A viral YouTube channel that seeks out the worst places to live in the UK has branded eight Cumbrian locations as depressing and unwelcoming.
The host of the channel Turdtowns visited the county and shared his thoughts on areas he claimed were some of the worst in the region.
In the video – which has amassed 103,000 views – he makes brutal criticisms about the looks, facilities and general atmosphere of the areas that he occasionally follows up with positive remark.
The eight places were ranked by the host, who began the channel last year and has visited dozens of areas across the country. The channel has since had over three million views.
Whitehaven
He claimed that while the town no longer seemed like a haven for anything, there was potential in the area and clear signs people were trying – keeping it at the bottom of his list.
The council was also praised by the YouTuber, who said he thought local government was keen on putting people first and he added that he thought it was not too late for the town to improve.
The positively didn’t last too long however after he slammed the amount of ‘smashed up, wrecked buildings’ that have notices on them claiming they’ll be transformed into something soon.
He added that he hated the ‘luminous caramel diarrhoea sludge’ water in the harbour, which turned orange last year due to pollution, and claimed it was holding the area back.
Wigton
He claimed the strong sense of community in Wigton was where the positives ended.
He also cited some redeeming qualities – it was close to Carlisle, had good transport links and was a cheap place to buy a home.
But he then went on to call the area pointless and dead, with nothing but a Lidl, while slamming the town’s buildings as grimy and miserable.
Wandering the town’s main street, he also claimed that Wigton stank like rotten eggs and said ir was dominated by the industry in the area, which he blamed for the smell.
Bowness-on-Windermere
The host then throws viewers what he called a curveball and highlights Bowness-on-Windermere.
Although it is in the Lake District, he said it felt like being in a city centre and that the town was so jammed with people that you could barely move.
He added: “It’s pretty, but pretty overrated. I can’t imagine how inconvenient it is to live here. The Lake District has far more beautiful places for people to visit. It’s just no parking, traffic jams and expensive everything.”
The town’s isolated nature was also highlighted as a negative and he also claims the area was generally lacking in work.
He said: “Walking around Bowness made me angry. Staring at beautiful multi-million-pound mansions and countless Porche convertibles – I hate Bowness.”
Cleator Moor
Turning his attention to Cleator Moor, he immediately said that it sounded like hillbillies from a horror film lived there.
While he did praise the town’s architecture and stunning grand old buildings he added that he thought they were being wasted and that there was only a Greggs left.
He said that while there was potential based on architecture in the town, it was generally unwelcoming, depressing and lacking in any sort of facilities.
Following up on his assessment, he said he couldn’t wait to leave and added: “The hills do have eyes there and that you won’t last a week.”
Workington
Described as an isolated rough place filled with industry, he said the town was not used to outsiders.
He called the town centre uninspired, but not a mess and claimed there were more charity shops in the town than anywhere else he had been before.
The town was branded as not appealing to look at and a place that people go when they can’t make it to Carlisle and that the general atmosphere made you feel as though you might get punched any second.
He then said it felt like ‘life in a petri dish’ but added that overall, it wasn’t too bad.
Cumbria Crack also gets a mention here as the local media – we assume it is because of our name as he added: “And that’s all you need to know.”
Maryport
Maryport was worse than Workington and Whitehaven in every single way, the video claimed.
He called it a desperate place full of rotting and decaying buildings that line the main street and that he thinks there is no effort for regeneration.
The town’s seagulls are also criticised and called torpedoes – because you can’t eat in peace. Overall, he said it was an unwelcoming place.
Frizington
Frizington – the only village on the list – makes it in at second place.
He also branded it as a desperate kind of place and he said that upon arrival, he immediately wanted to go home and questioned whether his channel was worth it.
He says it was isolated, with no transport links, dilapidated buildings and was generally cold and depressing.
The main street was criticised because it had an overpowering sewage smell and visiting it made you feel like questioning your life decisions.
Barrow
But his top town in Cumbria was Barrow.
He said it was one of the ugliest places he’s ever visited and then wrapped up his video up by criticising the town centre for its empty shops and eerie empty car parks as well as its rough and unwelcoming atmosphere.
What do you think?
The narrator of this video had a whistle-stop tour of the county and the channel’s job is to find areas’ bad points. He does not make mention of the millions of pounds earmarked for regeneration project in Cumbria’s towns and the community spirit the county has and we see on a daily basis.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion – so what do you think? Is he right? Is it unfair?
Cumbria Crack would like to do a top towns list for the county – where would you include?
Let us know! Email [email protected]
