‘I live in the ugliest town in the UK – everybody is completely wrong …
A man who lives in ‘the ugliest town in the UK’ has defended the town and argued for its often missed beauty.
In 1937 the great British poet Sir John Betjeman famously called for “friendly bombs” to fall on Slough, arguing it was “not fit for humans”, had been “messed” up and was full of people with “tinned minds, tinned breath.” He deployed such a fearsome literary dunk on a place he saw as the worst of Britain and its industrialisation.
The poet laureate would come to rue the harshness of his work and, according to his daughter speaking after his death, regretted ever having written it. Regardless, the damage was done. More than eight decades on and Slough is still a byword for rundown middle England.
Last week the Telegraph[1] got in on the action when it named Slough as the ugliest town[2] in the country. “Today the town’s High Street has been rated one of the unhealthiest in the UK for its preponderance of takeaways and lack of leisure facilities, and pound shops colonise the stores that cling on in boxy 20th century shopfronts,” the report read.
Tourists flock to up-and-coming Spanish hotspot to find the beaches are gone[3]
Not everyone is a big fan of Slough (
Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Slough’s harsh critique[4] included a 0/10 rating for shop fronts and a 2/10 score for historic architecture. Its 12/50 overall score is in stark contrast to Lewes in East Sussex, which netted an impressive 46/50, earning it the title of the UK’s prettiest town.
While the Telegraph and Sir John may enjoy giving Slough a kicking, many people who live there love it and believe its reputation as a dull, ugly place fit for a bombing is very out of date.
Matthew Taylor thinks there are “plenty of London suburbs that are far grimmer than Slough”, a place he has loved since moving there in 2005.
“You can be running along the canal path or Jubilee River within five minutes of the town centre. Slough isn’t so dominated by chain stores, there are lots of independent restaurants on the high street,” the architect told the Mirror.
“What really makes slough a place is the people. I’ve never been to place with friendlier people or where I know my neighbours more. There are really nice, decent people who are willing to help you. There are a lot of people who like to bad mouth a place, and if that’s your outlook, then you’re unlikely to respond well to that place.”
Matthew feels that the naysayers like Betjeman are “snobby” and “happy to reap the benefits of industrialization” while not wanting to live where the dirty work is done.”
One of Matthew’s favourite spots is Herschel Park in the town centre, which was formerly the grounds of a grand house and is now home to lots of rare plant species. While Matthew admits the high street in Slough is dying, he notes that isn’t a problem unique to the Berkshire town. He also argues that a lot has changed there since it was most recently put into the national spotlight, as the setting of The office.
“Every single image from the opening scene of The Office is now gone. The office building, the roundabouts, the bus station, the library. Every aspect has been replaced by newer buildings since then, the place is rejuvenating itself.”
Frank O’Kelly moved to Slough after swapping Ireland for the UK in the mid 2000s and now lives with his wife and five kids there.
The Gran Union Canal runs through Slough (
Maureen McLean/REX/Shutterstock)
“Slough has had its challenges. A lot of the well-paid blue-collar jobs have disappeared, replaced by data centres that employ few people. The retail scene has dissolved and the high street has no big brand shops left except for Boots and a couple of other, lesser names. The entertainment in Slough is limited, the cinema is gone and all the pubs in the town centre are now closed. However, it must be realised that the reason all the big-name shops have closed, the reason all the pubs and clubs have shut their doors, is simply because not enough people used them,” he explains honestly.
“The biggest asset Slough has is its diversity. There are more people from more places than I have seen anywhere else in Europe. This is a strength. I have diversity in action in the council where we have a range of voices adding value and insight to each discussion.
“Like a lot of towns, Slough has changed its face. But it still has a lot to offer. It has the best collection of schools in Berkshire, Farnham Road, acts almost like a surrogate high street and has a great vibe. The Road, Rail and Air links are the best in the UK. Windsor is fifteen minutes away and London is a half hour away.”
Frank, who is chair of the town’s Liberal Democrat group on the council, said it is “a great place if you want to get involved in community action and I find most people will do their bit when asked.
“Slough has a lot of problems, and they won’t be solved by central government or by local government, but they can be solved by communities pulling together, supported by local government.”
References
- ^ Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ ugliest town (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Tourists flock to up-and-coming Spanish hotspot to find the beaches are gone (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ harsh critique (www.mirror.co.uk)