
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Robert Hislop

Robert Hislop · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:23 pm Post subject:

DALEY MAYALL of YE PEST

Robert Hislop

Herman the Tosser · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:30 pm Post subject:

None of them are worse than Oldham.

noddyinnapa · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:57 am Post subject:

o2baYORKIE · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:19 am Post subject:

I read an amusing anecdote in Stuart Maconie's book (that's the second time I've name-checked this book on these hallowed pages- well worth a read) Pies and Prejudice regarding Smoggsville. A friend of his moved to 'Boro and was woken on her first morning by a loudhaler anouncement to the effect that there had been a chemical leak and all windows and doors were to be closed until they were told it was safe to open them.
The aformentioned places might be sh1t-holes, but at least you're not subjected to chemical warfare on a daily basis. And- whilst Gateshead's not the nicest of places, it's pretty much the same city as Newcastle- and that's surprisingly nice you know. I was surprised to learn just how close they were to each other at the same time as not being the same place. It's like calling South of the Ouse a different town to the North- makes no sense whatsoever!
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AllModCons · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:54 am Post subject:

Gatesheed has many of the best bits: Sage, Baltic Gallery, Buffalo Joes Laughing

that's why it was a joint bid for European City of Culture. Take away Gateshead Quay though and the place (GH) doesn't have much going for it. Bensham and other nearby areas are pretty horrible. There are certainly worse places though.
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o2baYORKIE · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:01 am Post subject:

Willincity · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:58 am Post subject:

I think it's a shame and a pitty that M'boro tops that list.
Tin hat on here.
It's a dump, no doubting that, but it has been a dump for as long as I can remember, although it didn't seem to get the investment that other towns did in the North East the likes of Tyneside and Durham received in the mid / late 90s, or for that matter what Sunderland is getting today.
....to be completely honest, if they think M'boro is bad.... they need to spend some time in the suburbs of newcastle/tyneside. there is some serioues squalor going on in places like Scotswood that makes M'boro look like a utopia and yet Newcastle isn't in the top 20!

It seems that New Labour dug out the places that were hit by Thatcherism (i.e. ex-pit areas), but screwed off other places that suffered economic hardship dues to market-forces / gloabisation (i.e. towns with petrochemical / manufacturing that have been useraped by the economic boom in China).

There are "Forgotten towns" left to get on with it and M'boro is one of them.
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HO_CHI_MINSTER · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:07 am Post subject:

Middlesborough is grim. Doncaster is bad but it has a few good areas. Anyone been to Mansfield??? sh*t hole and a half.

AllModCons · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:15 pm Post subject:

Ivan Dobsky · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject:

Middlesbrough was let down by town planners who thought it was a fantastic idea to put a dual carriageway flyover through the middle of the town. This effectively cut the town in two and shifted the town centre away from the St Hilda's area which has some of the most beautiful Victorian buildings seen anywhere. They also built the monstrosity that is the Cleveland Centre shopping mall - a mistake if ever there was one. Unfortunately modern day planners seem also intent on demolishing the rest of Middlesbrough's history - in the last couple of years they've demolished a listed building (Science Institute), a 1930's ODEON cinema and the North Riding Infirmary. This was done without any public consultation and against a vocal minority's objections. It sickens me sometimes the way that the Council led by Robocop don't listen to public opinion despite claiming to represent ordinary people. It's not all bad; the Town square is better and we now have a new modern art gallery and despite it's odd look they are re-developing the old docks area.
There is hope that Middlesbrough's fortunes will eventually turn around but it'll take a long time. I think that it's very unfair to brand Middlesbrough as the worst town in Britain - I'm sure there are much worse places to live such as Runcorn, Eccles and Nottingham - all places I have had first hand experience of.
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Helen · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:26 pm Post subject:

palfrexm · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:48 pm Post subject:

I like Oldham, its a quality town. Better than Bradford anyway, or Halifax.

LondonVillageRed · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:45 pm Post subject:

Ivan Dobsky · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:07 pm Post subject:

Robert Hislop · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject:

I still say... AVOID Luton!! *shudder* Laughing

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tomowen · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject:

If it's big enough, Northfleet tops the list for me- and that was on a nice day!
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Mr. Chips · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject:

*shouting loudly* You all appear to have missed Hull's clear claim to top spot.
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AllModCons · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject:

noddyinnapa · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject:

gster · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject:

Agree with Dobsky about Mallon - have worked with the guy and he's scary. Worked in Boro for six years and can agree it's a dump - but am not at all impressed with their "regeneration", which is going to be like sticking a Kerplunk game on top of a rubbish dump.

Scotswood - most of it isn't there any more, having been knocked down, and the cooncil is building a new housing expo regeneration project (led by yours truly). Gatesheed is about to knock down the Carter car park as part of its town centre regen but like Boro suffers from having dual carriageways and flyovers running through the middle of it.

Would like to suggest West Bromwich for the worst list.
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