18-10-07, UpMyStreet ©
While Edinburgh was crowned the best place to live in the UK by Channel 4, the verdict for Middlesbrough, the worst place to live, wasn't so complimentary. "Health problems are at critical levels and then there's the crime: robbery, burglary, sexual assaults, violent crimes and car theft are all more than twice the UK's average..."
A range of criteria was used to calculate the 20 best and worst places to live - but judging an area on its school performance tables, employment rate and crime figures alone doesn't always give you the full picture. Here are some positive trends characterising Channel 4's unlucky 20, proving there's more to these areas than anti-social behaviour and binge drinking.
1. Investment potential
Many of Channel 4's worst places to live are earmarked for regeneration, most notably the Olympic regeneration zone which covers both Newham and Hackney. This should make these areas a good long-term property investment. Hackney has already seen a £40,000 rise in house prices since London won the Olympic bid in July 2005.
2. Affordable housing
The price of property in nearly all these areas is below the national average, meaning you can get a larger-sized home for your money than you would elsewhere. The average price of property in Stoke-on-Trent is just over £120,000, which will get you a two or three-bedroom house. You can buy a flat in Hull for under £100,000. Fourteenth worst place to live, Barking & Dagenham, offers the cheapest prices of all the London boroughs.
3. Post-regeneration
Channel 4's bottom 20 places would probably have performed better had their long-term potential been considered. The regeneration taking place in many of these areas will boost employment, improve transport facilities and enhance the local environment. This will undoubtedly improve the quality of life afforded by these areas.
A £100 million investment project in Hull, for eaxmple, will reunite the waterfront with the city centre - incorporating the creation of a new business and trade district and luxury residential apartments. Middlesbrough's Middlehaven development project is set to create 3,000 jobs and 2,400 new houses over the next 20 years.
4. Activity
While the residents of Epsom and Ewell and East Dunbartonshire - two of the best places to live, according to Channel 4 - struggle to find much to do in their local areas, the same can't be said of their 20 worst counterparts. Blue flag beaches in North East Lincolnshire, café culture and shopping in Nottingham, trendy nightlife in Hackney, the music scene in Manchester - there's plenty going on in Channel 4's worst places to live. Plus, Blackpool is still the number one British holiday destination.
5. Diversity
It's the diverse range of people who live in an area that make a place what it is - but Channel 4's best places to live share a homogenous demographic. The worst places, on the other hand, boast a rich mix of ethnic and cultural communities - traditional hotbeds for artistic and creative talent, offering exciting options in entertainment and eating out.
Related articles
The 20 worst places to live
3. Newham
4. Nottingham
7. Islington
9. Mansfield
10. Knowsley
11. Blackpool
12. Hackney
13. Stoke-on-Trent
15. Doncaster
16. Cannock Chase
17. Manchester
18. Haringey
19. Burnley
20. Hartlepool
Source: Channel 4, 2007
Do your own local research
Jock (Dumfries and Galloway), on 17/06/2008 at 14:05
kirkcudbright used to be good to many english now
Mark - Bristol (formerly Gillingham, Kent) (Bristol, City of), on 07/05/2008 at 09:55
There's crime and anti-social behaviour in most towns and cities sadly. The 'Kyle generation' don't know the meaning of the words responsibility and respect and living on benefits has become a lifestyle choice. As for which place is the worst of all? I think Chatham, Kent has to be up there with the worst of them!
Justin (East Riding of Yorkshire), on 29/01/2008 at 14:05
Why is Hull not the worst place to live? I demand a recount.
PAULA (Birmingham), on 11/01/2008 at 20:40
iam moving to Reading in couple weeks but i was wondering to know what people think about this place.
i have been looking on the net and it says that there are lots of crime and violance , young drunk people. Tho in each place there is bad and good.
i live in Birmingham at the moment and there is lots of crime if you looking for it ..
Thanks
Mark (Sheffield) (Rotherham), on 26/11/2007 at 08:54
I was born in Middlesbrough, Lived in on the edge of the north youk moors for 25 years, then commenced my trip around the UK with work... Cardiff, Redcar, Cockermouth and now Sheffield.
My place in Cumbria had basically a zero crime rate, would I stay there...no! too quiet as mentioned. Cardiff, great atmosphere, developing...excellent, Sheffield - Everything you could want on your doorstep and an hour and a half from most places!!
Teesside- 10 minutes from North Yorkshire, good nightlife, good shopping, good links.
All places have downsides and benefits, how would Channel 4 know spending the time they do there??
Skip to comments | Add a comment
Mister Mason (Leeds), on 20/11/2007 at 10:58
You all suck. Leeds win. Full stop.
KAT AND ROSIE (East Lindsey), on 20/11/2007 at 10:53
THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH LIVING IN NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE!!!!!
LOVE KAT AND ROSIE
Ste (Bolton), on 17/11/2007 at 12:47
I really thought this was good, fun tv, which is what it was meant to be. I can't believe how many people get so upset by it. Why do you care what two tv presenters think? The whole point was to get people talking about Channel 4, increase their publicity, etc......and look who's fallen for it.......You know what you're going to get when you turn it on, so why suddenly get outraged? It doesn't make any sense.
What the programme did highlight was how people's values have changed. Years ago, people wanted to be close to friends and family. Now we're more mobile, we look for good schools, hospitals, etc....
I live where I do because my friends and family are here. I wouldn't live anywhere else. many, many friends have moved away to 'start over', and have been miserable, lonely, or found it was pretty much the same as living here!!
The most obvious factor, which most have missed, is that these things will only ever be a bit of fun. My sister loves bringing her children up in Cumbria. I however, would want to bring mine up in a less cut-off part of the country, near a city, so best and worst in meaningless in this sense. Just a bit of fun.
That said, I've been to nicer places than Middlesborough......
Ste (Bolton), on 17/11/2007 at 12:40
I thought it was great, fun, tv, which is what is was meant to be. I'm astonished so many people got upset by it. You know what you're getting before you turn it on, so why be so naive? I can't understand why it means so much to people what two tv presenters think of their town. Why do you care? The whole point was to get people talking about Channel 4, increase publicity etc.....an we've all fallen for it.....
What it does highlight is how society has changed. People move around a lot for work. As a child I moved school 4 times. My cousin has moved 5 or 6 times because of his job. I live where I do because my friends and family are here. I really don't care about all these other factors.
In that sense, a 'best and worst' list will only ever be a bit of fun. My sister loves bringing her children up in Cumbria. I, on the other hand, would never bring my children up in a such a quiet place.
So they can put my home town of Bolton, for example, wherever they like on this list, because when I'm out with my friends of many years later, I really won't be bothered where I am.
total agreement (Rother), on 08/11/2007 at 01:19
Keith wrote:
would kirsty & phil be as smug if they had to live in any of the 10 worst places.All these programmes do is make deprived areas feel more deprived and people who invested there worry about there investment which could lead to less investment.
spot on.
Your comments (72)
› Add a comment