8 Worst Towns in Somerset, UK, 2024
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- Опубліковано 26 жов 2023
- #somerset #uk #turdtowns #weston #bristol #taunton #visit #travel #southwest For the very first time on Turdtowns we are revisiting a county. We wanted to see if anything had changed for better or worse. We ended up doing eight towns and also including two new towns. Conveniently news broke whilst I was making this video that Somerset council is about to go bankrupt! You have to look at the problems in Yeovil to see how poorly funds have been spent!
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Just shows the state of the UK and that our politicians and Councils don't give a damn
100% the uk is like a 3rd world country these days everything is decaying away and the councils just cover it up with a shiny new city center they dont give a dam about actually makeing a nice place to live
I think they do care but they don't know what to do.
The fundamental problem is lack of local economic sustainability due to changing culture and jobs being exported abroad.
There is no simple cure for this. Throwing money at a town does not in and of itself solve any problems, other than perhaps in the short term.
@@someusername1Governments care..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 About themselves.
Yep, the only thing they care about is selling off as much as they can and lining their own pockets at the same time. Entire country is circling the drain and they only care about themselves.
@@someusername1Governments waist the money in the pot on things that don’t benefit the public in the slightest and ignore all the things that matter
As a Brummie, I can confirm that Weston-Super-Mare is full of us. I used to get dragged there for a day trip every summer as a kid. We normally contaminate Brean as well.
It must get lonely in Brum after everyone moved there.
:)
Left Brum, Still ended up there on holiday lmao
Do you ever holiday elsewhere?
My girlfriend lives just outside brum in a place called Wall Heath and it’s great. I’ve never understood why Brummies felt the need to go to Weston. It’s not even a great beach.
thats why we call it Weston-Super-Birmingham
Hi, I’m from the U.S. My mom was from Kent and I’ve visited areas of England decades ago. I have always been an Anglophile. I love your channel and you make me laugh so hard and I love your analogies! I am sad that housing is such an issue in the UK. It’s the same in the U.S. You should see St. Petersburg, Florida where I was from…total Turdtown. Love this realistic view of the UK because TV shows really romanticize it. When you get UA-cam famous, please do a U.S. edition of turdtowns, but make sure you wear a bulletproof vest if you do. ❤
@jdmccoy1999
I think I may still have some relatives of the Basden family line in Kent. In 1850 two Basden brothers immigrated from Summerset, England to Summerset, Illinois and from that a lot of Basden's now inhabit Murphysboro, Illinois next to Summerset which is now so small that it is a township.
Your comment about TV shows made me smile. I'd already spent some time working in the USA (South Carolina mostly) and found myself some years later in the Philippines. They seem to be on a diet of US TV shows featuring the usual large houses, swimming pools, and multiple cars. When I suggested that the were a lot of poor people in the USA, some of them got quite argumentative and pointed to the TV as proof.
I felt it wise to back off. I live in France now and visiting my homeland of South Wales in the UK is quite depressing. Then again, the media was never kind to Wales.
"The same in the US?" - Tropicana Field, Vinoy Park, the Dali Museum... I know Yeovil and I know Pinellas County and I’m not entirely convinced they’re equivalent.
Ex Midlander here (Leicester). Been living in Somerset for the last 10 years. Completely agree with the 10 town sentiment here. Strangely though, I still find Somerset an absolutely gorgeous place to live. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It’s the people of Somerset that make it so special. See, that’s what Somerset is. It’s a way of life. An ethos. It’s kind of like living in cotton wool with a pint of scrump & a good wedge of cheddar. ❤ Somerset.
Or a can of Natch and a packet of Lambert :)
@@FriedEgg101 haha! Can of Natch or a flagon of Wilkins.
Can't believe the decline of Yeovil, there used to be so many good shops there.
And then the Royal Naval Air Station shut up shop itself. That took a lot of income out of the town.
Civil servants always find a way to wreck a town.
40/ 50 years ago tunbridge wells was full of different shops , great for Xmas shopping,
It’s now dead , a dump , and a place to avoid.
The football team was in the championship once now they are stuck in the non league.
