Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Why we love Wolverhampton
Thursday 31st December 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
Proud Wulfrunians today jumped to the defence of their city after it was named the fifth worst in the world – but just as many are queuing up to agree with the controversial ranking.
Hundreds of Express & Star readers as well as many of Wolverhampton’s most distinguished sons and daughters have waded into the debate after the city was slated in the Lonely Planet travel bible.
With a Premier League football team, an Indian restaurant that is regularly listed in the Michelin guide, a music venue attracting some of the biggest stars in the world and well-preserved historic buildings, things are not all bad for Wolverhampton.
And Wolves legend Steve Bull, who famously turned down transfer offers to more successful and glamorous clubs to stay in his beloved Black Country, today called the guide’s list “absolute twaddle”.
He said: “Wolverhampton has a lot going for it, including nice restaurants and a civic hall that stages a lot of concerts featuring big names in entertainment.
“There’s the football stadium, of course, which is one of the biggest in the Midlands, as well as a big shopping centre. It’s not the best when compared with some other cities – we haven’t got a Trafford Centre or a Bullring – but it has a lot going for it and some of the friendliest people in the country. I’d like to say to those people at Lonely Planet – get a life.”
Mayor elect Malcolm Gwinnett said the guide’s findings were “an absolute farce”.
The 56-year-old councillor, who has lived in Wolverhampton for 35 years says: “It’s a sick joke. How can a company put this on a website when they’ve never been to the city? You might as well have written it from Planet Mars. Wolverhampton has a great heritage and has retained many of its best parts, like West Park and Bantock House.
“Our aerospace industry, which designed the nose for Concorde, is still going strong, and the world-renowned Norton company is still making motorbikes in the city. We spent £4.5 million on a revamp of the city a couple of years ago and if Wolverhampton’s so bad why were we given city status?”
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Wolverhampton is a dump ,I just pass through on my way to Birmingham .Where is the large shoppinf centre ?I must have missed that.The shops are either boarded up or mainly pound or jubk shops .Decent companys wont come to the city !!!Yes City is another joke the worst one in uk.
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We designed Concorde’s nose. It crashed. Is that the best we can do in our defence?
Well, its about right if you grew up in All Saints.
Most hooligan banning orders too
At least Wolves will be able to lure some players in the transfer window. Bronx and Gorbals etc
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All i can say is have anyone ever been to HULL what a dump that is even the rats have tatoos there
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How contradictory that on one hand Cllr Gwinnett praises the city yet is backing plans with the Tories/Libs Dems to close down the tourist information office?
Answers on a postard, from Detroit!
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It’s still a dosshole. Having lived here for 30+ years I can safely say it’s gone downhill in the last 12 years…that’s what Labour Council’s led by ex-bin men and shop stewards can do for you..coupled with the gangster wannabe’s and the general pondlife of Wolverhampton who look like the extra’s from ‘Shameless’.
Face facts, Lonely Planet were correct. We’ve got the dregs of Society and the town centre looks rubbish. It’s a place of rack and ruin.
£4.5 million revamp where? No doubt on all the dole bludgers in Heath Town and Wednesfield, all Labour Councillor’s making sure they sort out ‘their own’ first.
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Wolverhampton has a great heritage and has retained many of its best parts, like West Park and Bantock House……. Its an old house! Its a park! They are hardly major tourist attractions? The football stadium? Brings the town to a standstill from the badly designed road structure. Nice restaurants? Debatable. £4.5m on a revamp….you cannot polish a ….
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We seem to have more than the average number of bitter, twisted, jealous individuals who enjoy putting our city down at every opportunity. It’s time we started to fight back and made sure we don’t allow them to smear our city with their pathetic comments by promoting ourselves a lot more both in the UK and around the world.
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I WORK IN WOLVERHAMPTON AND DO NOT LIKE TO GO OUT SHOPPING AS YOU DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND THERE IS ONLY A FEW SHOPS THAT ARE ANY GOOD. THE OUTSIDE MARKET IS JUST A WASTE OF SPACE SO IS THE INDOOR, WHY NOT MOVE THAT INTO THE OLD WOOLWORTHS STORE IT MIGHT WORK OUT BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
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Wolves is a dump, it gets worse every time i go back.
BUT, there are so many worse places in England alone, nevermind the rest of the world. Rotherham, Barnsley, Bolton, Wigan, Sandwell, Leighton Buzzard, Luton, Andover, Middlesborough, Any Scottish town, Rhyl ffs!!! That’s just off the top of my head. Go abroad and it’s a whole new ball game. Have you ever seen Antwerp???
There are thousands of places all over the world that make Wolverhampton look like a UNESCO world heritage site.
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All that money spent, eh?
Try negotiating the road system around this ‘city’. Try looking for something OTHER than Indian or Chinese food. Try walking it’s streets (including when there’s a football match). Trying using that damn railway and bus station. Try having a night out amid the filth. Councilors and Mayors may well defend the city and it’s gravy train..but I’ve used this town and in my opinion it is an industrial dive. Stop keep barking on about football, and grime as though they are some saving grace.
