Weston-Super-Mare! The UK's Dying Town 🇬🇧
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2024
- Back in the day Western-Super-Mare was the hotspot for tourism in the UK, people from all around the country would come here for a weekend trip or a long holiday. However in recent years Weston has been on a steep decline! Half the town is boarded up and locals are leaving for a new life elsewhere.
I came here with @JoefishJ who showed me the reality of people here living in Weston-Super-Mare and to see why this once great holiday town has been completely forgotten about. Go check out Joe's channel to see his video on this as well, link below.
/ @joefishj
Thank you to @_the_wessex_nomad_ as well for the chat and sharing your story on Western. Check out his channel
Instagram - / backpacker.ben
Contact me 📧 - benryanfrier@gmail.com
![What are these? Leith's (somewhat) hidden past. [Locale: 00]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hl_Uo80KWNY/mqdefault.jpg)
The life we grew up in no longer exists
by design
I was in Weston Super Mare in 1960, a lot of people from Bristol used to descend, in the summer, on week end fights between mod an rockers were not unknown. I was working at the Webington country club about 6 miles away, the old pier was already a ghost that once was, as the boats trips stopped. I used to frequent a small cafe run by a Greek and a coffee bar named the four roses, which if you ask for a coffee they made it by using Nescafe in an espresso machine, the result of which, was not what to expect, There was the Goumont cinema were you could watch two movies for the price of one ticket. there was a big hotel the Atlantic. Yes it was still a place worth visiting, and drug was not yet a problem.
And we all say " THANK GOD WE'RE OLD " !
All done by design from the elites depopulation agenda
Fancy that!
I swear we becoming a third world country in slow motion.
All by design. The polictians of the past 60 years haven't just mismanaged the country, they've actively sought to destroy it.
Nothing will change until people realise this. All of the political parties are run by the same people behind the scenes, and none of them have our (native UK citizens) interests at heart.
we import drugs and people from the 3rd world hey presto we get a 3rd world britain
By design
15 years of tories that's why
@@aryx8616 Maybe you're too young to remember, but things were equally as bad under 15 years of Labour. They are all the same people behind the scenes, people like you need to realise that before we can sort this country out. We need people in charge who have actually lived in the real world, not 3 parties of posh, political puppets. If you think SIR Keir Starmer, (friend of Jimmy Savile and the Rochdale grooming gangs) is going to make anything better for normal people, you're out of your mind.
The dragon pub was a Wetherspoons and when a Wetherspoons closes down, you know your town is in trouble
🫠
Look up gangstalking! Many people actually take part in this here !
@user-zz2yl3hb6b you are paranoid and need medical attention.
Actually wetherspoons took over cabot court hotel so??????
@@glyno77both were Wetherspoons
I'm an RAF veteran, served over 20 years, and was sadly discharged due to an injury which I collected whilst serving overseas.... The man who said he done 5 years in thr Army. I really do feel sorry for him and his predicament. But, it counts for absolutely nothing. Nobody gives a toss. Get yourself back on the straight and narrow. Good luck..... Don't let them grind you down.......
Look up gangstalking! its been going on here since 2017 !!!
Why were you overseas? was your job not protecting the Great Britainds island not looting other's country's wealth? Its called Karma
Were you based at raf locking? I lived there for a while 13 years ago. Big redevelopment there now.
Respect, i was in WS in 2012 it was buzzing?!?
@@Nightfire1look up gangstalking! It goes on here!!!!
HUGE THANKS TO YOU ALL regarding the video, had a blast filming with Ben! A top guy, looking forward to the next adventure! Thanks again to Ben & his viewers!
Legend!
@@BackpackerBen been overwhelmed by the positivity and support from your viewers! Amazing, thanks again, see you soon amigo!
It was lovely meeting you! I must look up your channel!
Britain has become a dump !! How sad !!
I wonder what became of the donkeys that children could ride on Weston beach.
Weston-Super-Mud :) This was my holiday destination as a kid. Good times.
The buildings though obviously neglected and boarded up, are actually very beautiful. It's a great shame.
That's what i said, weston-super-mud :) all the kids would call it that
Tides out as usual.
I always called it Weston super mutant
@@melgrant7404gangstalking
I lived in Weston for a year, having spent 3 months in rehab for drug addiction there. Part of the problem is that people from outside the area go to rehab there, relapse, and because they have no ties to the area the local authorities have no obligation to house them should they become homeless. Hence the large homeless population and drug problem. There was also a wave of local migration related to the decline of farming - basically poor people from rural areas moved into the town and have struggled to find employment etc for a few generations now. In the summer Weston has beautiful sunsets, and it’s small enough to have a good sense of community. But in the winter it is pretty grim.. Hopefully things pick up for the place one day..
