What's Scotland's worst town to live in......?

[moshy]

On 08/01/2022 at 12:19, Ribble said:

It really is, Mrs Ribbles cousins side of the family live up there and it’s a riot of a place, her cousin is regularly in fights (either with neighbours or just in the pub), almost everyone on the side of the family has multiple kids to different folk and doubt any of them reached the legal age to drink before being a parent. Rare for any of them to actually have a job.

Every town or city has people like that, it doesn't make the town a dump. Several in bloom awards and best Scottish High street award recently would suggest otherwise.

[joondalupjambo]

7 hours ago, indianajones said:

I dont think there is a single Highland town mentioned in this thread. I guess the central belt really does take some beating. 

 

Fauldhouse was a pretty depressing place when i worked there briefly. 

The two D's stick out in the Highlands.  Dingwall has seen better days I think whereas Dornoch is a fantastic little town.  Albeit Dingwall is past it's glory days it is still light years ahead of some of the aforementioned places in the central belt.

[Vlad Magic]

Wicks a funny place.

 

You kinda end up going through Wick rather than stop off there?

 

Been through it dozens of times going north and then South without ever having stopped there other than for fuel or a piss.

 

 

[Savage Vince]

13 minutes ago, Vlad Magic said:

Wicks a funny place.

 

You kinda end up going through Wick rather than stop off there?

 

Been through it dozens of times going north and then South without ever having stopped there other than for fuel or a piss.

 

 

 

It's an odd place. I went to a football match up there and it was good fun and Sinclair's Bay beach is a stunning wee spot however the town centre is very odd, there's literally nothing in it and looks like there never was. I wouldn't describe it as a shite hole, it's just a really uninteresting wee town. 

 

There are some cracking wee towns up that east coast however the bus journey from Inverness to Wick is not for the fainthearted. Some serious addiction problems on that route. 

 

 

[Vlad Magic]

27 minutes ago, Savage Vince said:

 

It's an odd place. I went to a football match up there and it was good fun and Sinclair's Bay beach is a stunning wee spot however the town centre is very odd, there's literally nothing in it and looks like there never was. I wouldn't describe it as a shite hole, it's just a really uninteresting wee town. 

 

There are some cracking wee towns up that east coast however the bus journey from Inverness to Wick is not for the fainthearted. Some serious addiction problems on that route. 

 

 

Out of curiosity I had a look on RightMove. You can buy a nice 5 bedroom detached home with double garage and a shit load of garden for £375K.

 

Tells it’s own story.

 

Why would you move to somewhere like Wick? 

[Jambos_1874]

I think some of the comments on the Borders towns are harsh. Melrose, Kelso, Duns, Peebles, Denholm, Lauder etc are all nice towns with a lot of history, low crime, are generally clean/tidy and surrounded by beautiful countryside. As has been pointed out there are some towns such as Hawick and Gala which have suffered a decline due to the loss of traditional industries but they still have plenty of nice areas within them and the people are generally friendly; I also think Hawick and Gala in particular have a really strong sense of identity and real pride in their towns/local traditions. Although, sadly, there are far too many OF fans down there, they are absolutely nothing like plenty of the towns listed on this thread in West Lothian, Lanarkshire etc. They really do seem rooted in the past with their sectarian nonsense and look really run down and depressing.

[Unknown user]

4 hours ago, JackLadd said:

On s-holes. You can buy this flat for 6k https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117133643#/?channel=RES_BUY in Port Glesga. Might even be within reach of Smithee's budget on a wee 8 year fixed rate. 

Smithee's budget?

[Irufushi]

On 07/01/2022 at 19:00, moshy said:

Alness isn't a dump ffs, and people moved north to work in the smelter in Invergordon then stayed when that closed.

Alness always gets slated for being a shit hole but I’ve never really got that, the high street is always a busy wee place and there’s plenty nice places to stay around the area. I’ve always found invergordon to be a really depressing place for some reason. 

[Jambos_1874]

On 08/01/2022 at 17:49, Locky said:

Worse yet for Hawick is it can't even have the claim of being a commuter town sadly. The train link from Edinburgh to Gala has probably benefitted them massively for people moving there as a 40 minute train is manageable for those working in the city centre, but for Hawick it's a 2 hour bus journey from Edinburgh.