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wolves 5th? what about bombay calcutta dar jeeling . not tomention manilla and any south america;s citys
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Wolverhampton IS a dump and has gone down hill at an alarming rate in the last 20 years.
If the councillors just popped out of their ivory tower and take a look for themselves they may just notice.
I moved abroad and prefer to keep my memories of a once great town in preference to a now run down low life City.
Sort it out you overpaid council officials. Earn your money.
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the city is a dump, full of tramps, hoodies, scumbags, charity shops, litter and graffiti. Full of shut down bars and pubs, the nightlife is rubbish, ocenana is an underage mecca. The city is old and needs some serious investment, the civic should be demolished and rebuilt int a decent music and entertainment venue
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Having moved here 4 years ago I have to say I agree with the book. Premiership footie team lmao! A park is a park and you can find them anywhere.
If I had the money I’d be gone like a shot
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Best place in the world!!!!!! Its our city stop knocking it. It’s got all the shops, a premier football team, a champion speedway team, loads of bars and restaurants, see you tonight happy new year!
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It has the same problems as many other cities in the UK. So why aren’t they on the list. eg. Hull, Birmingham(have you been though handworth??? lock the doors), Manchester etc etc and Wrexham.
The Lonely Planet guide is for lonely people.
Wolverhampton is also a great base for Golf, the SVR and many more places.
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Wolverhampton is not a dump, but it does requie further investment. The University has excellent facilites and international links. I live in Wolverhampton and work locally, i think the council needs to take a long look at where they are going wrong. Get some local University Graduates involved and create better links with schools and Individuals so that we all can make a change.
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deutchewolf – those places you’ve listed are not Cities!
I have to agree with the report, the shopping is non-existant unless you like pound shops and the night life has disappeared with most of the bars closing. The only good place is the Civic and the bands it manages to attract.
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Whatever the rights and wrongs will people please, please stop saying that Wolverhampton is in The Black Coutry.
I’tay !
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Wolves supporters singing “Feed the scousers” at Anfield. Priceless!
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The Loneley Planet assessment is way wide of the mark and is lazy, crass journalism, however that’s not to say that Wolverhampton doesn’t have its problems.
Over the past 2 decades, the city has been failled by its political leaders. The city council has been ineffective at providing jobs, investment and improvements that a post-industrial city needs. Too much money has been wasted on irrelevant, vacuous projects.
That said about Wolverhampton, there are many, many placed I’ve been to which are simnply off the scale when it comes to their appeal -
Bracknell – expensive sprawling 60′s council estate in a wood
Runcorn – chemical works by the dirty Mersey
Manchester – over-hyped and so desperate of attention that they’ve had to grab Salford, Oldham, Stockport and Rochdale to they feel that bit more bigger and special
Glasgow – still truly abismal, even with the Capital of Culture investment
Barrow in Furness – Boil on the backside of the Lake District
Nuneaton – No actual point for it existing has ever been found!
Livepool – Unremittingly squalid, crime-ridden and ghastly.
What concerns me most is that the council shows no leadership in attempting to change perceptions or getting the investment to imnprove the city. Are we really that defenceless and feable? We’ve forgotten how to sell ourselves – telling everyone we have a park is just an embarrasing opportunity lost. A park for Christ sake!!! Yet again we are subjected to mockery and ridicule!
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Its also the only city in the world where the ring road goes through the city center.
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To the people who back Wolverhampton i am with you.Totally utter dross from the authors of the table, does not even list the criteria for the table apart from oddball comments from whoever on their comments board
We do have our problems like everybody else & the answers are not easy to find.
To the people who easily attack Wolverhampton get a life & if you live in the City move out or if you do not, worry about the place you live in.
For the people you have Pride in our city this will only serve too galvanise everyone.
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Not the most inspiring of places.A good place to come FROM with the emphasis on FROM!
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Do you know what, I’ve lived in Wolverhampton all my life and I love it here. EVERY city has a bad side. It’s a city that’s never been given a chance. I’m proud to say that I’m from Wolverhampton, and I don’t want to move away. I shop there all the time, I walk the streets at night by myself and at least we have parks! Rather than the “concrete jungle” of Birmingham and other major cities.
What you’ll probably find we don’t have, is a supportive enough community that’s willing to work together to make the city better. It seems too many Wulfrunians are happy to slate it. So if you don’t like it, why do you still live there? There must be something you like.
But yeah, the blame probably does fall on the councillors. Don’t get me wrong, I like to look at the fountain in town but, did we need £1m spending on it? Does Wednesfield also need a fountain? I’m thinking not… we could have done with that £1m spending elsewhere
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People of the UK need to wake up and realise that no matter what politics you follow everyone has slipped into the I want it all I want it now and I’m not prepared to put any money or effort in.
It’s our society our city and our country and we all need to contribute.
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Where are these ” quality ” restaurants ?
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leave wolves alone, premier footie, nice people, your all moaning people….
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Wolverhampton should be ashamed to have missed out on a “medal placing” in the world’s worst city ranking by Lonely Planet. 5th? Rubbish!