Local immigration...my back side...lots of brummies. Who holidayed there as kids and moved there when their life goes tits up.
They don't show the actual grand pier...which is thriving
I'd like to think that the huge construction project at Hinkley Point C will bring some wealth to Somerset. Hopefully a lot of the workers at the plant will holiday in Weston. I know -- at least -- it's brought in some development and wealth to the villages closer to Hinkley.
@@SuperTomtom1995 Lol, No one from Hinkley Point will holiday in Weston, they have Devon on their doorstep.
@@SilverfoxJBThat's true plus they earn so much they can afford to go abroad.
Good insight .
All the victorian seaside throughout the UK are dying. back in history we had factories and manufacturing, The factories would arrange coach trips, and weekend aways to these seaside towns and they were thriving, also factories would have the two week shut down, and people would flock to the seaside, in coaches, trains and some in cars, the decline started in the late 60's, 70's 80's when flights were getting cheaper to go to Spain. Today even those avid British seaside holiday makers avoid these towns and stat in the villages surrounding them. Such a shame to see our Victorian heritage falling into decay
Look up gangstalking! Many people are actually doing this !
Gangstalking
Crazy. There is a housing shortage and you have all these place rotting. There should be legislation that orders owners of derelict properties to sell, renovate or rebuild those properties within a certain timeframe. The owners should sell them to the government for public housing. What is the government doing? Where is the investment?
Weston has huge housing projects all across the town and is growing in population massively. The town centre is a bit worn out but the town is more vibrant and isn’t dying!
It's not as simple as that with properties and locations like WSM. Even if you move people into the properties there is nothing to sustain them. Without employment, shops, health centres etc you just create a government funded slum. Would you want to go on your holiday to a seafront full of homeless people? The fact of the matter is people don't want to holiday in the UK as much when Europe is affordable for lots of people and offers so much.
@@nathanferris2559It certainly looks like it.
Iv been saying that for a long time
It's the same in Scotland we have a housing shortage but we have miles upon miles of unused land.
Absolute pleasure mate, see you on the next adventure!
Thanks again mate for showing me round!
Dude, you are in the perfect area to bring the great replacement more into the light, dont waste your opportunity, thanks for showing us around.
Thx for showing us around Weston-right-mare,enjoyed the content.
I used to go there as a kid but it’s unrecognisable now 🤢
Good colab with Joe,he’s good in front of the camera,
I will be checking the channel out 😎
@@seananon4893see, Ben is intentionally appealing to stupid right wing Tories or Reform party
What is a Torie and who are the Reform party? @@TTWGD3
I haven't been back to the UK for about 20 years and that was only a brief visit. I find it shocking how bad things have become and I guess if you live there all the time you don't notice the decay creeping up on you so much. I spent many weeks during my childhood in Weston going back from the late 70s to mid 80s and although it was already passed its heyday, it was a pleasant town with nice, friendly locals and I have some fond memories from that time. Truly shameful that so many parts of the UK have been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent.
Same, I grew up in Weston, been out of the UK since 2008. Every time I visit the country, it's slipped a little bit further into the shit.
In the 70's we used to have school trips to here - it was great then! I feel sad and upset how some of these seaside towns have deteriorated - including Blackpool! 😢😢
Gangstalking goes on here!
@@user-ij6xb3pi1c What does that even mean?
@@SilverfoxJB look it up
I left weston 15 years ago and didn't regret it, I regularly go back to see my daughter and have slowly watched it fall apart, I also I know Joe from back in the day so I agree with him the nightlife used to be amazing
I live on the outskirts of Weston-super-Mare. Plenty of opportunity and development all the way in from the motorway to the train station. Just seams to be a split of 2 towns. The sea front should be the thriving area but years of mismanagement and underdevelopment. The Tropicana is a classic example until Banksy did Dismaland and now its being used a lot more and got a multi million developement plan. The 2 piers owned by the Michaels family is the main bulk keeping the sea front going.
Look up gangstalking! It goes on here
Was good to meet you, Ben! You've made a very eye-opening video of this once very thriving sea side town.
Thanks for meeting mate and the chat 🤝
That is so depressing. Used to have lovely summer holidays there back in the 90’s
Gangstalking goes on here now!
Wow I lived here through my teenage years, 70s & 80s & loved it, loads of great memories. This video makes my soul cry, Plus makes me realise my move to Australia was so right! How Sad.
☹️
Gangstalking goes on here!
@@user-ij6xb3pi1c shut up
Wow, remember being there with parents around 1982, it was lovely, so sad
Last time I went was 1983. Me and me family were staying in a Pontins not far away. Great memories. So sad to see it now.
Gangstalking goes on here! Shocking
Good to see the other side of UK Ben! Good job mate!
Cheers for watching!
Well done Ben for showing this, its an important documentation of our times, real and raw style.
