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Organum's avatar

My favourite place for shabbiness has to be Blackpool. I’ve been going there since I was born in the mid fifties (I actually think I was conceived there) and as a child it was such an exciting place. The Illuminations, the Pleasure Beach, the trams, the Tower Ballroom, etc. Of course they’re all still there, but the Golden Mile is rather tarnished these days, and in the early months of the year there is a pervading atmosphere of despondency. But I still love it for all of its faults. I still love WH Smith and always go into their shop at my local station, but it’s a shadow of that which it used to be. One small corner has magazines and newspapers, while the rest is given over to fridges full of food and drinks, or toiletries and bits and pieces for mobile phones. Ichabod! The glory has departed!

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

Spot on! Another exemplar for shabbiness (in Wales) is the wonderful seaside town of Porthcawl - especially the decaying hotels. The Welsh tend to be more cheerful, so its atmosphere is perhaps too upbeat - but the physical signs, oh boy (or oh boyo).

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To The Hills's avatar

I worked in Blackpool for a large Pharma company and I have to say, what do you expect for 15 quid a night? Matching bed linen?

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

Yes. My memory of Blackpool is that muddy sea and it being (thankfully) miles away.

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Alan Jurek's avatar

I'm still suffering from trauma at Woolies shutting down !

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

Yes - oh my word, what a menagerie it was!

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Alan's avatar

You got that right Paul, Starmer must go immediately.

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Legalise Freedom's avatar

I was just in WH Smith yesterday buying a TV / Movie mag, self service of course. No teenage girl asking me if I'd like to add a bar of Galaxy, half price. "Every day is like Sunday, every day is silent and grey."

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

Win yourself a cheap tray!

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To The Hills's avatar

Starmer is a doppelganger for Postman Pat.

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

Hideously unfair, on Pat. Starmer has that 1980s look - I can imagine him bopping around to Tears for Fears at some JCR disco, before back to his Balliol room covered in posters for 'Red Wedge'.

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To The Hills's avatar

Whilst Billy Bragg serenades soporific overtures into slumber with vivid visions of a Marxist Utopia!

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

God, I hate Billy Bragg. Big-nosed foghorn propagandist.

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Steve Boronski's avatar

Gentrification! That term is used whenever somewhere improves, where is the incentive?

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PAUL SUTTON's avatar

Hear the word and reach for your revolver. But as I say, it's excellent when it fails. Nothing funnier than some Guardian types reading 'Let's move to Clacton' and relocating there - only to find hell on earth.

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