Southampton the 4th crappest town in the UK

[Whitey Grandad]

It all depends on what you want in a town. I never go shopping in Southampton but it has a very local airport, the only theatre south of the Thames that can stage full-scale productions and a major cruise industry that we use a couple of times a year.

 

I think it's a bit stupid to include major cities, these are effectively several 'towns' clumped together. There's good and bad in all of them. Even Swindon has relaxed its parking restrictions.

[Barry Sanchez]

Tourists are a good indication of how nice your town/City is.

[anothersaintinsouthsea]

Who regard London as the Worlds number one City, its a World City, its an amazing City but that does not mean its a great City to live unless you have an awful lot of money, people get confused on this issue, far better Cities I have been to than London BUT these Cities dont have what London has

 

Flagstaff

Sydney

Melbourne

Montreal

Halifax

Miami Beach

Liverpool

 

Flagstaff? That's a bit random. Whatever your opinions of either place they don't really merit comparison.

[anothersaintinsouthsea]

Utterly amazed that York is in there.

[the colonel]

Including York, Chippy, London, Gib. they haven't got a clue. Soton isn't the prettiest of cities but you won't find many with more central green park areas. plus the common. Plus if they took their time to check its history and historical building and monuments they would realise there is much more to Soton than meets the eye, mind you the city council doesn't try to make something of the historical parts of the city so why would a journalist.

[Give it to Ron]

Tourists are a good indication of how nice your town/City is.

 

Southampton doesn't get many tourists??...or have I misread that?

[Dr. Kucho]

Southampton might not be the most exciting city, but like others have said, def not in the worst 10 of Britain.

 

Hope this article makes the coucil leaders think and gets them started on making plans to improve the city.

[ecuk268]

Why the great need for tourists?

 

Tourism is generally a low-wage industry. I'd prefer it if we tried to attract high-tech manufacturing to offer the prospect of well-paid skilled jobs. I work in the Fawley area. It's not very pretty but is pays good money to a lot of people, a lot more than they'd get working in a hotel or restaurant.

[View From The Top]

York?? It's a lovely place & I'd happily live there.

 

Anyone who thinks Soton is worse than Wolverhampron, West Brom, Walsall, Stoke etc is off their rocker.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Tourists are a good indication of how nice your town/City is.

 

Eh? What a bizarre point.

 

It would also reaffirm that London is one of the best citys on the planet.

[Wrensup]

Newport is a **** hole,

One of the few nice things about the city and it's history, that being the chartorists mural has been smashed down!

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/columnists/the-destruction-of-the-newport-chartist-mural-is-a-needless-and-casual-act-of-cultural-vandalism-8858692.html

[solentstars]

Eh? What a bizarre point.

 

It would also reaffirm that London is one of the best citys on the planet.

 

Agree has its the place that people around the world really know .

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk now Free

[Barry Sanchez]

Why the great need for tourists?

 

Tourism is generally a low-wage industry. I'd prefer it if we tried to attract high-tech manufacturing to offer the prospect of well-paid skilled jobs. I work in the Fawley area. It's not very pretty but is pays good money to a lot of people, a lot more than they'd get working in a hotel or restaurant.

Tourism brings in billions, you wouldn't want a tourist industry in Southampton on other business models and your morals? How very noble.

[Barry Sanchez]

Southampton doesn't get many tourists??...or have I misread that?

 

Yes it gets few or none at all.

[Barry Sanchez]

Agree has its the place that people around the world really know .

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk now Free

 

 

Not too sure why Sotonians are upset about London being called whatever it may be, it 80 miles away and has nothing to do with us, perhaps its the lack of our own culture we look for others, why not create one, bit too original I suppose.

[ecuk268]

Yes it gets few or none at all.

 

What is the source for this statement?

 

Taken from the Echo:

 

It also showed that Southampton enjoyed a 14 per cent increase in visitor numbers despite the doubledip economy, with 871,000 people visiting the city in 2011 compared to 762,000 in 2007.

Edited 8 October, 2013 by ecuk268

[ecuk268]

Tourism brings in billions, you wouldn't want a tourist industry in Southampton on other business models and your morals? How very noble.

