I'm a little disappointed no-one has put Newcastle on here. It is the most beautiful city in the UK, and I travel a lot. It has everything close by, unspoiled natre, the coast, wonderful nightlife
but in terms of towns, I love banchory near aberdeen, It just makes you feel small, the scenery around it is simply breathtaking, I also like StoneHaven, Gosforth in cumbria.
It's had one for several years. It's one of those John Lewis-wannabe Waitrose Food and Homes that sells lots of non-food items. I don't get this "twee" criticism of Cheltenham though - it's got lots of clone town chain stores and it's got loads of scruffy shops down the wrong end of the high street. The tweeness is limited to select areas which are easy to avoid.
My original post was that it's finally got one, when you'd imagine a 'posh' town would've had one for ages.
I don't think it's very twee. The bloody enormous Primark is far from twee. Some of the shops up at Montpellier are more what visitors would expect, I imagine.
Yep all of it, especially the M25, it's just too big, unfriendly, impersonal, too touristy it's just too everything
The M25 runs through the home counties and doesn't touch London.
It's our capital city. You don't want it to be a tiny village with a duck pond do you?
People are unfriendly and impersonal because they are busy trying to get to and from somewhere, probably work, so they can contribute to keeping London as the world's premier financial centre and to generating a GVA per capita which is around double that of the UK average. Perhaps if they'd all slow down and just work 4 hours a day they'd hit the UK average and have time to stop and chat about the weather. Suggest that to Boris maybe?
Tourists love London and bring millions of Pounds, Dollars and Euros with them to spend in the UK. That will only increase as our currency continues to weaken and the BRIC economies continue to grow. We should be glad of that. Maybe you can stop and chat to them next time you visit as they have plenty of time?
I wouldn't rank London as one of the UK's nicest towns but I certainly wouldn't expect a third of the UK population to be in and around it if they shared your view.
Actually, quite a few places people have mentioned are cities...
Yeah, indeed i'd noted that fact too Lol
Also i'm unsure on what basis are we talkig about "Nice towns" ... eg them being "nice as in nice - for historical/beauty reasons"
Or "nice in general with no trouble etc etc" which probably would exclude every Town in the Country these day's ... let alone every City : ) Or may-be even "based" on activities like Theatre/Sport/Cinema and shopping facility's etc?
It's hard to pick many "Nice towns" I think based on life now, but from a guess based on "history/beauty and general nice-ness" i'd put these Towns on my list!:
Skegness
Whitby
Torquay
Withernsea
Beverley
Scunthorpe
Blackpol
Fleetwood
Skipton
Brighton
Driffield
Scarborough
St Annes
Lytham St Annes
Morecambe
Bournemouth
Weymouth
Totnes
Cleethorpes
Great Yarmouth
Huddersfield
Halifax
Towns or cities or both? I am confused - Cambridge is a city.
I can't stand Cambridge for much of the reasons that others have said about Bath. A rubbish city council, even worse county council who can't finish a guided bus scheme, a badly placed retail park and appalling transport. It's too near the fens and too far away from the seaside. Unlike Bath though, we have plenty of Tescos stores - sixteen of them I think on last count and they are all awful, nasty places.
I'd still say Cambridge isn't brilliant based on living there and would say that having visited both Bristol and Bath often, I'd agree that Bristol is better for facilities. Bath reminds me of Saffron Walden in the 90's - loads of chi-chi gift shops but only Waitrose to buy a pint of milk. All fur coat and no practical knickers but it has improved these days a bit.
Totnes and Penzance are great, both have good pubs but I like the honesty of Penzance. Oh and Truro. I have briefly lived in all three but top of the lot is Newcastle my home town.
Comments
I've lived in two of those and visited eight others. I'll try and get around to the other 6. Once I figure out where they are!
but in terms of towns, I love banchory near aberdeen, It just makes you feel small, the scenery around it is simply breathtaking, I also like StoneHaven, Gosforth in cumbria.
Places to avoid London and Birmingham
The whole of it?
My original post was that it's finally got one, when you'd imagine a 'posh' town would've had one for ages.
I don't think it's very twee. The bloody enormous Primark is far from twee. Some of the shops up at Montpellier are more what visitors would expect, I imagine.
Yep all of it, especially the M25, it's just too big, unfriendly, impersonal, too touristy it's just too everything
The M25 is indeed big, unfriendly, impersonal and too touristy but it's hardly typical of London.
Be fair; it's a big motorway. They're not designed to be small and friendly.
The M25 runs through the home counties and doesn't touch London.
It's our capital city. You don't want it to be a tiny village with a duck pond do you?
People are unfriendly and impersonal because they are busy trying to get to and from somewhere, probably work, so they can contribute to keeping London as the world's premier financial centre and to generating a GVA per capita which is around double that of the UK average. Perhaps if they'd all slow down and just work 4 hours a day they'd hit the UK average and have time to stop and chat about the weather. Suggest that to Boris maybe?
Tourists love London and bring millions of Pounds, Dollars and Euros with them to spend in the UK. That will only increase as our currency continues to weaken and the BRIC economies continue to grow. We should be glad of that. Maybe you can stop and chat to them next time you visit as they have plenty of time?
I wouldn't rank London as one of the UK's nicest towns but I certainly wouldn't expect a third of the UK population to be in and around it if they shared your view.
How is lovely Newcastle, by the way?
The M25 isn't usually listed as one of London's tourist attractions either... no wonder our Geordie chum was disappointed
TBH if I drove down and hit the M25 and thought that was London I'd probably turn back North and never return.
Yeah, indeed i'd noted that fact too Lol
Also i'm unsure on what basis are we talkig about "Nice towns" ... eg them being "nice as in nice - for historical/beauty reasons"
Or "nice in general with no trouble etc etc" which probably would exclude every Town in the Country these day's ... let alone every City
Skegness
Whitby
Torquay
Withernsea
Beverley
Scunthorpe
Blackpol
Fleetwood
Skipton
Brighton
Driffield
Scarborough
St Annes
Lytham St Annes
Morecambe
Bournemouth
Weymouth
Totnes
Cleethorpes
Great Yarmouth
Huddersfield
Halifax
Dunno of any others really ...
Towns or cities or both? I am confused - Cambridge is a city.
I can't stand Cambridge for much of the reasons that others have said about Bath. A rubbish city council, even worse county council who can't finish a guided bus scheme, a badly placed retail park and appalling transport. It's too near the fens and too far away from the seaside. Unlike Bath though, we have plenty of Tescos stores - sixteen of them I think on last count and they are all awful, nasty places.
Lets go with both - towns and cities.
Salisbury
Exeter
Truro
Christchurch, home for 22yrs
Oxford
York
Edinburgh
Cardiff (centre)
York
Whitby
Staithes
Ripon
Durham
Berwick
St Helier
Keswick
I'd still say Cambridge isn't brilliant based on living there and would say that having visited both Bristol and Bath often, I'd agree that Bristol is better for facilities. Bath reminds me of Saffron Walden in the 90's - loads of chi-chi gift shops but only Waitrose to buy a pint of milk. All fur coat and no practical knickers
Totnes and Penzance are great, both have good pubs but I like the honesty of Penzance. Oh and Truro. I have briefly lived in all three but top of the lot is Newcastle my home town.
Alnwick
Weymouth
Scarborough
Aberystwyth
Windsor
London
Lived in both and they rock!! Only places I would live in the UK
Newquay
Bournemouth
Whitby
Turo
Indeed, Aylesbury is getting one soon!