The laughing stock of a football team and that dump of a shopping centre sum the place up…Mary was right with her comments.
Other than a couple of excellent jewellers – Henn’s and Rudell’s, and Ron Flowers Sports shop, the place is best avoided.
Try Beiruit instead.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Well, it might not be the best city in the world. But, one thing I can say is that its my home..
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maybe this article might inspire our good for nothing council to stop wasting money and do something about improving the city’s image. start by pulling down broad street, thats a good start,
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Yes Wolverhampton has a great heritage, but its “cultural enrichment” has ensured that it has no future.
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27. matt – What do you mean where are these quality restaurants?
McDonalds, Charlies Fish Bar, The Standard, Lazeez Kebab House, Express Cafe, do i need to go on?
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Absolutely outrageous….I am of course referring to how Wolverhampton failed to make it into the top 3…the residents of the Top 4 must be outraged to find themselves classed as worse than Wolverhampton.
I left Wolverhampton years ago and best decision ever made, I still devoutly follow the Wolves but the place itself is a disgrace and a complete laughing stock to everyone outside the place.
It will never change, the place was finished years ago, the truth is that the residents are to blame. Wolverhampton has had far more government money than most other areas over the years but wasted it on sink estates like Heath Town and Low Hill which just get worse and worse.
Most decent people like me left years ago, only the deluded and the fools remain
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HAHAHA! I was gutted we missed out on a top three spot….i live in wolves, have done all my life and its a dump that’s Chav ridden.
Loving the fact that the big name we got to defend the place was…..STEVE BULL hahahahahahaha
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I worked as a newspaper journalist on the Express and Star late 1960s early 1970s. I loved the place then, but on a nostalgic return visit this year I was appalled by the rundown state of certain areas, especially Whitmore Reans. And to think that the ‘perfect pub’. i.e. Halfway House on the Tettenhall Road has been closed and shuttered is nearly unbelievable. Sorry, but the place really has gone down big style.
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Bracknell, Runcorn, Barrow and Nuneaton are not cities, jxl76.
Are you seriously suggesting that Wolverhampton is better than Liverpool (European capital of culture 2009) and Manchester? Manchester has excellent nightlife, excellent cafés, bars and restaurants, great museums, great shopping, excellent tram system and some decent places to live. Wolverhampton doesn’t have any of these things apart from two half-decent galleries and a short stretch of tram network.
And worse than that, it has an entirely illiterate, culturally retarded and backward population. Why wouldn’t it be a rubbish place when it has that kind of population? Rubbish people make rubbish places.
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Wolves is SO in the Black Country!
Cuz we for shure ain’t brummies!!!
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There seems to be a trend here that many people blame the council for tarnishing the percieved image that Wolverhampton is getting out there.
For the people who keep bemoaning others who have the balls to criticise the city need a reality check. People have every right to criticise if they believe that things should be better. What is important is that people should take action to improve things out there and not take the comments personally.
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For all those proud wulfrunians who don’t think that it is a dump I suggest you walk from the station, towards the shut down flares, past the shut down o neils. Then when you get to the traffic lights note the buildings on your right next to the hiogs head which have been for let for years.
Continue on at the crossroads and note rothwells, closed and boarded up, a fast food place similarly boarded up go further forward and find bank boarded up.
The city centre is a disgrace. It badly needs investement and a deep clean.
The councillors need to be shamed into improving this once proud city.
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W’ton is in a mess. The town centre has very poor shops and incredibly bad parking. I can’t see how anyone can look forward to an evening wining and dining with the threatening atmosphere walking back to the car. Surrounding villages seem to provide safer and aspirational venues for eating out.
I met someone abroad last month who said that they had stayed in a hotel by the theatre and felt too intimidated to stay on following a short walk around the area. The wholesale building of concrete estates and civic buildings, roads that can’t be crossed, creates a brutalist enviroment where the citizen is second class. What a mess W/ton and England are in and much of it is down to town planners. There are legions of unspoiled towns on the continent and property taxes are much lower.
I think of course 30 years ago things were different and the town was vibrant and safe. I don’t think things will change now and I feel sorry for the house owner who will see the value of their property slowly but surely diminish whilst their taxes spiral.
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I spent a year in Wolverhampton in the 90’s, and I can recall many unique attractions such as a football ground, a giant Asda, a poncy bar owned by David Platt, a vast selection of Balti restaurants and an impressive array of ‘specialist’ bookshops near the station not to mention the (now sadly departed) tramp who inhabited a roundabout. However my overwhelming memory of the place was that the dog of choice for elderly women was a Rottweiler.
After leaving I made a promise to myself to never go back and I haven’t.