@@SaxonSuccesseh? They’ve not shut Yeovilton surely?
Excerpt from Somerset Live about the Bell pub in Shepton Mallet:
An "out of control" Somerset pub has had its licence revoked following reports of prostitution, drug abuse, and antisocial behaviour.
Sounds like a perfect night out destination 😂
@@Sunshinesmuse 😂😂🙌🏻🙌🏻
Does one need to book?
@@pyrodoll2422 😂😂
Normal west country pub then
Love your videos, and I loved this update, although it is very sad to see more declining, it is really important because I don't see much about this huge issue at all. You're doing a much needed job. Thank you.
Been over 20 years since I last set eyes on Yeovil and I have to say I'm shocked. It was always a half decent small town, nothing exciting but not bad either. It's had the heart ripped out of it by the look of things.
The last twenty years have been very hard on Yeovil. The last ten especially, whenever there’s a crunch on the poor then it kicks back really hard.
I live in Yeovil, it's heartbreaking to see the state it is in. It was never an exciting place but it had its little charms, now it's about as enticing as a Soviet gulag.
I love the serving of ice cold reality with a dollop of comedic genius thrown in on the narrating. Fantastic job!
Happily, there are still many well-run, friendly businesses remaining in Yeovil! I've regularly visited the town for about 30 years and lived here for about 4, so experiencing its decline as a place to shop, and look at, has been painful. I rather agree with your overall conclusion that the town has been screwed up by 'decision-makers' - hopefully not all of them, and not forever! Fascinating series: keep it going please!
I appreciate your wholesome message
I live in Yeovil. It's really depressing to see what it has become. There are now only 3 pubs in the town centre and the whole place is just like a permanent building site. The pavement by the hospital has been fenced of for weeks and weeks now, with no sign of it being completed any time as if pedestrian access to the hospital is something nobody really needs. There's some nice people here and that's about the only good thing I can say about Yeovil.
There is nothing new in the story of Yeovil's maladministration - it has ever been so.
Can't believe it's been 4 years already 😮😅. The round about by the Asda isn't so fun but the chinese takeaways are good 😄
I left yobvil 3 years ago, too much crime and decline
I was priced out of my home county of Hertfordshire (Hitchin) and ended up moving to Bridgwater 4 years ago. Whenever I go to town, I can't help but feel its such a waste of potential - it's an adorable little space, with the river running through it, it could be so much nicer with the correct funding and the correct redesign / rebrand. Bridgwater should be a market, restaurant and cafe town with independent stores and bookshops etc. It just has that vibe. I can only hope the council doesn't waste all this 'levelling up' money (Although I have 0 faith in them lol).
Before I emigrated to Toronto 35 years ago I took a tour of Somerset . The locals in one pub had us drinking scrumpy with a shot of gin mixed in. Needless to say setting up the tent after the pub was a scene of mayhem that still makes me laugh. It was a tranquil, beautiful place in those days, with a spiritual feel that has stayed with me all these years. I grieve for the passing of those days, but I know that in my heart it will always be a special place.
Was the pub called Tucker's grave near Norton at Phillip?
@@Jack-tx2veI know Tucker's Grave.
Haven't been there since the late seventies though... 😊
@@christophernewman5027 Small world. I used to drink cider there some years ago.
@@Jack-tx2ve The Packhorse at South Stoke was another favourite. Great for cider and a game of shovers.
Yeovil is a weird place, if you don't go into the town centre or aspire to living near there, there's a ton of relatively quiet suburbs (like a ton - housing tens of thousands of people, and still building more). It reminds me of the situation in the USA with gated communities and strip malls that everybody avoids. I hadn't thought about it, but as a resident, there are places in the town I just don't consider going to and mentally filter out, and can live in a nice bubble where even some of the social housing areas can be decently maintained.
Before covid the high street was pretty lively, but even then the lower part of the Quedam was dingy. Best part of Yeovil is commuting to Sherborne. One of our claims to fame is Terry Wogan saying our ring road system is the worst he has ever experienced. Thanks to China and Russia for ensuring the helicopter factory isn't going to close any time soon. That would fuck us up good. They're even expanding it at the moment, I think.