 

It might bring in billions in total, but most of the people who work in it are paid peanuts. I'd prefer a high-wage economy than a minimum-wage one.

[Batman]

I used to live in london.

easily immense

[Golden Balls]

Laughable.

 

I've been all over the country, lived in other parts and work in many different areas. Southampton isn't even close to being anywhere near the 10 worst.

 

The worst part of Southampton is its wasted potential. If they can sort out Town Quay/Mayflower Park/Ocean Village/Watermark West Quay and make it live up to its potential then Southampton will come alive.

[sandwichsaint]

You can't take any article seriously that says this about Morcambe...

 

"Now I'm happy to say that the town has turned a corner. Lots of the lovely old buildings that had been collapsing have been fixed up (the art-deco Midland Hotel is now just gorgeous) and there's also a new, can-do spirit about the place. On a sunny day it's one of the most beautiful places in the UK."

 

Morcambe is a complete sh!t hole. I stopped off there this summer and couldn't get out quick enough. It's the usual northern dump full of the unemployed and derelict buildings. In fact if you were to do a serious list of cr@p UK towns I doubt anywhere South of Oxford would feature in the top 50.

 

Take it you've never been to Margate, Dover, Folkestone, Hastings?

 

Parts of Margate and Folkestone have some of the most deprived post codes in the UK and Dover is just grim, grim, grim. Genuine contenders for the top 10 never mind the top 50.

 

Sandwich, Deal and Canterbury are all very nice though, cheek by jowl and all that.

[RedAndWhite91]

One of the co-founders of Crap Towns Returns is from Alresford, so I'm going to judge him as a snob. There are a lot of snobs here.

 

Not being funny but on my travels with Saints, I've been to a lot worse places, so I'm not worrying too much about what this book says!

 

As for the Weston Shore tower blocks, they've recently had a paint job and don't look too bad.

[Barry Sanchez]

It might bring in billions in total, but most of the people who work in it are paid peanuts. I'd prefer a high-wage economy than a minimum-wage one.

 

Really? Its an industry worth £17 Billion, you dont want a slice of that, I think you are talking out of your arse, this is nothing to do with highly skilled jobs (I would always argue for them as well) but the progression of a dour City and providing more jobs for people, thats no bad thing, do you think all the people connected with tourism are on minimum wage and only work in the summer? I suggest you research a bit more.

[Barry Sanchez]

Take it you've never been to Margate, Dover, Folkestone, Hastings?

 

Parts of Margate and Folkestone have some of the most deprived post codes in the UK and Dover is just grim, grim, grim. Genuine contenders for the top 10 never mind the top 50.

 

Sandwich, Deal and Canterbury are all very nice though, cheek by jowl and all that.

 

I believe I said this about the South Coast the other day and the snobs on here bleated that all the poverty was up North, these were also the tools that said Southampton was a good place to live because of the New Forest.

[Barry Sanchez]

What is the source for this statement?

 

Taken from the Echo:

 

It also showed that Southampton enjoyed a 14 per cent increase in visitor numbers despite the doubledip economy, with 871,000 people visiting the city in 2011 compared to 762,000 in 2007.

 

Visiting the City? What about tourists? International tourists? Big money, the lack of quality hotels and restaurants gives it away.

[Barry Sanchez]

I used to live in london.

easily immense

 

Where did you live in London and how much did your house cost?

Edited 8 October, 2013 by Barry Sanchez

[Wes Tender]

Wes its not a race to the bottom, the South Coast is a cultural backwater hence everyone goes on about London which is 80 miles away and has nothing to do with the City at all, name me 5 nice areas to live in Southampton, I mean in the City boundary?

 

I might as well ask you the same about Liverpool.

 

But of course the smaller the city, the fewer the number of nice areas there are, logically because if they were of any size, they would constitute a larger proportion of the city. But nevertheless, there are several nice areas of the city. Bassett, most of the area towards the Sports Centre/Golf Course and across the road around Glen Eyre area, quite a bit of Highfield and behind Portswood opposite Waitrose, Ocean Village, Chilworth. But of course, as with most cities, a lot of the residential areas where people commute from are on the outskirts of the city, places like Chandlers Ford/Hiltingbury, Hamble, Romsey, the Southern Parishes etc, which have very nice residential housing.

