The Eight Worst Places To Live In Devon, UK

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  • čas přidán 17. 02. 2023
  • It’s now the 3rd entry on our TurdTowns series. So far we have made videos on the worst places in Somerset and Gloucestershire. And now it is time for Devon to have a go. Devon is a holiday county and people have high opinions on it. But the people who live here don’t tend to feel the same way. Devon is mainly emoter in the middle. Most people live in the Torbay, Plymouth or Exeter ares but there are some people in the north too.
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Komentáře • 2,1K

  • @cheltenhamSpa
    @cheltenhamSpa Před rokem +365

    Torquay has crashed and burned over the last 15 yrs, unrecognizable today from the splendor it had, Councils have a lot to answer for.

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +48

      Really sad I loved Torquay as a kid

    • @jofeeney
      @jofeeney Před rokem

      I've lived in torquay all my life, the place is so full of crack and heroin and now we have all the f immigrants staying in bloody hotels and homeless on the streets

    • @hermoglyph2255
      @hermoglyph2255 Před rokem +40

      In Victorian times it was called one of the most beautiful towns in Europe.

    • @oceandrive7283
      @oceandrive7283 Před rokem +21

      In 1990, my mates and I used to get the train most Saturdays in the summer to go to Torquay.
      Great then. Many happy times!

    • @griswald7156
      @griswald7156 Před rokem +20

      What silly house prices for dump locations…

  • @tgmartin
    @tgmartin Před rokem +212

    Having lived in Devon and London, there were people in London who refused to entertain the notion that Devon could possibly have its share of problems because it didn't fit their idyllic perception of the place, fuelled by features in the Evening Standard of some generic 30-something couples who left the 'rat race' behind to open up some artisan bakery in Totnes or some other affluent place full of affluent ex-Londoners. But rural poverty and the crime that goes with it is a real issue. It was almost laughed off, as if the only crime that could ever occur was some cheeky youths apple scrumping. But there are serious issues beyond the undoubtedly picturesque scenery and this is never taken seriously on a national level nor is the chronic housing shortage that has led to an increase in homelessness that this video mentions.

    • @primordialpouch565
      @primordialpouch565 Před rokem +27

      that fits, becasue all the Londoners who have moved to the village I'm in don't exactly see the other side, they don't visit the poorer areas and certainly don't associate with the people there. I'm very rural and the only pauper in the village, which is mainly ex londoners and second home owners with a few farming families who've been here centuries, the londoners all drive to Waitrose or get swept up in schemes aimed at the wealthier like organic veg deliveries and they just don't really have a clue

    • @sylviaking6796
      @sylviaking6796 Před rokem

      You have a very narrow life if that's all you know about her area.

    • @The_Reality_Filter
      @The_Reality_Filter Před rokem +24

      @@primordialpouch565 I've lived in rural North Devon for most of my life. Another factor is the destruction of the communities which the Londoners take no part in, all the village pubs have been converted to housing for the Londoners. Very low wages and very high house prices have compounded these problems.

    • @williamsimpson8115
      @williamsimpson8115 Před 11 měsíci +2

      You only really see the bad when you grow up somewhere

    • @The_Reality_Filter
      @The_Reality_Filter Před 11 měsíci

      @@williamsimpson8115 that sounds like AI nonsense...

  • @markjoyce8864
    @markjoyce8864 Před 7 měsíci +59

    Ah, as a Devonian myself, it's sad to see how some of these lovely towns have changed over the years. Torquay, for instance, is a testament to how mismanagement by the council can really tarnish a place.

    • @ladychatelaine697
      @ladychatelaine697 Před 4 měsíci +3

      I was born in Torquay in 1948. It was a lovely place, then! Also lived in Saltash and Plymouth. Am now in Cumbria, which is lovely. 😊

    • @markjoyce8864
      @markjoyce8864 Před 4 měsíci +2

      @@ladychatelaine697 Torquay used to be a magnificent place. You can still catch a glimpse of its former glory. But it needs a lot of work and a good vision to restore it. I hope they can find someone who can lead the way and make it happen.

    • @pholdway5801
      @pholdway5801 Před 4 měsíci

      Which political party ?

    • @pholdway5801
      @pholdway5801 Před 4 měsíci

      lab or lib?

    • @amayastrata4629
      @amayastrata4629 Před 2 měsíci +1

      @@pholdway5801Tories.

  • @theuktoday4233
    @theuktoday4233 Před rokem +35

    Plymouth town centre was designed by the same single cell that designed Coventry Precinct.

    • @jonkenny6479
      @jonkenny6479 Před 12 dny

      I was told they got the design that Hull rejected.

  • @christophernewman5027
    @christophernewman5027 Před rokem +297

    Q: Why does the River Tamar run through Plymouth?
    A: Because if it walked, it'd get stabbed.

    • @surfitmansurfitman7680
      @surfitmansurfitman7680 Před rokem +6

      Safest place to be is on your boat in he river or the sound.

    • @johnjephcote7636
      @johnjephcote7636 Před rokem +10

      When I first saw Plymouth I thought I was in Coventry, that was in the mid 1960s and the Luftwaffe had given both the same treatment...so had the post-war rebuilders.

    • @CelticSaint
      @CelticSaint Před rokem +6

      @@johnjephcote7636 Plymouth is known as ´Birmingham by the Sea´.

    • @chrisholland7367
      @chrisholland7367 Před rokem +2

      🤣

    • @russcattell955i
      @russcattell955i Před rokem +4

      @@CelticSaint And ocean city, that is a laugh, the body of water outside the bay is the English channel.

  • @Gav_Rez
    @Gav_Rez Před rokem +756

    Great video and I agree as a Devonian. But the whole British Isles has gone to shit through greed and corruption.

    • @Malabus73
      @Malabus73 Před rokem +116

      And mass uncontrolled immigration.

    • @markhamilton9834
      @markhamilton9834 Před rokem +31

      ​@@Malabus73Correct,,, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

    • @tgmartin
      @tgmartin Před rokem

      @A.J. Wells pick on an easy target while continuing to doff your cap to the wealthy 1% that actually are responsible for the state of this country. It's what they (the wealthy elites) have always done, from Oswald Moseley to Nigel Farage, Trump and all their wealthy mates- screw over everyone beneath them and trick people into thinking that people who are even more poor and desperate are responsible, all while pretending to be 'on the side' of ordinary people. The fact people still fall for this is beyond depressing.

    • @tgmartin
      @tgmartin Před rokem

      @mark Hamilton it's not as if migrants have force-fed your fellow Scots all those deep-fried Mars bars or heroin

    • @terranaxiomuk
      @terranaxiomuk Před rokem

      Only if you live in a shthole.

  • @miffy.moo91
    @miffy.moo91 Před rokem +58

    I live in Bideford and it’s quickly following in Barnstaples footsteps. Run down derelict buildings and a high street full of empty shops and charity shops. We recently lost our Superdrug and New Look, and our last bank is hanging on by a thread.

    • @primordialpouch565
      @primordialpouch565 Před rokem +14

      I was surprised it wasn't on the list, my friends bought a house there by mistake and left pretty quickly once they realised what BIdeford was - a dying town, but then it's almost the same as Barnstaple in a lot of ways and so close, sometimes I'm forced to go to Bideford but generally avoid it, it's truly dire and if you drive a further 15 mins or so you can get to the 'big shops' of Barnstaple! I find both towns utterly depressing to be honest and around both towns more and more woodland and wildlife are trashed to build more and more low quality homes, the sheer ammount of dead animals that lie decimated in on the main road between the two towns is staggering, but the landscape is the only redeeming feature in both areas and soon that will all be swallowed up too, if I had the means I would leave North Devon for good, I lived in some crappy places before but generally if you drive for an hour or so you can somewhere a bit less run down, but North Devon is desolate and it doesn't matter which direction you pick it all ends in some grotty dying town

    • @CelticSaint
      @CelticSaint Před rokem +7

      You ought to come to St Austell! Remember that old song by The Specials called ´Ghost Town´...

    • @primordialpouch565
      @primordialpouch565 Před rokem +4

      @@CelticSaint It's not called St Awful for nothing!

    • @bbbbisthebest
      @bbbbisthebest Před rokem +5

      I'm Barnstaple as well and I agree

    • @CelticSaint
      @CelticSaint Před rokem +1

      @@primordialpouch565 LOL Yes!!

  • @jillcrowley6199
    @jillcrowley6199 Před rokem +43

    It breaks my heart to see the decline of these towns grew up in Paignton, now live in Brixham. I have to say it is not just the lack of investment it is the people, as look around there are more filthy looking houses and gardens, people years ago had standards, very sadly lacking today, feral gangs of kids roaming and causing trouble, some parents don’t give a 💩. I go to Exeter shopping as there are no decent shops left, hairdressers, nail bars and cafes
    I’m sad to say the rot has set in

    • @Campingwilder
      @Campingwilder Před 2 měsíci

      I recently came back to Exeter after 20 plus. My old University town. It's crap now with the tell tale signs mentioned in this video...