God could you imagine Yeovil if Westlands went bust ?
@@davidellis1355 -horrendous shudder-
Defence is the industry propping Yeovil up, between Leonardo, BAE and the base at Yeovilton.
At least the comic shop got a glow up.
There's little need to visit the town centre. Giant supermarkets can supply most of your shopping essentials beyond food and there's out of town retailers for other stuff and of course online shopping if you don't feel like navigating the bomb crater that is the high street
Your description of Yeovil is brilliant and is so accurate
X londoner here. Moved to south Somerset back in 2019. I'm in a beautiful village roughly 6½ miles south of Glastonbury. We come under the town of Somerton.I think Mr Turdtown lives a stone's throw from me, (hello Mr Turd). Wherever i venture in my area i always feel safe in comparison to London. Obviously, I've yet to see a lot of Somerset but so far so good. Not keen on Western, Yeovil is pretty dire but the hospital is up to par. Taunton is ok but again Musgrove hospital there is amazing. I didn't like Chard & felt like I'd crashed a party when i visited Crewkerne. I find CastleCary a wee chavy & Shepton Mallet just has nothing going for it IMO. I actually love Glastonbury & Wells is quite classy like Somerton. Langport is fine too. To put it lightly, I'd rather be down here than venture back to London thats for sure. One time i literally got stopped on Glastonbury High St & was proceeded to be blessed by a random nutter. But you know what....she made my day..... i went back home & baked a cake!? Somersets cool! ❤️
You sound a rational cool person 😊
@@phillipchandler8862 cheers dude. You seem cool too! 😉
I actually love Glastonbury too - it’s the most amazing spiritual place to live. ❤️
@@rosiestewart1355 the gaff does have a vibe. I now never have to lose my nut when I'm running low on jos sticks or heroin......no, not heroin......smudge stick's.
Yeovil is shitsville and Chard, ohhh my. Well described.
If you look on the map the travellers site at Glastonbury has rocked up close to both Tesco and a building materials supplier, the two places they are most likely to steal from.
A load parked by Premier Inn,sure they are well pleased.
So sad seeing this. In the early 1980's my wife and I moved to Yeovil from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was a lovely town, almost crime free-on many occasions the front door of our flat (just off Lyde Road) was left open all day (slightly defective lock) without any problems. During this time I worked in Chard, and whilst not as "posh" as Yeovil it wasn't as bad as in your video. We did visit Chard about 10 years ago on the way back from a holiday in Devon, we didn't stop... says it all I guess.
Love the idea of re-visiting places, gives a nice extra piece of perspective to see the direction the towns are going.
As someone brought up near Glasgow (where Blackpool was to us what Weston is to Birmingham) and lived for a long time in Bristol, I’d much rather spend time in Weston than in Blackpool. I got off the train in Blackpool a couple of months ago on a beautiful summers evening. I was just out for a day out with no destination in mind. I walked out the North station to find two drunks kicking the shit out of each other. I walked down the seafront, took a few photos, then got the train back to Preston.
I used to live in Taunton, like everywhere it looks to have suffered in the last decade or so. Top marks for the clever line about the Debenhams being turned into 69 flats!
Love your succinct, straight to the point narration. Very watchable channel.
The construction in Yeovil reminds me of what Poznań looked like when i went there in August. Except Poznań has half a million people..
Love your videos and love the idea of doing an update every year! I think these should be sent to local councils every year 😂 I would love to see more videos about the good towns in each county ❤ keep up the good work!
I remember back in 1986 after the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster, they thought about re-naming Cape Canaveral either Chard or Burnham On Sea.
Absolutely spot-on about the unmitigated ghastliness of Yeovil!
But *gotten* (US) should be *got* (noble British speak), throughout...
I noticed that and flinched.
Bizarre as it sounds 'gotten' was the standard in England until the late 1500s when 'got' started to take over,finally overtaking 'gotten' around 1700
Shakespeare used both words, as did Hobbes
But yes it sounds American to modern British ears
@@sarahsue42 Yes, I agree entirely - but UK English has evolved continuously since then, so it seems appropriate for a video to use modern English!