Kinda untrue though... Weston is nowhere near as rough as he portrays
Look up gangstalking!
I lived there for 10 months+ in 1972, worked in a hotel on the sea front as temp reception then worked in a bingo hall , left to go hop picking, then went back home to Nottingham, I loved my short stay in Weston S Mare at the time.
That was a very different Weston to the one you would find now
I'm just up the road in Bristol.
As a kid we used to go Weston for the brilliant Tropicana. It was unbelievable and magical. Memories of my late Grandad, the best.
Only can be topped by the time Tim Westwood was DJing in Weston back 20 years ago.
I told him I was a big fan and he put his hand on my shoulder and said "I really appreciate the support man". 😂
Shame about the rumours now of course.😮😂
Colston 😊
I was in Weston, just over a year ago, in the Summer and it was OK, Pretty crowded, a good place for fish and chips opposite the pier and had a good walk round the pier and had a coffee, looking back towards the town, Then a walk round the town, while my wife spent hours in the charity shops. Winter is the worst time of year, pretty much anywhere on the coast in UK. I once spent 2 months of winter in St Ives and even that was depressing, 40 years ago. Maybe we should have our holidays in UK, instead of Benidorm, or Riviera etc, but it could be too late, as there's so many repairs needed.
The worst fish and chips of my hole life came from WSM
Even the pigeons would not eat them
Yeah I went on the summer for the day lasted a few hours max , I’m the summer it was still the worse place I been , WSM used o be good it’s now a lost place
Lol, There speaks a man who doesn't like decent fish and chips. There are actually a few decent places for F&C in the area, NONE of them are on or near the front.
@@SilverfoxJB the 60s shopping precinct is where they came from .
The ones in the front were Italian and yellowish
@@KKTR3 Greek, not Italian. Weston is basically owned by Greek Cypriots
I live in North Somerset and Weston was a place we would visit multiple times as kids over the summer holidays. It would be heaving , nowhere to park, all the hotels had entertainment in the evenings and there would be people on the sea front selling tickets. In the 90s and 2000s there would be huge parties on the beach. I remember seeing Carl Cox DJ in front of 10000s of people. The Tropicana would host parties suck as Karanga and other club nights. Such a shame but this is the UK all over now. Not really sure when it all started, or I’m just looking back with rose tinted glasses but the late 90s were fantastic. As I enter my mid 40s I’m happy that I’m now in the second half of my life. It’s got to a point of no return now for the UK, you could throw money at these towns and refresh them but still no one will come.
I’ll also add that some people have no pride in their surroundings. My parents would not dream of leaving their home in distress or throwing rubbish at the bottom of their streets. Why do many people do this now?
Look up gangstalking!
Interesting architecture in the town. Good video. Thanks for upload 👍
I was a boy there in 1964-67. Lost a new pair of school shoes in the mud and nearly got flogged to death bymy mum. Dad was at RAF Locking and we thought we were so lucky living in a seaside town. It is tragic to see what Weston is like today.
Look up gangstalking!
Mate you walked up and down a couple of alleyways and pointed out a few closed boozers. Weston is an amazing place to live. I moved here 2 years ago from a posh part of London. I've travelled a lot and chose Weston when I could have moved anywhere. No regrets. Love it here. We have a thriving community with the same 1st world problems as everywhere else. ❤WSM
Also...... That old cinema has just been taken over from the Odeon and not had time to tart itself up yet.
The old pier was privately owned by a person who was holding out for big money and left it to crumble. A compulsory purchase was made on it last year.
All that looks bad may have a story. Learn facts before putting things down. All this from a Plymouth dweller. 😂
Okay matey 👍
He always does this- England is the hell hole of the world apparently but Afganistan and Iraq the aspiration. Unless you're a woman, gay or atheist of course.
London is an even bigger crime-ridden shithole, so hardly a great comparison. Plus the fact that local people are sick and tired of rich londoners pricing them out of the housing market. You lot (posh rich kids) fucked up London with your Liberal BS, stay there and reap the rewards.
@@BackpackerBenPlymouth x Weeston beef going down
have you had "Turkish" barbers, fried chicken eateries and phone shops spring up all over the place yet?
Of course 😡
always demanding cash payments so they can launder it haha
Gangstalking goes on here!! Evil
What?
The lockdowns and cost of living has finished lots of pubs.
*towns
Look up gangstalking! Then you'll understand...
A Brexit but voters got there karma for that
Notice how the Afghani immigrants are wearing good clothes and aren't homeless, when the army veteran is left to rot in a tent. Says everything about the UK.
Mental health services are non existent for most people in this country
That’s no one choice but his own. No one in the U.K. needs to be homeless there are places to stay and will be house by the council.
The reason why people still are homeless is because they would rather drink, or take drugs. Which they can’t do in the sheltered housing.