  • @MATTY110981
    @MATTY110981 Před rokem +235

    My wife is from Plymouth and I visited the place quite frequently until two years ago when my in-laws moved closer to us.
    While I do have a soft spot for the place I am well aware of its flaws.
    What was an eye opener for me when I first visited the place was how poor the south west is.
    When people talk about the north south divide they seldom mention the south west and is probably one reason it misses out on a lot of funding.

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +51

      South west is always forgotten about nail on the head my friend

    • @Hali88
      @Hali88 Před rokem +34

      yeh it's not a north south divide, it's a south east / not south east divide!

    • @nickbannister775
      @nickbannister775 Před rokem +15

      You are so right, I’m from the South West Devon/Somerset, I now live up north in what has been described as forgotten, compared to where my siblings live in mid Devon, they are jealous of my location for basic amenities, NHS, Transport links, towns and scenery. Oh and cheaper Council Tax.

    • @markwilson4052
      @markwilson4052 Před rokem +10

      @@raypurchase801 Brixton is London, so pretty much better than provincial England in terms of facilities and amenities. Rotherham, at least has Sheffield near it and a railway line South. Telford , again, is close to the West Midlands, so could be worse there. And it has a railway line. Also a few businesses there.

    • @scooby1992
      @scooby1992 Před rokem +16

      @@Turdtowns Very true and alot of people dont realise how poor Cornwall is . probably to do with it's relative inaccessibility and fairly poor transport links . The nearest motorway is the end of the M5 at Exeter . The A road to Plymouth is OK but once you cross the River Tamar in to Cornwall you are mostly down to non dual carriageway A roads . I do have fond memories of childhood holidays there in the 70 s and 80s but it always seemed an epic long distance journey from the Midlands to get there .Great video btw

  • @bigglestornado3882
    @bigglestornado3882 Před rokem +239

    This series shows how much our politicians have let our country down. The other colour won't be any better but we need CHANGE. I come from Brixham. The smell used to be awful, but is now much better. I left in the 90s to join the forces. I love your sarcasm, and your assessment is bang on. Illfracome died years ago. We have even stopped going there on holiday. That THREE of the worst towns are in Torbay is comment on how the area has been let down by the people who are running it. (Ruining it?) That the govt and border force are taking over the hotels isnt helping. When I left Paignton and Torquay were thriving. Now they have inspired a project to photograph closed shops. With change home can be reinvigorated.

    • @dog-ez2nu
      @dog-ez2nu Před rokem +10

      It's either vote Labour and get mild reform (especially considering what needs to be done and its absolute magnitude) and hopefully (fingers crossed wish upon a star) necessary political and economic reform (new voting system, a more federal less London-centric UK, Green New Deal) to get things back on the right track (being comparable to our neighbours at least).
      Or we could let it get worse and worse by doing nothing, and eventually it gets too bad for too many people that something bad happens.
      Everything is getting worse and we need to do something now. Even if it won't actually be the change we need at the speed we need it. None of this is normal, our European neighbours' small towns are still doing decent, ours are straight up rotting away.
      Yay, being a young person without a house to inherit makes me so optimistic.

    • @scottmackintosh7633
      @scottmackintosh7633 Před rokem

      Another example of how the turkeys voted for Christmas given how much EU money was being pumped into Devon & Cornwall prior to Brexit.

    • @raypurchase801
      @raypurchase801 Před rokem +4

      I've gotta Like ANY comment left by somebody who loves Biggles.
      I didn't bother reading your comment. I just Liked because of your name.

    • @bigglestornado3882
      @bigglestornado3882 Před rokem +2

      @@raypurchase801 Love it 🙂

    • @judithcressey1682
      @judithcressey1682 Před rokem +1

      ​​@@dog-ez2nu You've got to be young if you think anything will improve under Labour. There is no left or right only Blairism and WEF (World Economic Forum).Starmer prefers Davos over Westminster, Schwarb over Parliament, Globalism over representative democracy. See the Emily Maitlis interview. Stir in Charles iii, the WEF phoney climate crisis devotee and there you have it.

  • @vangogh8321
    @vangogh8321 Před rokem +43

    Notes from a Small Island is a humorous travel book on Great Britain by American author Bill Bryson, first published in 1995 in which the author describes Britain as it was then...In a later book The Road to Little Dribbling 2015, he takes the same journey and it's quite striking the differences that have taken place, my favorite observation was that in every town he revisited there seemed to be 'One new cafe opening up, and One cafe closing down'.

    • @samosborne7329
      @samosborne7329 Před rokem +3

      He is a very good author imo and has the ability to summarise a place or situation very well .

  • @amymarijajovicic1773
    @amymarijajovicic1773 Před rokem +44

    My dad lived in brixham and I absolutely love it there, it’s still a beautiful place and I love the pirate ship and the fishy smells 😂
    my dad passed away not long ago and brixham has always and will always be my favourite place to visit ❤ the coastal walks and beaches are stunning too

    • @Hustwick
      @Hustwick Před 6 měsíci +2

      100% ... Imagine visiting a tiny, working fishing community (bloody wealthy one too) and then complaining that it smelled of fish. The creator is a townie.

    • @richardevans3253
      @richardevans3253 Před 5 měsíci +2

      Yes , I think Brixham is a lovely place & Torquay.

    • @tommycoopersmagiccarpetwea817
      @tommycoopersmagiccarpetwea817 Před 4 měsíci

      To be fair, Brixham, Paignton, and Torquay (like three districts of one city!) ain't half as bad as this geezer was making out!

  • @kubhlaikhan2015
    @kubhlaikhan2015 Před rokem +191

    Thirty years ago, I put Torquay top of a list of place I would like to move to. It was sedate, peaceful, safe and upmarket - so much so that the proximity of Paignton almost seemed like an advantage, a bit of noise and light relief. The state of Paignton is no big surprise - it was only ever an overgrown chalet park for tourists - but the decline of Torquay is truly unbelievable. Only years of gross misrule can ruin a beautiful region to this extent.

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +24

      Shocking isn’t it. Can’t believe I actually used to get excited for my trips there.

    • @markwilson4052
      @markwilson4052 Před rokem +22

      Around 19 or so years ago, a friend of mine moved with his family from Birmingham to Torquay. After around 2 years of living there, he and his brother were the victims of a savage beating by a group of scratters after playing pool in a pub. They were followed and attacked in the street after having a night out. About 18 months before this I visited him. We went to a club in the centre. We spent an hour or so in there and then bought a couple of beers. We then danced , with a couple of girls for 10 minutes , having left our beers on a shelf. I drank some of my beer and after a while we were threatened , because this knucklehead said I'd "drank his pint". It got edgy and although I didn't want to back down, a couple more idiots turned upa nd it was threatening, so we left. So, no, not a place to ever visit. What a tip.

    • @raypurchase801
      @raypurchase801 Před rokem

      Still mostly white.
      Not a lot of mosques yet.
      Nice. Move to Rotherham, see if you prefer it.

    • @tennysonfordblackbird2087
      @tennysonfordblackbird2087 Před rokem +6

      Weve noticed the decline of Torquay.

    • @markwilson4052
      @markwilson4052 Před rokem +7

      @@raypurchase801 Rotherham is awful, but nothing to do with Mosques. Central Government funding might have something to do with it. And, at least, it has Sheffield close by.

  • @elwanderer7903
    @elwanderer7903 Před rokem +80

    Such a shame to see how these places have changed. I spent many, many hours happily as a child on the Devon Coast. My uncle lived in Somerset and we spent school holidays here. I took my own children there too. I can't believe the difference since we last visited over 10 years ago 😢

    • @bigbernie7260
      @bigbernie7260 Před rokem +1

      Look who has been in government the last 10 years it's no coincidence the country is full of places like these because of this sciopathic vermin in government.

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem

      The Homeless people are the responsibility of the last 13 years of Tory government.

    • @vincenzo00
      @vincenzo00 Před 11 měsíci +4

      Agree and ditto. Heart breaking isn't it. Who on Earth was running these places!? I guess not a patriotic Brit.

    • @daydays12
      @daydays12 Před 7 měsíci

      the Tories with their 'austerity' cuts and corruption have been running the country into the ground for thirteen years @@vincenzo00

  • @vaperSweb
    @vaperSweb Před rokem +17

    I grew up near Crediton and am surprised it missed out. Also Newton Abbot, Tiverton and Okehampton.

  • @jackgreenaway3338
    @jackgreenaway3338 Před rokem +27

    I'm from Devon and the fact the leveling up money meant for our crumbling town was spent on green Initiatives helping no one really boils my piss

  • @DaemonZodiac
    @DaemonZodiac Před rokem +20

    Tiverton breathes a sigh of relief at missing the cut...

