The Personality Of Towns & Villages

[merricat]

Perhaps a mix of the 'Spirit of Places' and the people who inhabit them. I'm thinking of how much they influence one another.

I'm struck by how much places can change though. I was born on the rural periphery of a large northern town, the larger part of which has altered incredibly over the duration of my lifetime. Not just the structures and economy, but the personality of the town itself. I spent the last 5 years prior to 2021 living in the South Lakes/Shropshire, and on my return to spend time with my mother before she passed, noticed that the entire character of the place had changed. Naturally, I have accounted for such changes that might be the result of societal/political attitudes and variations, which isn't quite what I'm thinking of here. Those factors at least make sense.

I'm talking about the feel of the place. I had initially noticed these changes in the year leading up to the pandemic, on the few occasions that I had returned to visit. People were visibly slumped; shoulders thrust forward with heads lowered, eyes to the ground. This occurred to me soon after leaving the train station and entering the town centre - a somewhat bleak vision, accompanied by a sensation of gloom, an almost palpable atmosphere of apathy and neglect. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, the people actually even looked grey, drained of colour, as if a light had gone out of them. Many looked to have been 'pushed down', physically, their faces somewhat blank, expressionless.

Much of this could be attributed to a lower standard of living, but having since remained fairly local in order to tidy up some family affairs, the changes have become even more apparent. Hitherto quiet spaces, walks and roads are now perpetually packed out. There's a sort of anger about the place the closer you get to the town centre; a manic sort of energy, a growing restlessness. Everything seems hollowed out, not just the result of shop closures, but possibly due to the rise in aggressive behaviour, lack of maintenance (trash/litter/vandalism) and a steady increase in anti social street drama.

More than anything else I've noticed is the 'rise of noise'. I'm not particularly sensitive to it, but the increase is phenomenal. Largely vehicles - in some parts of the town it can be difficult to hold a conversation both in and outdoors due to extreme vehicle noise which accelerated (if you'll excuse the pun!) quite rapidly during the pandemic and has only become worse since. This is more noticeable in quieter streets as opposed to larger, busier sections of road, and can be quite deafening. The rise in noise has a human and industrial aspect also, which has definitely increased since I was last there. I am currently staying just outside of the area until late January, and you definitely notice the sudden drop off of this odd, disturbing energy when you drive away from the town.

I've asked around a bit, and it seems that I am not alone. Family friends have mentioned shopping elsewhere and avoiding the town altogether even though they live in the borough. It was once a rather bustling place, the town folk being very direct, chatty, optimistic. There is a decidedly unpleasant 'cloak' that seems to have settled over the place, that in a more whimsical moment one might liken to a 'field' of erratic, negative energy. And whilst these observations quite obviously speak of economic depression, there's something else too..... a darkness that has settled in, in which the very landscape seems to have been altered, distorted, emptied out.
I mentioned this a while ago on the forum during a different discussion, that there is a sort of invisible 'line' around these areas that can be felt, that if you step outside of it the weight and depression seems to lift. I had considered looking into the history of the land before it was built upon but nothing of interest popped up. I wonder about which comes first - the personality of the place or the actions of those who shape it? To what extent do they impinge upon/influence one another?

The town once attracted a good amount of visitors and investment, which sadly seems to have become a thing of the past. My own friends have remarked upon the changes when visiting, and have even suggested they felt a physical 'slump' on arrival.

I didn't frequent the area in question when I was growing up but did have friends there as a teenager. Time will, of course, alter the shape and impression of most localities but the difference in this one made quite a profound impression on me.

 

[staticgirl]

That's a very sensitive survey of a changing town. The personalities of places definitely change. I think it has a lot to do with economic changes. I think the centre of Leeds has changed a lot since the 80s. It's almost glamorous.

 

[merricat]

It's something that I struggled to put into words, although it has been forming in my mind for quite some time. Even now I don't feel that I have managed to do it justice, it's such a strange one.

What intrigues me the most is how other people have described these changes as a 'physical' sensation (slump/jolt). I wonder if it is particular to this area or a more common issue..

I'm not at all familiar with Leeds but pleased to hear something positive!

 

[Victory]

London had an equilibrium about it in the mid-1990's.

One knew what each area was like.

One was quite familiar with how people dressed and the way they carried themselves.

There was change too, Docklands in particular,

But though bustling, it was not too crowded, and one could drive around and park with relative ease.

A decade later it had changed, and by 2022 it had massively changed.

It's crowded, hard to drive around and park, splintered into many more communities with parallel lives.

The West End seems far more opulent and less accessible.

There is more choice, yet less integrity.
More chains, less "Mom n Pop" stores.

And in spite of a high building boom which as changed the skyline, there is a housing crisis because so many new builds are out of reach of regular wage earners.

It's got a lot to see a lot to offer, but it's out of balance.

 

[PeteS]

That's a very sensitive survey of a changing town. The personalities of places definitely change. I think it has a lot to do with economic changes. I think the centre of Leeds has changed a lot since the 80s. It's almost glamorous.

I revisited Leeds (where I used to live in the 60's and 70's) 3 years ago having not been back for 30 years or more, but found it very much as I remembered it. Perhaps it did decline a bit in the 80's but quickly recovered. It's neighbour Bradford on the other hand is a poor imitation of it's former self, down largely to as you say economic changes, and also population movements. Totally different atmosphere, but mirrored in most Northern towns and cities.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

I had a shock moving from Exeter to a non-coastal, former mining Cornish town. I had lived near the quay in Exeter with the prestigious Princesshay shopping centre a 10-minute walk through the beautiful Cathedral grounds. Then there was a park full of mature trees and benches and an active residents association meant very little anti-social behaviour. Next was immediate access to the historic quay with its bars, cafes and antiques shops. Then you could walk down the river to the large countryside park and an 8-mile walk along the canal and estuary through wildfowl reserves and past the Powderham Estate deer park until you came across even so much as a village.

Now the nearest park to me has a single bench usually occupied by small-time drug dealers and not a single tree. Shop after shop has closed and the high street is visibly dying. Regular anti-social behaviour from bored teenagers and lots of malnourished blokes in hoodies loitering around either buying or selling drugs. The constant waft of sickly cannabis smoke as you walk home. You can see down into the back yard of the local 'Spoons and I once actually saw a fight at some post-Christening drinks, and yes the baby was still there. It is all down to the loss of well-paid, skilled manufacturing and mining jobs since the 70's that has devastated the 'heartlands' of Cornwall.

