delighted to find this series. Many excellent qualities make it the best series I have viewed. Well focused on a county/an area can visit in a few days. Clearly stated goals. All the video is on the subject, with no chit chat or selfies. No food! You are a local and have done some research in sharp contrast to those who get off the airplane and follow a guide book. Very well done! Please do Kent, East Sussex, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire
I'm surprised Alex wasn't apprehended in Bracknell because the last time I waved a camera about there I was quickly approached by security and then asked to leave when I tried to assert our UK citizen's right to take photos in a public place - This is how I learned that Bracknell's town center no longer belongs to it's public and so can make up its own arbitrary rules. Instead it belongs to an offshore company based in the Tax Haven of Jersey - General Partners Ltd. I'm ranting because this apparently is an insidious trend creeping across our nation's "Public Spaces" and I don't like it one bit. It seems not a little dystopian to me that our local town centre has become privatised. Did the good people of Bracknell agree to this? Was there a public vote I missed? Well the shopping zone is now covered in CCTV cameras which alert its own private police force to the presence of any behaviour considered undesirable. Among some of the offences you are likely to be expelled for are walking around barefoot; this is no doubt to enure that Normal Citizens will never again be troubled by the likes of hippy types, tree huggers and that scourge of crusties that terrified the nation back in the 1990s, There's also a vaguely defined dress code to keep out certain elements of society who might alarm consumers or otherwise bring down the tone of the place. You also aren't allowed to wear attire that obscures your face so that the CCTV can do its facial recognition work. They say its for the benefit of our security but fail to mention how the technology is also capable of tracking all our shopping profiles. Rant Ends
Bracknell town centre was extensively redeveloped around 2014/15. Before that it was a concrete town of many empty units and not a lot else (not always so as I believe in the 80's and 90's it was thriving but then so were may other high streets of Britain). Nearest decent shops were Reading or Windsor. The redeveloped town is 'owned' by Legal & General who invested most of the capital I believe, but I think the public were kept informed in the run up to the rebuild. I personally like Bracknell as it is now (although I am a newbie as I only moved here in 2014) and personally can't stand Reading with it's confusing awful road systems full of cameras issuing fines, and areas where you don't feel safe at all. As with any high street in Britain, even new Bracknell has seen it's fair share of shops come and go. The main disadvantage of the new town is that it's mostly chain shops and eateries, as most independent traders struggle here with the high business rates. However that may change in time, if they want to fill some of the units left empty by the demise of bigger brands in recent years. As for CCTV, I'm all for it if you're not allowed to wear attire that covers your face (balaclavas and the like) as I don't want little wannabe gangsta types 'bringing down the tone' as you say. There's no need for that anywhere in society. As for tracking shopping profiles, your bank cards and store cards will do that anyway without the use of cameras! Bracknell town feels safe and pleasant, despite not having any olde-worlde personality. It was never really that kind of town anyway. Venture further out of the centre and you have lovely green spaces (Swinley Forest) and good road and cycling links. I moved here from Aylesbury, Bucks, which was an old market town in Bucks now ruined by redevelopment. Personally I am pleased to have moved to Bracknell and don't think it deserves the reputation it seems to get.
Enjoyed this list and the chance it gave me to to see places I have not yet managed to visit. So thank you. I look forward to the others in your series.
I'm not the kind of person that normally cries hysterically like a newborn baby but seeing that you left Slough off the list made me do so uncontrollably. I'm now on medication. Thanks.
Some very pretty towns there. I wonder where Alex would choose to live out of all of the places he has visited? I thought some of the Sussex towns looked lovely.
When I first moved to Berkshire in 2014 (to Bracknell which isn't as bad as ppl make it out to be), I remember thinking Ascot would be some picturesque market town with pedestrian areas which you could find a nice pub or restaurant to watch the world go by. It isn't. It's pretty much a small high street with a massive race course. Thats it. Its absolutely rammed with traffic most of the time.
I was raised in Thatcham, married in Newbury registry office 48 yrs ago before moving stateside, but that was many years ago. I thought I knew the area well but I got lost in the video.lol. the only thing I recognized was the rain lol. Thanks for this video I must so my kids they never seen my home towns.
