Hemel Hempstead: Ugliest Town in Britain

First topic message reminder :

A survey run by website Crap Towns Returns has named Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, the ugliest town in the UK.


Luton, Bedfordshire; Slough, Buckinghamshire; and Bracknell in Berkshire, were voted the next ugliest towns.


14/08/13 Times 19
Daily Telegraph 4

Anyone disagree with CT and think they can top HH as the ugliest town in the UK?

Am assuming the adjudicators managed to bypass Stockton somehow........

I wouldn't. I prefer plenty of places over Newcastle.

As Tino pointed out earlier, now that he is "wiser" he prefers living outside of London. I suspect most people end up that way.

The Womble wrote:Hemel Hempstead is pretty bad, Milton Keynes is a God-awful place, very ugly. Bolton is a c*apola hole. Manchester is not a particularly pretty place.

Some parts of London are really nice, others (like Hounslow) are not.

What's wrong with Milton Keynes??? It's not beautiful, but it's far from ugly. Plenty of lakes, lots of trees... how can that be ugly? Hemel is far uglier than MK, and Luton's uglier than both. That said, Luton's not really any different to your average run-down, former industrial northern town. As far as facilities go, MK has a decent shopping centre, and plenty of other things that are actually of some social use. It shouldn't even be mentioned in a list of crap towns.

London is a great city, but probably not to live in. I work in London and I spend time going out in the city but I prefer living on the outskirts as I do. Not too far to get a train easily, but far enough for their to be actual trees and somewhere to park.

I think, like Tino says, eventually London will wear me out and I'll head into the Home Counties somewhere nice. Reckon I've got 5 yrs yet on that though.

Back to the list and I'm not surprised Birmingham and Coventry have featured so highly. I've lived in Birmingham for almost a year and a few nice places aside, it's a dump. I go to Coventry every so often for work and I can't wait to leave the cesspit.

Surprised at only two nominations from Northern Ireland and one of them being Belfast. It's not the best place in the world, but when places like Ballymena, Larne and Newtownards are in close proximity, it's like an oasis of culture and sophistication in comparison.

It's all a bit besides the point of this article though, in terms of ugliest places London is nowhere near it. You may not like the people, the culture and the financial services sector, but you can't deny there is stunning architecture both new and old, and in greater concentration than anywhere else in the country.

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:

The Womble wrote:Hemel Hempstead is pretty bad, Milton Keynes is a God-awful place, very ugly. Bolton is a c*apola hole. Manchester is not a particularly pretty place.

Some parts of London are really nice, others (like Hounslow) are not.

What's wrong with Milton Keynes??? It's not beautiful, but it's far from ugly. Plenty of lakes, lots of trees... how can that be ugly? Hemel is far uglier than MK, and Luton's uglier than both. That said, Luton's not really any different to your average run-down, former industrial northern town. As far as facilities go, MK has a decent shopping centre, and plenty of other things that are actually of some social use. It shouldn't even be mentioned in a list of crap towns.

I'm not a fan of these 'new towns' that were built. No character or charm plus if Milton Keynes don't have something that other towns have they have to steal it from elsewhere (but I'm not going to get into that  ). I'll agree that Hemel is uglier than MK, but MK is still an ugly town and should be on a list of crap towns.

The Womble wrote:

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:

The Womble wrote:Hemel Hempstead is pretty bad, Milton Keynes is a God-awful place, very ugly. Bolton is a c*apola hole. Manchester is not a particularly pretty place.

Some parts of London are really nice, others (like Hounslow) are not.

What's wrong with Milton Keynes??? It's not beautiful, but it's far from ugly. Plenty of lakes, lots of trees... how can that be ugly? Hemel is far uglier than MK, and Luton's uglier than both. That said, Luton's not really any different to your average run-down, former industrial northern town. As far as facilities go, MK has a decent shopping centre, and plenty of other things that are actually of some social use. It shouldn't even be mentioned in a list of crap towns.