  • @hatterbez2943
    @hatterbez2943 Před rokem +161

    Currently live in Torquay, have done for over a year! It's temporary as we wait for our house purchase! Been many places in the last 5 years and can tell you there are many places worse than Torquay! Yes, drugs is a problem, as is poverty, but there's some money in Torquay too and nice areas, nice restaurants and nice places to visit! It's a proper mix bag and I feel gets far too much bad press! If you want to blame anyone for Torquay or any other turd town.....the political class are the ones to blame, in particular the guys that have been drilling this country down into the floor for over 10 years!!!

    • @fatdaddy1996
      @fatdaddy1996 Před rokem +18

      Hatterbez. You are 100% right, but people keep voting for them.

    • @briantrend7401
      @briantrend7401 Před rokem

      Torquay's library is liberal woked go check it out ...completely changed for the woked worst. Nothing to read.

    • @Bob-kb5pv
      @Bob-kb5pv Před rokem

      Rubbish. You dont kniwxwgat you are talking about. If you dont like it go back up north or wherever you come from. You never hear of Devonians heading north do you.

    • @chrishall7915
      @chrishall7915 Před rokem +16

      Torquay has so much potential - it's criminal the way it's been neglected

    • @hatterbez2943
      @hatterbez2943 Před rokem +6

      @@Bob-kb5pv Try saying that in English! I've lived in Devon loads, been in the Bay for just over a year! Up North....wtf you on about! It sounds like your angry with 2nd home owners taking local properties,I ain't one of them! Calm down, chill out and cheer up is my advice!

  • @paulwild4330
    @paulwild4330 Před 10 měsíci +25

    Extremely true. Ilfracombe is like living the movie Groundhog Day. Grey damp and a closed shop for drug dealers

  • @DannoAviation
    @DannoAviation Před rokem +15

    Me and 3 of my mates went to stay in Brixham back in 2012, 3 of us were 15 years of age, one of us was 14.
    The first day we were there, at around 10pm, we were walking to get some food from the highstreet, outside were about 20-25 men, all ranging from 18 to 30 years of age… hurling insults at us as we went into the shop for absolutely no reason, clearly all on drugs/alcohol.
    When we left the shop, all of us were then completely ganged up on… despite telling them we were kids, they refused to listen, they tried bundling all of us into a rather obscure alleyway in between the shop and the building next to it as well as throwing punches at us and all-sorts… I managed to scramble free, as did my friends, but it was pretty frightening especially as we didn’t expect such a situation to arise, we literally just walked into a shop, and walked out.
    As we we’re walking home (staying at one of my friends relatives places at the time) and rightfully confused as to why this had happened.. we noticed a character following us with his hat low, and with his arm inside his jacket. We all were not up for taking any chances at this point so we assumed he had a knife and we didn’t want to hang about to find out… we didn’t run but we walked swiftly to try and get away, but he caught up with us and asked what had happened, we explained, and the man went on his way after admitting he didn’t know what his friends’ problems were with us, he admitted we didn’t do anything wrong.
    Would love to know who they were… absolutely disgusting creatures. Aside from that situation, the town itself wasn’t so bad to us… friendly people etc. It’s a shame what’s happening to our (what once was a) beautiful country.

    • @pholdway5801
      @pholdway5801 Před 4 měsíci

      Is there a more adjective enriched description of these men?

  • @TheRidgeChannel
    @TheRidgeChannel Před rokem +41

    Torquay lost its heartbeat when the college moved out. The students kept the town thriving whilst the tourists looked after the front. Now it solely relies on the seasons. Brixham will always struggle as no ones got any money, they resent the tourists that do bring it in and so fewer tourists (grocks) are returning… Paignton was and always will be an absolute hole…

    • @bigglestornado3882
      @bigglestornado3882 Před rokem +7

      The multi storey car park in Paignton needs special recognician. The steps smell so bad of pi.s that I even CARRY my dog down them...

    • @ColinMill1
      @ColinMill1 Před rokem

      I was really sad to see what had happened to the tech. I did O and A levels there in the late 60s/early 70s and it was a breath of fresh air after the wonders of Brixham County Secondary (as the community college was known back then). I owe the tech the chance it gave me to get the hell out of Torbay - I knew I was doomed if I got stuck there.

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem

      Thanks Ben. Looking forward to learning you've left. 😐

    • @sibience
      @sibience Před rokem +1

      Exactly this. Torquay noticeably started going downhill in a lot of ways after that, especially the nightlife. A lot of the cooler student hangout spots like The Piazza shut down and most of the pubs and bars all started to turn into sports bars or cheesy nightclubs.

    • @daydays12
      @daydays12 Před 7 měsíci

      I used to stay with friends who worked at the college. I didn't know it had moved out. Where did it go?

  • @wills681
    @wills681 Před rokem +126

    As a resident of Torbay, Devon (comprising the towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham) I happily confirm that your assessment is accurate. English Riviera? My arse!

    • @colinmiller5502
      @colinmiller5502 Před rokem +1

      ​@@AllyPoo-ii7jior ellacombe 😂😂

    • @markstacey6082
      @markstacey6082 Před rokem

      Lol you 2, had so e fun times in ellacombe Park and Hele? I've spewed in the middle of the roundabout the amount of times I've gone round it 😅

    • @johnjephcote7636
      @johnjephcote7636 Před rokem

      Riviera was only invented by the GWR publicity department to promote their inter-war trains.

    • @Havanacuba1985
      @Havanacuba1985 Před rokem +3

      @@markstacey6082 I’d sooner be in Ella o be on a sunny Sunday afternoon that in Peterborough ,Luton, Grimsby or manchester

    • @meelodeshmeeelo2034
      @meelodeshmeeelo2034 Před 11 měsíci

      @@Havanacuba1985 oiiiii don’t be dissing Luton

  • @kpb96m
    @kpb96m Před 7 měsíci +41

    I'm American. I really think the 1960s ruined both of our countries. The UK lost some of its Victorian houses and we completely lost our minds. I still love the UK no matter how bad (some) of its neighborhoods look. You guys are awesome. ❤

    • @peterdonnelly6804
      @peterdonnelly6804 Před 6 měsíci +1

      You would like Axminster then.

    • @SuperMartinCC
      @SuperMartinCC Před 5 měsíci +1

      If you don’t like America, come to my town Barnstaple in United Kingdom, you’d soon wanna go home

    • @Thrill_Hou
      @Thrill_Hou Před 5 měsíci +4

      The UK lost a lot of its Victorian buildings due to the war and had to rebuild

    • @chriswalton4955
      @chriswalton4955 Před 5 měsíci

      I love Barnstaple. The reform is my favourite pub there. Plenty of problems of course but plenty of smooth with the rough

  • @garrymcdonald5456
    @garrymcdonald5456 Před rokem +23

    This is interesting, I am a kiwi and I drove all around Devon back in 2004, went to pretty much all these places and spent a few nights in some of them. They were all clean and nice towns back then, was in summer though and every place seems a lot nicer on a warm summers day. My favorite town in all of Devon was Lynmouth, loved it and the locals were so friendly, could have seen myself living there.

    • @N3wt199
      @N3wt199 Před rokem +3

      Lynton, Lynmouth, Porlock and coombe martin are all beautiful places. to be honest that part of Devon/ Somerset is stunning

    • @MrRobertFarr
      @MrRobertFarr Před rokem +1

      Awesome. Thanks for the positive comment . From Bob Devon .

  • @Glaiceana
    @Glaiceana Před rokem +139

    This is a good series! It would be interesting if you could try to do brief interviews with locals, ideally with a younger person and an older generation person so you get different perspectives on the location and how it's changed!

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem +5

      Negativity is favoured by Google's algorithm; I suspect because it gets more views and comments. If it was made apparent how manipulative these algorithms are then Google would be legislated against.

    • @jeantriggs5090
      @jeantriggs5090 Před rokem

      The​@@geoffallibone4026

    • @richardstribling8865
      @richardstribling8865 Před měsícem

      it would be even better if the young devonion listened to the older devonian telling how things were when devon was 90ppc devonian,we knew who we were these last few years have been so desttuctive

  • @richardarnold3812
    @richardarnold3812 Před rokem +37

    I have very fond memories of the Torbay area from 40 years ago. Revisited about 5 years ago and was shocked by how rundown Torquay was, Paignton even worse. Brixham still looked OK.

    • @EvoraGT430
      @EvoraGT430 Před 4 měsíci

      Paignton should be Number 1.

  • @BBoySnakeDogG
    @BBoySnakeDogG Před rokem +25

    Breathing a sigh of relief as a Newton Abbot resident 😂

  • @knowles2211
    @knowles2211 Před rokem +11

    I used to live in both Torquay and Paignton 30 odd years ago. Recently returned for an overnight work trip. Wow. The decline is staggering

  • @geoffswan
    @geoffswan Před rokem +19

    Found this channel just yesterday and subscribed in anticipation of this video. I found myself simultaneously overjoyed and offended to see places I know so very well come up in this video! Axminster's my nearest town worth going to, and what you showed of it made it look like the most exciting place on earth when compared with the *really* bland parts.

