8 Worst Towns in Somerset, UK, 2024

#somerset #uk #turdtowns #weston #bristol #taunton #visit #travel #southwest For the very first time on Turdtowns we are revisiting a county. We wanted to see if anything had changed for better or worse. We ended up doing eight towns and also including two new towns. Conveniently news broke whilst I was making this video that Somerset council is about to go bankrupt! You have to look at the problems in Yeovil to see how poorly funds have been spent!

[robertleem]

Just shows the state of the UK and that our politicians and Councils don't give a damn

[sockbath]

As a Brummie, I can confirm that Weston-Super-Mare is full of us. I used to get dragged there for a day trip every summer as a kid. We normally contaminate Brean as well.

[mendipfox]

Ex Midlander here (Leicester). Been living in Somerset for the last 10 years. Completely agree with the 10 town sentiment here. Strangely though, I still find Somerset an absolutely gorgeous place to live. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It’s the people of Somerset that make it so special. See, that’s what Somerset is. It’s a way of life. An ethos. It’s kind of like living in cotton wool with a pint of scrump & a good wedge of cheddar. ❤ Somerset.

[daveelliott]

To be fair on Bridgy, that Aldi store shut on the Broadway as another larger one was built on the site of the old Blake Hospital between the old police station (now gone) and the old docks. The old hospital on Salmon Parade is a awfull eyesore but At least it has the best (1st) carnival in Europe and well worth watching.

[jdmccoy]

Hi, I’m from the U.S. My mom was from Kent and I’ve visited areas of England decades ago. I have always been an Anglophile. I love your channel and you make me laugh so hard and I love your analogies! I am sad that housing is such an issue in the UK. It’s the same in the U.S. You should see St. Petersburg, Florida where I was from…total Turdtown. Love this realistic view of the UK because TV shows really romanticize it. When you get YouTube famous, please do a U.S. edition of turdtowns, but make sure you wear a bulletproof vest if you do. ❤

[tommyball]

Excerpt from Somerset Live about the Bell pub in Shepton Mallet:

An "out of control" Somerset pub has had its licence revoked following reports of prostitution, drug abuse, and antisocial behaviour.

[adrianbromfild]

Your description of Yeovil is brilliant and is so accurate

[dragoclarke]

So sad seeing this. In the early 1980's my wife and I moved to Yeovil from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was a lovely town, almost crime free-on many occasions the front door of our flat (just off Lyde Road) was left open all day (slightly defective lock) without any problems. During this time I worked in Chard, and whilst not as "posh" as Yeovil it wasn't as bad as in your video. We did visit Chard about 10 years ago on the way back from a holiday in Devon, we didn't stop... says it all I guess.

[martinellis]

Before I emigrated to Toronto 35 years ago I took a tour of Somerset . The locals in one pub had us drinking scrumpy with a shot of gin mixed in. Needless to say setting up the tent after the pub was a scene of mayhem that still makes me laugh. It was a tranquil, beautiful place in those days, with a spiritual feel that has stayed with me all these years. I grieve for the passing of those days, but I know that in my heart it will always be a special place.

[One_Flew_West]

Love your videos, and I loved this update, although it is very sad to see more declining, it is really important because I don't see much about this huge issue at all. You're doing a much needed job. Thank you.

[Mogwaithegreat]

Been over 20 years since I last set eyes on Yeovil and I have to say I'm shocked. It was always a half decent small town, nothing exciting but not bad either. It's had the heart ripped out of it by the look of things.

[paulyoung]

Happily, there are still many well-run, friendly businesses remaining in Yeovil! I've regularly visited the town for about 30 years and lived here for about 4, so experiencing its decline as a place to shop, and look at, has been painful. I rather agree with your overall conclusion that the town has been screwed up by 'decision-makers' - hopefully not all of them, and not forever! Fascinating series: keep it going please!

[kareliask]

Yeovil is a weird place, if you don't go into the town centre or aspire to living near there, there's a ton of relatively quiet suburbs (like a ton - housing tens of thousands of people, and still building more). It reminds me of the situation in the USA with gated communities and strip malls that everybody avoids. I hadn't thought about it, but as a resident, there are places in the town I just don't consider going to and mentally filter out, and can live in a nice bubble where even some of the social housing areas can be decently maintained.

Before covid the high street was pretty lively, but even then the lower part of the Quedam was dingy. Best part of Yeovil is commuting to Sherborne. One of our claims to fame is Terry Wogan saying our ring road system is the worst he has ever experienced. Thanks to China and Russia for ensuring the helicopter factory isn't going to close any time soon. That would fuck us up good. They're even expanding it at the moment, I think.

[ForgiveMyMadness]

I was priced out of my home county of Hertfordshire (Hitchin) and ended up moving to Bridgwater 4 years ago. Whenever I go to town, I can't help but feel its such a waste of potential - it's an adorable little space, with the river running through it, it could be so much nicer with the correct funding and the correct redesign / rebrand. Bridgwater should be a market, restaurant and cafe town with independent stores and bookshops etc. It just has that vibe. I can only hope the council doesn't waste all this 'levelling up' money (Although I have 0 faith in them lol).

[nightfire]

Love the idea of re-visiting places, gives a nice extra piece of perspective to see the direction the towns are going.

[sophietucker]

Love your succinct, straight to the point narration. Very watchable channel.

[burntcrumpets]

X londoner here. Moved to south Somerset back in 2019. I'm in a beautiful village roughly 6½ miles south of Glastonbury. We come under the town of Somerton.I think Mr Turdtown lives a stone's throw from me, (hello Mr Turd). Wherever i venture in my area i always feel safe in comparison to London. Obviously, I've yet to see a lot of Somerset but so far so good. Not keen on Western, Yeovil is pretty dire but the hospital is up to par. Taunton is ok but again Musgrove hospital there is amazing. I didn't like Chard & felt like I'd crashed a party when i visited Crewkerne. I find CastleCary a wee chavy & Shepton Mallet just has nothing going for it IMO. I actually love Glastonbury & Wells is quite classy like Somerton. Langport is fine too. To put it lightly, I'd rather be down here than venture back to London thats for sure. One time i literally got stopped on Glastonbury High St & was proceeded to be blessed by a random nutter. But you know what....she made my i went back home & baked a cake!? Somersets cool! ❤️

[DrTobbogan]

I love the serving of ice cold reality with a dollop of comedic genius thrown in on the narrating. Fantastic job!

[anitamaney]

I've lived in Somerset most of my life and unfortunately you've hit the nail on the head with most of these towns. They are well known in being neglected and rundown. Social mobility in Somerset is the worst in the UK, so young people in these towns must feel pretty depressed about their prospects. Average house prices, even in Highbridge, are way outside most young peoples' financial scope. Heyho at least we've made it to a YouTube video!! Woohoo! 😀

[southcalder]

As someone brought up near Glasgow (where Blackpool was to us what Weston is to Birmingham) and lived for a long time in Bristol, I’d much rather spend time in Weston than in Blackpool. I got off the train in Blackpool a couple of months ago on a beautiful summers evening. I was just out for a day out with no destination in mind. I walked out the North station to find two drunks kicking the shit out of each other. I walked down the seafront, took a few photos, then got the train back to Preston.