He has much more sever issues than someone who migrated here. They don’t need addiction support, mental health services, daily meds to survive.
So it takes so much more support and services to assist someone like him, than someone who just needs a place to stay whilst the work here legally.
@@Jamiiemac Absolute bollox. Asylum seekers coming over on boats are given priority housing, with many being put up in 5 star hotels.
If you're a Single UK citizen with no kids, you'll literally never get to the front of the housing queue. Even if you make it to the front of the queue by some miracle, you'll be offered 'shared accommodation' in a hostel full of drug addicts and mentally ill people, where it's so dangerous that you're better off on the streets.
@@Jamiiemac morning Karen
I'm shocked honestly man....😶Such a beautiful place 🤗but everything is closed and the people living in the street 🤐such a shame mate 😥Thanks for sharing and stay strong bro 😁👍
Yep!! Thanks for watching mate
@@BackpackerBen 👍
I lived here in the early 1970s and it was a superb place for someone in their late teens & early 20s. Lively in the town and plenty of nature to explore locally, eg Worlebury Woods, Sand Bay, Brean Down as well as the beaches of course and the frequent beautiful sunsets. It was much smaller however, there wasn't the massive sprawl eastwards. I notice you don't generally film the nicer parts of places you visit, but going north up the hill past Grove Park there were some beautiful streets with great views along the coast and to the Mendip hills. But what you have filmed is a shock to me, it was much nicer in every way when I lived there. But as you & Joe said, the decline is true of most coastal places in the UK now. We seem to have lost our way here, and our values... Thanks for your videos :-)
Hello Ben.Thank u for sharing this video.😊
Gangstalking!
Gangstalking evil here
He was right, 'disclosure'...... More people need to be made aware how people are being left homeless when there are loads of properties boarded up.....
If they can put foreigners up in hotels, they can do the same for homeless Britons.
To be fair every town has it's pros and cons. The rebuilt main pier is considered one of, if not the best in the country with the new rides/activities. Weston has nice parks with live music/acts for free when the weather is good! £4m was spent on a new bus terminal/infrastructure, easy access to visit Bristol, with the town having good transport links with both coach and train stations quite central to the town. It has 3 x theatre's, modern bowling alleys, escape rooms, gyms, lazer tag etc. Conventions including lego and a free access museum. Weston Marine Lake had money spent on it during the last 12-months, dredging, beach extended etc. The seafront promenade must be one of the best in the country after the redevelopment over recent years, slabs/ block paves stretching for much of the 2-mile sea front and is very popular with walkers, skaters, cyclists, electric scooters and runners etc. The town high street is ok, new shops do open even if old shops close, but of course improvements can always be made in one place or another. Birnbeck Pier has needed redeveloping for decades and the good news is finally £6m of funding has been granted to improve that area of Weston, along with the Sovereign shopping centre among others things. Weston of course has a football team and rugby club. The Tropicana has had a variety of uses over recent years with the 'See Monster' art exhibition making the national news in 2022. The Plaza Cinema (previously owned by The Odeon) change hands recently with Merlin Cinema's purchasing it and a huge improvements program to the building is already underway. The local retail parks are good and include, The Range, Halfords, Dunelm, B&Q, Costa, TK Maxx, Wickes, M&S food hall, Sports Direct, Clarks, Argos etc. The Weston carnival in November is hugely popular (view footage for this year on RUclips) and events like Weston Beach race are also hugely popular (again view footage for this year on RUclips). Any areas boarded up should be improved and put into good use again as Weston deserves better than being left like that. 👍
(The building behind the man you interview at 9.36 is currently under offer for £375,000, so hopefully a new owner with new ideas and plans to improve it.)
Ah good, this is what I was hoping for. I knew Weston had been falling on hard times for a while now, but with regional developments like Hinkley Point bringing in employment, it hopefully has a ripple effect out, and that tax income can fund things like tidying up Weston.
I'm from Ireland and I've been to weston quite a few times. I like weston, i think there's lots of nice places here, including the beautiful, very long promenade.
Look up gangstalking!! Many people take part in it here !!!
Look up gangstalking ! it goes on here!
Thanks Ben i remember visiting weston as a 7 year old it was a lovely town we were staying just across the bay in Herne bay im now 61 sad to see how its deteriorated, im not a brit but still sad to see this. Great video by the way just found your channel
Thanks for sharing this!
I'm not from UK, so I was actually a bit shocked to see such decay. Seems like the local authorities have just given up? How about fixing those roads and buildings, perhaps renovate some flats for the homeless people you met...? Just a thought.
It's the government.
@@tomwilson5108 yeah
no economy means no money to fix anything. it's a vicious circle.
@@bcccl569 plenty of money for immigrants. Forgien aid and war tho.