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Stop knocking Wolverhampton its not perfect but there are far worse cities in this country never mind the world.. Proud to be a Wulfrunian
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I moved to London 12 years ago, and wouldn’t move back. Wolves is regressing back to the depressing early 80′s, and it breaks my heart to visit and see the subways as filthy as they were 20 years ago. WHERE’S THE INVESTMENT? After all these years, there’s still miles of slagheaps and burnt-out foundries on the train route in. Why no investment in these areas? Wulfrunians seem to take proud in the wreckage of Springfield Brewery. Pull it down and build something new, for God’s sake! The Mander Centre is awful – how long has Our Price been closed now? Graiseley? Worcester Street? Lichfield Street bars, closed down for years now? The cafe’s are squalid, the food is terrible. Even my five year old daughter turns her nose up at the place. Telford has more going for it, like Wonderland for the kids. I’d like to be able to bring friends up and say, ‘I’m proud of this place right now’, but sadly I can’t. And I was born in the 70′s and raised here, before anyone tells me I don’t know what I’m talking about.
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I have lived in the Far East in four “Great” cities, living in two of them. In the near east (Europe) I lived in another. But now Wolverhampton..it is another place I have lived. It is full of real characters, people who change according to what you have had, as we all do. Happy New Year Wolverhampton xx
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the city has a plethora of international restaurants all waiting to tittilate your tastebuds. Spoilt for choice in the chapel ash,broard st regions.
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try living here in milton keynes this place is a dump bad housing crap roads and the pathways are a muggers paradice but it will have the attention of the world if we get the world cup. why could’nt wolverhampton have put in a bid. i like wolverhampton and its people.
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HA! we lot from Bilston am avin a gud loff over this cause yo aye even proper BLACK COUNTRY ,get over it we ave lived in your shadow to long and we want our town BACK…..
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WOLVERHAMPTON COUNCIL, YOU WANT TO START SORTING OUT THIS DUMP THEN? Its only recently ive been starting to realise what a rubbish place this is, what kind of lowlife people live here. When I was younger and growing up as a kid, I loved this place. Now its turned to poo.
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Connor Davies once again talking hog wash….Liverpool? Culture?? Ha lol scousers You have a cheek to talk about the lack of education in wolverhampton then praise up manchester and Liverpool. You seriously joke Connor me thinks???
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jxl76, funny you should mention Nuneaton. I was born there and was very happy to leave the soul-less, dormant, rough town and move to Wolves over 20 years ago.
Wolves really seemed to have something going for it (other than football!) back then, especially considering what I was used to.
I went back to Nuneaton for a few days recently. The night life was bustling, a friendly atmosphere and loads of live music in the pubs (including local bands, not just a whistle stop from major acts)
How things have changed!
Saying that, I still live in Wolverhampton and am happy here. I’m not suprised it scores low compared to other cities though… perhaps if it was compared with other large towns (which it is, not a city!) then it would’ve faired better
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Bilstonians am loffing our ‘eds off at this .
ps ,wolvo an’t in the BLACK COUNTRY
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To all those running Wolverhampton down-I wouldn’t say it to load if I were you, I have only read your letters and already I have built up a picture of what you are like – and I wouldn’t want to be associated with any of you – I only mix with decent,honest down to earth folk!
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ex pats- stay that way because no one needs or wants you here-when the going gets tough the tough get going.
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It might not be the best city in the world… and yes it could do with some real investment, but having visited Manchester, Glasgow, Stoke and Birmingham recently (I could go on), it’s not as bad as the no-lifers at lonely planet make out.
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Happy new year to all proud Wulfrunians. Vivek Wagle, the editor of the Lonely Planet in Australia was out of order for putting us at number 5 and then not including a write-up to justify it. I’ve emailed him sugggesting he visits our city before coming to any conclusion. In the meantime why not join the Civic or History and Heritage societies at http://www.cityofwolverhampton.com and help us to promote the city.
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I was born Wolverhampton and still have the misfortune to live here. I work in Birmingham centre and much prefer it. If I need to get anything I get it from Birmingham, on the odd occasion when there is no avoiding going to Wolverhampton I go early and get out as fast as poss to beat the dregs. On the brighter side my job may be leaving this area soon, can’t wait.
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Wolverhampton is quite average really, if you want to see a real dump go to Bradford or Dewsbury.
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Yes wolverhampton is run down but we should ask ourselves why. The answer is simple all of our industry has beed decimated reducing our wealth, our planners got it all wrong back in the 60′s. The market for example is in the wrong place, the shopping centre is too big and some idiots want to make it even bigger.
I can think of far worse places to live, for starters London, its polluted, dirty, noisy and very expensive. The slagging off of wolverhampton is well out of order, as a world traveller I can list places like Mexico City, New Delhi and many others that make wolverhampton look like paradise
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Comment #32 says W’ton’s “cultural enrichment” ensures that the city has no future.
I disagree: the city has been ravaged by the recession, but W’ton is still a vibrant, modern city with a diverse multi-cultural population which gives our city the edge over many other places.
Urban culture, especially hip-hop, is massive now and W’ton is a great place for this.
Big up to all proud Wulfrunians!!
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I love wolverhampton i was born and bread from this city and i love it so much. we have great things in a city like bontock park west park and bontock house we also have a great football team that is doing alright at the moment.i will remember this city all my life.