There are still plenty of decent people, though. People who still have pride in their Cornish identity. You see it when they all gather for the rugby or the festival days. And yes, I do like it here, the incredibly fresh Atlantic air, the rail and bus connections to the coast and Plymouth and beyond, the superb walking up along the old mining trails in the hills and the far-reaching views. But Doc Martin it ain't.

 

[Endlessly Amazed]

Perhaps a mix of the 'Spirit of Places' and the people who inhabit them. I'm thinking of how much they influence one another.

I'm struck by how much places can change though. I was born on the rural periphery of a large northern town, the larger part of which has altered incredibly over the duration of my lifetime. Not just the structures and economy, but the personality of the town itself. I spent the last 5 years prior to 2021 living in the South Lakes/Shropshire, and on my return to spend time with my mother before she passed, noticed that the entire character of the place had changed. Naturally, I have accounted for such changes that might be the result of societal/political attitudes and variations, which isn't quite what I'm thinking of here. Those factors at least make sense.

I'm talking about the feel of the place. I had initially noticed these changes in the year leading up to the pandemic, on the few occasions that I had returned to visit. People were visibly slumped; shoulders thrust forward with heads lowered, eyes to the ground. This occurred to me soon after leaving the train station and entering the town centre - a somewhat bleak vision, accompanied by a sensation of gloom, an almost palpable atmosphere of apathy and neglect. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, the people actually even looked grey, drained of colour, as if a light had gone out of them. Many looked to have been 'pushed down', physically, their faces somewhat blank, expressionless.

Much of this could be attributed to a lower standard of living, but having since remained fairly local in order to tidy up some family affairs, the changes have become even more apparent. Hitherto quiet spaces, walks and roads are now perpetually packed out. There's a sort of anger about the place the closer you get to the town centre; a manic sort of energy, a growing restlessness. Everything seems hollowed out, not just the result of shop closures, but possibly due to the rise in aggressive behaviour, lack of maintenance (trash/litter/vandalism) and a steady increase in anti social street drama.

More than anything else I've noticed is the 'rise of noise'. I'm not particularly sensitive to it, but the increase is phenomenal. Largely vehicles - in some parts of the town it can be difficult to hold a conversation both in and outdoors due to extreme vehicle noise which accelerated (if you'll excuse the pun!) quite rapidly during the pandemic and has only become worse since. This is more noticeable in quieter streets as opposed to larger, busier sections of road, and can be quite deafening. The rise in noise has a human and industrial aspect also, which has definitely increased since I was last there. I am currently staying just outside of the area until late January, and you definitely notice the sudden drop off of this odd, disturbing energy when you drive away from the town.

I've asked around a bit, and it seems that I am not alone. Family friends have mentioned shopping elsewhere and avoiding the town altogether even though they live in the borough. It was once a rather bustling place, the town folk being very direct, chatty, optimistic. There is a decidedly unpleasant 'cloak' that seems to have settled over the place, that in a more whimsical moment one might liken to a 'field' of erratic, negative energy. And whilst these observations quite obviously speak of economic depression, there's something else too..... a darkness that has settled in, in which the very landscape seems to have been altered, distorted, emptied out.
I mentioned this a while ago on the forum during a different discussion, that there is a sort of invisible 'line' around these areas that can be felt, that if you step outside of it the weight and depression seems to lift. I had considered looking into the history of the land before it was built upon but nothing of interest popped up. I wonder about which comes first - the personality of the place or the actions of those who shape it? To what extent do they impinge upon/influence one another?

The town once attracted a good amount of visitors and investment, which sadly seems to have become a thing of the past. My own friends have remarked upon the changes when visiting, and have even suggested they felt a physical 'slump' on arrival.

I didn't frequent the area in question when I was growing up but did have friends there as a teenager. Time will, of course, alter the shape and impression of most localities but the difference in this one made quite a profound impression on me.

I think you are on to something which is generally not thought about or articulated. I shall munch on this in my head for a while.

 

[merricat]

Had wanted to mull this over for a few days, still finding the subject somewhat difficult to put into words.

A few more items of interest which I might add on to my original post: The town in question appeared to alter completely during a 3-5 year period. It certainly felt quite sudden to me, although I am certain this effect was amplified by my having been absent for so long. Something else of interest - everyone began to look the same, as in very alike, both physically and in their demeanour. I might put this down to most people 'not' travelling out anymore, so they are confined to one or two large stores to procure clothing/haircuts, etc. However, I am not convinced...

There is a characteristic 'walk'; head down, shoulders thrust forward, legs oddly thrown apart with outward facing feet. There's also a sort of side-to-side shifting of the head, only looking up for brief moments, which is reminiscent of how we often shuffle about in very cold weather, yet this isn't weather dependent. This isn't necessarily gender specific, although more pronounced in males. There is very little variation in style or appearance across the board, with similar mannerisms, tones of voice and a tendency to shout or holler regardless the situation. This may sound ridiculous, but I can't recall the last time I heard someone laugh.

These strange evolutions appear to have set in during a short timeframe, which might be why it appears odd to me. In contrast, at least 4 years ago there was still a rather diverse collection of voices, attitudes and behaviours. Clothing has always tended towards the casual/sporty although previously punctuated by what I might call sub groups, sub cultures, or even just subtle variations in style. Now, almost everyone wears black, and the clothing is identical across the board. Compared to where I have been living over the past 5 years (at least) this certainly isn't occurring in every town/locality, and I am not merely comparing urban to village life.
I have considered the economical argument, and agree that it is inescapable, yet something in this particular place feels more like a cultural shift (not that they're mutually exclusive), a mindset, perhaps a wholesale rejection of good vibes. Since the pandemic, the large town centre has become unrecognisable - what was previously (and not that long since) a thriving, busy hub, with visitors from all walks of life (education and professions, cultural backgrounds, etc) has shrunk to a few benches strewn with pitiful addicts and gangs of schoolkids ripping up public property. Most of the cafes shut their awnings and took their outdoor tables and chairs back inside, old phone boxes remain smashed without clean up, and a trend for new casinos on the high street have replaced M&S, Debenhams and Next. Most people steer clear now, but those of us who remember the town as it was before are still a bit stunned by how rapid the changes were. It wasn't a slow decay.

Local government sold out, obviously, and I dare say town planning/housing has contributed to these changes (a lot of troubled families and addicts were placed into homes surrounding the town centre leading up to the pandemic, perhaps a more diverse scattering might have helped?). But what interests me is the cultural shift, which doesn't seem to be the result of growing poverty or lack of access, more a wholesale denial and rejection of what is available, or any inclination to respect, enjoy or preserve it.