Local authorities are being defunded by central government. Partly this is due to the dire economic situation and partly due to political ideology.
Local authorities try and make up the shortfall by increasing business rates, and the result is that shops, pubs and restaurants become unprofitable and close. The blame lies with the economic dogma of the last 45 years. The bad news is that most other Western countries adopted the same economic ideology too, so if it's not yet happening in the country where you live, chances are it soon will be.
Looks like Clifton Beach in Pakistan ..without the scammers..The UK has literally self imploded itself through immigration and bad political choices Brits just want to get out and move to Spain or Portugal ..love your vids Ben
Immigration has nothing to do with this.
96.5% of Weston Super Mare is white, try again
@@JamesSmith-ny2gb 🤮 so the housing crisis the illegall immigrants have nothing to do with destruction of the UK? Step back and think about the great white migration out of these once beautiful seaside towns and how Europe has destroyed itself
@@JamesSmith-ny2gbYes, it does. In part.
Immigration isn’t the issue, economies need immigration to grow. The problem is the people in suits telling you it’s the fault of immigrants
Great vlog came to you through joefish. Subscribed. Spot on . Thank
Awesome, thank you!
Look up gangstalking!
Isn’t this the place where they raced bikes on the beach?
I remember watching vhs tapes of the races back in the 80’s - Dreaming about going to western super mare, never did make it tho 😢
Looks lovely and grey mate perfect video of england
☠️
A couple of years ago we went for a brief holiday to WSM with the kids and loved it. Was in the height of summer and the pier was fantastic
Recently discovered your channel and have subscribed so I never miss another. Shame to see Weston which is a place we used to visit as a family when young is struggling so much.
It’s the rehab capital of Europe. I went there for it and swiftly moved to Bristol on completion.
Look up gangstalking it goes on big time here !
Backpacker Ben and a pint this Saturday afternoon, lovely! Cheers Ben!
Enjoy! 🍻
Look up gangstalking!
I love your sunglasses, very cool and you look handsome!
You did a really great job, thanks a lot for sharing! 👍🤩👏
I was last in Weston about 7 years ago and I am shocked at this video. Honestly, so depressing. What an embarrassment we are.
I live in Weston and hes only pointed out the bad, the old odeon has been bought out and being developed, the old Prezzo is between a new cineworld, nandos and bowling alley. The sweet shop is between open cafes and shops where there has been a lot of development. The pier is open all day so shows how early in the morning in winter he filmed. From a local who's watched a lot of your videos, sorry you had to see this
Ben it's time for a brainstorming session. People getting together can make the difference. Get a public transport system going. Get the landlords to rent or lease the spaces. Get the common amenities going. Use the available space for affordable housing. Get small businesses going by giving owners the necessary subsidies, etc. It's all about planning isn't it. What about ferries and boats bringing in people etc.
The list is endless. Thank you Ben. Watching your videos from Toronto. Travel safe and sincere wishes to you and everyone and may success find you all. 🇨🇦❤️❤️❤️👍👍🥰🎉🎉🎉
Nobody cares enough
No money left to spend!
I lived there back in 2012, very nostalgic Ben, thank you for making this vlog.
My pleasure!
Watched "Remains of the day" recently.
Weston-super-Mare featuring in some iconic cinematic moments.
The tired "nightmare" label is on the back of all the drug rehabs, crappy high st and bedsit land. But the woods, old pier, and much of the hillside area are gems. A place I enjoy visiting, just need to know where to go...... and avoid.
You two would be a great duo on more travels. Great video. Thank you for showing us how UK looks these days.
absolutely love these uk series ! do more of these pls, greetings from your best ever place you've been to, Mongolia 😂
Gangstalking!
The pier in question hasn't been used for over 50 years. It hasn't been demolished as it is a listed building
Not the main pier, but burbeck pier which North Somerset council are spending millions on to refurbish
I went there many years ago. I was shocked to see this video. Thank you for this video.
Shocking that the UK is coming to this! I remember going on holiday in the 80’s to Weston and it was lovely, such a shame !!
Brutal
Hey Ben, your videos always show the real side of places. Keep up the good work!
Cheers mate!
Man waterfront properties in the US are super expensive, shocking how these beautiful seaside towns are derelict 😮
They are in some seaside towns in the UK.
@@henrytudor8537 I'd love to visit some nice seaside towns if you recommend 😊
@@Alex727PascoSt Andrews in Scotland is lovely. Salcombe, Aldeburgh and padstow in England
@@iainfletcher3066 cheers Iain
This is an example that can be found all over the country and not just the old seaside resorts. Years of funding cuts, rich getting huge bonuses while the lesser paid staff suffer salary freezes, lack of support and a general lack of community creates the perfect storm. Doesn't matter if its blue or red in charge i don't see how towns like this can recover without a massive power shift.
