Hester's Way: Cheltenham's POOREST CRIME Suburbs Explored
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- Опубликовано: 13 апр 2023
- Hello and welcome, this week we’re exploring an area in the historic town of Cheltenham called Hester’s Way!
Now, this isn’t the picturesque Cheltenham you might be expecting, it’s actually listed as the second most dangerous and deprived area in Cheltenham - and it’s bad.
It’s not all bad though, we’re picking this up going past Gloucestershire College on Princess Elizabeth Way, which has some really good reviews and is a great college.
There is the community center, which again, has great reviews from the locals closely followed by the police station which sees a lot of action in this area.
It’s from here on that things take a turn for the worse.
Now most people around the country have heard of Cheltenham.
It’s probably most well known for its racecourse and the Gold Cup, its vibrant nightlife, various art galleries and museums, and just generally the impressive-looking Regency architecture and buildings.
But where there is good there is always bad, and there is certainly a dark underbelly to Cheltenham, and Hester’s way is at the heart of it.
You won’t any of those see tall, impressive, white stone facades in Hester’s Way, it’s mostly these large tower blocks or ugly-looking council flats.
The crime stats paint a pretty clear picture of how bad Hester’s way is.
There were 1,514 reported crimes in Hester’s Way in the last 12 months alone, and that’s with an estimated population of fewer than 8,000 residents.
I was spoiled for choice when looking up shocking headlines, some of the worst revolved around stuff like:
Stabbing and assaults, teenagers stealing stuff, and robbing delivery drivers seems to be pretty popular.
An interesting one was a notice from the police that car breakings are so out of control that residents should park closer to walls, like that’s going to help.
It appears that cash points aren’t safe here, one was pulled out of the wall by a guy using a digger he found on a nearby building site, and another was blown up in an attempt to get some free money - can’t fault them for trying.
Driving around some of the back roads in Hester’s way it’s clear that the neighborhood could do with a tidy-up.
The indices of deprivation report for Hester’s Way is pretty damning, which is always sad to see as it means people are struggling to make ends meet and face all kinds of social and economical challenges.
Hester’s Way is around the lowest 20% in terms in deprivation, both within Gloucestershire and nationally.
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I live in Cheltenham for uni. I come from Swindon, which is an absolute shithole. Even Hester's Way looks like paradise in comparison.
I live in Cheltenham and thankfully in a quiet area, away from Hesters Way, which I visited a couple of times to donate to charity shops. I heard a story about guys hitting car wing mirrors from passing motorists and then accusing them of damaging a wing mirror on a parked car, which didn't belong to them, then asking for £100 or so to fix it.
I used to work in a shop in Coronation Square back in the late 80's.
Even back then the flats opposite were mostly brothels and drug dens.
Awesome, yeah I've met other people who go back around that long and they say similar. It's not going to change drastically now, it just doesn't happen like that.
Sochi court
I've lived in Cheltenham for over 20 years. People think it's a posh and privileged town and yes there are lots of affluent areas, but there are areas like hesters way that are really rough.
it's not really rough though is it?
Hesters way and Coronation Square have improved in Leaps and Bounds ....Housing replaced...No empty shops .A Super proper Cafe.....As anywhere in the world good and bad folk...For Goodness Sake give a non negative truthful story about all these places ...No problem to wander around Hesters Way....Think Positive .....Proud Cheltonian who as a little lad watched Hesters Way being built...!!!!!!
Oxford is pretty much the same , lovely university buildings surrounded by 14 council estates including one of the uks biggest .. glad I moved away
2:40 the most confusing shop name in all of Cheltenham: "Gloucester Birds R us Furries".
I've never felt brave enough to go inside. 😮
Yeah, I noticed that, I wasn't going to tell him 😂
I remember going into 'Forest Kebabs' in Gloucester years ago and asking why they called it 'Forest' kebabs, the owner, who I'm pretty sure was Turkish, told me, 'Because we're in the Forest of Dean here.' 😂
Born and raised in Hester’s way several times I got mugged or had police knocking on my door for something unrelated to me it is not a nice area and glad I moved away
I’ve lived here my whole life (I’m 20) and have got to say it is a shit hole and most the people are awful. It is weird seeing some one filming and taking about places I’ve seen thousands of time tho and I recognised so many people lmfao you drove right past my house aswell. Great video.