Surprising that Bracknell is more new-town that historical; most people in the UK know it from Lady Bracknell - I wonder what the town was like at the time of Oscar Wilde - who of course has links to Reading as well. Another Reading attribute, which may well enter the history books some time, is (council owned) Reading Buses, which has won many awards over the last eight years. Though it unfortunately scrapped the trolley buses, it was an early user of compressed natural gas fuel, and is now investing in battery electric buses. Look forward to your next - don't mind which county; what will you do when you get to Rutland?
Well I was considering some kind of April Fools stunt along the lines of 'Top 2 Prettiest Towns in Rutland', but instead I made a video about it a couple of months ago where I do a virtual tour around the villages in the vicinity of Rutland Water.
Any link between Lady Bracknell and the town of Bracknell is coincidental, stemming from the shared name rather than deliberate inspiration. The name "Bracknell" predates Wilde’s time and is derived from Old English, likely referring to a "nook of land where bracken grows."🙂
I'd drop Ascot and Bracknell from the list and replace them (though not necessarily in the same positions) with Twyford and Cookham. The former of these is unquestionably a town, though I concede Cookham is usually described as a village, albeit its population is larger than some of the other paces which have been included. (When does a village morph into a town...or a hamlet into a village for that matter!)
Love your work, but definitely not Eton, as it's really in bucks, same as datchet , wrong side of the river, you can also include Wallingford, moved to Oxfordshire when it's really a berks town. Sod the politicians playing around with the boundaries, totally crooked.put wantage in if you like, and don't forget the Berkshire downs were moved to Oxfordshire.
Oh I agree that a lot of the county border changes were puzzling to say the least, and a bit unfair on Berkshire! I do feel though that if I included historic Berkshire towns here like Abingdon, Wallingford etc that I'd get a lot of criticism in the other direction.
@@AlexinGreatBritain probably would Alex, your reporting is informative and very pleasurable. I just don't trust governments nor any politician. I'm in bucks, so I know all the places I've watched so far, please keep up the great work.
These place could not be seen again.. It was ruined by Revolution War.. Mayerling Revolution.. 1780.. When Antinieta was bring into Galeontina.. Person is hangin into ceiling.. Antonieta accord into story of France.. Wife of Luigi,, was practice in Witchcraft.. people is hunger and no food to eat,, because of many occasions gathering in Palace.. And it said it was Antinieta ideas,, and her has 3 child from Luigi.. and it said Luigi could not take Antonieta her many women around is husband.. and it said it was also having affair to a Man.. and a Trans gender.. And Antonieta had to take care alone to is children.. and Antonieta continue to have many gathering occasion to Palace because of Luigi triumph as a King of France..
Apart from 1 or 2 towns on your list , I don’t seem to have the same notion of « pretty » as you !! I can think of many more towns in England and Europe which are 100 +times prettier than this selection !!
@@AlexinGreatBritain yes , but what are your notions of « pretty » ? I just find many of the buildings you show in some of these towns rather bland and ugly , as in many other towns in GB . I am not against modern buildings , but I think that we can be modern and pretty / beautiful at the same time . Many architects today just seem to have no idea of beauty , which doesn’t always cost that more to implement …
@@simonallchin7436 That's a deep question. There are lots of ways in which a town can be pretty. What I will admit is that I don't believe Berkshire scores too high in terms of beauty relative to other counties despite its royal connections. But then it did suffer badly with the county border changes of 1974, losing the likes of Abingdon, Faringdon and Wallingford, but gaining Slough in return!
Bracknell, Maidenhead, thatcham , reading, Wokingham, ascot, Newbury, hungerford, Eton, Windsor
Such an interesting & informative vlog Windsor is so pretty deserves to be no 1
I like your channel and I really like these videos! 👍
Thanks, I appreciate it!
@@AlexinGreatBritain 😊
🇬🇧 I visited Windsor Castle last week. Excellent. Yes, the town was good as well.
Thank you for your great videos.
No problem, and glad you had a nice visit!
delighted to find this series. Many excellent qualities make it the best series I have viewed. Well focused on a county/an area can visit in a few days. Clearly stated goals. All the video is on the subject, with no chit chat or selfies. No food! You are a local and have done some research in sharp contrast to those who get off the airplane and follow a guide book. Very well done!
Please do Kent, East Sussex, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire
Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it! And I certainly intend to cover the counties you've mentioned.
I am hoping to visit the uk in the future and want to see Wokingham. My great great grandfather emigrated from there to Canada.
Loved this tour, thank you for sharing! ❤
Hey, thanks for watching!