'Gotten' is used in the South West, where I presume Mr Turdtowns is from (as am I). It is not specifically American.
become?
Recently moved to Yeovil in a nice spot on edge of town, but agree that the town centre decline is sad. Yeovil also has a bizarre road system with the town dissected into two by a dual carriageway
I've lived in Somerset most of my life and unfortunately you've hit the nail on the head with most of these towns. They are well known in being neglected and rundown. Social mobility in Somerset is the worst in the UK, so young people in these towns must feel pretty depressed about their prospects. Average house prices, even in Highbridge, are way outside most young peoples' financial scope. Heyho at least we've made it to a UA-cam video!! Woohoo! 😀
To be fair on Bridgy, that Aldi store shut on the Broadway as another larger one was built on the site of the old Blake Hospital between the old police station (now gone) and the old docks. The old hospital on Salmon Parade is a awfull eyesore but At least it has the best (1st) carnival in Europe and well worth watching.
I enjoyed this re-visit video, I've visited all of the towns you mention, except Yeovil and you're spot on. Just hope the return vids don't stop you visiting counties you haven't done before because there are loads left to get through! Totally brilliant narration, as usual👍😊
I love this video, I think it was great revisiting your first county, and my home county! I can’t believe you have already made your 20th video
These towns have some beautiful historic buildings and even the sixties architecture can be exciting if cleaned up and full of purpose. God it’s depressing to see what we have, and don’t care about anymore.
Yeovil was positively buzzing 10 years ago. Look at it now. Wow.
I always find these videos so depressing and yet I always have to watch....🙂 I think my hometown is bad and then I realize there are other places much worse !!!!
This revisited series could be a regular thing!
I was surprised Yeovil didnt make no.1 last time tbh.. the only good thing about that place is that I managed to get out of there.
Another excellent video. revisiting an area is not a bad idea as its interesting to se what changes have happened although 1 year is probably too soon. The quality of your work has certainly improved and we look forward to your next installment.
I was born in Yeovil and left when I was 16. My dad in Yeovil and sisters in London showed me there was a better world to escape to. That was the mid-90s, and the town had always been rough and ready, almost everyone I knew who'd been out after dark had been beaten up or threatened at some point, especially if you were of the 'grunger' or 'studenty' appearance, as at a time of few visible ethnic minorities there, you'd do as the target of the aggressive yokel for being seen as letting the fine character of the town down.
Much of Yeovil's bad reputation was because as a place surrounded by beautiful villages and countryside, the mix of post-industrial decay and clumsy 1970s expanded-town planning made for a messy town out of character with it's surrounds. Indeed, photos from the 60s show it to be a town of quite some charm, before the 15th century George Inn was demolished for road widening, and Bides Park had a dual carriageway ploughed through it. Many blame the Quedam opening in the 80s, but as a kid from that era, I loved that there were proper modern shops in town. And the wider area was not poor, so the town did have a bit of a cache, epitomised by the Denner's department store, which became Beales and is seen sadly derelict in this film.
I dropped in 10 years ago late on a Thursday afternoon. Absolutely dead, bar a few down and outs lurking around. I live now in Netherlands, where online shopping has also hit high street sales, but a different with where I live now and Yeovil, is that the bar/restaurant sectors is filling in the gaps. This is a pretty town to wander around in in an evening, whether you're getting a drink outside a cafe, or an ice cream, or just teenager sharing a bottle of cola with a friend. I can't imagine anyone wanting to go out after shopping hours for a stroll around Yeovil after the shops close, despite the good efforts of some, the unattractive town and intimidating empty atmosphere enough to scare anyone to stay at home with Netflix and a takeaway.
I hear complaints from places like Bolton or Wolverhampton, that given proximity to better shopping options in the nearby bigger cities, they've struggled to compete. Yeovil however isn't near anywhere at all, never mind anywhere more attractive. It's like everyone has just finally given up on the town.