Look up gangstalking! Then you'll understand!!..
Power shift back to the people! People are the solution.
Excellent work 👏 just subscribed to your channel love all your videos love from Dublin
Awesome! Thank you!
Looks like Weston-Super-Mare needs a superhero to come save the day! Stay strong, Weston, we believe in you!
Certainly do
It certainly does need a super hero, problem is the council are the villains.
The 'SUPERHERO' Will be the people.
I've popped to Weston many times over the last 40 years. In the first 20 of those years it took a steady decline. Then there was a bit of a rebuild and rejuvenation over the next 10 years. Sadly it looks like things have taken a downward turn again, not helped by COVID.
I heard that banksy had some installations over the last few years which gave the town a big financial boost but I'm guessing the councillors have blown that.
And as a resident of a seaside town myself I understand the situation with drink, drugs and homelessness and non locals being drawn to the town. Or in Weymouths case dumped on the town by Bournemouth. Very frustrating.
Brexit means brexit! All the best from Poland.
Brexit has nothing to do with it@@mimi64231
@@mimi64231 Nie rob siary. 👍🏻
great video Ben, thanks for sharing. and thanks to Joe for showing you around. It's a very sad video, but ppl need to know. I can't believe that town has more rehabs than anywhere in the UK. Thats just mind bending. Again, thanks for the content. Where are you off to next?..somewhere more cheerful and exciting i hope?..
Is Weston-super-Mare a nice place to live? Weston-super-Mare was recently named among the best seaside towns to buy a property and has also been placed in the list of the UK's 10 most welcoming towns.Sep 13, 2021
John Cleese was born in Weston. It sounded nice when he was a kid doing his silly walks on the Promenade.
Drugs , drink , and indolence. Weed And entitlement.
The results .
Mid winter isn't the best time to go to a seaside town.
Parts of the seafront and town centre aren't great. But there's plenty of good stuff too. The issue with Weston is, as is often the case, some of the people. There are lots of lovely places on the periphery though.
The pier was Birnbeck.
The pool is Marine Lake. It's always closing and the council has wasted so much money on mismanaging it.
The cinema is the old Odeon. Odeon closed it and a company that specialises in rescuing old cinemas recently bought it. It's mid refurb. It has a very rare organ inside - one of only two working examples in the country.
A drive round the Bournville estate will never be good! 😂
The crouched soldier looked like Banksy art. Which someone has spray painted a smiley face on and the words “Trank”. Which I’m sure alludes to the dope being used locally. Fascinating truly.
Along time ago (70s) the seaside towns where affordable holidays for many people. Ordinarily people could afford a holiday back then. Maybe not abroad but an amazing memory for kids growing up.
All I can say from Australia is Jesus. I will avoid this dump on my trip to trip to the UK. Thanks Ben .
Stick to the lake district and the smaller towns of Devon and Cornwall, the rest of the UK is a shithole, especially London.
Now you know why so many people want to go to Australia
@@alexanderstefanov6474 Tbf this is one of the worst places in the uk, you couldn't say the same for St. Ives, The Cotsworlds or the lake district.
@@alexanderstefanov6474 alot of places look like this in australia especially in victoria
Don't worry, coming to more Australian suburbs very soon.
Dude, England is always just so GRAY.
Every damn day
whyyy?? Whats the reason??@@BackpackerBen
You get used to it 😂
@@adamlead I guess so brother but I’m curious why. Is it just that the watcher there I always cloudy or is it factory pollution? I assume honestly it isn’t factory because y’all don’t have any 🤣 Oh jk forgive me
@@_DREBBEL_ I'm not exactly clued up on weather, but it's the only country in the world where you're not sure whether to take an umbrella out or wear shorts and t shirt, weather can change quickly here 😂
Tumble down seaside town/ Never shed your shabby gown/ You've seen better days/ But like an old violin you've got the greatest tunes to play
Good video Ben, interesting how quickly places go downhill, some lovely buildings been left to rot
Crazy mate
There's actually quite of lot of western is fine. I've been there loads. You've really focused on the crap bits though!!
Look up gangstalking!
@@user-ij6xb3pi1c gangstalking? What?
@@user-ij6xb3pi1c no
Apart from the sick gangstalkers an petty ppl online
I’ve set up a business in Weston lovely town it’s booming be positive 😊
Personally, I love Weston,. I'm from the west midlands, me and my family stay in Brean and I cycle to Weston every day, up by that old rotting Pier (Birnbeck Pier) in the summer it's awesome!! 😎👌🏻
I've never really understood why so many brummies love Weston & Brean.
The place is full of them in the Summer.
I get that Birmingham is landlocked and Weston is probably one of the closest seaside destinations to you but if you just drove for another hour south you'd find really nice seaside towns where the sea is blue not brown (that's if you can see it).