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wolves is a good place – much worse around – enjoy the diversity of this city
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i first visited wolverhampton when i studied at university there, and i have got to say that i had a very happy 4 years here. Moving to a new city i was scared, but i found most people to be polite and friendly. Since then i have moved up north to gateshead which is a dump. We have a great city (Newcastle) on our doorstep but gateshead has nothing going for it. Have been back to Wolverhampton many times, and even been looking for houses down there. For me, it feels like a second home and these journalists should actually try to live there to see what it is really like.
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What people need to do id think of the positives of Wolverhamtpton. Tram service, modern and fresh University, top class football team , top class speedway team. Then it is the PLANNED transport interchange hub including a new train station, hotel, offices and bus station, New Summer Row, New court, new developments at the Springfield Brewery, as well as many other places. However until these stay as PLANS then there will not be a knock on effect to the rest of the City. It is key that the necessary funds are made available to these projects. So people please look at these plans and ask why they have just remained plans…im sure that is a question you all need to ask the council bosses.
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IT CANT BE THAT BAD SEEING ALL THE SO CALLED ASYLUM SEEKERS WANT TO LIVE HERE LOL.
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I grew up in wolverhampton in the 80s and have reasonably fond memories even though i lived in low hill but it had a vibrancy back then and was quite exciting as i moved there from a small town in east anglia so i find it nostalgic to look back on my life in those days
but i left in 1990 and briefly lived back in wolves for a few months in the late 1990s and i felt very disillusioned with the decline i saw there
the old saying goes that you can never go home and i felt that was particulary true in wolverhamptons case as it just didnt seem to offer any amenities what so ever and appeared very run down and depressing and i can imagine the only reason for staying would be if you had friends or family
to wake up in the morning in a wolverhampton council house would fill me with horror but i suppose you can level most of wolverhamptons problems with any number of towns throughout the uk
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The main problem with Wolverhampton is the badly planned ‘city’ centre. Run down, boarded shops and only one department store in a so-called city. Unfortunately investment will be drawn to Telford Shopping Centre rather than wasting money on the dilapidated place that is Wolverhampton town centre. Is is a city?
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I will be visiting my native Wolverhampton at the end of January for the first time in four years. Should I brace myself? Has it really gone down hill so quickly? Other than the Wolves V Liverpool game (just got my 40 QUID ticket!!), is there anything else worth going in to town for? Like most ex-pats who have posted, I am proud to call my self a Wulfrunian, but prefer to reap some rewards from hard work. I shudder at the thought of having to raise my children in the UK.
It must be frustrating for all the honest, hard working residents. Who can not get a head due to the lack of opportunities. Whilst, the councillors and the under classes run the City in to the ground.
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What reaally annoys middle class people, many of whom are pensoners, is the amount of council tax spent in the “unemployment benefit” dross areas.
Imagine having to pay £140+ per month in council tax, only to see it being spent on the City’s wasters – single mum teens, drug and drink rehabilitation.
All these freeloader areas are given health centres, drop in centres etc. All end up covered in graffiti with broken windows yet the middle classes who pay for it receive nothing for their area. “can’t afford it” they’re told.
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are these people stupid??
yes, theres bad parts of wolverhampton, but there are also good parts. its like comparing heath town to tettenhall wood, totally different.
and as for the ‘non-exsistant’ shopping centre, do your eyes work??
no, its not very big, but there are still a lot of shops that would be found in any other good shopping centre; such as new look, hmv, river island, etc.
GET A GRIP LONELY PLANET.
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Wolverhampton is my birth place and is to where I shall return as soon as I can.
It has been a religious centre since time immemorial. It has welcomed people as refugees for centuries. Here the Roman Church re-established itself. Here the Ukrainian Church based itself. Here the Dutch sought refuge in the Second World War. Here we housed a whole variety of refugees at the end of that war.
We built the fastest car in the world. We made the best locks the world has ever known. We produced the intricate fine machinery on which aircraft rely…. bicycles, motorcycles, fine steel, door fittings, street furniture, railway ironmongery….. The people of this City are down to earth, skilful and resourceful.
We boast a cathedral church which is unique and ancient and very special. It is built on the site of a British Church and its base is Norman. Close by is a most remarkable art gallery which again has a unique history and despite a relentless pursuit of enterprise there remain legacies of its earlier architecture, for example in Exchange Street and Victoria Street.
From the City Centre you can see across the whole of Shropshire. Looking west you can see few buildings. Looding South from Penn you see Worcestershire. The City is so green. Looking east is not quite the same but hey… even royalty has to have a toilet.
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i was born and bred in wolves, but after leaving 20 years ago to join the navy i find it very hard to believe that we are 5th i have been to some countries in my time with cities that would shame the best of em, i know live in portsmouth and there are places down here that rival all saints and low hill, but what i will say is i have noticed wolves’ demise every time i come’home’ to see family and friends,
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As a former Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton and currently ‘Wolverhampton Business Champions’ Chairman perhaps I could add a few words.