Why can't it be that way ? Netherlands also had its own issues too. So does Amsterdam. Same with prostitution etc.. and even women trafficking too. But if you don't say it, and doesn't actually do something. Then it would always be that way. Do you mean that cos you have families there.. and need to tow the line, such that, it feels quite suffocating you mean ?.... Sure.. many cities can feel that way, and everybody has families... issues. So sometimes, a bit of space or to travel somewhere and then back home, makes things so much more different. Polite kids hanging out with their mates, are... it is a created space.. it has to be taught. And only if your family raised you up as a vertical family unit etc. Without generational issues or borders etc. Your families should've encouraged you to compete with other kids on national sports.. or whatever whatever... That should've been so much more different than anything... to be fair...
Yeovil is so fucking sad, I live right next to it and work for a charity there. Our Pride event this year had the route changed so many times because new places were being dug up and you can’t get anywhere in the middle of town.
Even worse is that the lads who were digging up the bandstand hadn’t been told that it was built on top of some horrendous old public toilets. THAT is not what you want to find sealed under brick since the 90s.
We have a lot of people working really hard to make the area better but the mismanagement of the ‘revitalisation’ has been awful. They completely ignored disabled people saying that the changes would make things even more difficult for them… and now that the theatre is stalling, everything has to take place in Westlands, which is essentially a gymnasium with a sound system that’s the only accessible leisure venue around.
Fucking pray for us that are too poor to leave here.
Although one year is a bit soon, you're getting better at making videos so revisiting early ones is fine. Keep up the good work!
It's not neglect or incompetence. It's deliberate and long planned.
This is hilarious! I was born and bred in Taunton and moved to Burnham at 18 (so nice that isn't on the list). I totally agree about Highbridge. I moved to the US at age 49 and I'm so glad I don't live in a country that is so run down. Let's face it - pretty much all towns in the UK are in a state! I feel bad about how much England has gone down the pan
Um, you are kidding right? If Turdtowns went to the US and did a series the guy would need to move there, spend his life doing daily video's, then pass the gauntlet to his children to carry on, and that still wouldn't touch the surface. I went to California and did the Pacific coast highway and some of the places we drove past made these ones in the video look positively appealing, don't even start with LA, the place has more people living homeless in Downtown than the most of the populations of these Somerset towns.
Well California is an awful example of the US. Doesn't represent the country at all. 😂😂
@@mandthepand1 🤣 no not at all, it's only the largest most populous state in the US, how about all the coal towns in the Appalachian mountains, the town's around Detroit after the car industry died, I suppose Flints lead lined drinking water pipes are all good, I love the US, live in the UK but still seem to know more about the country than you do?!
Well why are so many people leaving California in their droves to come to States like Arizona Nevada and utah? There's obviously a reason why! California may have a lot of people but again I say it's not a true representation of the people of the USA. There are so many cities and towns throughout the whole country that are completely different. I am so glad that I no longer live in the UK. It's going down the pan and I feel bad for the Youth and the future generations living there
@@mandthepand1 OK, what do all the states you mention have.... Low taxes and lower house prices than California, your going off point, I could have chosen any state in the US and given examples of lots of rundown areas, you slate the UK and say how wonderful the US and not falling apart when the complete opposite is true, oh and give me run down council estates in the UK over daily mass shootings anyday of the week
I'm Somerset born and bred (from Chard but if anyone asks, I'm from Ilminster - did live in Ilminster for 8 years). My mum lives in Yeovile/Yobsville. Horrible bloody place. I currently live in Devon and can't wait to move back to Somerset. (BTW, you missed that Shepton Mallet is referred to as Shit 'n' Smellit)
I BET the council sold off EVERTYHING they owned to rent it all back from some private finance bahamas based shell company then OMG why are we bankrupt? ;_;
I’ve lived in yeovil for over 20 years. I’ve got to admit, your assessment of it is pretty spot on.
What the he'll has happened to Yeovil moved to Hereford from frome in 2002. Loved visiting Yeovil back then family lived in hewish😊
There is a sewage plant just outside Shepton Mallet, the locals who are not from Shepton call it Shit N Smell It
There's also a crematorium on the edge, smoking 247 But i aint no coombe laynuur!