  • @Meibeon
    @Meibeon Před rokem +45

    Torquay on a Friday night is like the blooper roll from The Walking Dead.

    • @simmoinit
      @simmoinit Před rokem

      Try living there on a daily basis it is the walking dead with all the junkies

  • @quinnpaddock4241
    @quinnpaddock4241 Před rokem +13

    Sad to see the whole country going through this ...... empty shops , sad worn out towns , lost souls wondering bored ...... etc etc 😮

    • @thornbird6768
      @thornbird6768 Před rokem

      A lot of them are seaside towns !

    • @quinnpaddock4241
      @quinnpaddock4241 Před rokem +1

      Inland and seaside towns so don’t start trying to be smart !

  • @clairenoon4070
    @clairenoon4070 Před rokem +10

    I've been visiting South Devon generally, and specifically Torbay in the last 15 years, for 50 years. I don't recognise much of this. I like Torquay. The first thing I always do on arrival is have a drink in the bar at the Imperial to take in the view of the bay, which is gorgeous. I like the marina, the riverside walk to Cockington, the walks to some of the little coves, the Agatha Christie connection, lunch at the Grand or when I was feeling flush The Elephant.
    I also love many of the nearby places, particularly the Dart estuary and the South Hams.

  • @KENKENNIFF
    @KENKENNIFF Před rokem +13

    A guy I know went to Torquay and some kid spat on him, just spat on him. He found out later it was a thing in Torquay just to spit at eachother

  • @TheKingOfBeans
    @TheKingOfBeans Před rokem +12

    I lived in Ilfracombe for my most of my life and couldn’t wait to leave. It’s full of tourists half of the year and the other half it’s a boring ghost town. It’s a weird mix of rich and poor, you can literally go from an area of expensive houses and posh cars and five minutes later you’re among drug addicts and shoplifters. When I was young it always seemed to be an upgrade to move to Barnstaple because there was much more going on but I recently spent a few weeks there and it’s full of weirdos. In Ilfracombe you constantly feel like you’re going to get your pockets picked and in Barnstaple you get the feeling that you could get smacked. Very sad

  • @cookingfanman1234
    @cookingfanman1234 Před rokem +11

    Totally agree about Barnstaple. I heard people say how bad it's got these days, thought they were exaggerating, seems they weren't, a grim utterly joyless place.
    Can I also give an honourable mention to Tiverton? It's a tip.

    • @kernow22
      @kernow22 Před 10 měsíci +1

      Give it a couple of years and Barnstaple won't have a green space left. Just a load of horrid looking new builds now on the water front. All the new builds look more like a prison.

  • @thepennydreadful95
    @thepennydreadful95 Před 4 měsíci +2

    I live in Plymouth and it's a great place, nice ferries to Cornwall, central park is nice. Nice local walks in the country. Ok the sea life centre feels a little dated and the town centre needs some work since the trees have been cut down. The main problem with Plymouth is it feels a little remote from the rest of country, especially if they is a crash on the a38 which happens daily. If you know the area it actually has alot to offer, great coffee at the barbican, a leading swimming school, water sports, a good theatre with a fantastic outreach program, lots of little nature groups for kids, or spotting military ships and submarines coming in and out of Davenport. Proud to live in britians Ocean city ❤

  • @beavis4763
    @beavis4763 Před rokem +54

    I've been to Torquay, never again.
    Half the shops are closed, it's mostly charity shops, coffee shops, and take-aways.
    There's homeless, drunks and junkies all over, and the hotels are filled with illegal migrants.

    • @tgmartin
      @tgmartin Před rokem +7

      At least the migrants could add some much-needed genetic diversity

    • @Bob-kb5pv
      @Bob-kb5pv Před rokem +23

      So you didnt have a coffee in a pavement cafe overlooking the harbour, or visit cockington, or bother to walk the coast path from the harbour to wellswood. Maybe you didnt bother to visit Babbacombe, a suburb of Torquay, there you could have gone on to Babbacombe downes and looked up the coast as far as Dorset on a clear day. From there you could have walked down to Babbacombe beach and had a drink in the award winning Cary Arms, then you could have walked the short distance along the bottom of the cliffs to Oddicombe beach and had lunch in the 3 Degrees West. Then if the walk back up the hill is a but much you could catch the cliff railway. If you wanted, you could then walk the short distance to St Marychurch, and at the end of the precinct take some time to visit the church that was rebuilt after being destroyed by a German bomb that killed over 20 children who were attending Sunday school.
      But if all you want to do is walk up and down a shopping street, one probably no different to hundreds of others throughout the country, then fine.

    • @Bob-kb5pv
      @Bob-kb5pv Před rokem +13

      Two hotels are currently occupied by boat people. One some way off the beaten track. There are homeless and drug users, but they mostly congregate in an area at the top of the main street. So all in all you are talking out of your backside.

    • @markpallister9882
      @markpallister9882 Před rokem +4

      ​@@Bob-kb5pvYes of course and that's why it's a TURD TOWN 😂😂😂

    • @aliengrey6052
      @aliengrey6052 Před rokem

      @@tgmartin diversity!!!!!!!!!! Scum bags

  • @michaelbird3887
    @michaelbird3887 Před rokem +52

    Plymouth is actually a wonderful city, but like many cities you need to learn your way around it. You need to know where to go and where to avoid. At one time it was rated the 2nd best place to live in the whole of the UK and it hasn't gone down that much. A lot of the decay ran in parallel to the decline of the Royal Navy and areas like Devonport are now being rebuilt, albeit as dormitory areas. The University continues to grow, there is a plethora of historical sites, living is cheap, the sea is on the doorstep and the moors are a short bus-ride away. I live about 15miles out but I could easily live in the city. There is also a ferry connection to France and Spain and a railway station, BUT, we have lost our airport. You need to compare Plymouth with other cities, not with holiday resort villages......

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +4

      Yea I don’t hate Plymouth it’s not boring

    • @Bob-kb5pv
      @Bob-kb5pv Před rokem

      Plymouth lost its reason to exist when the dockyard went into decline. A number of companies tried to set up, to take advantage of the skills. But I suppose its relative isolation didn't make it viable. Interestingly I read somewhere that Torbay was originally considered as the Naval dockyard in the southwest, but it was ruled out because of its exposure to Easterly winds.

    • @allanbish
      @allanbish Před rokem +5

      Won't disagree with this, just a shame that the video mainly showed Mutley and not the rest of the city, because there are some wonderful and charming areas and as with all large population areas, some not so nice.

    • @vader11373
      @vader11373 Před rokem +3

      My whole entire family live in Plymouth... I luckily live in Exeter, Plymouth is a very poor version of Exeter, its got really run down, shops closing everywhere... relying on tourism instead of business, fantastic little football team though that just got promoted.... but even though it has a port and seaside, go to Exeter.... its a classier place that doesn't run on tourism.....

    • @britishbird3862
      @britishbird3862 Před rokem +2

      I love living in Plymouth but agree the shopping is poor, train service is good though so I just go to London or drive to Bristol/Cardiff…I can see Cornwall out my kitchen window and spend most of my summers in north Cornwall which is a short drive 😊

  • @thequimster9865
    @thequimster9865 Před rokem +12

    As someone who moved from Liverpool to Devon. There are no bad parts of Devon lmfao. It's so beautiful.

  • @awestruckbeaver3344
    @awestruckbeaver3344 Před rokem

    Just had this series pop up in my feed. This is a great video idea. Really looking forward to more videos from you. Keep up the great work.

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem

      Thanks brother check out the other two.

  • @garywalls5181
    @garywalls5181 Před rokem +15

    Wow you’ve really got it in for Torbay.Torquay has gone down hill tho I must admit.It was a beautiful place when I moved here in the nineties.All the cliffs and trees were lit up at night with lovely flower beds everywhere.Now the council mostly doesn’t bother.I think this running down is across the country though not just here in Devon.Everyone’s quality of life has gone down.

  • @erdevon3257
    @erdevon3257 Před rokem +38

    The people in the doorways in Barnstaple, begging are largely not homeless and professional beggars/addicts that live in bedsits

  • @TryptychUK
    @TryptychUK Před rokem +3

    "What exactly did you expect to see looking out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window?
    Herds of wildebeest strolling majestically across the plain?
    The hanging gardens of Babylon, perhaps?"

    • @garypritchett8136
      @garypritchett8136 Před 8 měsíci +1

      Well it’s not good enough!, I want another room, lol🤣

  • @curlytheunacceptable.4298

    Lived in Barnstaple for seven years, the council thought they ruled the world, the main housing association takes over your lives and their housing stock is abbissmal, I ended up working voluntarily for a local charity for recovering drink, drug and homeless people because they really did need help I got more thanks and appreciation than at any other time in my life, the main problem with Devon from my own experiences, is people moving out of the cities from across the country to retire in the very places you have shown, for heaven sakes they even have coach tours laid on in Seaton for potential house buyers where the estate agents tell people if you buy a house here you get preferential treatment from the NHS, I have heard this first hand, retirees exercise their right of free speech to protest and fight against planning proposals to develop and modernize, they usually end up getting their own way and what you get is what you have shown, they seem to object to everything except dumping their dog poo bags.