The place is cheesy, tacky & full of undesirables.
I live in Bristol & worked in Weston for over 10 years.
The best part of Weston is the road out of it.
@@Reesycle first of all, I ain't from Birmingham, I'm from a place just outside of Wolverhampton called the 'Black Country',. I love brean because it's an affordable holiday, I chose to cycle to Weston but I don't holiday in Weston, there's a difference.. And yes, like many places, it is a shithole in comparison but there's also other sides of it which ain't and I guess I haven't seen to many bad things to put me off...
My apologies for assuming you were from Birmingham. I should have said West Midlands.
I get that places like Brean offer an affordable holiday but I've been to Brean, and there are genuinely much nicer places to holiday a little further down the coast.
They may be a little more expensive but they are a lot nicer.
But, if you enjoy the place, then good for you.
@@Reesycle no apologies needed mate..! me missus dad has a caravan in Brean, we look forward to going each year,. We have been to other places but we love it there.. I love walking up Brean down and the walk to Weston is brilliant.. 👍🏻😎
Gangstalking!
Very sad. We had so many family holidays in Weston-Super-Mare during the 1960s with such lovely childhood memories. We also travelled on the paddle steamers from Cardiff to the Old Pier in Weston for day trips. Such a tragedy to see what has become of the place.
Damn! Yes not good at all
Gangstalking goes on here!
I live in UK since 2010 and I remember going to Weston back then as I lived in Bath, so wasn't too far by bus from Bristol
It used be nice back then but I noticed decline, been there few times afterwards but didn't enjoy it as much.
@BackpackerBen this saddens
me to no end. I appreciate your transparency in the current situation but I LOVE ENGLAND!!!
My previous trips admittedly have been to London and coach tours to tourist destinations such as Stonehenge, Bath, Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, Durham, York, Chester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Exeter, Glastonbury, Cotswold, Lake District and your home, Plymouth. As a Brit who exposes the seedy side of your country where would you like to go to experience the best of your country? A fair question to be honest. By the way I truly enjoy a Plymouth Gin martini.
Thank you Benjamin for your wonderful videos.
Chuck
Some good places there mate dunno about Plymouth though 😆
you went to the good bits! the rest of england is often like this
You even picked a grey gloomy day. .
Its nice in sunny weather
I stayed Weston Super Mare in 2010 for two weeks and have a lot of good memories. The town was very run down already. Not completely sure if its even worse now or you mostly showed the bad spots. Although you left out one of the worst streets. ;-) But: the people there were really nice. I enjoyed going to restaurants, pubs and clubs. Had some beers with some legends (one is in the video - still in a similar situation it seems). Oh and I was visiting someone in one of the abandoned hotels you showed. I don't know if he legally lived there but it was an absolutely absurd atmosphere. The room looked originally like in a 60s movie. Well mantained, clean but so outdated and without electricity or running water. And btw, back then the Polish immigrants were the ones keeping the town alive. They opened lots of businesses: shops, restaurants, bars, even a club. A lot of them also doing long hour shifts in factories around. And in general very active in society (my friend gave swimming courses for example - sadly died 😢). British people on the other hand were mostly big alcoholics or even drug addicts (some of the polish that failed obviously, too). Still friendly but definitely not helping to run the place.
Think he said 'not even a night' not 'not even a nice' 😂 great video mate. Some of our seaside towns are right dumps these days aren't they. Love how that lad said '19 years' like it was a prison sentence 😂
I spent the summer holidays in Weston when I was a child; it was heaving with peope and the hotels, cafes, the beach (or at least the part with no mud), and the peir were packed. Kids riding the donkeys! Heady days!
Love these travels around UK
I look at a lot of your videos and understand that you are aiming towards the worse aspects of an area, I moved to WSM 6 years and love it here, yes you are right about some of the closed shops
and old Hotels etc, but I felt to help your narrative to didn't actually show the beach which is wide and sandy and the main pier which is a state of the art all year around facility. For a dying Town we
have 4 main Theatres and over 200 eating places. The old pier you featured was privately owned and fell into disrepair, but the Council and the RNLI have purchased it and millions will now be spent bringing it back to life(they have just issued the contract to repair the building landside). The marine lake which your buddy mentioned was closed this month for silting works (and nothing to do with ecoli) it has been open all year for swimming and paddle boarding etc and is a real joy to those who use it and look after it. Your buddy also mentioned all the rehab, that is as out of date as his last visit to the Town 15 years ago. The TJ Hughes store featured in your video was brought by a developer who having got planning consent recently from the Council for a mix development is now trying to sell it on, hopefully soon! Yes the old Odeon Cinema is a mess, but it has new owners and they are keen to repair and improve it, Opposite were some brand new shopfronts which were paid for through a grant and they are now all occupied, but sadly you didn't turn to camera that way. So I do agree with you that there are parts of the Town that have been neglected, but WSM attracts 4m visitors a year, yes there are struggles and improvement required but it ain't dying. Anyway, love your videos.
