The Hampshire district of Rushmoor, which includes Aldershot, Farnborough and the surrounding towns and villages, has been named the worst place to live in the UK
Aldershot in Rushmoor, a bitterly cold and grey town devoid of the usual hustle and bustle, has been named as the worst place to live in Britain.
This title was bestowed upon the Hampshire district by the Sunday Times after an analysis that took into account factors such as local crime rates – which are nearly 50 per cent higher than the rest of the South East in Aldershot – Ofsted school ratings showing two local schools as inadequate and one requiring improvement, and NHS waiting times that are among the worst in the country.
George, an 80-year-old retired builder and gardener said: “It’s so run down.” As a resident of Ash for 70 years, George lives adjacent to the town that has been a proud base for the British Army for over a century, reports the Express.
Do you agree with the rankings? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Adjacent to the café is an empty plot, once home to The Galleries shopping centre. It was razed as part of a plan to construct flats, leaving a gaping void in the formerly vibrant town centre. With construction looming, security barriers conceal the desolate scene. “How can you demolish a building that’s stood for 20 years just to build another in its place? ” questioned George. “It’s money wasted.”
Clad in a purple coat to fend off the chill, local resident June Hood, 80, echoed George’s sorrow over the area’s decline. “It’s dreadful,” she declared. The retired chef, residing in nearby Ash Vale, fondly recalls the town’s past glory. She shares: “I miss it so much. Marks and Spencer and Woolworths. There used to be Army people. The soldiers would always look smart. Now there’s nothing. They’re all down and out. People sit in the doorways with fried chicken boxes and cans of beer.”
Established in 1854 when the then War Department purchased a large tract of land near what was then the small village of Aldershot, it has long been recognised as the home of the British Army.
Aldershot Garrison may be bustling, but it’s a mystery whether the soldiers are shunning the town due to its perceived downturn, staying low-key for security reasons, or if their hangout habits have evolved over time. Regardless, locals agree on one thing: the town needs more shops.
A 70-year-old resident who has called Aldershot home since 1972, bluntly stated: “Get some shops in here.” He referred to the nearby Wellington Shopping Centre as “empty” and cites the recent shutdown of the local Wilko as proof of the subpar facilities. “You can’t buy the essentials that you need here anymore. There’s no shoe shop here; that’s gone.”
Residents also voiced concerns about the condition of the roads, especially for cyclists. George said: “I cycle sometimes. I’m scared to come out at night. If you don’t know where the holes [in the roads] are, you could kill yourself.”
A local couple added: “It is the worst place. We were going to the charity shop the other day, and there was this bloke outside selling drugs. This has got to be the worst place on Earth. Where are the police to deal with all these drug dealers?”
One of the couple highlighted that despite the town having a large police station, it’s rare to “never see” an officer on duty. However, they have nothing but praise for the local hospital, Frimley Park, which the woman described as “brilliant”.
They did express frustration with the local GP services, stating it’s faster to dial 111 than attempt to secure an appointment at the local surgery. Two surgeries in the vicinity are currently deemed as needing improvement by the Care Quality Commission – a disappointing rating also given to three care homes in the area.
Despite these issues, the couple – who have resided in Aldershot for over three decades – find solace in the local theatre, which they consider a significant asset.
Jimmy Hughes, 75, who has been a local since 1962, pointed to a pub and said: “It was so full of soldiers. Aldershot, it was like Clapham Junction. You look at it now, and it’s all gone. There were two butchers’ shops here – I took my first job in one when I left school. I used to see all the scooters come down here in the 1960s. When I see Aldershot now, it’s completely changed.”
However, not everyone agrees with Rushmoor’s recent low ranking in the Sunday Times survey.
Rushmoor Borough Council leader Cllr Gareth Williams commented: “We didn’t recognise such a negative view of our towns. Both Aldershot and [neighbouring] Farnborough have many great things to celebrate, with strong global investment in Farnborough, the home of British aviation, and Aldershot benefiting from its legacy of military history and a massive sense of community.
“We are proud of the way in which people have welcomed new communities to our towns and of the contributions that they make. Like any busy, urban area we know that local public services, like the police, schools, roads, and health services can be under pressure.
“That’s why when we took over the administration of the council last year, we made a firm commitment to our residents to work with them to improve our towns and communities, and we are delivering that through the development of our strategic priorities that will bring about long-term change.”