Thank you for sharing your own thoughts on the matter. It is a difficult subject to decipher, let alone unpick.

 

[merricat]

I had a shock moving from Exeter to a non-coastal, former mining Cornish town. I had lived near the quay in Exeter with the prestigious Princesshay shopping centre a 10-minute walk through the beautiful Cathedral grounds. Then there was a park full of mature trees and benches and an active residents association meant very little anti-social behaviour. Next was immediate access to the historic quay with its bars, cafes and antiques shops. Then you could walk down the river to the large countryside park and an 8-mile walk along the canal and estuary through wildfowl reserves and past the Powderham Estate deer park until you came across even so much as a village.

Now the nearest park to me has a single bench usually occupied by small-time drug dealers and not a single tree. Shop after shop has closed and the high street is visibly dying. Regular anti-social behaviour from bored teenagers and lots of malnourished blokes in hoodies loitering around either buying or selling drugs. The constant waft of sickly cannabis smoke as you walk home. You can see down into the back yard of the local 'Spoons and I once actually saw a fight at some post-Christening drinks, and yes the baby was still there. It is all down to the loss of well-paid, skilled manufacturing and mining jobs since the 70's that has devastated the 'heartlands' of Cornwall.

There are still plenty of decent people, though. People who still have pride in their Cornish identity. You see it when they all gather for the rugby or the festival days. And yes, I do like it here, the incredibly fresh Atlantic air, the rail and bus connections to the coast and Plymouth and beyond, the superb walking up along the old mining trails in the hills and the far-reaching views. But Doc Martin it ain't.

I experienced something similar after leaving home for the first time - it was something of a shock moving to a busy, urban area after 18 years of farmland and an otherwise sheltered life (sheltered as in never having witnessed the struggle or the hardships of the 80's), and I had only shuffled over to the other side of the borough! I had this wild idea about living in a large city, which didn't last for long.

It never quite leaves you, does it? The connection to those earlier spaces, as if they are embroidered into us, perhaps never quite knowing where the boundary of self and place begins or ends...

 

[ramonmercado]

Had wanted to mull this over for a few days, still finding the subject somewhat difficult to put into words.

A few more items of interest which I might add on to my original post: The town in question appeared to alter completely during a 3-5 year period. It certainly felt quite sudden to me, although I am certain this effect was amplified by my having been absent for so long. Something else of interest - everyone began to look the same, as in very alike, both physically and in their demeanour. I might put this down to most people 'not' travelling out anymore, so they are confined to one or two large stores to procure clothing/haircuts, etc. However, I am not convinced...

There is a characteristic 'walk'; head down, shoulders thrust forward, legs oddly thrown apart with outward facing feet. There's also a sort of side-to-side shifting of the head, only looking up for brief moments, which is reminiscent of how we often shuffle about in very cold weather, yet this isn't weather dependent. This isn't necessarily gender specific, although more pronounced in males. There is very little variation in style or appearance across the board, with similar mannerisms, tones of voice and a tendency to shout or holler regardless the situation. This may sound ridiculous, but I can't recall the last time I heard someone laugh.

These strange evolutions appear to have set in during a short timeframe, which might be why it appears odd to me. In contrast, at least 4 years ago there was still a rather diverse collection of voices, attitudes and behaviours. Clothing has always tended towards the casual/sporty although previously punctuated by what I might call sub groups, sub cultures, or even just subtle variations in style. Now, almost everyone wears black, and the clothing is identical across the board. Compared to where I have been living over the past 5 years (at least) this certainly isn't occurring in every town/locality, and I am not merely comparing urban to village life.
I have considered the economical argument, and agree that it is inescapable, yet something in this particular place feels more like a cultural shift (not that they're mutually exclusive), a mindset, perhaps a wholesale rejection of good vibes. Since the pandemic, the large town centre has become unrecognisable - what was previously (and not that long since) a thriving, busy hub, with visitors from all walks of life (education and professions, cultural backgrounds, etc) has shrunk to a few benches strewn with pitiful addicts and gangs of schoolkids ripping up public property. Most of the cafes shut their awnings and took their outdoor tables and chairs back inside, old phone boxes remain smashed without clean up, and a trend for new casinos on the high street have replaced M&S, Debenhams and Next. Most people steer clear now, but those of us who remember the town as it was before are still a bit stunned by how rapid the changes were. It wasn't a slow decay.

Local government sold out, obviously, and I dare say town planning/housing has contributed to these changes (a lot of troubled families and addicts were placed into homes surrounding the town centre leading up to the pandemic, perhaps a more diverse scattering might have helped?). But what interests me is the cultural shift, which doesn't seem to be the result of growing poverty or lack of access, more a wholesale denial and rejection of what is available, or any inclination to respect, enjoy or preserve it.

Thank you for sharing your own thoughts on the matter. It is a difficult subject to decipher, let alone unpick.

Alien invasion and takeover? I offer this explanation as I saw Stranger Invaders last night, an Invasion Of The Body Snatchers on a town-wide scale. Watchable SF B movie. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086374/

 

[merricat]

Alien invasion and takeover? I offer this explanation as I saw Stranger Invaders last night, an Invasion Of The Body Snatchers on a town-wide scale. Watchable SF B movie. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086374/

Might have a look at that!
And on the subject of, well indeed, it does feel as if something got into the water..

 

[PeteS]

Had wanted to mull this over for a few days, still finding the subject somewhat difficult to put into words.

A few more items of interest which I might add on to my original post: The town in question appeared to alter completely during a 3-5 year period. It certainly felt quite sudden to me, although I am certain this effect was amplified by my having been absent for so long. Something else of interest - everyone began to look the same, as in very alike, both physically and in their demeanour. I might put this down to most people 'not' travelling out anymore, so they are confined to one or two large stores to procure clothing/haircuts, etc. However, I am not convinced...

There is a characteristic 'walk'; head down, shoulders thrust forward, legs oddly thrown apart with outward facing feet. There's also a sort of side-to-side shifting of the head, only looking up for brief moments, which is reminiscent of how we often shuffle about in very cold weather, yet this isn't weather dependent. This isn't necessarily gender specific, although more pronounced in males. There is very little variation in style or appearance across the board, with similar mannerisms, tones of voice and a tendency to shout or holler regardless the situation. This may sound ridiculous, but I can't recall the last time I heard someone laugh.