[LGTL]

It might be rated as crap but it's my city and I absolutely love it.

[Wade Garrett]

I might as well ask you the same about Liverpool.

 

But of course the smaller the city, the fewer the number of nice areas there are, logically because if they were of any size, they would constitute a larger proportion of the city. But nevertheless, there are several nice areas of the city. Bassett, most of the area towards the Sports Centre/Golf Course and across the road around Glen Eyre area, quite a bit of Highfield and behind Portswood opposite Waitrose, Ocean Village, Chilworth. But of course, as with most cities, a lot of the residential areas where people commute from are on the outskirts of the city, places like Chandlers Ford/Hiltingbury, Hamble, Romsey, the Southern Parishes etc, which have very nice residential housing.

 

You missed out Woolston.

[70's Mike]

who cares it is my City and stuff what anyone else things

no one likes us we don't care

[Barry Sanchez]

I might as well ask you the same about Liverpool.

 

But of course the smaller the city, the fewer the number of nice areas there are, logically because if they were of any size, they would constitute a larger proportion of the city. But nevertheless, there are several nice areas of the city. Bassett, most of the area towards the Sports Centre/Golf Course and across the road around Glen Eyre area, quite a bit of Highfield and behind Portswood opposite Waitrose, Ocean Village, Chilworth. But of course, as with most cities, a lot of the residential areas where people commute from are on the outskirts of the city, places like Chandlers Ford/Hiltingbury, Hamble, Romsey, the Southern Parishes etc, which have very nice residential housing.

 

 

You dont know Liverpool, it has it ****holes mainly in the East and the North of the City but there are nice areas there are well, Aigburth, Cressington, Woolton, Allerton, Mossley Hill, Childwall, Gateacre, Grassendale and Sefton Park to name a few, on the outskirts there are Ormskirk, Maghull, Formby, Crosby, West Kirby, Heswall, Cronton again I could name many others, the issue is Liverpool has an awful lot to do in it and the local authority has made sure it invests in tourism, Southampton has done jack **** and as a proud ex Sotonian it ****es me off as I have to be honest when asked about my City and it always pains me to say there is nothing really to make people go there at all.

[melmacian_saint]

This re-edition of Crap Towns is not only out of touch and lacking any realism, it also misses any comical content and comes across as written by true sour c*****s who don't seem to be enjoying life atm.

 

Official justification for London, given by co-editor Sam Jordison who I don't think I'd ever like to meet:

 

"People in London just have no idea what's happening in the rest of the country. They take a lot of what works in Britain, but you don't see much sign of them putting anything back. I think that's what lies behind the rage of a lot of the nominations. lot of the entries for other places are what you might call affectionate hatred, as you might tease a member of the family but know you have to put up with them. That's not the case with London – the hatred is real."

 

I think someone would love a flat in Kensington. Or maybe just not where he currently lives. In fact it sounds like someone is very unhappy at life.

[SW5 SAINT]

When London, a City many regard as one of the greatest on the planet, is #1 then you know it's onto a loser.

 

Also, aren't London & Southampton Cities, not towns?

 

London the greatest on the planet, with Southampton certainly in the top 6 or 7th best cities in Britain.

[Wes Tender]

Visiting the City? What about tourists? International tourists? Big money, the lack of quality hotels and restaurants gives it away.

 

And yet we have the annual International Boat Show based here for the past few decades, growing ever larger and attracting some seriously wealthy visitors to the Solent area all around us, which is the yachting capital of the World. As Whitey GD says, we also have a theatre of some eminence and an art gallery with a collection better than those in most cities. And we have our share of decent hotels and restaurants either in the city or nearby, thanks. You can take the number of tourists as a barometer of how good a city is to live in if you wish, but I suspect that most residents don't put too much store on that. But then again, the Cotswolds is awash with tourists and yet Chipping Norton is deemed crap by the imbecile who compiled the list and so is York inundated with tourists too.