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +2

      That’s sickening

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem

      The council that had it's budget slashed by 35% since 2010 and is manned by volunteers who give their time for free? Those people?
      How much does a local councillor get paid?
      Councillors do not get paid a salary, however they do receive an annual allowance which reimburses them for time they have spent on council duties, as well as telephone and other office expenses.

    • @spencergregory8049
      @spencergregory8049 Před rokem +4

      Holiday homes, second homes ruin small towns. That combines with local poor wages and a seasoned economy makes for a toxic mix. Chuck in lack of affordable housing, social housing too and it's dreadful. These horrible escape to the country programs don't help

    • @cronchyskull
      @cronchyskull Před 11 měsíci

      And they're probably the same people who complain about how ugly and run down everything is now.

    • @MiningForPies
      @MiningForPies Před 9 měsíci

      Housing Associations are not the council. They’re a private company.

  • @debsmith5520
    @debsmith5520 Před rokem +26

    I love the series and concept. Can I suggest you include the average wage claimant counts to the stats - house prices, etc. have little meaning if everyone is on minimum wage.

  • @RussellSmith91
    @RussellSmith91 Před 4 měsíci +1

    I'm was born and raised in Plymouth, and you're right: the majority of Plymothians have brains that would make ants blush. The west end of the city centre is half-empty, the architect of Drake Circus mall refuses to list it on his website due to its potentially fatal flaws, building firms are falling like dominoes, the roads are more pothole than passable, the Parkway essentially gridlocks the city if someone eats it (or more likely, rubbernecks), the city centre renovations ran out of money about 4 months ago and aren't even half-finished, you can barely walk up a road without smelling pot, and the begging problem is beyond belief. The single biggest employer of the town - Devonport dockyard - now employs less than a tenth of the workforce it did back in its heyday, and there is so much priority given to student housing and businesses that the local economy shits itself three times a year. Utterly hopeless.

  • @bigSmithy1412
    @bigSmithy1412 Před rokem +5

    Where's Tiverton and Newton Abbot?

  • @stumpy2000
    @stumpy2000 Před rokem +37

    I'm from the home counties but married a girl from Plymouth and have now lived and worked down here for most of the last 25 years.
    The change since then has been unbelievable. It always had its rough spots but there was an effort in the 80's and 90's to try and bring jobs in, especially in the military draw down following the cold war.
    But despite government support to move here a lot of those businesses moved out from the mid 00's (in particular electronics companies in Torbay and Plymouth) hitting local employment badly. This, in part, is the source of a lot of the anti-EU sentiment down here, as many of the jobs went to easter Europe.
    Add to that the continued decline in tourism, fishing and the military. Plus very poor town planning decisions and you have a recipe for what we have now,
    I love my adopted home town of Plymouth, but it's just dying. The high street everywhere is suffering, but Plymouth had 4 department stores when I moved here. It now has 1 holding on by the skin of its teeth in a shopping area way to big for the city. So you have clusters of shops, many in a poor state, interspersed with boarded up and a very messy and badly maintained pedestrian area. It's depressing.
    And to help us, the government spaffs money away on green initiatives so it can say how wonderful they are.

    • @danm3195
      @danm3195 Před rokem +2

      Shit I've just bought a flat there it's all I could afford. Please say there is something positive about it.

    • @stumpy2000
      @stumpy2000 Před rokem +3

      @@danm3195 Don't worry it's the city centre that's suffering and awful. There are some rough spots, but overall I still love the place. You're on the edge of Dartmoor, have the spectacular sound on your doorstep and lots of the surrounding areas are gorgeous. More than makes up for any down sides.

    • @CelticSaint
      @CelticSaint Před rokem +3

      @@danm3195 It is very close to beautiful Dartmoor and best of all Cornwall. I lived in Plymouth for 10 years and liked it there. The city centre is drab and boring and built in a ´Brutalist´ style of architecture, think East Germany circa 1965, but the Barbican area is quaint and historic. Don´t go to Union Street unless with friends. You´ll like Plymouth.

    • @dianeralph5854
      @dianeralph5854 Před rokem +3

      No need to go to union street unless you want Aldi or Lidl everything else is pretty much shut no nightlife to speak of the roads are in terrible condition rubbish in the streets homelessness no shopping centre ....we used to have trees but the council here have decided to cut many down once you have seen the Barbican and the aquarium not much else to do here for tourists have lived here for 30 odd years and the area has greatly declined. It is a shame it wasn’t too bad 15 years ago but now like everywhere crime has reached us poverty homelessness no tourists to speak of unless there is an event here which only happens in the summer. I think there are a lot of unhappy residents all over the country though so not just here. Not so Great Britain any more ☹️

    • @mickymouze1224
      @mickymouze1224 Před rokem +4

      @@danm3195 Don't listen to the negative people, Plymouth's a great city with something for everyone whether you enjoy a pint, love history, plenty of live events on the Hoe, plenty of nearby beaches, the theatre, arts & culture, trips on the train to most of Devon & Cornwall are affordable, boat trips up the Tamar, the Moors, ferries to France or Spain etc etc. Plymouth is what you make it, yeah the shopping centre is a bit crap and there's a few areas best avoided if you're not street smart but overall it's a decent place to live.

  • @lorddyson6487
    @lorddyson6487 Před rokem +9

    Best new channel on CZcams can't wait to see you hit 100k subs 👊

  • @paulawakely5125
    @paulawakely5125 Před rokem +3

    Are you sure you were in Brixham? We moved to Brixham because theres lots going on all year round (pirate festival, xmas fireworks, santa run, live music, theatre etc). We have some fabulous restaurants not just fish either including Thai, French, European, Pizza etc. Lots of choice and variety of places to have a drink and some gorgeous independent shops. Oh and we do have a beach!

  • @johnrider3749
    @johnrider3749 Před rokem +33

    So sad to see the decline of places I visited with my late parents as a kid, Especially Paignton as my family and I had so many happy summers there and we took away many lovely memories of our times in Devon, In fact both of my
    parents wanted us to move there permanently but I don't think they would today and its certainly not on my holiday destination list anymore,

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem +2

      Paignton looks almost exactly the same, having lived here 25 years. 13 years of Tory austerity and Brexit have delivered no prosperity.

    • @Iamtilersscreeminganger
      @Iamtilersscreeminganger Před rokem +2

      @@geoffallibone4026 tell me, in the three years that the U.K. has been out of the EU what prosperity do you think Paignton would of received from the EU if the U.K. had remained in the European Union?
      Because in the 40+ years that we were in the EU they did bugger all didn’t they.

    • @carrieboultby7516
      @carrieboultby7516 Před 8 měsíci

      @@Iamtilersscreeminganger Well said! Neither the Tories OR Labour are any good. It's easy, and lazy, to blame Brexit for many things, when that might not actually be true. Blame the councils, the druggies, the alcoholics, the chavs... the 'I want something for nothing' type of people.

    • @sophiawoods6748
      @sophiawoods6748 Před 7 měsíci

      In the 60s this used to be lien Spain

  • @joeobyrne3189
    @joeobyrne3189 Před rokem +13

    Spot on with this, I live in Torbay. The English Riviera.....god help us.

  • @itssmithy1412
    @itssmithy1412 Před 8 měsíci +3

    Can't believe Tiverton missed out

  • @Fee-to6pv
    @Fee-to6pv Před 11 měsíci +6

    Where is Tiverton? It's one of the most awful small towns i've ever visited!

  • @BradBrunsdon
    @BradBrunsdon Před rokem +12

    As a former Clovelly resident, your comments did make me chuckle. It’s a shame to see what’s become of the place. It used to feel like a badge of honour to be a resident and everyone took huge pride in making the place look and feel special. Not the place it once was. I will say though that the owner, John Rous, was always very good to me and a nice man indeed.

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +3

      That’s good to hear. I’ve read mostly negatives about him but it’s good to hear a different opinion. What was it like living in such an awkward place?

    • @shaunpreston2839
      @shaunpreston2839 Před rokem

      It's so shit know I walked back up the hill faster than I walked down it! I couldn't wait to go and that was boxing day last year! And the lion is an over priced shit hole.

    • @BradBrunsdon
      @BradBrunsdon Před rokem +2

      @@Turdtowns not without its challenges but the reward is living in such a beautiful place. Fighting off damp is a constant battle but the same is true in any old, listed building. They need constant heating (usually using coal) all year round and even then a good deep clean is needed every few months. Sledging groceries down the hill is a novelty but can be tricky in the high season when full of tourists. Being able to park directly outside my house after I moved out was certainly something I under appreciated!

    • @peaceformula5830
      @peaceformula5830 Před rokem

      ​@@BradBrunsdon Sounds like a mouldy nightmare.
      Lungs!