These strange evolutions appear to have set in during a short timeframe, which might be why it appears odd to me. In contrast, at least 4 years ago there was still a rather diverse collection of voices, attitudes and behaviours. Clothing has always tended towards the casual/sporty although previously punctuated by what I might call sub groups, sub cultures, or even just subtle variations in style. Now, almost everyone wears black, and the clothing is identical across the board. Compared to where I have been living over the past 5 years (at least) this certainly isn't occurring in every town/locality, and I am not merely comparing urban to village life.
I have considered the economical argument, and agree that it is inescapable, yet something in this particular place feels more like a cultural shift (not that they're mutually exclusive), a mindset, perhaps a wholesale rejection of good vibes. Since the pandemic, the large town centre has become unrecognisable - what was previously (and not that long since) a thriving, busy hub, with visitors from all walks of life (education and professions, cultural backgrounds, etc) has shrunk to a few benches strewn with pitiful addicts and gangs of schoolkids ripping up public property. Most of the cafes shut their awnings and took their outdoor tables and chairs back inside, old phone boxes remain smashed without clean up, and a trend for new casinos on the high street have replaced M&S, Debenhams and Next. Most people steer clear now, but those of us who remember the town as it was before are still a bit stunned by how rapid the changes were. It wasn't a slow decay.

Local government sold out, obviously, and I dare say town planning/housing has contributed to these changes (a lot of troubled families and addicts were placed into homes surrounding the town centre leading up to the pandemic, perhaps a more diverse scattering might have helped?). But what interests me is the cultural shift, which doesn't seem to be the result of growing poverty or lack of access, more a wholesale denial and rejection of what is available, or any inclination to respect, enjoy or preserve it.

Thank you for sharing your own thoughts on the matter. It is a difficult subject to decipher, let alone unpick.

I think you only have to look at cine films of towns and cities in the UK in the 50's and 60's to see how things have changed. Not only the appearance of people themselves, but their behaviour and surroundings. I would say the difference between then and now is much greater than what you see in such films from the very early 20th century to the 50's.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

I think you only have to look at cine films of towns and cities in the UK in the 50's and 60's to see how things have changed. Not only the appearance of people themselves, but their behaviour and surroundings. I would say the difference between then and now is much greater than what you see in such films from the very early 20th century to the 50's.

I feel the motor car had a lot to do with this. In return for personal freedom and mobility, old social and transport networks were lost and people became less connected to their neighbourhoods and more reliant on their workplaces for social networks. Towns and cities were often detrimentally remodelled to cope with the increasing traffic and so many villages that were once almost self-sufficient became dormitories with a single convenience store and maybe a pub. Looks at most small towns nowadays, everything is centred around traffic and parking, out-of-town supermarkets have killed the high streets and the pub is a Wetherspoons. People rarely exchange greetings in the street and many neighbours are strangers to each other.

Towns like Totnes that have fought against this homogenisation and still have a bustling high-street full of independent shops and cafes unfortunately become a magnet to down-sizers from London and the home counties and as a result property prices sky rocket and the actual locals are forced out (I know, I've lived there).

 

[merricat]

Towns like Totnes that have fought against this homogenisation and still have a bustling high-street full of independent shops and cafes unfortunately become a magnet to down-sizers from London and the home counties and as a result property prices sky rocket and the actual locals are forced out (I know, I've lived there).

Similarly Ludlow (Shropshire) and Kendal (Cumbria), both seemingly thriving towns that resisted the onslaught of high street over-branding. They certainly have managed to preserve their original 'market town' authenticity... to a point. However, having lived in both I do believe that the cracks are beginning to show somewhat as the affordable and unaffordable areas sit uneasily side by side. I lived in Ambleside for a while and there is most definitely a seething tension boiling away beneath the cosy glamour of Wordsworth/Beatrix Potter twee.

Larger, ex industrial towns in the North West are evidently struggling, some having become unrecognisable to me within the last 15 or so years. There's something homogenous about them, in the sense that I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other nowadays, especially the dying high streets littered with casino's, fast food joints and betting shops. I suspect there's very little to actually do in most of these places, now.

I am struck by how many male youths are out in packs, roaming the streets and taking over previously quiet spaces (what might once have been local beauty spots), wrecking or setting fire to seating areas and new trees. Refuse is piling up alongside the canals in some areas - I took a train to Manchester last year and witnessed a slurry of trash along the embankments as we approached Bolton which stretched on for at least a mile. A phenomenal eyesore, reminiscent of a Mumbai slum. It certainly didn't look like that 10 years ago.

These places remind me of a line in the original Wonka film: "Nobody ever goes in, Nobody ever comes out". There's nothing to do, nowhere to go, and most young people have never had anything to even compare it with.

You don't see so many girls out and about all that often now, in the town I mentioned in my OP. The only local amenities that remain are a football stadium and a gym. There's a very tangible sort of 'violence' in the air, punctuated by the rattling, explosive impact of modded vehicles and off road bikes. Spend enough time there and you might never hear what we might call a pleasant noise for months on end (no laughter, smiling, only shouting, swearing, screaming, smashing and banging). Sadly this is no exaggeration.
Not sure what to make of any of this, but what strikes me the most if how everyone looks exactly the same. I don't think there's even a slight variation in clothing, hairstyles or speech patterns within the entire borough.

Edit to add: With regards to increasing traffic, even the residential areas are crammed (not to mention deafeningly loud). The town centre is perpetually gridlocked. This certainly isn't helping the general mood for either drivers or pedestrians. Very few cycle/walkways available, too.

And a general PS: I feel that I ought to add here that I am strictly referring to the areas in and around the town centre. I am aware that there are some very lovely, active forum members here who hail from in and around the borough, so do not wish to name or 'shame' the exact location for this reason (I do also wonder if they've noticed the changes...).
I am also aware that there are many pleasant places surrounding the troubled spots, and some wonderful people within it!

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Towns like Totnes that have fought against this homogenisation and still have a bustling high-street full of independent shops and cafes unfortunately become a magnet to down-sizers from London and the home counties and as a result property prices sky rocket and the actual locals are forced out (I know, I've lived there).

Similarly Ludlow (Shropshire) and Kendal (Cumbria), both seemingly thriving towns that resisted the onslaught of high street over-branding. They certainly have managed to preserve their original 'market town' authenticity... to a point. However, having lived in both I do believe that the cracks are beginning to show somewhat as the affordable and unaffordable areas sit uneasily side by side. I lived in Ambleside for a while and there is most definitely a seething tension boiling away beneath the cosy glamour of Wordsworth/Beatrix Potter twee.

Larger, ex industrial towns in the North West are evidently struggling, some having become unrecognisable to me within the last 15 or so years. There's something homogenous about them, in the sense that I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other nowadays, especially the dying high streets littered with casino's, fast food joints and betting shops. I suspect there's very little to actually do in most of these places, now.