I'm not a fan of these 'new towns' that were built. No character or charm plus if Milton Keynes don't have something that other towns have they have to steal it from elsewhere (but I'm not going to get into that  ). I'll agree that Hemel is uglier than MK, but MK is still an ugly town and should be on a list of crap towns.

I'd agree MK is a bit soulless - far too geometric. It has far too much greenery to be truly ugly though. I always used to hate it, but now I live near-ish, and go there more often, I quite like it. I'm guessing anyone called the Womble probably isn't going to be won round though.

Too geometric and too many roundabouts!!

Got to say Jack is my favourite poster on here, he cracks me up even when he isn't trying to be funny. Anyway as for ugly towns if you ever find yourself in Stoke be sure to avoid Tunstall. Nicknamed cardboard town as practically every shop in boarded up. It has a more miserable atmosphere than Birmingham which is saying something.

Agree with Stoke. What an absolute rotten area.

I've been fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to follow Newcastle across the country and some of the places just suck the life out of you. Special praise to Stevenage, West Ham (the surrounding streets look like the 60's), Aston Villa (see reasons for West ham), Bolton and Wigan.

I have a lot of admiration for people who can tolerate these areas. They offer absolutely nothing other than dreary, nauseating surroundings. On the plus side, the social clubs generally charge you about 1.50 a pint.

Favourite away day was Brugge. Fantastic city, fantastic locals and a general great vibe. Little on the pricy side.

You've been to Stevenage??! you poor bugger!!

TopHat24/7 wrote:You've been to Stevenage??! you poor bugger!!

'twas for the football toppy, it was one of the most disgraceful places I have ever frequented. We got beat too. I can safely say it was one if the worst days of my life.

Crook in Co Durham is a bleakish sort of town. And that is on a sunny day. I don't know whether Lumbering Jack would recommend it as a day out from Newcastle.

Had a quick google for any reviews of the town.  First one to come up was "Crook - abandon hope all ye who enter."

Durham is ok, just a little behind the times. Some nice bars on the river and some decent restaurants. The outskirts are a bit drab though, is avoid them.

Durham City itself is a fantastic place. Best cathedral in Britain. But as for Crook that is another thing!

Lumbering_Jack wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:You've been to Stevenage??! you poor bugger!!

'twas for the football toppy, it was one of the most disgraceful places I have ever frequented. We got beat too. I can safely say it was one if the worst days of my life.

Haha I was in neighbouring Hitchin watching that match with a load of local mates, was great fun

Stevenage is a dire place, was glad I only went to school there and never had to live there!!

Looks like there is some kind of "rust belt" of ugly towns extending north and west of London - running through Stevenage, Luton, Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, Slough and Bracknell.  Can't help feeling that many other areas have got off lightly in the voting!

Lumbering_Jack wrote:One thing that has always puzzled me about Newcastle. Maybe you can answer.... for a city that can be a huge amount of fun, how did it produce someone as monumentally dull as Alan Shearer. I nearly fell asleep typing his name out.
----------------
He is very boring, but he's allowed to be as the greatest player to ever grace this planet *

Slight Newcastle bias.

Huh? I thought that was Paul "Madder than an Mashed Mongoose" Gascoigne? (the "greatest player" part - not the "boring" part)


Anyway, back on topic and I'd have to say Wisbech (look it up on Google Map if you need to) has always struck me as a pretty depressing place to live.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:Agree with Stoke. What an absolute rotten area.

I've been fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to follow Newcastle across the country and some of the places just suck the life out of you. Special praise to Stevenage, West Ham (the surrounding streets look like the 60's), Aston Villa (see reasons for West ham), Bolton and Wigan.

I have a lot of admiration for people who can tolerate these areas. They offer absolutely nothing other than dreary, nauseating surroundings. On the plus side, the social clubs generally charge you about 1.50 a pint.

Favourite away day was Brugge. Fantastic city, fantastic locals and a general great vibe. Little on the pricy side.

You should have visited Newcastle-Under-Lyme...

Had to go on a training course held in Alsager - that was a pretty dire place too.