    • @SSHHABBA
      @SSHHABBA Před 9 měsíci +2

      Nearly moved to clovelley dodged a bullet as it looked like a wicker man village

  • @110adventures7
    @110adventures7 Před rokem +19

    My parents retired to Brixham in the late 80s then it was quite a nice place to live great pubs etc.The wife and I visited in 2019 and were quite shocked at how it had become a shell of its former self.

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem

      30s will change your memory. For that period all the money went to Benidorm. You should go there. It's lovely. It's certainly more proserous.

    • @110adventures7
      @110adventures7 Před rokem

      @Geoff Allibone My parents moved to Cyprus in the mid 90s. Spain was never on their horizon.
      The wife and I looked at France Spain a few years back and decided when we retire properly it's going to be Devon, Dorset or Suffolk for us.

  • @Bea-is1uc
    @Bea-is1uc Před rokem +8

    I'm a North Devon girl born and raised and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. The reason our two largest towns are so run down is down to a greedy council. The cost of living here is so high but the wages don't match, hence the homeless. We do have a big drug problem sadly. We have one of the highest costs in water rates in the country too. Locals struggle to survive because everything is priced so high for the holidaymakers and all the second homes bought as holiday homes and ritch city people wanting an idyllic country life. There is a street in Appledore where over 80% of the houses are holiday homes and I've known locals in Croyde who have left because there are less and less locals living there. Our councils continue to build more and more houses but only 10% are actually affordable to those who desperately need it. They build new instead of using all these huge beautiful historic buildings going to rot that are perfect for affordable housing 😔

  • @jamieotoole6828
    @jamieotoole6828 Před rokem +6

    I live in Paignton and you really captured the essence of the town. I mean the first thing tourists see of the train is a rundown old building and a doggy pub. Most of the locals don't shop there we just drive else where

  • @fishtownmafia952
    @fishtownmafia952 Před rokem +75

    I'm Brixham born & bred. There's so much potential here but it'll probably gonna get worse before it get's better (if it get's better). The decline of Torquay though, that's the real shocker. 20 years ago I'd find any excuse to jump in the car and head over, it was like living on holiday! Paignton's always been the naff one though so hasn't had as far to fall.
    The whole country's going to shit in one way or another though, so we're all in it together!

    • @britpodnews
      @britpodnews Před rokem +5

      I’d get teased at Torquay college for coming from Brixham. Now Brixham is the “Posh” town in Torbay as it’s the only one of the three where there’s a chance you’ll escape a visit without catching AIDS.

    • @TheBanana93
      @TheBanana93 Před rokem

      Well if people hadn't voted the tories in repeatedly for the last 10+ years we wouldn't be so screwed.

    • @DeceptiKoRn
      @DeceptiKoRn Před rokem +1

      I'm sure hotels full of illegal migrants instead of tourists will revive Torquay in no time

    • @bigglestornado3882
      @bigglestornado3882 Před rokem +6

      Totally agree. The whole country is going down. Remember Crossways back in the day. Now look at it

    • @si4632
      @si4632 Před rokem +13

      they will probably dump north africa there soon lol

  • @jayz12366
    @jayz12366 Před rokem +18

    I was born in Plymouth but only lived there until I was 5-6 years old but have visited a number of times over the last 20 years. The city does look quite run down now but there are some beautiful views, especially around the sea front.
    I’m in South Yorkshire now. Trust me, you’ll have a field day if you get this far North 😂😂😂
    Those crime rates look like heaven compared to up here!

  • @martinvarley3511
    @martinvarley3511 Před rokem +4

    My family moved to Torquay about 40 years ago when I was 12 your assessment of the place is bang on I haven’t been back for over 32 years and never will what a shithole!!!

  • @maxyoung5190
    @maxyoung5190 Před rokem +14

    Ive visited Brixham my whole life as my family own a cottage there overlooking the harbour. I have incredibly fond memories here and have spent countless idylic days enjoying the stunning nature in surrounding areas. I also developed a love for fishing in this town and spent some of the most beautiful evenings of my life catching sea bass off a dinghy in the dart estuary or on the remote beach of man sands a 20 minute drive away from the town centre. While this video initially irritated me due to my adoration of the town, its definitely true that the towns greatest asset is whats around it in the rolling fields and stretching coastlines which offered so much relief to me growing up as a born and bred inner city Londoner. The town itself is undoubtedly run down offering little to do particularly at night with just a couple of largely empty pubs and adequate fish and chip restuarants. Despite this i would suggest that londoners are NOT wasting there money here or on most places on this list, the town is nice enough and imo quite pretty, if a bit run down and staying here gives you access to some truly stunning British countryside :)

  • @daveb5206
    @daveb5206 Před rokem +14

    Surprised to see no mention of South Molton in the comments. Looks to be an OK enough town on the outside, but man the people there are...interesting. I lived there for about 5 years, felt like I aged about 60 in that time! I think its the law that as soon as you're diagnosed with dementia, you have to live in South Molton. Oh, and good luck if you want to buy anything. Apart from the worst Sainsbury's in the country, the next nearest supermarket is 12 miles away! At least there's very few empty shops - mainly because there's very few shops full stop. Or takeaways. Or restaurants. Or pubs. Or anything to do. Absolutely hated the place.

  • @china100
    @china100 Před rokem +55

    We moved down to Devon when I was a teenager in the 80's and I would regularly go out in Torquay in my youth. It was a violent and scary place, certainly when the pubs closed, as I remember (and there was a lot of small-town violence in general in south Devon). I lived in New York for a time after that in my 20's, and Manhatten in the dead of the night felt a lot safer than Torquay on a Saturday night. You were certainly less likely to get your head kicked in for no reason. Great to see it hasn't changed...

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem +6

      BS 🤨 It's always nice to trash somewhere's reputation. All clubs across the UK are selling shots of cheap alcohol; consequentially people get really drunk fast. Then the fights start. I think this is common to most UK towns and cities.
      CZcams is feeding you these videos to sell advertising. You are being gamed.

    • @djp1lly830
      @djp1lly830 Před rokem

      haha yeah right! u chat shit bruh

    • @Iamtilersscreeminganger
      @Iamtilersscreeminganger Před rokem +5

      One of the most affluent parts of the city Manhattan and you’re comparing Torquay to it, try walking around the bronx late Saturday night see how safe you feel then.

  • @MissAndDav
    @MissAndDav Před rokem +13

    I come from York and moved to Paignton just before lockdown. Almost every day I question why I moved here. The only thing I like about living in this area is bring so near to the sea. I live coastal walks.
    Everything else about the area us depressing eg crime rates, drug problems, shop closures, no NHS funding, expensive council tax, parking etc etc
    And, no, it isn't like this everywhere. When I visited my Mum last month I saw that places like Beverley, Scarborough, Knaresborough and York etc are thriving!
    Down here it must be something to do with the councils and what they've been doing with the money, covid affecting the hospitality industry, expensive rent, too many second homes not contributing to the economy and stuff like that I suppose.

    • @MissAndDav
      @MissAndDav Před rokem +1

      I apologise for the typos. I didn't proof read my post and predictive text has changed loads of words. Should say being not bring. Is not us. Love not live. I might see if I can deactivate predictive text!

    • @MonstaTrapz
      @MonstaTrapz Před rokem

      Move back to York then

    • @DH-zp7bc
      @DH-zp7bc Před rokem +2

      Torbay Council are completely incompetent and out of touch unfortunately.

    • @mattcrowther2125
      @mattcrowther2125 Před 4 měsíci

      I live in Devon, have done most of my life. Surprised not to see Tiverton on the list.

    • @NTL578
      @NTL578 Před 16 dny

      Why would you move from YORK?!

  • @savinaking8637
    @savinaking8637 Před 11 měsíci +5

    For the past 30 years I have wanted to go back and live in Devon. Thank you for pointing out to me the reasons to stay away.
    People who can afford £360.000 homes while the rest of the town looks as bad as this, well they are certainly NOT locals.
    Essential to drive if you want to spend any time living here because getting away to somewhere less dismal is paramount, sadly.

  • @shaunt9506
    @shaunt9506 Před rokem +8

    I'm born and bred in Plymouth and couldn't wait to get out when I was younger. I love it here now but I always tell people that the best thing about living in Plymouth is that it's easy to get out of Plymouth.

  • @philipwatson2407
    @philipwatson2407 Před rokem +4

    I used to work in Axminster, and when people asked what it was like, I always used to describe it as "Axminster is a one-horse town, but the horse hasn't been very well lately."
    In the 1980s, it was OK, but always clogged solid with traffic as the A35 went right through it, and there were a couple of narrow points where anything bigger than a couple of smallish cars couldn't pass. The town campaigned for a bypass, and it got it in the early 1990s; but then nobody passing stopped to shop any more, and bit by bit the place closed down. Most of the major employers have packed up, either gone bust, or closed by their parent corporations and the work moved elsewhere.