I am struck by how many male youths are out in packs, roaming the streets and taking over previously quiet spaces (what might once have been local beauty spots), wrecking or setting fire to seating areas and new trees. Refuse is piling up alongside the canals in some areas - I took a train to Manchester last year and witnessed a slurry of trash along the embankments as we approached Bolton which stretched on for at least a mile. A phenomenal eyesore, reminiscent of a Mumbai slum. It certainly didn't look like that 10 years ago.

These places remind me of a line in the original Wonka film: "Nobody ever goes in, Nobody ever comes out". There's nothing to do, nowhere to go, and most young people have never had anything to even compare it with.

You don't see so many girls out and about all that often now, in the town I mentioned in my OP. The only local amenities that remain are a football stadium and a gym. There's a very tangible sort of 'violence' in the air, punctuated by the rattling, explosive impact of modded vehicles and off road bikes. Spend enough time there and you might never hear what we might call a pleasant noise for months on end (no laughter, smiling, only shouting, swearing, screaming, smashing and banging). Sadly this is no exaggeration.
Not sure what to make of any of this, but what strikes me the most if how everyone looks exactly the same. I don't think there's even a slight variation in clothing, hairstyles or speech patterns within the entire borough.

Edit to add: With regards to increasing traffic, even the residential areas are crammed (not to mention deafeningly loud). The town centre is perpetually gridlocked. This certainly isn't helping the general mood for either drivers or pedestrians. Very few cycle/walkways available, too.

And a general PS: I feel that I ought to add here that I am strictly referring to the areas in and around the town centre. I am aware that there are some very lovely, active forum members here who hail from in and around the borough, so do not wish to name or 'shame' the exact location for this reason (I do also wonder if they've noticed the changes...).
I am also aware that there are many pleasant places surrounding the troubled spots, and some wonderful people within it!

Like another poster, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have grown up in rural Devon in the 70s and 80s within a relatively affluent family and had to freedom to play in the woods and fields. I can't imagine growing up on a soulless, urban sprawl of estates where the only green spaces are covered in dog mess, trees are vandalised and litter thrown everywhere. Even local patches of woodland are devoid of scrub, spring flowers and wildlife due to excessive footfall and trail bike riding etc.

I experienced a few months living in central Bristol in various AirBnbs whilst a mature student and whilst there was clearly local neighbourhoods and some pride in the upkeep of parks etc there was also a constant 'young males in hoodies' undercurrent, with drug dealing going on everywhere and every surface covered in graffiti (the worst aspect of Bristol, it's not 'street art' it is an anti-social eyesore). Abandoned and decrepit ex-ambulances and other vehicles littered quiet corners and green spaces. But for me the hardest part fo living there was the lack of a green horizon. Yes, you could go up to a small, high green area above St Werberghs (an old railway embankment) and look out over Bristol, but it was just a sea of grey, terraced houses without a green hill in sight.

Life in Cornwall it is all sunshine and smiles, house prices and rental prices are far too high because of second homes and AirBnB and there has been decades of chronic underinvestment, especially in the transport infrastructure (yesterday the train line from Cornwall to Exeter was cut off again, this time by flooding, that isn't allowed to happen between Brighton and London). But as a colleague who lives in Padstow said to me recently, the second home owners might be arrogant and charge thoughtlessly through the narrow streets in oversized SUVs, but at least they have stopped the place becoming a rundown sh*thole like so many other seaside towns, and he has a good point.

 

[kesavaross]

(yesterday the train line from Cornwall to Exeter was cut off again, this time by flooding, that isn't allowed to happen between Brighton and London).

I only wish that was true. The service between Brighton and London is frequently somewhere between crap and totally crap.

 

[merricat]

Like another poster, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have grown up in rural Devon in the 70s and 80s within a relatively affluent family and had to freedom to play in the woods and fields. I can't imagine growing up on a soulless, urban sprawl of estates where the only green spaces are covered in dog mess, trees are vandalised and litter thrown everywhere. Even local patches of woodland are devoid of scrub, spring flowers and wildlife due to excessive footfall and trail bike riding etc.

I experienced a few months living in central Bristol in various AirBnbs whilst a mature student and whilst there was clearly local neighbourhoods and some pride in the upkeep of parks etc there was also a constant 'young males in hoodies' undercurrent, with drug dealing going on everywhere and every surface covered in graffiti (the worst aspect of Bristol, it's not 'street art' it is an anti-social eyesore). Abandoned and decrepit ex-ambulances and other vehicles littered quiet corners and green spaces. But for me the hardest part fo living there was the lack of a green horizon. Yes, you could go up to a small, high green area above St Werberghs (an old railway embankment) and look out over Bristol, but it was just a sea of grey, terraced houses without a green hill in sight.

Life in Cornwall it is all sunshine and smiles, house prices and rental prices are far too high because of second homes and AirBnB and there has been decades of chronic underinvestment, especially in the transport infrastructure (yesterday the train line from Cornwall to Exeter was cut off again, this time by flooding, that isn't allowed to happen between Brighton and London). But as a colleague who lives in Padstow said to me recently, the second home owners might be arrogant and charge thoughtlessly through the narrow streets in oversized SUVs, but at least they have stopped the place becoming a rundown sh*thole like so many other seaside towns, and he has a good point.

The sea of concrete and graffiti - Industrialisation, I suppose, and it's 'aftermath' never having been reorganised, maintained or even thought about. The similarity of such places, predictably populated with bland corporate box stores situated on out of town industrial complexes (Next/Matalan/Range/B&Q) give me the shivers. Not quite the food deserts of America, but alarmingly similar. Unable to locate fresh food locally creates even more congestion on the roads.

The areas untouched by this 'deadening' are highly sought after, and as you say thoroughly inaccessible to lower income, younger families (or anyone, for that matter).
I wonder if the contrast feels more pronounced if we didn't grow up with it?
I think that I definitely do feel more sensitive/alert to it due to coming from outside of it.

That said, I still wonder about how cultural attitudes have evolved to adapt to it. I used to travel from Windermere to Manchester occasionally on the train, and a familiar passenger would often complain loudly into his phone about how boring and awful the Lake District was. Sure, it isn't everyone's cup of tea, and it's hardly the epicentre of British culture, but the way he described his unhappiness made me think that he would have loved to live in the town in my OP.
I do think, accessibility aside, that many people tend to gravitate towards what suits them. Admittedly there are people who's lives are marked by generational poverty, neglect and abuse who never stood a chance, but on the whole, I don't know..
The guy on the train lived close to Troutbeck Bridge (he chatted to us once or twice), very close to lake Windermere. He'd dreamt of being able to afford to move to Preston for most of his life.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

I only wish that was true. The service between Brighton and London is frequently somewhere between crap and totally crap.

