We live in one of Britain’s worst towns – it’s ugly and filled with drunks, we’re not surprised
RESIDENTS of a town voted one of Britain’s worst have said they understand why because it’s ugly and filled with drunks.
Locals of Swindon, Wiltshire, said they are “ashamed” to live there and that they take “no pride” in where they’re from.
The town was ranked the eight worst place to live in the UK in a recent survey carried out by ILiveHere.
The site bases it rankings of data around employment levels, life satisfaction and anxiety in each area, as well as polls of residents.
People in Swindon said that crime runs rampant over the town and they have become used to a heavy police presence.
Darren Brown, 59, who has lived in the town for 40 years, said: “I’m not the slightest bit proud to live in Swindon.
“Drunkards and druggies are the biggest problem. Every day, no matter where you go, they’re there. They are stealing from the shops and urinating in the shop windows in front of children, it’s disgusting. It happens all the time.
“The council are living in cloud cuckoo land. This town has plummeted in the last ten years.”
He added that the architecture of the town is “horrible” and slammed the town centre as “absolutely disgusting”.
Fellow local Mike Davis, 72, agreed, saying: “The town centre is absolute rubbish as far as I’m concerned. There’s so many run down shops and no big stores. It could be vastly improved.”
Dad-of-two Mike continued: “I don’t go into town very often because I find there’s nothing to go in for – it’s not worth going in any more
“Years ago, you very rarely saw homeless people or alcoholics around the town. Whereas now you see it all the time. It makes me feel really sad.”
Meanwhile, another resident, 79-year-old Yvonne Taylor added that she “wouldn’t feel safe” if she went into the town centre.
Likewise, Mary Harding, 73, said she wouldn’t want her two teenage grandchildren hanging around there.
She said: “The shops are all closing down. It looks scruffy. The whole place needs a good facelift.
“When people talk about Swindon, it’s always a joke. It’s a shame because Swindon folk are nice folk.
“I would love it to go back to what it was like when I was a teenager. There was a department store, there was live music. People seemed more friendly.”
It comes after the survey revealed the top 50 worst places to live in the UK.
