Hate to be an anthropolgist here
Surely any town you are in is shite if you are out of work and skint.

I've lived in a few towns that are considered piss-awful but the effectis magnified 1,000 times if you can't spend your way out of boredom.

Coventry = Both in equal measures, the advantages of being a large city with the disadvantages of being a large city. But I met some top-bods and lifelong friends there so Overall, 7/8

Birmingham = Lots of industrial heritage shitelands but also 'it's trying hard!' and this is recognised and appreciated. Subtract 1 point for XL's at Edgebaston no longer having Rock Night on Saturday.

Stourbridge - The glass blowing and local band scene from the 90s may have evapourated but it's only 3 minutes to the countryside and/or Merry Hill. A nice balancing act.

South West Cornwall (without specifics) the crime in the newspapers rarely goes beyond 'potting shed broken into' but there's coast within 30 miles of anywhere. Average wage 15.5k, average house price 200k. This cannot be a recipe for happiness.

Shepherd's Bush - accommodation may be skanky but you're in the Capital of England FFS and the tube is regular.

Congleton, Cheshire - dull but at least it's not dangerous...

Oldham... (Cheshire)ah, hang on.

Denton... (Cheshire)... oh dear, gimme a second.

Banbury. There now, that's much better :-)

Here. Rural Warwickshire. Friendly locals, zero crime, farmers' markets. This will do for now.
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 29 Oct 2009, 20:03, 3 replies)

Denton
Lived in Denton for about 11 years until I went upmarket and moved to Stockport. :)
( Mike Fishcake teamfishcake.co.uk - better than your mum's face, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 13:50, closed)

Congleton
I'm suprised it took this long to be mentioned. Christ I hated that place.

So I upped sticks and moved...to Macc.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 14:08, closed)

Congleton..."Not dangerous"?
I routinely saw trouble there on the weekend...maybe it was just me?
(Galahad is out of his gourd on yellow bentines, Sun 1 Nov 2009, 12:31, closed)