Fair point But in the event of the route being closed you do have alternatives eg going via Hastings then up to London. Our alternative route between Exeter and Plymouth via Okehampton is open to passengers for two-thirds of the route by the government refuses to reopen the missing link.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

The sea of concrete and graffiti - Industrialisation, I suppose, and it's 'aftermath' never having been reorganised, maintained or even thought about. The similarity of such places, predictably populated with bland corporate box stores situated on out of town industrial complexes (Next/Matalan/Range/B&Q) give me the shivers. Not quite the food deserts of America, but alarmingly similar. Unable to locate fresh food locally creates even more congestion on the roads.

The areas untouched by this 'deadening' are highly sought after, and as you say thoroughly inaccessible to lower income, younger families (or anyone, for that matter).
I wonder if the contrast feels more pronounced if we didn't grow up with it?
I think that I definitely do feel more sensitive/alert to it due to coming from outside of it.

That said, I still wonder about how cultural attitudes have evolved to adapt to it. I used to travel from Windermere to Manchester occasionally on the train, and a familiar passenger used to complain loudly into his phone about how boring and awful the Lake District was. Sure, it isn't everyone's cup of tea, and it's hardly the epicentre of British culture, but the way he described his unhappiness made me think that he would have loved to live in the town in my OP.
I do think, accessibility aside, that many people tend to gravitate towards what suits them. Admittedly there are people who's lives are marked by generational poverty, neglect and abuse who never stood a chance, but on the whole, I don't know..
The guy on the train lived close to Troutbeck Bridge (he chatted to us once or twice), very close to lake Windermere. He'd dreamt of being able to afford to move to Preston for most of his life.

Teenagers of my generation almost universally found village life boring and yearned for the principal town of a region or the cities; employment, flats for rent, takeaways, pubs and nightclubs etc… Then later in life (often when they had children of their own) they looked to move to more rural locations again, or at least attractive, edge-of-suburbs locations.

With a lot more people going to university nowadays they get a taste of the big cities whilst still having an attachment to the family home.

Also, some of my hosts absolutely loved living in Bristol, so it’s all a matter of personal opinion and I’m sure a much nicer place than a depressed former northern mill town.

Here in Cornwall the high street of my town is blighted by empty shops and an abandoned pub/hotel. Someone has bought this eyesore abandoned pub/hotel to turn it into flats, which is brilliant news, providing both much needed accommodation and a new use for what is a character building. But the Council are insisting the ground floor is used for commercial purposes. This is just ridiculous, the age of the high street shop is over and it is never coming back to such towns up and down the country, just too little, too late.

 

[merricat]

True, there's definitely a vast difference between urban and depressed urban.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

True, there's definitely a vast difference between urban and depressed urban.

Yes, even within Bristol I a brief stay in posh Clifton and two areas not so far away that had busy organic meat & veg shops, supermarket convenience stores selling fresh fruit and veg, community hubs, access to green spaces and great transport links (you get the picture). But then about half a mile in the other direction it was shuttered houses, squats and a high street of takeaways and kebab shops.

 

[bugmum]

Teenagers of my generation almost universally found village life boring and yearned for the principal town of a region or the cities; employment, flats for rent, takeaways, pubs and nightclubs etc… Then later in life (often when they had children of their own) they looked to move to more rural locations again, or at least attractive, edge-of-suburbs locations.

With a lot more people going to university nowadays they get a taste of the big cities whilst still having an attachment to the family home.

Also, some of my hosts absolutely loved living in Bristol, so it’s all a matter of personal opinion and I’m sure a much nicer place than a depressed former northern mill town.

Here in Cornwall the high street of my town is blighted by empty shops and an abandoned pub/hotel. Someone has bought this eyesore abandoned pub/hotel to turn it into flats, which is brilliant news, providing both much needed accommodation and a new use for what is a character building. But the Council are insisting the ground floor is used for commercial purposes. This is just ridiculous, the age of the high street shop is over and it is never coming back to such towns up and down the country, just too little, too late.

Exeter High Street isn't faring much better, @Paul_Exeter . Since the Royal Clarence burnt down pre-Covid it's been an eyesore on the Cathedral Green, and will never be a hotel again. Conversely developers are turning the old House of Frasers on the High Street into a hotel. But the big purpose-built Debenhams in Princesshay is empty, and there are plenty of hollow echoing commercial units to be found...

 

[Austin Popper]

I grew up in small towns, usually a county seat, with a prosperous business climate and decent schools. That's the sort of place Ms Popper and I hope to find after we retire, but who knows where that might be and even if we could afford it. We're pretty well fixed for retirement, but the second homes and Air B&B stuff has had an awful effect all over Colorado. Right now, we're taking advantage of the low home prices that were still just barely available in the San Luis Valley a few years ago. We moved in a few weeks before the Covid shutdown, and we still hardly know anyone but our closest neighbors. This place is an example of the boom and bust nature of the American west, or the US in general. Where I sit was probably just inside a hardware store 100 years ago, in a line of businesses up and down a bustling main street two blocks from the railroad station. Now we have one of the two houses on that street, the other being a hotel that has been converted to a private home. There's little but rubble and some foundations left of the former district.

Interesting thread! I've long been fascinated by the different personalities that various places have. I saw many different places in my years as a bus driver, visiting 48 states, the D of C, and several Canadian provinces in the five or so years I did that job. Mostly we passed through, getting the briefest look at any one place, but not always. Different areas certainly do have different "feel", and the populations do often behave in characteristic ways that are surprisingly consistent. Much of the Southwest has a calm about it that I associate with Native American places. It's hard to put into words, but out of the frantic cities and deep in the mountains one can usually find it. I lived in Summit County, Colorado for a couple of winters and one beautiful summer. I've always gotten the strong feeling that it has been a peaceful place for the entire history of its being inhabited. I still like going back there, even though it now seems to be completely covered with a "protective layer of condos" and ski lifts, to paraphrase Dave Barry. Normal people can no longer afford to live there. It has been Aspenized, with those condos costing a million dollars in the places we ski bums used to inhabit.

The Vail area has a personality, and it's an ugly one. People are often surly or just uncommunicative, and get upset if someone accidentally parks in the "wrong" place. It's full on race to the bottom, and a very sad thing in a lovely alpine environment.