 

As another poster mentioned, if they can extend the line to Hawick and beyond, it would definitely make a difference down there. Can't see me ever moving back down to Hawick, but the thought of travelling down there in less than an hour sounds brilliant. My granny still stays down there as does a good mate I've kept in touch with from school. Would be nice to see some other familiar faces too, but the thought of a 2 hour bus journey either way just totally puts me off.

 

The closure of the Waverley line was a massive mistake with a disproportionate impact on Hawick in particular. Of all of the lines closed in the Beeching cuts, the Waverley line was singled out as being one of the most controversial as it left the Borders without a station/rail line (bar east coast line which went down the far edge of the Borders and did not have station in the region). It is staggering that the line was closed given it is a main route between Scotland and England and reopening it could improve tourism in the region and general connectivity. This closure, combined with the complete lack of investment in the roads and infrastructure in the region has really had a detrimental effect.

[Savage Vince]

5 minutes ago, Vlad Magic said:

Out of curiosity I had a look on RightMove. You can buy a nice 5 bedroom detached home with double garage and a shit load of garden for £375K.

 

Tells it’s own story.

 

Why would you move to somewhere like Wick? 

 

I wouldn't move to Wick but I completely understand why people move out of the central belt to more remote parts of the country. 

[Vlad Magic]

16 minutes ago, Savage Vince said:

 

I wouldn't move to Wick but I completely understand why people move out of the central belt to more remote parts of the country. 

I do. If I was retiring any time soon I’d be looking at these sorts of places.

the bang you get for your buck is insane!!!

[FWJ]

3 hours ago, moshy said:

Every town or city has people like that, it doesn't make the town a dump. Several in bloom awards and best Scottish High street award recently would suggest otherwise.

When I first started working up there 30-odd years ago Invergordon was the more ‘economically active’ of the two - busier & better maintained High Street etc.  It’s certainly switched round in that time.  I think there’s a strong & active community council in Alness?

[FWJ]

1 hour ago, Vlad Magic said:

Out of curiosity I had a look on RightMove. You can buy a nice 5 bedroom detached home with double garage and a shit load of garden for £375K.

 

Tells it’s own story.

 

Why would you move to somewhere like Wick? 

TBH you can get that in most of Scotland for £375k.

It’s not all just 2 bedroom flats in Bruntsfield….

[FWJ]

2 hours ago, joondalupjambo said:

The two D's stick out in the Highlands.  Dingwall has seen better days I think whereas Dornoch is a fantastic little town.  Albeit Dingwall is past it's glory days it is still light years ahead of some of the aforementioned places in the central belt.

Dornoch is a wee gem.

Dingwall was the county town of Ross Shire but like everywhere else in the Highlands it is having the life sucked out of it by Inverness.  Nairn, too - once a county town and now really just a dormitory.  
We’re always told by the (Inverness-based) ‘Highland’ media that a booming Inverness is ‘good for the whole Highlands’.  B****cks.

[Darren]

Fraserburgh and Peterhead are both grim.

[Francis Albert]

On 06/01/2022 at 11:34, Smithee said:

 

Yeah, Addiewell too. Shotts springs to mind.

I remember going to the miners gala in Addiewell / Loganlea when it was a very decent working class community. 

[Francis Albert]

Weird thread. Did someone actually suggest Edinburgh South was the worst town in Scotland? I wonder why. 

 

[Doctor FinnBarr]

1 hour ago, Francis Albert said:

I remember going to the miners gala in Addiewell / Loganlea when it was a very decent working class community. 

 

You missed out Addiebrownhill.

[Roberto Rajio]

Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Alloa, Cardenden. Not nice.

[Nookie Bear]

17 hours ago, JackLadd said:

On s-holes. You can buy this flat for 6k https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117133643#/?channel=RES_BUY in Port Glesga. Might even be within reach of Smithee's budget on a wee 8 year fixed rate. 

 

"We understand certain properties in the Clune Park Estate are subject to Closing Orders. Buyers are advised to make all necessary investigations in relation to this prior to offering though Inverclyde"

[chester copperpot]

On 09/01/2022 at 00:32, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Wasn't too long ago they had a massive sign between Eastfield and Harthill stating "welcome to loyalist Harthill".