Thanks, I’m a fan of seeing local stuff filmed as well, it does feel a little weird, doesn’t it. Nice to hear someone being honest, and there is nothing wrong with that! I’m a positive thinker, it could always be worse 😀
Thanks for this. Looks like some good work has been done over the years in this area, which used to look worse than this.
I lived on welch Rd for 20 years . Watched a man get stabbed when I was 8yrs old (1989) . It got worse as the years went on .
That's a heavy thing to see at that age, I hope you've moved on to a better neighbourhood, it feels like that's all we can do at times, outrun the bad.
@@ukexplored I lived in Hester’s way for 23 years and became a product of my surroundings .
Alrite rob, it's drum here how u been?...
@MichaelHenderson-cn1jb what's up Drummond. How's you fella ?
I'm good pal, not heard from u in years pal, I'm living up near Blackpool now. Been up here 17yrs now...
"They store their junk & bikes" they being a subspecies are they?
Read through the posts below, many say its a shit hole but you can hear the community speaking of fond memory's and friendships bonded by never having much other than each other.
I left Arle Comprehensive in 82, still my best mates by far are the ones from the "Bear Pits."
I don't segment society like that or refer to people in that way, it's a shame if you think that way.
I grew up in a very similar area to Hester's Way, I also have fond memories and some awesome friends that have been there for me through thick and thin - it's how you use what you're given that counts, no matter the challenge.
The Toby Pub where you could get anything from drugs or stolen items reason why it was closed and boarded up
Sound like u haven't been inside Scott or eddward wilson house flats . They r tiny that's y there r so called eyesores on the balconies. Wot u got 4 bed in Charlton kings !
I put Edward hat this suto correct shit
I've traveled the world and most people in the world would laugh if you described this area as run down. If you mind your business and don't look like a victim you'll be fine in this neighborhood as you will be in just about any neighborhood in the world.
Yeah I know what you mean, Keep in mind that this is within Cheltenham, not compared to the rest of the UK, or the world.
Coronation Square used to be worse but it’s all nothing compared to Gloucester
Funny, we say the same in Gloucester's "roughest" council estates: at least we're not in Hester's Way, we say. ;-)
Were you hanging out the window with your phone while the police slowly turned to watch you drive by?
Yep! There was some prolonged staring back and forth going on! 😁I don't look too shifty as they didn't follow.
@@ukexplored roadman staring at you whilst stood with the police!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@lloydclevely9956 Everyone loves rubbernecking the police 😄
Some of those banner headlines occurred decades ago
@@renszatrapp9639 The news headlines you mean? Most are recent, the oldest is the cash machine explosion which was 2019. What do you mean?
I grew up here never did me no wrong… nah its vile tbf 😂
Oh come on. I have lived in Cheltenham for 30 plus years. Not in HW but yes it has it's problems but to say it is run down and crime ridden is laughable go to any major city with proper tower blocks and decay or a plance like Barrow which has streets and streets of empty run down houses. Yes it is not well off and it has it's issues but I feel safe walking around there at night or parking my car there. I would not feel the same in the worst parts of Birmingham, Bristol, London etc,
Yes, I wasn’t comparing it to other cities, more so to other areas in Cheltenham. I do think Hester’s way is pretty bad at night though, I’ve been there myself - and the crime stats don’t lie.
Can’t polish a turd…… place will never change. Seen it all over the years
Hesters way is improving by The Minute .Best cafe in Cheltenham in Coronation Square..Yum Yum..Mega cheap carpark behind the many and various shops ..Be positive .not negative ...Lots of new housing.!!!!
Hi, where about’s is it you live as you sound like you are local? Just curious 😁
Is it my local knowledge that gives that away or my accent? 🤣 I am indeed in Gloucestershire.