One of the more interesting experiences I've had along those lines involved a Spring Concert Tour I did, with a Christian college's bell choir and vocal choir. We toured around several states for two full weeks, with the choirs giving a concert each night. Typically, we would pull into a church parking lot, to be greeted by friendly members of the flock welcoming the students. My responsibilities officially ended with opening the cargo doors so the kids could unload and get ready for the concert, at which time I was free to go and seek my own lodging for the night. I liked them, and they were talented, so I'd help them schlep their stuff into the building, and often stay for the performance.

Every church was different though. At one place, no one could be arsed to be there on time to unlock the building, and when people did finally show up, they were not particularly friendly and didn't go out of their way to help with anything. Other groups would welcome us like long lost relatives. There was one church where no one seemed to be able to have any sort of conversation anywhere other than in the middle of a busy doorway. Weird. The best one, though, was in Branson, Missouri. After the performance, which received fairly weak applause (presumably because the locals were spoiled by having big time celebrities performing on every corner), it was time to "pass the hat" for donations to the college. I heard the ripping sound of a velcro-secured wallet opening, not exactly rare at the time, but it was soon followed by crescendo of velcro opening sounds. Rural Missourians are well known as tightwads, and they seem to mean to avoid any accidental spending by keeping their wallets lashed securely. That was fairly early in our tour, and I listened for the velcro sound at every show after, and it was one or two people at the most, often none.

 

[merricat]

I grew up in small towns, usually a county seat, with a prosperous business climate and decent schools. That's the sort of place Ms Popper and I hope to find after we retire, but who knows where that might be and even if we could afford it. We're pretty well fixed for retirement, but the second homes and Air B&B stuff has had an awful effect all over Colorado. Right now, we're taking advantage of the low home prices that were still just barely available in the San Luis Valley a few years ago. We moved in a few weeks before the Covid shutdown, and we still hardly know anyone but our closest neighbors. This place is an example of the boom and bust nature of the American west, or the US in general. Where I sit was probably just inside a hardware store 100 years ago, in a line of businesses up and down a bustling main street two blocks from the railroad station. Now we have one of the two houses on that street, the other being a hotel that has been converted to a private home. There's little but rubble and some foundations left of the former district.

Interesting thread! I've long been fascinated by the different personalities that various places have. I saw many different places in my years as a bus driver, visiting 48 states, the D of C, and several Canadian provinces in the five or so years I did that job. Mostly we passed through, getting the briefest look at any one place, but not always. Different areas certainly do have different "feel", and the populations do often behave in characteristic ways that are surprisingly consistent. Much of the Southwest has a calm about it that I associate with Native American places. It's hard to put into words, but out of the frantic cities and deep in the mountains one can usually find it. I lived in Summit County, Colorado for a couple of winters and one beautiful summer. I've always gotten the strong feeling that it has been a peaceful place for the entire history of its being inhabited. I still like going back there, even though it now seems to be completely covered with a "protective layer of condos" and ski lifts, to paraphrase Dave Barry. Normal people can no longer afford to live there. It has been Aspenized, with those condos costing a million dollars in the places we ski bums used to inhabit.

The Vail area has a personality, and it's an ugly one. People are often surly or just uncommunicative, and get upset if someone accidentally parks in the "wrong" place. It's full on race to the bottom, and a very sad thing in a lovely alpine environment.

One of the more interesting experiences I've had along those lines involved a Spring Concert Tour I did, with a Christian college's bell choir and vocal choir. We toured around several states for two full weeks, with the choirs giving a concert each night. Typically, we would pull into a church parking lot, to be greeted by friendly members of the flock welcoming the students. My responsibilities officially ended with opening the cargo doors so the kids could unload and get ready for the concert, at which time I was free to go and seek my own lodging for the night. I liked them, and they were talented, so I'd help them schlep their stuff into the building, and often stay for the performance.

Every church was different though. At one place, no one could be arsed to be there on time to unlock the building, and when people did finally show up, they were not particularly friendly and didn't go out of their way to help with anything. Other groups would welcome us like long lost relatives. There was one church where no one seemed to be able to have any sort of conversation anywhere other than in the middle of a busy doorway. Weird. The best one, though, was in Branson, Missouri. After the performance, which received fairly weak applause (presumably because the locals were spoiled by having big time celebrities performing on every corner), it was time to "pass the hat" for donations to the college. I heard the ripping sound of a velcro-secured wallet opening, not exactly rare at the time, but it was soon followed by crescendo of velcro opening sounds. Rural Missourians are well known as tightwads, and they seem to mean to avoid any accidental spending by keeping their wallets lashed securely. That was fairly early in our tour, and I listened for the velcro sound at every show after, and it was one or two people at the most, often none.

Thank you for sharing such a vivid and colourful description. I would love to visit many of these places

 

[kesavaross]

I live in Brighton on the south coast of the uk. When I moved here 30 odd years ago it was home to the weird, the wonderfull, the eccentric, and the down right peculiar. Anything went here. People were incredibly tolerant of others and the whole place had a vibrant and happy feel about it. It was home to the unusual and generally a very peaceful place with no fear about being out in the town at night. It was the UK home of the gays and the gay bars and pubs. Many famous people lived here because they got ignored where ever they went.

30 years on. The place is now a graffitied shit hole, and by graffitied, I mean graffitied everywhere, and a dump of street rubbish where ever you go. The town centre is not a safe place at night time and the stabbings are weekly. The shops have changed. Gone are the quirky, weird and unusual. It's all Costas, Starbucks, KFC, etc. Huge building are going up everywhere on a massive scale that is shocking. Whole areas are being torn down to make way for these tower blocks that are something like a film from the future. The town is one big building site. Nail shops, barbers, coffee shops and chicken and shit chip shops are turning up everywhere.

I used to like living here, not anymore. I guess the same story can be said the whole country over to one degree or another.

 

[Cloudbusting]

... And a general PS: I feel that I ought to add here that I am strictly referring to the areas in and around the town centre. I am aware that there are some very lovely, active forum members here who hail from in and around the borough, so do not wish to name or 'shame' the exact location for this reason (I do also wonder if they've noticed the changes...).
I am also aware that there are many pleasant places surrounding the troubled spots, and some wonderful people within it!

I'm so intrigued about this location! (being very familiar with the North myself) I'm curious whether I feel the same way about this place. As a side note, the last time I went to York it felt quite different, in part due to the economic impact of the pandemic I think.

 

[Tempest63]

I live in Brighton on the south coast of the uk. When I moved here 30 odd years ago it was home to the weird, the wonderfull, the eccentric, and the down right peculiar. Anything went here. People were incredibly tolerant of others and the whole place had a vibrant and happy feel about it. It was home to the unusual and generally a very peaceful place with no fear about being out in the town at night. It was the UK home of the gays and the gay bars and pubs. Many famous people lived here because they got ignored where ever they went.