 

But for my contribution to this thread (drum roll), ladies and gentlemen I'll give you 3 villages, all in South Lanarkshire. Salsburgh, Rigside and Douglas.

 

 

 

Salsburgh is in North Lanarkshire, It is a shitehole right enough 

 

I knew some East coast snobbery would creep in, however I have lived in Airdrie for quite a few years now, and it really is a toilet. My bit is the only half decent part of it, but you can find trouble anywhere you go!

 

Coatbridge isn't too bad, I absolutely hated working in Shotts, the kids were all bonkers and hated each other because their Da's had a fued 25 years ago and the kids all get brought up to carry a grudge against each other.

 

Having worked in most primary schools across North Lan, I would have to say that Motherwell and Wishaw are nowhere near as bad as some would make out. Bellshill is a bit of a toilet though!

 

 

[Doctor FinnBarr]

9 hours ago, chester copperpot said:

 

 

 

Salsburgh is in North Lanarkshire, It is a shitehole right enough 

 

I knew some East coast snobbery would creep in, however I have lived in Airdrie for quite a few years now, and it really is a toilet. My bit is the only half decent part of it, but you can find trouble anywhere you go!

 

Coatbridge isn't too bad, I absolutely hated working in Shotts, the kids were all bonkers and hated each other because their Da's had a fued 25 years ago and the kids all get brought up to carry a grudge against each other.

 

Having worked in most primary schools across North Lan, I would have to say that Motherwell and Wishaw are nowhere near as bad as some would make out. Bellshill is a bit of a toilet though!

 

 

 

I just assumed Salsburgh was in South because my work (Coop) just 3 miles along the road is.

[Hesh]

On 09/01/2022 at 15:33, JackLadd said:

On s-holes. You can buy this flat for 6k https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117133643#/?channel=RES_BUY in Port Glesga. Might even be within reach of Smithee's budget on a wee 8 year fixed rate. 

I often wondered the fact the Army had an SAS detachment in Port Glasgow reflected on the area 

[ri Alban]

On 09/01/2022 at 18:34, joondalupjambo said:

The two D's stick out in the Highlands.  Dingwall has seen better days I think whereas Dornoch is a fantastic little town.  Albeit Dingwall is past it's glory days it is still light years ahead of some of the aforementioned places in the central belt.

South Kessock.

[FWJ]

56 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

South Kessock.

“The Ferry” as it’s known locally.

[ri Alban]

1 minute ago, FWJ said:

“The Ferry” as it’s known locally.

Dug shite central when I was doing maintenance work there. Twice within an hour I had to hose my boots and ladder. 💩 🕳️

Edited January 10, 2022 by ri Alban

[theAlvasection]

Alloa close thread

[maroondevo52]

On 09/01/2022 at 20:23, Vlad Magic said:

Out of curiosity I had a look on RightMove. You can buy a nice 5 bedroom detached home with double garage and a shit load of garden for £375K.

 

Tells it’s own story.

 

Why would you move to somewhere like Wick? 

 

I've a mate that stays in Wick, says debt collectors never visit him.

[Doctor FinnBarr]

32 minutes ago, maroondevo52 said:

 

I've a mate that stays in Wick, says debt collectors never visit him.

 

Would they normally?

[Mister T]

On 09/01/2022 at 15:38, jack D and coke said:

That’s like something from the Walking Dead…jesus christ. 
Scotlands Pripyat ffs

Steady. It's not that good. 

[Pans Jambo]

On 09/01/2022 at 02:54, SpruceBringsteen said:

I've been in many pubs and clubs and seen the sights of the entirety of Scotland. The only time I wished I was somewhere else was when I was in Shotts.

This could be the winner. Shitehole would be an improvement. 

[Locky]

On 09/01/2022 at 20:33, Jambos_1874 said:

 

The closure of the Waverley line was a massive mistake with a disproportionate impact on Hawick in particular. Of all of the lines closed in the Beeching cuts, the Waverley line was singled out as being one of the most controversial as it left the Borders without a station/rail line (bar east coast line which went down the far edge of the Borders and did not have station in the region). It is staggering that the line was closed given it is a main route between Scotland and England and reopening it could improve tourism in the region and general connectivity. This closure, combined with the complete lack of investment in the roads and infrastructure in the region has really had a detrimental effect.