The pier was closed, he tried to get on
This seems to be happening in much of the world. The wealth gap is becoming worse and the ability of average citizens, regardless of nationality etc, to live a 'normal' life is being destroyed. Meanwhile, divisiveness is stoked at every opportunity, keeping the masses at each others throats, while they are slowly bled of the ability to thrive. It is sad to watch and I hope people can somehow come together and realize there is power in unity. Thanks for this video.
you hit the nail on the head. Ultra right wing driven media such Murdoch and other very willing helpers are pushing the people against each others, and pushing the poor people against the even poorer or against immigrants while the super rich keep laughing about this, sipping their drinks away in expensive golf clubs.
This shocked me beyind words. What a video!
These videos should ALWAYS include a visit to the local Spoons
Noted 👑
I second this.
I moved to Weston super Mare over 12 years ago.. It was the best thing I have ever done. Like a lot of town’s it has it’s good and bad bits.
Towns. Why would you put an apostrophe there? Illiterate fool.
Being from Birmingham Weston was the nearest sea side, but most folks I know go to Aberystwyth, west wales. I know a lot of people who retired to Breen just around the corner, but that’s a dump to
great video mate
Good to see Wessex Nomad! Top bloke
I loved the 2 Afghanis and the Bangladeshi who were so positive. They know what it's like to have a truly hard life. We are so spoiled in the West.
Of course they are positive, they know they will live on welfare checks for life 😊
they're literally from failed states so anything is an upgrade.
@@bcccl569 And why did you feel the need to repeat what I said in such a negative way. Have you ever been out of England?
@@MadDogAdventures yes i live in chile. not being negative just realistic
@@MadDogAdventures yeah super friendly as well
Looks grim, but am curious to what it's like come July. Is there any difference? Do some of these shops open seasonally?
Totally different in the summer
I was born in Weston-super-Mare general hospital in April 1962, when it would have probably been in it's prime. A few months later, our family moved to South Wales because my dad was from there. I've visited Weston several times but not for the past 20 years. It seems to have gone downhill in that time. However, I have lived in Blackpool 3 times in the past 20 years (though I don't live there now) and much of it is also a slum. It seems the grand old days of British seaside resorts have lost their former glory. I don't know what my mum would make of this video if she was still alive because she was from Weston and was of the opinion that it was a premier seaside resort, a jewel in the crown, so to speak - a place to be proud to be from.
My kids have loved WSM when we've visited and I loved going there as a kid. What a fantastic beach.
It really is so sad and tragic to see these once beautiful and popular sea side holiday areas now abandoned and going to ruin..
Crazy ain’t it
Reminds me of the song by the Pogues ‘Dirty Old Town’
I sold my Sierre Sapphire Cosworth to some from Weston-super-Mare. I regret ever selling it.
Used to go Weston as a kid with my dad in the early 90s great times. Live up north now so haven't been back since. Very sad to nice.
Quite a biased video. In the street with the Playhouse, you said you wanted to show lots of pubs, but there weren't any. In that road we have the Black Cat micro pub, (you stood outside chatting but didn't even mention it), the Fathead micro brewery with tap room and the Brit Bar. All these venues are excellent and serve some of the best quality beer you will find anywhere. The Dragon pub is indeed closed and was a Wetherspoons pub. However 5 mins walk away is the Cabot which is another Wetherspoons pub / hotel over 3 floors. This is really quite good and has some great beers. The Marine Lake is closed for dredging work, not e-coli. The Plaza cinema has only just opened. Until recently it was the Odeon, but that closed and was boarded up. The Plaza is just getting started, so give it a chance. The people running that are enthusiasts and are doing a great job of restoring everything including the organ. Yes, the roads are full of potholes and there is a homeless problem. But this is true across the country. It isn't because it's a seaside town. Bristol (just up the road) is far worse.
Look up gangstalking
The town has loads of potential, lots of beautiful Georgian and Victorian building and plenty of friendly people. Go during the summer during Lions Weston Ale festival, very nice. The local council aren't very imaginative, but I've been there during the Air Festival a few years ago and there were thousands of people in attendance. Put a ferry service between Cardiff and Weston birnbeck pier and it will thrive again.
Ah man. I spent some great years of my youth in Weston. Went to Broadoak school near the seafront and the sixthform in oldmixon.
The skateboarding scene was pretty good back in the 90's. had a great time from about 1988 till '96 then went up North for a few years and ended up back down here in Bristol for the last 30 years. Still go to Weston some times in the summer. Still ok on the seafront but looks pretty rough now in a lot of places.