I would not want to put my trust in a travellers guide that was so patently out of touch with reality. Fifth worse City in the World?!! What a load of nonsense. There are many worse places in the World to visit than Wolverhampton. Places where poverty reaches out and touches you, where terrorism and crime stalks the streets putting huge numbers of the population at risk hourly. Where people in their scores sleep on the streets, where young children are preyed upon as ‘street children’ by depraved gangs, and crime overlords.Where Government and corruption (the the really proper take your cash and your life corruption) is an every hour issue , not an everyday one!
Where would Wolverhampton feature is a list that was that truthful….not fifth worse in the World I am sure!
Perhaps Wolverhampton should just boycott spending on any travel guide that can get this kind of judgement so wrong, that it leads you to question their other facts.
I for one will not be purchasing this product to help me plan my future trips out of Wolverhampton. I would urge others to also give deep thought to how they make their judgements when it comes to travel advice.
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So Phil Bateman, perhaps you could tell us what you are doing as ‘Wolverhampton Business Champions Chairman.
I am not interested in whether you would buy said travel guide or not.
If you have not been offered drugs, or had foreign women with children begging you for money in Wolverhampton, on a matchday then you would not write such utter drivel.
I love Wolverhampton, I invest in it every time I visit with my husband and two children for the wolves games. I put my hard hard earned money into food outlets and shops, not to mention carparking and public houses.
Frequently, I find the town centre closed because the police have decided to shut pubs prior to a match.
I wonder Mr Bateman if you have allowed this in your business role- if you have then you should answer to some of the publicans who are struggling to make a living and to those whose livelihood is already lost.
Last tuesday we attended the game against Man City. The patchs all aorund the stadium and university, and by the council house and St Peters had not been gritted and were treacherous.
I wonder if you can tell the readers what Wolverhampton is spending its monies on?
Tell us what proposals you have to regenerate this city?
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Mr Bateman. Yes there is some truth in what you say but I think you are missing the point somewhat. Most of the posts regarding the state of Wolverhampton are genuine concerns about the state of the City. Wolverhampton is run down, full of closed shops (in the City centre) has a poor cultural industry _ SORRY but I work in cultural industries in the North West (i know what I am talking about). There is no broad city mentality or outlook and for me Connor Davies is spot on.
Disregard what you see as ‘an insult in a travel guide’ and have a look at what people are saying.
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Phil,
You are demonstrating how out of touch “business leaders” are “political leaders” are with the world.
Please get down from your ego.
The fact that journalists have not visited Wolverhampton is irrelevant – it’s the REPUTATION that is important.
Have you ever visited every single world city that is renowned for its nightlife, attractions excitement etc – no, not unless you’re extremely lucky.
But you still KNOW without having been there, that certain places are good – because you can read about them in every newspaper, every magazine, every website. Reputation doesn’t lie.
It doesn’t matter what “business leaders” or “political leaders” or so called “community leaders” think because it’s irrelevant in the face of what everyone knows from word of mouth. People know Wolverhampton is boring, dirty, dismal and entirely uninteresting – because you never hear of anything happening in Wolverhampton.
Do you?
when was the last time you heard anything on national radio, or a global website, or saw a film, or a play, and it featured Wolverhampton? Or it was written by someone in Wolverhampton?
Exactly.
Never.
Wolverhampton is completely uninteresting and completely underperforms economically because it has such a poorly qualified population and businesses with no imagination, no courage or no enterprise.
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Lonely Planet is a company owned by BBC Worldwide and therfore the BBC. The chairman of the BBC is Sir Michael Lyons. Sir Michael was the Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Council from 1985 to 1990 and he more than anybody should know this “poll” is preposterous and should not have been published and allowed to make national and international headlines that have demeaned our city.
I would be interested to hear what Sir Michael has to say on the matter and whether he will do something about it.
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As someone who came to the West Mids 32 years ago,went to the old Poly and stayed and worked in the town/city,I think I can comment with some knowledge.We have been here before! -many times in the last 30 or so years “Wolverhampton is a dump etc etc” The reality is that Wolverhampton is an old industrial metropolitan area that has suffers from a poor infastructure and a series of recessions over the years.It is, in reality, no different to comparable places up and down country- I know I have been to most of them!Don’t compare poor old Wolves to York, Shrewsbury,Chester,Salisbury,Durham or Ludlow to name a few in the UK,you are comparing Apples to Gerkins.As other posters have said the Lonely Planet people should go to Sandwell,Bradford,Bolton,Hull,Bury, Middlesborough,Plymouth,most of inner city Scotland,most of urban south Wales,inner London etc etc Wolves is no worse than these places.As a “city” however the place is now compared to bigger and flasher places and the article does highlight a problem with the image of the area.It clearly hasn’t changed to the outside world in 30 years.I live in Shropshire now and go through the city 5 or 6 times a year and feel it has visibly deteriortated in the last 10 years since I moved out.It has some things to commend it,some good residential areas to the west,a good concert venue,some excellent real ale pubs,good curry houses,good shopping,and friendly people,but the place does look shabby and dirty at times,the ring road is a pain,and has Wolves has little identity outside of the area and little to “draw” people here. Wake up and take the criticism Wolverhampton Council rather than be defensive or you will be on another list in a few years time !