Its good to revisit and see what changes have happened good or bad!! 😎👍
I lived in Trowbridge in Wiltshire for years, used to travel to all these towns and they were lovely. Alongside a lot of towns now, they have all gone downhill and it’s so sad. My mother in law was in a beautiful care home in Stratton on the Fosse in Somerset, awesome little town that was. It was like travelling back in time.
I have been shocked at the state of these parts of Somerset, compared with the situation during 70s-80s. It's just heart breaking to see what inadequate local Councils have done to their areas.
Keep these videos going please, you're doing a good job of naming and shaming the areas concerned.
Love your videos, Mr Turd! Top video tip: make sure your drone, handheld and/or phone camera are all shooting at the same frame rate (e.g. 30 fps). That'll prevent juddering like at 2:54.
Well done WSM! Keep up the quality content , had to explain the show to my wife, she'd not even heard of Crap Towns back in the day ... Kids today 🤷🏻♂️
Revisiting places is interesting.
And it's nice to find floaters like Weston bobbing up to the surface for another go.
I grew up in Weston, moved to London 9 years ago but I go back to visit my parents about twice a year, and you're right it has potential but it's incredibly frustrating that it's not being realised. It's still a shame that they tore out the old Dolphin Square, the land around the new complex is still barren.
Yeah, there used to be intresting shops selling lots of different things, now all gone.
when I lived there, one of the big problems was the council were willing to take government money for housing drug addicts, but all that happened was there were more addicts, more dealers and more mess like needles and condoms all over the place. Lots of seaside towns have suffered, but really and truly Weston could, and should, do better.
Even if a year might not be a very long time the idea of revisiting turd towns is excellent because personally I'm always curious about how things will pan out for them
Most of the population lives in crap areas from what I've seen. There was a fourteen four high-rise block of flats near where I live that became a suicide hub for depressed people from miles around. I saw someone drop from them, and it was horrible to see. Yeah, the council decided to demolish them because of that. It was every other week it happened. People who lived there were traumatised because of it. Crazy.
bloody hell..Yeovil..I lived there and to be honest have always loved that area..what a state
Yeovil also has one of the top 5 worst nightclubs in the country.
some folk up here in the East mids think that having a wetherspoons means your on the up and that your town has made it. lol
Maybe an idea for over the winter would be to do a peoples vote on the biggest Turdtown in each county you've been that HASN'T featured on the channel? Do a community post asking for suggestions for each county, and make a video, going into a bit more depth like the W-s-M or Penrhys videos, on the one that gets mentioned the most? Would mean new content rather than just revisiting places, and only having to film one town would make life much easier with the short daylight hours?
Excellent idea but it will mean I end up in Bradford or Luton let’s be honest 😂
Shepton Mallet, affectionately nicknamed “s**t & Smell-it” by the locals when I lived there 😂😂
I live in chard, work in Taunton, go out in Bridgwater and go to the beach in Weston. I think I might be trash.
It looks that way
I holiday in St Austell.
very sad to see that. I lived in Somerset in the 80s and 90s and knew most of those towns pretty well. They all look to have seriously declined since then. In particular Yeovil looked terrible. I realise people's shopping habits have changed but so much more could have been done by the local councils and planners to counter the decline.
Damn Yeovil has changed for the worse
I just not until now realised how many market towns in the UK have completely gone down the tube - no way will they recover.
I suspect most of those shops need a change of use to be residential accommodation.
But then what, turn every retail unit into residential accommodation? then what
@@psyber_spaced1192 Play ludo or something?
no shops no nothing but put residential accomodation just no dentist no doctors no nothing sounds legit uk is on it's way at the speed of light to a recession................
@@psyber_spaced1192you will get everything delivered .
Not far off that now really.
@@psyber_spaced1192then people might be able to afford somewhere to live?
Good revisit. Glad my old stomping ground of Weston SM is moving up :-)
I mean, you missed 80s shopping centre, the Quedam out again in Yeovil, but you’re still right.
In Yeovil, Glovers Walk and surrounds are up for sale. They may as well just flatten the bottom of town and start again. Perfect summing-up of the dump, Mr Turd - the Lib-Dem Council has wrecked the place and their incompetence is staggering. But at least the tree growing out of a building halfway down Middle Street has been removed.... If M&S closed, that really would be the last nail in the coffin.