@@ukexplored The accent has a very familiar sound of Gloucestershire 😋
Not in a farmer way though 😂
Yes, I like to think I speak the Queen’s English, or King’s I guess I should say, not the outskirts farmer drawl.
It’s a small county, maybe we’ve crossed paths, assuming you’re in the shires. 😀
@@ukexplored I am indeed and we may have as it’s a big place 🤷🏻♂️ 😆
Probably built as overspill for Birmingham in the post war years; I've noticed all the 'rough' areas anywhere seem to be built between the end of World War 2 & the 1974 Government re-organisations...
Not all post-war council estates are cesspits though; the small one at Kelstedge (between Chesterfield & Matlock) is completely the opposite of the stereotype...
I’d love to see some detailed studies into what makes some estates so much safer and prosperous than others, I haven’t been able to find anything
It wouldn't have been overspill for Birmingham- it's about 70 miles away!!
I come from Cheltenham, though not Hester's Way. Have never heard anyone mention Birmingham, which is 40 miles away. I would think that the original tenants had lived in overcrowded multi-occupancy houses in the centre of Cheltenham before they moved in. Would be interested to see population data.
Redditch, Tamworth and surrounding areas around Birmingham,where built as a overspill,not Cheltenham.
People in Gloucestershire council estates largely came from the areas they were built in. E.g. Innsworth between Gloucester and Cheltenham largely people from Gloucester and Cheltenham, Matson in Gloucester re-housed people from the cleared Clapham "slum" of central Gloucester, Podsmead mostly people from various parts of central Gloucester. I am less familiar with Hester's Way or its demographics, it always struck me as being a particularly rough area and I'm from Matson myself. However I expect the people who live there originally came from Cheltenham and its surroundings.
Although Birmingham is not particularly near, it's true that _some_ Brummies made their way to Gloucester and Cheltenham council housing. My great-grandmother lived in Birmingham and was re-housed in Matson after the second world war.
I. Recall this monster being built in the Fifties when a boarder at a school in Cheltenham. The main road was Princess Elizebeth Way and ran across from one side of the town to the other.
Big housing shortages all over UK drove the councils to built these Gulags and sadly, they became worse as they grew.
I live in Chelt and Hester's way (the worst area)is nothing compared to most places
One of your vids I watch last night is now "Private" how come
Really? Which one? I haven’t changed anything.
@@ukexplored Not sure as in history it just had a link then said it was set to private
You would have a field day in Bristol 😊
We’re building up to it 🤓
@@ukexplored Must be grafitti capital of UK
GCHQ?
It’s just around the corner from here, isn’t it. Not sure they’d like me hanging around outside filming though!
Digger was behind the square shops
do Hartcliffe in Bristol
OK, I'm going to Bristol next month, I added Hartcliffe to the list, never been there before, hope I'm made to feel welcome 😃
@@ukexplored yeah man it’s a very working class area and Bristol’s poorest area hasn’t changed much either, other than the shops. Interesting history there was riots there too. Also featured in UK’s toughest pubs be a interesting place to do
Also recommended visiting Lawrence Weston, Southmead, Henbury and Knowle west
@@MOTMAN appreciate the inside info!
What's the 1st bit of Cheltenham them
First for crime? Lansdown & Montpellier is.
@@ukexplored That's surprising as two of the best parts for boutiques, restaurants, park etc.
@@MrDavidc Lots of that will be nightlife crime. Very often the places with the most crime are basically the bits where people go out. But surprised that the town centre isn’t highest.
You're talking a load of bullocks
Pls dnt come 2our town running it down . If u lived here ud understand . We all look out 4 each other. Ppl struggle all over the world . . U say u didn't like walking thru heaters way maybe cause u was filming . Who wants 2 b on camera . Maybe that's y u got so called funny looks . Speak 2 ppl. Ask about there community. Don't judge a book by it cover .
big up the hesters way massive, get out your car and walk around 😉
We will revist Cheltenham in the future.
A tory utopia after 13 years.