Absolutely. As I said, Hawick isn't that bad a town really, very nice place for a wee day trip I'd say. But the accessibility of it is a problem sadly. As you say, the other way is Carlisle. Again, a nice wee place for a day trip and getting there from Edinburgh isn't too difficult, but its crazy that to get there by train, you miss out a very nice part of our country.

[John Findlay]

On 09/01/2022 at 20:23, Vlad Magic said:

Out of curiosity I had a look on RightMove. You can buy a nice 5 bedroom detached home with double garage and a shit load of garden for £375K.

 

Tells it’s own story.

 

Why would you move to somewhere like Wick? 

Maybe some people like and enjoy the solitude.

[indianajones]

Maybe not a popular opinion... A fair bit of Edinburgh is looking like a run down shithole. I don't live there anymore but i cant help but think it when driving through town whenever back. 

[Locky]

1 hour ago, indianajones said:

Maybe not a popular opinion... A fair bit of Edinburgh is looking like a run down shithole. I don't live there anymore but i cant help but think it when driving through town whenever back. 

I'd say most of the old schemes are a bit uneasy on the eye still, but I wouldn't say there's really a 'bad' area of Edinburgh these days. Even the likes of Niddrie and Muirhouse are getting a lot of new builds.

[maroondevo52]

11 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Would they normally?

 

This is something I can't divulge.

[John Findlay]

Of Scotland's seven cities i would personally say that Glasgow looks the worst to the naked eye followed by Dundee.

I've always found Livingston an ugly looking town.

[chester copperpot]

23 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

I just assumed Salsburgh was in South because my work (Coop) just 3 miles along the road is.

Where is your work mate? 

[highlandjambo3]

On 09/01/2022 at 18:34, joondalupjambo said:

The two D's stick out in the Highlands.  Dingwall has seen better days I think whereas Dornoch is a fantastic little town.  Albeit Dingwall is past it's glory days it is still light years ahead of some of the aforementioned places in the central belt.

Couldn’t agree more.  Dornoch is a lovely wee town which also benefits from a rather large hoseasons holiday complex right on the edge of a cracking beach with loads of rock formations/pools etc…..great picnic/bbq spot………..unless the typhoons are on bombing runs on the nearby RAF bombing range.  

Dingwall is only visited for hearts v dross county games…..no other reason to visit.

[EIEIO]

On 11/01/2022 at 14:00, John Findlay said:

Of Scotland's seven cities i would personally say that Glasgow looks the worst to the naked eye followed by Dundee.

I've always found Livingston an ugly looking town.

Do you mean the city centres or overall? The 4 biggest cities all have decent city centres with an abundance of attractive public buildings and attractions eg Caird Hall and the V and A in Dundee. All have shitty areas too  eg I find the south side of Edinburgh from the high street through to St Patrick's Square/ Nicholson Street and Pleasance area to be pretty grim outwith the Festival Fringe .

The real shitholes are the small post industrial towns and villages with nothing but post war council schemes. Most have been mentioned in this thread and are to be found where mines  , steel works and shipyards used to be.

 

[cookieboy]

On 06/01/2022 at 15:01, Jambo 4 Ever said:

Lanark 

 

 

away and don't talk shite

[cookieboy]

On 06/01/2022 at 16:19, Salad Fingers said:

 

I did the Gala day in Carnwath with the pipe band a few times. It really is the arse end of nowhere and some of it is grim. We drank for free in the bowling club after the parade though but the locals were a strange bunch. I can imagine the state of some of them after that day. I was glad to get back on the bus. 

free drink in Carnwath no chance haha 

[cookieboy]

On 06/01/2022 at 18:54, EC_Hearts said:

As it's known locally.

Dad was born there so I have visited a fair few times over the years. Mansewood Hotel served a surprising good meal and there was a great bakers at the other end of the town (Porteous) and that's about it (both sadly gone now)

Surprising amount of Hearts supporters up there apparently due to John Cummings dropping tickets off at the pubs on his way home to Carluke.