Bah! LibDem council. Should have voted Tory. They know how to run things.
I had two holidays in Weston in the 70s one year there was a heat wave 78 maybe many happy memories of going around the local area and seeing different places
That was a funny video. Keep up the good work!!
As for the problem of the council going bankrupt, that's happening all across the country in wealthy and impoverished areas, councils of all political colours. It's all down to the government starving local councils of funds. I suggest you do a full log on the biggest turd town in the whole country, the city of Westminster.
Nope it is due to top heavy councils full of management managing management waiting money. They are bloated.
You've been at the tabloids again, haven't you? I can tell, because you go bright red in the face and your eyes start swivelling.
@@dulls8475 It's due to govenment cuts AND mismanagement. Councils have had to find ways to prop up their funding after cuts and have often invested poorly in badly thought through schemes and property.
@@Mogwaithegreat So in a round about way you said it was the councils fault.
@@Mogwaithegreat Some of these schemes, like investing in hotels, worked well until the pandemic. But it was government underfunding that forced them into that position. I never heard of a council going bust until Cameron; now it's lots of them up and down the country.
I played the Orange Box in Yeovil in 2011 supporting some regional touring bands, they would put on some bigger bands like Canterbury and We Are The Ocean. That venue closing was the beginning of the end for Yeovil
You can actually blame greed and idiocy on places like Shepton, closing down the lifeline Somerset & Dorset railway just cornholed these places along the route, only have to look at Wincanton once a thriving growing hub of England's milk collection and delivery to the cities, now barely is able to keep shops open with little amenity for the locals. Radstock is also easily seen for its major decline, Shepton too massively declining. There was a quite sensible move to reopen the line between Frome and Radstock but the council said no despite businesses screaming blue murder for the line to be reinstated.
I had to stay in Yeovil back in 2019. Even then it was dire. No decent resturants, and ended up back at the premier inn resturant, and there was a birthday party meal happening 😂
Love your work and it would be even better if you could include what political party is in control of the councils .
Turd=Tory generally
I think these places are all lovely compared to where I live in Reading and cheaper to boot
Please revisit Devon and cornwall
I once went on a job where the guys were a mixture of Devon and Cornish - the scone based sectarianism was unreal!
@tobiasz6613 lmao its pastys now since they have said the first one was invented in devon 😂😂😂, as a devon guy youre comment made me chuckle 😂
Coming from London i always visualised these areas as quaint little towns !
Lived in Shepton for a spell recently and found it a reasonable place with mostly friendly people.
The Tesco is though the worst I have been in except the one that used to be in Chatham Kent, now that was on another level of nastiness.
Nice park there that has recently had a big makeover for the kids area.
Some nice shops and cafe’s along the high street as well.
Nice new council building of course with no expense spared by the look of it & “lots” of parking that can only ever be used by those who who work there. (Still a sorry symptom of most UK towns now)
On balance not a turdtown IMO
I'm so confused...Have you ever visited Nailsea? 60's town centre (the opening art monument was even removed) filled with charity shops, coffee shops and estate agents ....thats it! Locals do not like the idea of expanding the town...but it needs it, the town is dying!
I knew exactly where you were from the thumbnail! :D
Large out of town shopping villages have destroyed the high street in many cities and towns, but hey ho one cannot blame the retailers
Somerset is unbelievably beautiful and also full of complete holes. The villages are still beautiful… probably not for long.
I live close to Bridgwater and am happy I'm not close to Yeovil. Well done to Rishi and the boys!
Lived in Glastonbury for 3 years after visiting the town on many weekends. I agree with the love/hate comment. I loved the countryside, running on the droves and over the Tor. Would be interesting to see what the crime rate consists of - we always felt safe there.
Glastonbury,in Somerset,one of the towns on the long closed Somerset and Dorset route. It would be nice if that section of the line could be restored
@@geoffadams5537it’s impossible Unfortauntely mostly built on
Yeovil used to be a beautiful old town until the early 1970's when there was a lot of redevelopment, which has continued in phases ever since. It should be held as an example of disastrous urban planning.