[Barry Sanchez]

This re-edition of Crap Towns is not only out of touch and lacking any realism, it also misses any comical content and comes across as written by true sour c*****s who don't seem to be enjoying life atm.

 

Official justification for London, given by co-editor Sam Jordison who I don't think I'd ever like to meet:

 

"People in London just have no idea what's happening in the rest of the country. They take a lot of what works in Britain, but you don't see much sign of them putting anything back. I think that's what lies behind the rage of a lot of the nominations. lot of the entries for other places are what you might call affectionate hatred, as you might tease a member of the family but know you have to put up with them. That's not the case with London – the hatred is real."

 

I think someone would love a flat in Kensington. Or maybe just not where he currently lives. In fact it sounds like someone is very unhappy at life.

 

Why are Sotonians so infatuated with London? Who gives a ****, great place to visit and work but live? My brother lived for 15 years there all over and it was nice and expensive or **** and cheap, thats it full stop thats London. But why are Sotonians so wrapped up over it is beyond me.

Edited 8 October, 2013 by Barry Sanchez

[Barry Sanchez]

And yet we have the annual International Boat Show based here for the past few decades, growing ever larger and attracting some seriously wealthy visitors to the Solent area all around us, which is the yachting capital of the World. As Whitey GD says, we also have a theatre of some eminence and an art gallery with a collection better than those in most cities. And we have our share of decent hotels and restaurants either in the city or nearby, thanks. You can take the number of tourists as a barometer of how good a city is to live in if you wish, but I suspect that most residents don't put too much store on that. But then again, the Cotswolds is awash with tourists and yet Chipping Norton is deemed crap by the imbecile who compiled the list and so is York inundated with tourists too.

 

 

******** to the list, the reality is we dont have many tourists here and the reasons are obvious, there is nothing there, its barren, the Gallery is good but there are many better, the boat show? Exactly how much does that bring in? I do take the number of tourists as a barometer as too how good a City is as do many others, what good restaurants and hotels are there in the City?

[Barry Sanchez]

And yet we have the annual International Boat Show based here for the past few decades, growing ever larger and attracting some seriously wealthy visitors to the Solent area all around us, which is the yachting capital of the World. As Whitey GD says, we also have a theatre of some eminence and an art gallery with a collection better than those in most cities. And we have our share of decent hotels and restaurants either in the city or nearby, thanks. You can take the number of tourists as a barometer of how good a city is to live in if you wish, but I suspect that most residents don't put too much store on that. But then again, the Cotswolds is awash with tourists and yet Chipping Norton is deemed crap by the imbecile who compiled the list and so is York inundated with tourists too.

 

If you think Southampton is the yachting capital of the World I suggest you open your eyes a little bit more.

[SW5 SAINT]

Yes it gets few or none at all.

 

Just a few 100,000 cruise passengers.............

[Wes Tender]

Why are Sotonians so infatuated with London? Who gives a ****, great place to visit and work but live? My brother lived for 15 years there all over and it was nice and expensive or **** and cheap, thats it full stop thats London. But why are Sotonians so wrapped up over it is beyond me.

It is one of the reasons that Southampton is a great place to live. You are close to the sea, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest, three major cathedral cities, the south downs and if you fancy some serious shopping, theatre, the biggest and best museums in the land, they're all just an hour away.

 

Unfortunately, Liverpool is much further away from London, which is probably why you're a bit fed up with us in Southampton having it as an option if we wish to go to a World class capital city when we feel the need for a cultural fix. But then it is always nice to get back home afterwards.

[Whitey Grandad]

If you think Southampton is the yachting capital of the World I suggest you open your eyes a little bit more.

 

85% of the yachts sold in Britain are sold through the sales offices in Hamble, or used to be. Is Hamble allowed?

[Barry Sanchez]

Just a few 100,000 cruise passengers.............

 

 

That pass through and leave at the first opportunity, the proof is we dont have high class hotels for departure and entry..........................