    • @rosemaryrollason5780
      @rosemaryrollason5780 Před rokem +1

      Axminster was famous for carpets,and very good carpets at that expensive but lasted forever.
      We joined the EU and suddenly the likes of carpetright bought cheaper in Belgium 😢sadly I don't think we make much at all now

  • @will_uke2622
    @will_uke2622 Před 9 měsíci +2

    Brixham is defo not as bad as you make it seem, it’s got breakwater beach with is very popular and many new restaurants and cocktail bars. The golden hind is also a big part of its history and draws in lots of tourists.. love it there

  • @the_lichemaster
    @the_lichemaster Před rokem +7

    Two reason why Torquay went to the dogs. One. It became a unitary council along with Paignton & Brixham (funny how the other 2 are also on the list) and separated from Devon Country Council as a whole. They simply could not get enough revenue to maintain standards as tourists don't pay taxes, locals do. They slowly ran out of money whereas DCC essentially subsidised Torbay to tart itself up in return to get the holiday makers in which would boost the counties economy overall. Torbay Council then started subcontracting serviced to private companies to save money who offerer a far inferior service. Refuse collection for example.
    It also doesn't help that Torbay has(or had) one of the most corrupt Councils in England. The elected Mayor didn't help who was an absolute twazzock.
    Second point South Devon College.
    Huge campus that used to be situated 10 min walk from the High Street. Gave steady incomes to shops all year round. Relocated to outside Paignton due to one of the buildings(the large 5 story) getting concrete cancer and require demolishing. Instead of rebuilding on the site, they put grotty housing mostly filled with low income households instead. That truly was the death blown for Torquay. Sadly college is really too far way from Paignton town center for it to benefit what Torquay used to have.

    • @herbsart47
      @herbsart47 Před 11 měsíci

      Was looking for this comment (well one that identifies the main problems). I think the council being too zealous with parking fees encouraged people to shop at other destinations such as Newton Abbot and Exeter, where payments were more reasonable. Drugs have always being a problem here (Castle Circus was bad when I went to the tech college before it moved), a documentary was made of the problem in the 90s, if I recall correctly. The bottom line is the sea front of Torquay is really quite good, just don't venture too far.

  • @blueybarnes9442
    @blueybarnes9442 Před rokem +8

    Nice one ☝️ mate ….can’t wait for Dorset 😅

  • @marksheehan501
    @marksheehan501 Před rokem +5

    I grew up in Plymouth and have visited all these places growing up.
    I moved to the Philippines around 7 years ago and can't believe how bad everything looks. 😢

  • @grahambarber2766
    @grahambarber2766 Před rokem +34

    I can assure you anywhere in the South West is paradise compared to my home town of Grays in Essex which I couldn't wait to leave!! Just being close to beaches, the Moors and nature and away from densely populated cities ticks all my boxes. Towns and cities wherever they are located all come with thier own problems. There's no better feeling riding my bike across Dartmoor or down to Cornwall without a care in the world. A million miles away from Essex in distance and pace of life.

    • @jaysaunders3101
      @jaysaunders3101 Před rokem +5

      I completely agree,.. I've lived in Lewisham and Dartford and both are utter dumps.. The Southwest is beautiful, nice beaches, fresh air, nice food, good for water sports, beautiful sunsets, what more could you want

    • @primordialpouch565
      @primordialpouch565 Před rokem +2

      My neighbours who came here to North Devon from Medway, Kent say the same thing

    • @CelticSaint
      @CelticSaint Před rokem +3

      I agree. I am Cornish born and bred and wake up every morning grateful that I live here. I don´t have jack sheet materially but feel rich.

    • @georgegard.aka.currymonste1498
      @georgegard.aka.currymonste1498 Před rokem

      Worse than Tilbury?

    • @thenewcamelot8873
      @thenewcamelot8873 Před rokem +3

      `100 percent the cities are turning in to islamic hell holes Devon has been largely left alone but sadly that is changing migrant hotels poping up

  • @richardmarkham8369
    @richardmarkham8369 Před rokem +8

    Classic! We were so disappointed when we visited Torquay. Anstey's cove was a small consolation. Can't wait for Dorset!

  • @y_ffordd
    @y_ffordd Před rokem +6

    You nailed Clovely, the steep walk up the sharp cobbles to try and escape was a nightmare.

    • @grahamholliday9962
      @grahamholliday9962 Před rokem

      True its a few years ago 2016 but both Bideford and Great Torrington were sadly declining towns

  • @lilgit9969
    @lilgit9969 Před 6 měsíci +4

    My hometown is Torquay and it was great several decades ago but prospects for people were bleak even back then. I left Torquay in 2007 and turned my life around....best decision of my life. The life I have today wouldnt have been possible in the UK.

    • @NTL578
      @NTL578 Před 16 dny

      Where did you go?

  • @mmwaashumslowww7167
    @mmwaashumslowww7167 Před rokem +10

    I have lived in Paignton for 26 years and steadily seen it go downhill. It seemed wonderful compared to the town that I moved from, Lancing, a grotty hovel of a dump between Worthing and Shoreham by sea. I hope you make it that way someday and film the experience.

  • @leestacey970
    @leestacey970 Před rokem +6

    I'm surprised that my town, Bideford wasn't on your list and Barnstaple was. I agree with Barnstaple though it's gone downhill massively in the last 20years ago! Like most Devon towns. Great video though man 👏

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +2

      Thanks brother. I didn’t feel like Bideford had a place on the list. It just wasn’t worse than anywhere else on here. And A lot of the narrative would be the same as Barnstaple.

  • @MrMoriarty100
    @MrMoriarty100 Před rokem +34

    Missed it completely dude. Exeter surely tops the list having once been a world heritage class city until being bombed in WWII, followed by a council that flattened everything damaged in the blitz and most of the mediaeval areas that had survived. They can't even be arsed to rebuild the Clarence Hotel and the adjacent mediaeval Well House on Cathedral Green and would clearly love to play the waiting game before they can build a Norman Foster style Kruschovka tower block on the site. Yet once upon a time this city rivalled York, Bruges, Florence, Edinburgh etc for culture.

    • @stephenoxf
      @stephenoxf Před rokem +14

      It's better than everything here, though.

    • @Raven-qj8xk
      @Raven-qj8xk Před rokem +3

      Am with you Moriarty Exeter shitty has always topped my list!

    • @gleeart
      @gleeart Před rokem +6

      They'll prob. rebuild the hotel, tax payers £, & fill it with you-know-what

    • @stumpy2000
      @stumpy2000 Před rokem +4

      You have a point. I would put Exeter on this list. My wife loves the place, but it's always left me a bit cold. Just soulless and bloody expensive. At least some of the rougher places have some character.

    • @MarriedToTheKGB
      @MarriedToTheKGB Před rokem +4

      lol yeah it will probably be a Kruschovka knowing how left wing the council has always been

  • @TheTransportExplorer
    @TheTransportExplorer Před rokem +6

    Quite surprised Tiverton didn't make it here, seemed a very rough place when I booked a hotel there last year.

    • @gabrielstravels-discoverin7368
      @gabrielstravels-discoverin7368 Před 4 měsíci

      When I full route visualled the Hop12 from Brixham to Newton Abbot, I didn't seem too keen on Paignton and Newton Abbot either. But Torquay and Brixham were nice!

  • @HaiLsKuNkY
    @HaiLsKuNkY Před rokem +3

    The sad truth is this looks like heaven compared to Oldham where I live, if Devon is going the same way you in for a shock

  • @matthewlukeman7092
    @matthewlukeman7092 Před rokem +10

    Evidence that online shopping and services are killing these towns off. People in some way have themselves to blame. Sorry if I offend.

  • @pistol1144
    @pistol1144 Před rokem +26

    I live in Torquay, born and bred. It’s is a lovely place, but the councils and police force have seriously let it down. I’ve lived here long enough to see the absolute decline over the years. Drink and drugs is a serious problem. So is crime. The night life is also very poor. I head to Newton Abbot on a night out now.
    My question is who let’s a place like this turn into the worst place to live in Devon!?

    • @Raven-qj8xk
      @Raven-qj8xk Před rokem +3

      Newton Armpit? That would be my 2nd worst place in Devon, Wow, things must have really got bad in Torquay for you to do that! You have my sympathy.

    • @MonstaTrapz
      @MonstaTrapz Před rokem +3

      It was a great night out in the 90's. If you have to go to Newton for a night out, it must be bad 😂

    • @geoffallibone4026
      @geoffallibone4026 Před rokem +2

      Yeah it's all the council and police's fault. 😐

    • @frankbrooker6569
      @frankbrooker6569 Před rokem +2

      I'm from newton shabbot , must admit I don't go out much but newton dead, plus everyone's related😂to each other u get in a argument or pull a bird and their uncle or brother r in the pub. Devon more about the pace of life and safer environment for the kids . Used to work judy G's Torquay back in its heyday, used to love torgay 😮

    • @N3wt199
      @N3wt199 Před rokem +1

      i used to go out in Torquay quite regular, loved the hustle and bustle loved the clubs!. The town has been dumped on massively, especially if its worse than scabby abbott.....
      fortunately i live in mid Devon which is quite nice.