Had to stay in Yeovil not long ago for a family funeral. Hadn't been for about a decade, and couldn't believe how much worse it had become - and it wasn't exactly lovely to begin with!
Bridgwater has a new Aldi!
And a video on the best and worst parts of Bristol would be great!
Taunton has alot more "undesirables " these days. Just driven down through East Reach, off the town centre, and saw numerous scumbags and dropouts loitering around.
I would second this. I made a comment a year ago about how I felt about Chard. But there's alot to be said about "better the devil you know" and what have you. Taunton I went out one night at half eleven until nearly two am just to walk around since I moved some time ago now. Homeless people, pissheads and teens on bikes was what made up my experience. The police are pretty active it seems though. On a surface level at least. Even eyeing me up for some reason.
Don't blame them, they don't know me. Me and a relative saw a guy urinating on one of the churches during the day and on the same day we saw someone anally insert an ounce of crack about a year before I moved here.
I live in Bridgwater and i agree with your comments about Bridgwater !!
Nice video and I agree with the things said, however you forgot to mention another massive problem seems to get worse every year; is the traffic jam in Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil, Its a proper mess and nightmare, Bridgwater can actually be ok apart from certain roads and certain times of the day but Taunton is by far the worse with massive queing roundabout traffics to lack of parking, school time traffic chaos effecting every single road in town and gridlocks combined by school and rush hour traffic, take away delivery cars parking everywhere in town centre, blue badge owners parking on loading bays, bus stops, double yellow causing absolute chaos. In Yeovil it's a proper challenge to make a delivery in Lynx trading estate as cars parked everywhere including on the corners, traffic lights not synchronised, causing long tail backs then hospital roundabout caos followed by sherborne road nightmare start and stop traffic all the way through. To sum up these 3 Towns I mentioned has a big and increasing traffic problem getting worse and worse.
In the late 60s I was brought up in Yeovil and went to Preston school there. My sister still lives in a small village just outside and I was blown away by the changes when i was in the UK last year. I know that nothing lasts for ever but the town has been stripped of its personality and heritage.
If you intend to do yearly reviews, then it would be worth summarising at the end of each town segment what improvements you want to see within the next 12 months
I’m surprised that there was no towns near bath on this. Was fully expecting Radstock or Peasedown to be near the list at least. I wonder if they were in contention.
Radstocks dull as shit, went to college for a bit there years ago, bus stop is the best bit
My thoughts as well. Grew up in Westfield, so know Radstock and Peasedown very well. Should add MSN as well 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Really like this idea! Don't know if it would be more work but I'd be interested in an 'honourable mentions' section where you quickly highlight the towns that have fallen off the list entirely. Because I think when a town no longer qualifies as a turd, that should be celebrated :)
Yea it would be a bit more work but a brief mention would be possible. I genuinely visit every place in the same day and I check out other places. For example looked at midsomer Norton and banwell for this video but they didn’t make the cutz
I moved to Taunton Somerset from South East Essex 7 uears ago. Funny because we love it jere and think the Towns are very pretty for the most part. You should see where i come from if you think these towns are bad! 😂
I am struggling to see the places of opportunity in the UK these days. A video displaying the areas where one can still start a small business and have a good life maybe worth doing as it seems so rare!
Great stuff as always not been to those places in a while your commentary and video are excellent and your presentation is just suited to the town
As regarding revisiting how about Exeter the council only look after the town and the Quay rubbish and unkept green areas are ugly and the lack of bins and public toilets is a disgrace here yhey only inyin new builds and the money will bring and closing roads whether the area want or not Exeter is a Turdtown I could go on but you know your stuff
Yeovil, including the glove factory, needs levelling up: and the football club needs to go up. P.S. Don’t come to Cambridgeshire - I live in Peterborough!
Well done mate You made me laugh !
Revisiting Devon would be interesting. Bideford has fallen so far
And paignton 😢
And Ilfracombe.@@chucky2316
It was a pretty decent place in the day. And then the Royal Naval Air Station shut up shop itself.
That took a lot of income out of the town. Difficult to stop the slide now...