[Barry Sanchez]

It is one of the reasons that Southampton is a great place to live. You are close to the sea, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest, three major cathedral cities, the south downs and if you fancy some serious shopping, theatre, the biggest and best museums in the land, they're all just an hour away.

 

Unfortunately, Liverpool is much further away from London, which is probably why you're a bit fed up with us in Southampton having it as an option if we wish to go to a World class capital city when we feel the need for a cultural fix. But then it is always nice to get back home afterwards.

 

Wes we are talking about the merits of Southampton not whats outside it, the old New Forest thing again, I shall move back to Southampton so I can drive there every Sunday for an ice cream with a pony...................

[Whitey Grandad]

That pass through and leave at the first opportunity, the proof is we dont have high class hotels for departure and entry..........................

 

A lot of them stay in hotels the night before their cruise.

[Wes Tender]

If you think Southampton is the yachting capital of the World I suggest you open your eyes a little bit more.

 

Did I say Southampton? No. I said the Solent area. Cowes, the Hamble river, (Hamble/Warsash to Bursledon, Ocean Village, the Beaulieu river, Hythe Marina are our direct area, and slightly further afield there is Lymington, Christchurch on one side and Portsmouth harbour/Gosport marina the other side.

 

I would call the Solent area the greatest in the World for sailing/yachting and it is centrered around Southampton. Where did you have in mind as being more important?

[Wes Tender]

Barry Sanchez: ......so I can drive there every Sunday for an ice cream with a pony

I usually have a flake in my ice cream.

[Whitey Grandad]

Did I say Southampton? No. I said the Solent area. Cowes, the Hamble river, (Hamble/Warsash to Bursledon, Ocean Village, the Beaulieu river, Hythe Marina are our direct area, and slightly further afield there is Lymington, Christchurch on one side and Portsmouth harbour/Gosport marina the other side.

 

I would call the Solent area the greatest in the World for sailing/yachting and it is centrered around Southampton. Where did you have in mind as being more important?

 

And all probably smaller in area than London?

[Barry Sanchez]

85% of the yachts sold in Britain are sold through the sales offices in Hamble, or used to be. Is Hamble allowed?

 

 

So because a yacht is sold in Britain it makes that area the yachting capital of the World? Thats a bit much dont you think? Annapolis, Auckland and Palma **** all over it to also **** on your delusions of grandeur.

[Wes Tender]

Wes we are talking about the merits of Southampton not whats outside it, the old New Forest thing again, I shall move back to Southampton so I can drive there every Sunday for an ice cream with a pony...................

 

So in your mind, one cannot list the position of a city within an attractive environment as being a merit?

[Barry Sanchez]

Did I say Southampton? No. I said the Solent area. Cowes, the Hamble river, (Hamble/Warsash to Bursledon, Ocean Village, the Beaulieu river, Hythe Marina are our direct area, and slightly further afield there is Lymington, Christchurch on one side and Portsmouth harbour/Gosport marina the other side.

 

I would call the Solent area the greatest in the World for sailing/yachting and it is centrered around Southampton. Where did you have in mind as being more important?

 

You're wrong but to go along with that say I dont like sailing in the Southampton area? The greatest concentration is the North Shore area of Auckland I would guess, having lived there its awash with ****ty little things that supposed aspiring people call a yacht when it fact its a rib or small boat.

[aintforever]

So because a yacht is sold in Britain it makes that area the yachting capital of the World? Thats a bit much dont you think? Annapolis, Auckland and Palma **** all over it to also **** on your delusions of grandeur.

 

I was chatting to an Olympic Sailor a while ago and he said the solent was pretty much considered the yachting capital of the World. I don't know enough about it to tell if he was talking sh!te or not tho.

[Barry Sanchez]

So in your mind, one cannot list the position of a city within an attractive environment as being a merit?

 

 

Wes Southampton was called the 4th crappest place in the UK, not the New Forest, its merely an add on, if I liked the New Forest I would move there and not Southampton, how many people have you met and said they moved down to Southampton because they liked the New Forest or Hamble? They are add ons and benefits but not a reason to move somewhere, I would look at the local area, O love an hour away from the Lakes but you can hardly say I am on the doorstep can you?