I'm surprised Alex wasn't apprehended in Bracknell because the last time I waved a camera about there I was quickly approached by security and then asked to leave when I tried to assert our UK citizen's right to take photos in a public place - This is how I learned that Bracknell's town center no longer belongs to it's public and so can make up its own arbitrary rules. Instead it belongs to an offshore company based in the Tax Haven of Jersey - General Partners Ltd. I'm ranting because this apparently is an insidious trend creeping across our nation's "Public Spaces" and I don't like it one bit.
It seems not a little dystopian to me that our local town centre has become privatised. Did the good people of Bracknell agree to this? Was there a public vote I missed? Well the shopping zone is now covered in CCTV cameras which alert its own private police force to the presence of any behaviour considered undesirable. Among some of the offences you are likely to be expelled for are walking around barefoot; this is no doubt to enure that Normal Citizens will never again be troubled by the likes of hippy types, tree huggers and that scourge of crusties that terrified the nation back in the 1990s, There's also a vaguely defined dress code to keep out certain elements of society who might alarm consumers or otherwise bring down the tone of the place. You also aren't allowed to wear attire that obscures your face so that the CCTV can do its facial recognition work. They say its for the benefit of our security but fail to mention how the technology is also capable of tracking all our shopping profiles.
Rant Ends
Bracknell town centre was extensively redeveloped around 2014/15. Before that it was a concrete town of many empty units and not a lot else (not always so as I believe in the 80's and 90's it was thriving but then so were may other high streets of Britain). Nearest decent shops were Reading or Windsor. The redeveloped town is 'owned' by Legal & General who invested most of the capital I believe, but I think the public were kept informed in the run up to the rebuild. I personally like Bracknell as it is now (although I am a newbie as I only moved here in 2014) and personally can't stand Reading with it's confusing awful road systems full of cameras issuing fines, and areas where you don't feel safe at all.
As with any high street in Britain, even new Bracknell has seen it's fair share of shops come and go. The main disadvantage of the new town is that it's mostly chain shops and eateries, as most independent traders struggle here with the high business rates. However that may change in time, if they want to fill some of the units left empty by the demise of bigger brands in recent years. As for CCTV, I'm all for it if you're not allowed to wear attire that covers your face (balaclavas and the like) as I don't want little wannabe gangsta types 'bringing down the tone' as you say. There's no need for that anywhere in society. As for tracking shopping profiles, your bank cards and store cards will do that anyway without the use of cameras!
Bracknell town feels safe and pleasant, despite not having any olde-worlde personality. It was never really that kind of town anyway. Venture further out of the centre and you have lovely green spaces (Swinley Forest) and good road and cycling links. I moved here from Aylesbury, Bucks, which was an old market town in Bucks now ruined by redevelopment. Personally I am pleased to have moved to Bracknell and don't think it deserves the reputation it seems to get.
Enjoyed this list and the chance it gave me to to see places I have not yet managed to visit. So thank you. I look forward to the others in your series.
I love Berkshire! My favorite village is Yattendon
A visual delight and educational too 👍
Thank you!
Enjoying this series.. I am seeing many places of which I have known little if not nothing at all.
I loved it! 💚
I was born and raised in Thatcham it’s great
Very informative thanks
Devon and Dorset next pleaseeeee 🥰
Two very exciting prospects for me there!
Oh yes, I'd love to see you doing a Dorset video! Maybe Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, too? 😊
@@AlexinGreatBritainWales & Scotland too yeah? Then perhaps Scandinavia?
I'm not the kind of person that normally cries hysterically like a newborn baby but seeing that you left Slough off the list made me do so uncontrollably. I'm now on medication. Thanks.
Isn’t being in slough like walking around somewhere in Pakistan nowadays?
i like that found this very interesting thanks
Some very pretty towns there. I wonder where Alex would choose to live out of all of the places he has visited? I thought some of the Sussex towns looked lovely.
When I first moved to Berkshire in 2014 (to Bracknell which isn't as bad as ppl make it out to be), I remember thinking Ascot would be some picturesque market town with pedestrian areas which you could find a nice pub or restaurant to watch the world go by. It isn't. It's pretty much a small high street with a massive race course. Thats it. Its absolutely rammed with traffic most of the time.
I was raised in Thatcham, married in Newbury registry office 48 yrs ago before moving stateside, but that was many years ago. I thought I knew the area well but I got lost in the video.lol. the only thing I recognized was the rain lol. Thanks for this video I must so my kids they never seen my home towns.
