Oxford Mail readers have been giving their views after Abingdon and Didcot featured in a list of some of the worst places to live in England.
Didcot ranked as the 11th worst place to live in the country according to a new survey by the satirical website iLiveHere.
Last year the town ranked 44th on the list, and so this year has climbed more than 33 places - one person, who lives in the town, described it as ‘a railway siding dressed up as a real portal to hell’.
Abingdon ranked the 23rd worse place to live in England, which one voter described as ‘Oxford’s ugly aggressive little brother that may stab you’.
The survey, which is conducted annually, took a poll of 110,172 people, who voted where the top 50 worst places to live in the country were.
Abingdon and Didcot were ranked higher than Swindon, which was said to be the 31st worst town in England.
Read again: Jeremy Clarkson is 'attacked' by a cow
Aylesbury has been crowned the worst place to live in the UK, shortly followed by Huddersfield, Luton and Liverpool.
KATHRYN WHITBY: “I quote; ‘a survey by the satirical website iLiveHere’.”
TERRI PEARCE: “I have to say I agree Abingdon is a horrible place to live.
“I have had some of the nastiest neighbours I’ve ever had whilst living there. There’s something really depressing about the whole place.”
ANDREW HARVEY: “Terri Pearce - like everywhere it depends on where you live. Abingdon has some lovely friendly areas.”
JESS WILSON: “Terri Pearce I moved here four years ago and love it.”
DANIEL MONAGHAN: “Terri Pearce well I lived there for 28years and loved it.”
TRUDY MURRAY: “And just to think that Abingdon town was a top tourist destination and extra parking had to be made available for visitors - it’s got everything to offer but nothing promoted and taken care of - it’s definitely lost it’s quirky character sadly.”
Read more: UK's Defence Academy is hit by cyber attack
GAVIN WOODWARD: “The house prices are still high in Abingdon so to me it’s not one of the worst places to live.
“You want to come & live in some Northern or Midland areas if you think Abingdon is a bad place to live.”
ANDREW HARVEY: “And Didcot is so bad they can’t build enough houses.
KATHERINE TYSON: “It’s Didcot (11th) and Abington (23rd). Aylesbury is at 1.”
“What about Banbury? I cant believe that town isn’t on here.”
OXFORD MAIL READER: “I absolutelly agree.
“That place is dirty, run down and really dangerous to go through. It should have warning signs as you enter it!”
OXFORD MAIL READER: “What a load of rubbish. If people seriously think these are bad places to live then I suggest they get out more. Abingdon in particular is a lovely place to live and is certainly much nicer than Oxford.”
OXFORD MAIL READER: “Progress has brought nothing to the aesthetics of either Didcot or Abingdon.
“The former was once locally known as a one horse town, but it did have a community, shops and services.
Abingdon, a former county town until historic and sensible boundaries were messed up by civil servants, survived a little longer, as a classic and vibrant market town, finally done for by a combination of the EEC attack on British farming in the 1970s, slaughter of manufacturing in the 1980s, the development of ring road supermarkets and shopping “malls” and densely packed little houses made of ticky tacky on the hillsides; but property prices indicate the people still want to come to the area to live here. I guess good looks aren’t everything.”
OXFORD MAIL READER: “If you want to see serious social issues just look at the drug taking drug dealing alcohol abuse and homelessness in Oxford.
“Abingdon and Vale of White Horse District Council also has a 30% higher average income than Oxford. And ask anyone if they are safe on Oxford’s streets after 9pm. And what of the housing?
Read more: Takeaways and pub get new hygiene rating
“The thousands of houses turned into slums, the noise and dirt etc.
“Regularly people are fleeing Oxford for the relative cleanliness peace and quiet and far fewer social problems.
“A friend of mine who works to 9pm says she is regularly accosted by drug addicts, the homeless, and drunk students.
“Oxford as a town and on a per capita basis I would suggest has a higher drug alcohol and prostitution problem even than the worst part of London.”
OXFORD MAIL READER: “You and your friend lead very sheltered lives if you think central Oxford is even vaguely unsafe.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel