Nine months on: Is Grimsby still the worst place in the UK to live?

Following an online vote in January 2016, Grimsby was voted the worst places to live in the UK, but has anything been done to help change that?

The result from online publication I Live Here UK came up with a list of the top 10 worst places to live in England and according to thousands of people who have voted on Facebook, Grimsby was by far the worst, having more votes than all the other entries combined.

Visitors to the website who voted described Grimsby as the “worst god-awful hell hole in England”.

An anonymous author described his horror at entering the town for the first time, witnessing in his words “a group of youths drinking cider, decked out in the now legendary chav uniform of baseball caps and tracksuits.”

He also said that the closest thing to an intelligent, adult conversation had been when he was asked for ID in a pub.

Overall, he said that he had never experienced or lived in such a place.

Improving Grimsby’s image

Since this was released, the council has invested over £7.5 million into regeneration of the town with an aim of proving to the rest of the country Grimsby is a good place to live, work and grow.

Councillor Peter Wheatley, portfolio holder for regeneration, skills and housing at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “We have put in a huge amount of time and money into the ongoing regeneration of the town centre, including £6 million investment into Cartergate and improvements to the public areas surrounding, including the underpass which connects St Peter’s Square to Cartergate.

“We’ve also invested around £100,000 on improvements to the street furniture along Victoria Street, and we’re just completing a major improvement scheme worth £1.5 million on Bethlehem Street which will help to link up the southern and central parts of the town.

Grimsby is a great place which is benefitting from the investment in the offshore wind industry.

“We have cost effective housing, we are predicting growth in industries which, over the next 10-15 years, could bring a further 10,000 jobs, we have the largest covered shopping centre in Lincolnshire, we have easy access to the golden sands of Cleethorpes, and great transport links in and out of the area.”