Ah, thank you!
Great video
I would agree with all 10 and their positions. I live in Newbury and it's a lovely town.
No boat people been brought to you by our renegade governments yet?
Surprising that Bracknell is more new-town that historical; most people in the UK know it from Lady Bracknell - I wonder what the town was like at the time of Oscar Wilde - who of course has links to Reading as well. Another Reading attribute, which may well enter the history books some time, is (council owned) Reading Buses, which has won many awards over the last eight years. Though it unfortunately scrapped the trolley buses, it was an early user of compressed natural gas fuel, and is now investing in battery electric buses.
Look forward to your next - don't mind which county; what will you do when you get to Rutland?
Well I was considering some kind of April Fools stunt along the lines of 'Top 2 Prettiest Towns in Rutland', but instead I made a video about it a couple of months ago where I do a virtual tour around the villages in the vicinity of Rutland Water.
Any link between Lady Bracknell and the town of Bracknell is coincidental, stemming from the shared name rather than deliberate inspiration. The name "Bracknell" predates Wilde’s time and is derived from Old English, likely referring to a "nook of land where bracken grows."🙂
Thanks Alex, excellent ........could you do Hampshire and or Kent next please
I intend to do both soon.
I'd drop Ascot and Bracknell from the list and replace them (though not necessarily in the same positions) with Twyford and Cookham. The former of these is unquestionably a town, though I concede Cookham is usually described as a village, albeit its population is larger than some of the other paces which have been included. (When does a village morph into a town...or a hamlet into a village for that matter!)
Lovely video. Shame Berkshire lost the top of its boot to Oxon including Abingdon thanks to Edward Heath’s government.
Prettiest towns of dorset soon?
Not for several months yet, but it's one I'll be very excited to make!
Like this
🏞️
Love your work, but definitely not Eton, as it's really in bucks, same as datchet , wrong side of the river, you can also include Wallingford, moved to Oxfordshire when it's really a berks town. Sod the politicians playing around with the boundaries, totally crooked.put wantage in if you like, and don't forget the Berkshire downs were moved to Oxfordshire.
Oh I agree that a lot of the county border changes were puzzling to say the least, and a bit unfair on Berkshire! I do feel though that if I included historic Berkshire towns here like Abingdon, Wallingford etc that I'd get a lot of criticism in the other direction.
@@AlexinGreatBritain probably would Alex, your reporting is informative and very pleasurable. I just don't trust governments nor any politician. I'm in bucks, so I know all the places I've watched so far, please keep up the great work.
@@J85323 I appreciate it, thanks!
@@AlexinGreatBritain no problem Alex, keep it coming.
These place could not be seen again..
It was ruined by Revolution War.. Mayerling Revolution..
1780.. When Antinieta was bring into Galeontina..
Person is hangin into ceiling..
Antonieta accord into story of France.. Wife of Luigi,, was practice in Witchcraft.. people is hunger and no food to eat,, because of many occasions gathering in Palace..
And it said it was Antinieta ideas,, and her has 3 child from Luigi.. and it said Luigi could not take Antonieta her many women around is husband.. and it said it was also having affair to a Man.. and a Trans gender..
And Antonieta had to take care alone to is children.. and Antonieta continue to have many gathering occasion to Palace because of Luigi triumph as a King of France..
Apart from 1 or 2 towns on your list , I don’t seem to have the same notion of « pretty » as you !! I can think of many more towns in England and Europe which are 100 +times prettier than this selection !!
But that's not a fair comparison, is it? This video's only about Berkshire.
@@AlexinGreatBritain yes , but what are your notions of « pretty » ? I just find many of the buildings you show in some of these towns rather bland and ugly , as in many other towns in GB . I am not against modern buildings , but I think that we can be modern and pretty / beautiful at the same time .
Many architects today just seem to have no idea of beauty , which doesn’t always cost that more to implement …
@@simonallchin7436 That's a deep question. There are lots of ways in which a town can be pretty. What I will admit is that I don't believe Berkshire scores too high in terms of beauty relative to other counties despite its royal connections. But then it did suffer badly with the county border changes of 1974, losing the likes of Abingdon, Faringdon and Wallingford, but gaining Slough in return!
@@AlexinGreatBritain yes , Slough is definitely not a recommended tourist destination !
Thatcham????!!!!!!
Imagine he said Slough 😂
Slough / Pakistan