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I have not lived in Wolves since 1989, but regularly visit family here. I feel I must defend the city, I think it has improved considerably in the last 20 years, yes it’s not perfect and has it’s problems like everywhere else, what i think it has to be proud of is it’s people, my wife is from Yorkshire and she always comments how friendly it is when we visit. It’s not beautiful (but have you been to Middlesborough or Basildon?)but come on lonely planet give us a break (and pay us a visit).
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I’ve lived in Wolverhampton for over 60 years and I walk a lot of the area every day.
It has got worse, much worse, in the last 10 or 15 years.
The streets are full of litter, and clearly the residents are past caring since they often walk past litter outside their own home and ignore it.
Planning at the Civic Centre must take some repsonsibility for the situation, since there are numerous blatent breaches of planning regulations and they seem to be overlooked.
Car Hand Wash stations in most areas – these could be closed immediately and the change in the appearance of the neightbourhood would be dramatic, but because it is largely an immigrant driven activity the council seem to ‘pussyfoot’ and do very little to regulate it.
Charging rates on empty commercial premises has resulted in lots of building being flattened – the piles of rubble in the St. Mark’s Road area is most depressing.
In the centre, it is a case of ‘all worship the night life’. What a load of rubbish. And that’s exacty what our night life does create – rubbish. Chapel Ash is a disgrace from midnight on, Broad Street needs to be blown up about 2.30 am one morning. It is not safe for elderly people to walk through the city centre after 8′ish pm., and the Bus Station is neither safe nor pleasant 24 hours a day.
When Wolves are at home, it is a case of ‘worship the football’, because everything stops. Their football ground should be 10 miles out of town, preferably in a low spot that floods.
Walking late at night is hazardous, drivers seem to think it is fun to throw their drinks and food containers out of the window at pedestrians.
The fact that the town has a lawless society is evidenced by the huge proportion of drivers with blacked-out windscreens, playing very loud music, blatently using mobile phones and trying to outdo each other in dazzling other motorists with their super (illegal) spotlights. Indeed, send a small squad of police out with the remit to stop and fine drivers for the above offences and Gordon Brown’s national debt could be wiped out very quickly – Chief Constable please note, huge revenue potential here.
Fly-posting is rife, and little seems to be done about it.
Parking on footpaths is the norm and woe betide the pedestrian who dares to not worship the car.
Dog Fouling seems to be on the increase, and all the parks in the town are covered in this stuff.
Finally, I note that Suzi Perry has offered her protest against the Lonely Planet rating, but does she live here? NO way, she couldn’t leave Wolverhampton quick enough.
I’m slowly beginning to think that perhaps it’s no longer for me too.
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for those that think Dingle City has merit clearly do not get out much…. it’s a real dump….
education, culture, history, ennvironment, health, econmony all ranked below every city I know
who are the World Wide companys based in the area, where are the leading teaching hospitals, look at the crime rate, comare the employment rates, 90% of the educated leave the city on graduation from university, there’s no airport beyond a 1940 strip in Bobbington , the train station only services Telford and B’ham, all the big acts go to Bham these days
by every measure a desperate ‘city’ !!!!
disagree, list the facts, I eagerly await ….
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I now live in Brisbane, a very modern, if not mega expensive, growing City.There is no poll tax, no National Insurance contributions, and hardly any strikes.It is also multi cultural and everyone respects the Australian flag. I love living here.’
I also love coming back HOME very 2 or 3 years.Wolverhampton is the first place I visit , it has character, the friendliest people on the planet, and great pubs. Having been to Perth to watch Wolves earlier this year, that should be higher than Wolves in the worst cities!!
Love to you all , and a happy new year to MY Wolverhampton.
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JONO,i live in KINGSTOM UPON HULL are you having a laugh Hull might not be disney land but its a whole lot better than wolverhamton and is much better than people like you want to admit,ive worked around the UK and im always glad to get back to HULL when ive seen some of the dumps London included in some of its areas,there arnt many cities that can say they have a marina or gardens in the city centre a large modern shopping centre that stands on water,this city is going through a big regeneration change sadly slowed down because of the recession but its getting there so all i can say is dont always believe what you hear,and another thing our position makes us lucky half an hour east we are at the sea twenty minutes west we are in the country i love this city and you and nobdy else including those who make stupid ch/4 programmes can tell me different,.
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Wolverhampton is in the Black Country you morons!
And I for one love the City, Always have, Always will do.
Put you hands up for Wolvo!
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Wolverhampton is one of the best places in the world! Really like it and continue to come back time after time. The football team is the main reason but we like the city as well. Friendly people, decent shopping, nice pubs, easy to find transport by bus or taxi, etc etc.
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Why not put up some dustbins everywhere. The rubbish on streets is easy to watch! We use them in our country(Norway). The City is nice, but the traffic is to heavy!
