Manchester 'one of worst places to live'

Don nFrame

October 15, 2007

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MANCHESTER has been named one of the worst places to live in Britain - but its position in a nationwide poll has improved.

Twelve months ago the city was ranked 10th worst - the only place in the north west to feature in The Best and Worst Places in Britain.

This year the poll, for Channel 4's Location, Location, Location, sees Manchester dropping to 17th place, doing better than Knowsley, Merseyside, now ranked 10, and Blackpool, in at number 11. The programme accepts the city was at the forefront of the industrial revolution and the cotton industry, and applauds the way it hosted the Commonwealth Games.

But it says it has the fifth lowest life expectancy for anywhere in Britain and has a poor success rate for pupils achieving five GCSEs at grades A-C.

A survey by students, however, suggests undergraduates believe Manchester is one of the best places to study.

Top spot in the study carried out by a student accommodation website was Aberystwyth, with Manchester joint second with Exeter and Brighton.

City centre councillor Pat Karney said: "Manchester has seen every survey under the sun, but the people who live here know it is the centre of the universe and the best place in the world to be."

Phil Spencer, presenter of the Location, Location, Location: Best and Worst Live Show, to be screened on Wednesday, said: "Each year we seem to create a storm of controversy, but it's based on official data and all we do is tell you the results.

"But it's always edge-of-the-seat stuff.

"The results of a survey like this, frankly, are pretty meaningless, what is important is the pride that Manchester people have in their own city."

Top of the poll for worst places to live this year is Middlesbrough, which has been given the undesirable title because of high crime levels, severe drug and health problems and poor education results.

Hull is second, followed by Newham in east London.

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dessie, manchester (15/10/2007 at 10:24)

gorton, crumpsall, moss side, levenshulme, wythenshawe all lovely places to live, how dare they say that!!!

tezza, tyldesley (15/10/2007 at 10:24)

Manchester is such a big place, so narrow it down a bit please!!!!!

Timberman (15/10/2007 at 12:09)

Treat this survey with the contempt it deserves, come and see for yourself what a great City we have.

The Bobelesque, In The Rye (15/10/2007 at 12:20)

City centre councillor Pat Karney said: "... the people who live here know it is the centre of the universe and the best place in the world to be."

It would be but for you and your ideas of what the people want/need i.e. congestion charge. I hope to see Karney and Ko lose control of Manchester at the next election.

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (15/10/2007 at 12:23)

Notice the way they section off little bits of London for criticism but utterly fail to recognize the same differentiation between individual suburbs of practically every other town and city in the UK. Channel 4? London-biased? Ludicrous suggestion!

Mr Manchester (15/10/2007 at 12:26)

Well said, Timberman. Like any city, it has it's pluses and minuses. More positives than negatives it has to be said.

Colin W, Abroad (15/10/2007 at 12:46)

yes the city is great, just some of the population and the council that ruins it. Enjoy the congestion charge people

Colin W, Abroad (15/10/2007 at 12:47)

dessie, you forgot openshaw, beswick, moston and carrington

ebble (15/10/2007 at 12:48)

The city of Manchester is still an awful place. Nice new shops and offices in the city centre, and plenty of bars and discos for the kids don't really disguise the fact that the city as a whole is still poor, scruffy and crime-ridden compared to most of the UK.

Gloria (15/10/2007 at 12:48)

Manchester in common with this dirty overcrowded island we inhabit has got progressively worse.
I love my city,but a lot of people behave in such a loutish manner.It's almost impossible to walk down the road without seeing people feeding their faces and swearing!
This council pours money into things like Manchester Arts festival and lets places like Levenshulme decay.
As a city we're all underskirt and no nickers!

ace, manchester (15/10/2007 at 13:19)

Its a great city for some ,Not all .

Surfin' Bird, Tameside (15/10/2007 at 13:44)

If you think it's bad now you ought to research what it was like in the 19th century!

ace, manchester (15/10/2007 at 13:51)

As ive said before we build palaces but fill some up with pigs? Our council and housing associations allow people to live like pigs and spoil once great communities.Manchesters housing is the best its ever been,no thanks to the council who after all allowed the housing to get into the mess it was in.Lack of maintainance Etc......

ace, manchester (15/10/2007 at 14:24)

Let Dickie leese get his own way with a casino and ill agree with this article.A casino will really make this city,a city of hell.We have a large problem with Alcohol and gambling as it is we wont need yet another excuse to make us hit rock bottom on the scale.....

mauger 9, HANNOVER GERMANY (15/10/2007 at 14:29)

I was brought up in Wythenshawe.used to a lovely Place.What a Doss house it is now!Work shy and White cider.Blood and sand.

Dave Pickup (15/10/2007 at 14:32)

Communist Moscow was similar. Shows what you get with a left wing Council and a totalitarian Government!
Cities should be all about the people who live there---says it all-- but the indigenous Mancunians have been totally emasculated.

alvinlwh (15/10/2007 at 14:32)

Yes, Manchester is one of the worst place. However if places like Moss Side, Hulme, Levenshulme and Wythenshawe are wiped off the face of the earth, Manchester will improve greatly. The best way for this is to flatten these places with MK82 bombs.

Mr Manchester (15/10/2007 at 14:40)

'Shows what you get with ... a totalitarian Government!'

Yes, Dave, a description equally applicable to Spain: governed by the dictator Franco for a good stretch!

Andy, Wythenshawe (15/10/2007 at 14:50)

alvinlwh , the only problem with Manchester is that its full of muppets like you, incapable of intellectual thought and devoid of common sense.

Mr Manchester (15/10/2007 at 15:19)

Fair point, Andy, but it's not full of them. They're a minority. Except in Finland.

alvinlwh (15/10/2007 at 15:20)

Andy, I maybe "incapable of intellectual thought and devoid of common sense", but at least I do not go around shooting people or stabbing people, for an empty bag!

Antoin, Old Trafford (15/10/2007 at 15:23)

Having moved to Manchester from the south 10 years ago, I would rather live and work here than many other UK cities. The vibrancy and multiculturalism far outweigh the problems of drugs, booze, guns, muggings, filth etc which now afflict all UK urban areas and many rural ones too.

Pescado (15/10/2007 at 15:29)

"The results of a survey like this, frankly, are pretty meaningless, what is important is the pride that Manchester people have in their own city."

Says it all I think.

Sam Anderson (15/10/2007 at 15:54)

What a gross generalisation Mauger. I too, was brought up in Wythenshawe, my parents still live there and they (nor I) are work shy cider drinkers. As usual, it is the same old scenario of the scum spoiling it for the hard working, honest people.

Wor Bobby, Salford Quays (15/10/2007 at 17:46)

After moving here from London 18 months ago I have to say, I love it. Yes there are are some unsavoury elements, but that can be changed for the better, but only if people want it baddly enough.

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