  • @user-rx5it1zm6s
    @user-rx5it1zm6s Před rokem +8

    Loved this video and series, funny, depressing but not surprising all at the same time
    I spent my teenage years (in the 1980s) growing up in Torquay and lived in the “posh areas” on the hill near Babbacombe which back then was a nice village and the beach was a popular place for the locals
    Even back then the town centre and waterfront areas were grim and not worth a visit for any reason. We went to out of town supermarkets and Exeter for shopping…
    Keep up the good work guys

  • @hermanmunster3358
    @hermanmunster3358 Před rokem +5

    I spent quite a few holidays in Ilfracombe when I was a kid, back in the 70's and 80's, and it was a lovely place back then, with lots to do. It also had a good bus service to take you to other places, such as Lee, Berrynarbor, Lynton & Lynmouth, Woolacombe, and Clovelly, which used to be really nice too.
    But its been quite a few years since I spent any time in Devon.
    I did stay near Looe, in Cornwall a few years back, at Tencreek holiday park, which was just GRIM! I had the trots after buying fish and chips from the on site chippy, and I was projectile vomiting from both ends for the emtire night. I actually had to clean the caravan before we settled in too, it was that bad. The beds weren't made, and the mattress on the bed must have been about 30 years old, one of those with the multi coloured blocky patterns. And supplied bedding was mismatched, and really poor quality, and looked like it hadn't been washed. The springs in the matteess had gone YEARS before, so the bed was not comfortable at all. So needless to say, they got a 1 star review on both Google and Trip advisor.
    But on the plus side, I did get to visit some old haunts whilst I was there, mainly in Devon. But to be honest, I couldn't care if I never visit the South West again, before I die. Cyprus is my destination of choice for late summer breaks around September time now. As that is the best time to go for moderate temperatures, and a lot of the tourists have already been and gone, so it aint so crowded.
    Its sad, but Devon and Cornwall have had their day imho.
    Accommodation standards are just too low, and prices for accommodation and eating out are just too high to make the South West a viable option anymore. And caravan parks should carry a health warming, unless you take your own. But even then, site facilities tend to be poorly maintained, and/or inadequate.
    Add to all of that the problems getting there on winding single carriageways during high season making just getting there a stressful ordeal, and its a big NO from me I'm afraid.
    There will be some lovely places to stay no doubt, but expect to pay through the nose for decent quality accommodation and surroundings.

  • @user-ze8jn3rh9n
    @user-ze8jn3rh9n Před 11 měsíci +4

    Can't believe the dump that is Tiverton missed out

  • @AlexAlexon3897
    @AlexAlexon3897 Před rokem +7

    My only experience of Barnstaple is a delightful night spent in the nick after a fight I didn't start. And that meant shlepping over there again to get two fines and a record months later. And the fight was in a place described as "nice" in this video!

  • @oliverelsonanimator
    @oliverelsonanimator Před rokem +4

    Loved filming this one mate! Definitely one of our best!

    • @RolloZx
      @RolloZx Před rokem +3

      Bit dark in places though lads, but another enjoyable one. Get to Blaenau Gwent, spoilt for choice

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +3

      @@RolloZx apologies. As the seasons draw in we will be able to make it around more places in a day with the extra sunlight hours!

  • @oldmanbanjo
    @oldmanbanjo Před rokem +3

    Love this as a channel idea. Do one on Posh/Poor town contrasts in Oxfordshire!

  • @SuzyQ334
    @SuzyQ334 Před rokem +5

    This old Londoner spent the summer of '76 as a seasonal worker in Woolacombe which is when I fell in love with north Devon. It wasn't just the weather; Woolacombe, Saunton and Croyde are all gorgeous and the locals friendly. Even back then Ilfracombe was a bit of a dump but I was sad to see Barnstaple on this list. It was the place to go for shopping or a night out and even as a 5ft tall young female I never felt unsafe there at night. These days I live in Oz but if I ever came home Croyde would be top of my list of places to re-settle. Thanks for the upload - it was a real eye-opener, especially Torquay. What would Basil say???

    • @debsday5445
      @debsday5445 Před rokem +2

      I also lived in Croyde Bay in the 80's , did the summer seasons , beautiful place 😍

    • @sophiawoods6748
      @sophiawoods6748 Před 7 měsíci

      Basil said it well about London and he was right. Shit hole.

  • @1971zephyr
    @1971zephyr Před rokem +9

    I used to love going to Barnstaple for a shopping trip,but these days it's all empty shops,I went last year and was shocked how bad it was

    • @cranwell5481
      @cranwell5481 Před rokem +3

      Twenty years ago, I would visit Barnstable for work. I was favorably impressed. The food was decent. Shopping was excellent. In fact, one year I did all my Christmas shopping there before heading back to the states. I hope this video 15:53 is an exaggeration.

    • @barumman
      @barumman Před rokem

      ​@@cranwell5481 It is an exaduration

  • @martinpigott3936
    @martinpigott3936 Před rokem +8

    Cant believe Oakhampton, Cullompton, Tiverton and Honiton didn't get on the list

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem +2

      They’re just a bit dull 😂

    • @tommycoopersmagiccarpetwea817
      @tommycoopersmagiccarpetwea817 Před 4 měsíci

      What about Budleigh Salterton? Not 'alf as nice as it sounds once Summer's leaving town for another year full of bleedin' grockles!!

  • @dickiegreenleaf750
    @dickiegreenleaf750 Před rokem +4

    Seems like every worst places to live looks better than Chicago where I live.

  • @lee7701
    @lee7701 Před rokem +10

    To be honest most of these towns are potentially nice places, they just need some serious investment to reinvent themselves the way somewhere like Bournemouth in Dorset has. The one I agree with is actually Clovelly. I went there once, absolute joke place. I’ve never been charged to get in a town or village before, I wouldn’t even have minded but there’s nothing actually in it except some crappy little harbour at the bottom of the hill.

  • @choughed3072
    @choughed3072 Před rokem +16

    You're going to have a field day in Cornwall.

    • @thetruthwillout3347
      @thetruthwillout3347 Před rokem +1

      Where do we start?!
      Torpoint
      Saltash
      Callington
      Liskeard
      St Austell
      St Blazey
      Newquay
      Camborne
      Redruth
      Penzance.
      I think that just about covers it but probably missed a few!

    • @lyramidsummer5508
      @lyramidsummer5508 Před rokem +2

      Lived in Par in the noughties. I hated St Arsehole (Austell),when I arrived for a job interview I had beer poured over me from an upstairs pub window. I am from Cheshire. The Cornish hated northerners.

    • @kernowboy137
      @kernowboy137 Před rokem +1

      @@lyramidsummer5508 Not really! just everyone from up country or East of the Amazon/Tamar River☠️

    • @lyramidsummer5508
      @lyramidsummer5508 Před rokem

      @@kernowboy137 they're not prejudice they hate everyone lol. Having said that would love to move back but just can't afford to now.

  • @barrytherave1345
    @barrytherave1345 Před rokem +5

    I can tell you from first hand experience that alot of the "homeless" in barnstaple ARENT homeless, i have seen the "ring leader" on his phone setting up the "homeless" people in designated positions and have seen on a million occasions the "homeless" on their phones talking to each other up the stretch. Then at end of day around the back the "leader" picks them up in his posh SUV. Dont be fooled, its a business and alot of locals know this

    • @Turdtowns
      @Turdtowns  Před rokem

      That’s crazy! Wonder how much they make?

  • @Witchy-bitch106
    @Witchy-bitch106 Před rokem +1

    Devon was my favourite holiday destination 30 years ago and I actually moved down there and lived in Brixham for a year. . I've visited most of the towns on your video including north Devon. The place was beautiful, especially Clovelly. The whole street was superbly well kept and is a shadow of it's former self.

  • @whoviannumber1
    @whoviannumber1 Před rokem +6

    I grew up in Axminster & a lot of my family worked for the carpet factory. It was a quaint place to grow up & felt quite safe but it isn’t really near anything. Trying to explain how long it takes to get to well known things (like how far away from a McDonalds, for example) takes an effort. I remember being happy when we finally got a swimming pool. I wanted to be annoyed at your take on it but ended up agreeing with so many things you said. 😂

  • @c6fifty7
    @c6fifty7 Před rokem +8

    Can’t believe Tiverton didn’t make it on here!

    • @steve3cv
      @steve3cv Před rokem

      The top transport links helped there.

    • @lutenantsweedpertasa
      @lutenantsweedpertasa Před rokem

      I’m even more surprised Cullompton wasn’t on the list. It’s like Axminster but with even less.

  • @Jimdixon1953
    @Jimdixon1953 Před rokem +5

    As someone who was at uni in Devon in the early 2000s it’s really sad to hear this.