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I’m not originally from Wolverhampton, though have lived here for over a decade, during which time the city became my home. I don’t see how anyone who hasn’t lived or visited, can judge our city! That makes no sense! Wolverhampton has great potential; though sadly, much of it currently untapped… That our city could be much better, is without doubt – there is always room for improvement! But, lest we forget, there are many less fortunate places in the world, as well as in our own country; we should appreciate what we’ve got… Why not work to make it better? :)
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I would agree with Suzi Perry that Wolverhampton is a great place to come from as long as i too could live in a nice French village well away from here and say that.
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Why dont put some dustbins in streets, raylwaystations and public places? And say 100£ for throw rubbish in streeits oa.
Bully77
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What is the point of spending money on the place when over 70% of the residents are from the dross estates which surround it. Morons who throw beer cans from cars, spit in the street, spraypaint walls, sell drugs, beg, stagger about bladdered are most unlikely to pick litter, use bins, admire floral dispays (except to vomit in), visit museums and art galleries.
I would advise all the decent people, if possible, to leave ASAP and the area would then become like an open prison for the ever expanding low life.
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I think it is unfair to single out wolverhampton as some kind of cesspit of boredom coupled with lack of culture and the threat of violence and an overall feeling of impending death
the whole of the UK has become a toilet in which most towns and cities are blighted by the same mess as wolverhampton
having lived in numerous british towns including wolves ive come to the conclusion that the country is a stinking hopeless hell hole riven by anti social behaviour,crap housing, nutty people and exhorbitant cost of living
i hope very soon to emigrate out of the stinking filthy toilet and never come back
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As i live in Hull i agree with Graham,but what we dont have in Hull is much immigration we think it strange if we see somebody in different dress,but dont you all worry to much about stupid comments on your city we have had the same most of it all untrue from people who have never been,if you want to see worse visit outskirts of Manchester,Middlesboro,Liverpool,Sunderland,London our dump of a capital ciy,just to name a few
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Lived in Wolves for 31 years before i moved to Scotland, every time i return home the city looks worse than the previous visit.
Stop wasting taxpayers money on the swamp rat estates such as Heathtown and Whitmore reans..Theres no taxpayers there to contribute!
If you think Wolves is bad try Glasgow or Liverpool, they are much worse!! BIG UP WOLVES
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There are many adverse features about Wolverhampton and it suffers by being too near to Birmingham.However there are also many positive features,many of which do not apply to other places in the West Midlands Conurbation.(Wolverhampton is the smallest but one in the Conurbation – by population.)
Here are 12 positives in no particular order,
1.Wolverhampton Grammar School founded 500 years ago in 2012,many famous old boys.
2.Wolverhampton Girls High School – always in the top girls state schools.
3.Wolverhampton University – Over 20,000 students to contribute to the local economy.
4.Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. An historic football club in the best league in the world.
5.Wolverhampton Speedway – Elite League Champions and Track of the year winners.
6.Wolverhampton Location – easy to get to most places in the UK.
7.Wolverhampton Civic Hall – a fine hall seating 2000 + albeit dated.
8.A daily evening newspaper of our own.
9.The Grand Theatre – a great venue.
10.Wolverhampton Racecourse – not the finest but the only one in the conurbation.
11.The Heart,Lung Centre at New Cross Hospital – one of the best in the country.
12.City Status – that is not awarded lightly and Wolverhampton has some catching up to do.
I have lived in Wolverhampton all my life and my cup is half full not half empty.
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Although I was annoyed by Lonely Planet’s list to begin with, many of these comments have just been far too amusing, that I can’t stop laughing. I love how most of the people who are moaning about the City can’t spell, and that their problems are largely centred around immigration and people who claim benefits- anyone of you happen to read the Sun?! Does anyone, for one second, seriously believe that the whole city claims benefits and are ‘chavs’? Every city has a mixture of working class and middle class, I think it may have a little bit to do with living in a society with classes.
As for those who believe that Wolverhampton has no culture, perhaps you should reconsider. Wolverhampton has the largest Pop Art collection outside of London and because of how industrialised the city was during the industrial revolution has a host of beautiful buildings. That’s if you look up and at the buildings rather than just at the ‘chavs’ that you are referring to so often in your rants against the city.
I don’t think its controversial to say that the Grand Theatre is beautiful, and a rarity for a city as many examples of older threatres have been destroyed by fires or replaced with more modern ones. Neither would it be controversial to state that the Art Gallery is a marvellous building. The chubb buildings is another example of Wolverhampton’s culture, a perfect venue for the craft fairs that they host and often a fine selection of films. similarly some of the older schools of Wolverhampton have some equally attractive grounds, Wolverhampton Grammar, the Royal and Tettenhall College. What’s more, one final rebuttal to the argument that Wolverhampton is full of ‘chavs’ who sign on- Gosh, benefits have gone up if they can fund these three private schools still.
Sorry if my bitter tone was offensive. I am a fan of travel and often visit different cities in Britain and I am often abroad. I think perhaps this and my like for the arts means that I appreciate the culture Wolverhampton has, I’d rather look for culture and appreciate what I discover, than moan that I live in a place that has none and then become uncultured in my old age. I guess the major plus is most of the complainers start off with ‘I visited once’ or ‘I used to live in Wolverhampton’!!!
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