Yes John Cumming (no "s" ) was very good to the people of Lanarkshire back in the days and rightly has the football stadium in Carluke named after him  . Forth is mostly OF bigots but a good amount of Jambos to this day 

 

On 07/01/2022 at 08:57, Pans Jambo said:

I have driven through "Forth" a few times. Looks the absolute pits of the earth. Even has the red/white/blue painted kerbs.

 

What do folk actually do in a place like that? Its in the middle of nowhere!

Commute 😉 

 

On 09/01/2022 at 00:32, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Wasn't too long ago they had a massive sign between Eastfield and Harthill stating "welcome to loyalist Harthill".

 

But for my contribution to this thread (drum roll), ladies and gentlemen I'll give you 3 villages, all in South Lanarkshire. Salsburgh, Rigside and Douglas.

Salsburgh is North Lanarkshire . Bobby Prentice and Henry Smith both came from Rigside and there are many Jambos in Rigside 

 

Unfortunately all the above places were all mining villages and as such had nothing much else for locals 

 

On 10/01/2022 at 18:57, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

I just assumed Salsburgh was in South because my work (Coop) just 3 miles along the road is.

@FinnBarr Saunders Is it the Co-op distribution centre in Newhouse ,NORTH Lanarkshire ? 😉 

[Jambo 4 Ever]

21 minutes ago, cookieboy said:

away and don't talk shite

Ummm what’s good about it?

[cookieboy]

Just now, Jambo 4 Ever said:

Ummm what’s good about it?

plenty of things including me 

[Jeffros Furios]

4 minutes ago, cookieboy said:

plenty of things including me 

The road works in Lanark last summer didnae half piss me off , took me about 25 mins to move 1/2 a mile .

[cookieboy]

1 minute ago, Jeffros Furios said:

The road works in Lanark last summer didnae half piss me off , took me about 25 mins to move 1/2 a mile .

👍

[graygo]

10 minutes ago, cookieboy said:

Yes John Cumming (no "s" ) was very good to the people of Lanarkshire back in the days and rightly has the football stadium in Carluke named after him  . Forth is mostly OF bigots but a good amount of Jambos to this day 

 

Commute 😉 

 

Salsburgh is North Lanarkshire . Bobby Prentice and Henry Smith both came from Rigside and there are many Jambos in Rigside 

 

Unfortunately all the above places were all mining villages and as such had nothing much else for locals 

 

@FinnBarr Saunders Is it the Co-op distribution centre in Newhouse ,NORTH Lanarkshire ? 😉 

 

I've no idea where Rigside is but I knew Rab's mum Isa years ago and it's always stuck in my head that she said the family was from Douglas Water and Lesmahagow.

 

Edit: I should add that I haven't much of a clue where those places are either. 😄

Edited February 10, 2022 by graygo

[Doctor FinnBarr]

8 minutes ago, cookieboy said:

Yes John Cumming (no "s" ) was very good to the people of Lanarkshire back in the days and rightly has the football stadium in Carluke named after him  . Forth is mostly OF bigots but a good amount of Jambos to this day 

 

Commute 😉 

 

Salsburgh is North Lanarkshire . Bobby Prentice and Henry Smith both came from Rigside and there are many Jambos in Rigside 

 

Unfortunately all the above places were all mining villages and as such had nothing much else for locals 

 

@FinnBarr Saunders Is it the Co-op distribution centre in Newhouse ,NORTH Lanarkshire ? 😉 

 

Does everywhere in Lanarkshire have a ML postcode? Thats the reason I thought it was in South Lanarkshire.

[SwindonJambo]

6 minutes ago, cookieboy said:

Yes John Cumming (no "s" ) was very good to the people of Lanarkshire back in the days and rightly has the football stadium in Carluke named after him  . Forth is mostly OF bigots but a good amount of Jambos to this day 

 

Commute 😉 

 

Salsburgh is North Lanarkshire . Bobby Prentice and Henry Smith both came from Rigside and there are many Jambos in Rigside 

 

Unfortunately all the above places were all mining villages and as such had nothing much else for locals 

 

@FinnBarr Saunders Is it the Co-op distribution centre in Newhouse ,NORTH Lanarkshire ? 😉 

I believe Hearts have drawn a good few fans from South rural Lanarkshire for a while and I've always wondered if it's something to do with John Cumming.

 

I'm originally from Hamilton.