30 years on. The place is now a graffitied shit hole, and by graffitied, I mean graffitied everywhere, and a dump of street rubbish where ever you go. The town centre is not a safe place at night time and the stabbings are weekly. The shops have changed. Gone are the quirky, weird and unusual. It's all Costas, Starbucks, KFC, etc. Huge building are going up everywhere on a massive scale that is shocking. Whole areas are being torn down to make way for these tower blocks that are something like a film from the future. The town is one big building site. Nail shops, barbers, coffee shops and chicken and shit chip shops are turning up everywhere.

I used to like living here, not anymore. I guess the same story can be said the whole country over to one degree or another.

Our town is slowly being taken over by betting shops, charity shops and barbers shops.
All our quirky and individual businesses are gone, from the tack shop to the old “been here forever” hardware shop.
A couple of electrical repair shops at different ends of the town where you could take anything to be repaired have both closed, meaning that your broken Electrical’s now get chucked or go into the recycling rather than continue in use.
RIP the British high street.

 

[Who me]

Hmm I know what you mean about the youths in packs and litter graffiti etc .
My little town had a couple of (problem) families dumped on it in quite a nice council estate and they spread misery and nastiness like a canker from where they lived.The two older lads were dealing drugs right from the start and of course all the younger meatheads had to copy how they dressed and there attitude.

 

[Austin Popper]

Hmm I know what you mean about the youths in packs and litter graffiti etc .
My little town had a couple of (problem) families dumped on it in quite a nice council estate and they spread misery and nastiness like a canker from where they lived.The two older lads were dealing drugs right from the start and of course all the younger meatheads had to copy how they dressed and there attitude.

Reminds me of a story my dad told me long ago, about a town that several of his fishing buddies lived in. There was one of those problem families causing all sorts of trouble and misery, so the town government and some prominent citizens got together to do something about it. The story goes that they bought a house in another town, and traded it to the family for the rathole they owned. Then they had the fire department burn down the nasty place. Of course, the people in the town the family moved to were not amused, and feuding erupted. What a legacy to leave behind!

 

[KenOwl]

Perhaps a mix of the 'Spirit of Places' and the people who inhabit them. I'm thinking of how much they influence one another.

I'm struck by how much places can change though. I was born on the rural periphery of a large northern town, the larger part of which has altered incredibly over the duration of my lifetime. Not just the structures and economy, but the personality of the town itself. I spent the last 5 years prior to 2021 living in the South Lakes/Shropshire, and on my return to spend time with my mother before she passed, noticed that the entire character of the place had changed. Naturally, I have accounted for such changes that might be the result of societal/political attitudes and variations, which isn't quite what I'm thinking of here. Those factors at least make sense.

I'm talking about the feel of the place. I had initially noticed these changes in the year leading up to the pandemic, on the few occasions that I had returned to visit. People were visibly slumped; shoulders thrust forward with heads lowered, eyes to the ground. This occurred to me soon after leaving the train station and entering the town centre - a somewhat bleak vision, accompanied by a sensation of gloom, an almost palpable atmosphere of apathy and neglect. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, the people actually even looked grey, drained of colour, as if a light had gone out of them. Many looked to have been 'pushed down', physically, their faces somewhat blank, expressionless.

Much of this could be attributed to a lower standard of living, but having since remained fairly local in order to tidy up some family affairs, the changes have become even more apparent. Hitherto quiet spaces, walks and roads are now perpetually packed out. There's a sort of anger about the place the closer you get to the town centre; a manic sort of energy, a growing restlessness. Everything seems hollowed out, not just the result of shop closures, but possibly due to the rise in aggressive behaviour, lack of maintenance (trash/litter/vandalism) and a steady increase in anti social street drama.

More than anything else I've noticed is the 'rise of noise'. I'm not particularly sensitive to it, but the increase is phenomenal. Largely vehicles - in some parts of the town it can be difficult to hold a conversation both in and outdoors due to extreme vehicle noise which accelerated (if you'll excuse the pun!) quite rapidly during the pandemic and has only become worse since. This is more noticeable in quieter streets as opposed to larger, busier sections of road, and can be quite deafening. The rise in noise has a human and industrial aspect also, which has definitely increased since I was last there. I am currently staying just outside of the area until late January, and you definitely notice the sudden drop off of this odd, disturbing energy when you drive away from the town.

I've asked around a bit, and it seems that I am not alone. Family friends have mentioned shopping elsewhere and avoiding the town altogether even though they live in the borough. It was once a rather bustling place, the town folk being very direct, chatty, optimistic. There is a decidedly unpleasant 'cloak' that seems to have settled over the place, that in a more whimsical moment one might liken to a 'field' of erratic, negative energy. And whilst these observations quite obviously speak of economic depression, there's something else too..... a darkness that has settled in, in which the very landscape seems to have been altered, distorted, emptied out.
I mentioned this a while ago on the forum during a different discussion, that there is a sort of invisible 'line' around these areas that can be felt, that if you step outside of it the weight and depression seems to lift. I had considered looking into the history of the land before it was built upon but nothing of interest popped up. I wonder about which comes first - the personality of the place or the actions of those who shape it? To what extent do they impinge upon/influence one another?

The town once attracted a good amount of visitors and investment, which sadly seems to have become a thing of the past. My own friends have remarked upon the changes when visiting, and have even suggested they felt a physical 'slump' on arrival.

I didn't frequent the area in question when I was growing up but did have friends there as a teenager. Time will, of course, alter the shape and impression of most localities but the difference in this one made quite a profound impression on me.

This is something I've often thought about as I frequently travel to the sort of post industrial towns that I grew up in. The most striking thing is how unhealthy people look, both physically and mentally.

I tend to think it's a combination of post industrial decline and a succession of neo liberal governments. When I was leaving school the careers visits were to local engineering companies, which were regarded as secure, but would be wiped out within a decade. Well educated youngsters now move to areas with stronger economies. I think a lot of people feel generally "let down" by that reality.

The parallel decline of the municipal community shouldn't be underestimated. Back in the day there were numerous social and sports facilities provided by local councils and aforementioned local companies. There's very little left of that now and I think it contributes to a decline in "local pride" in the population.

I also agree with the point above about the domination of the private car, which has resulted in the hollowing out of town centres and making towns and cities a less healthy and more hostile place to live. Not to mention it's another reflection of the individualism that has replaced any sense of community.