A controversial new 2022 ranking of the top 50 worst places to live in England is pretty grim reading for three Greater Manchester towns.
It’s not exactly a title to flaunt with pride, but after a record-breaking 110,172 residents voted for their own towns and communities in the 2022 survey by online platform iLiveHere UK – which is conducted annually, with insights offered on what it’s like to live there – Bolton, Rochdale, and Oldham have all earned themselves places in the top 20 list.
Rochdale takes the number 16 spot on the list, and is rather unfortunately summed up by residents as “a complete abomination occupying the map of greater Manchester”, while “drugs, grooming and early death” is apparently what you can expect if you live in Oldham, according to its residents, as the town comes in at number 13th on the list.
Bolton claims the highest spot in the annual rankings, climbing 22 places to number 6.
The town is summarised by iLiveHere UK on the 2022 round-up as “the Mancunian dingleberry known as Bolton”, and was apparently described by one of the poll’s contributors this year as “the worst possible assault on the eye and mind possible in Britain”.
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Another contributor wrote: “Yes there are much worse places in Britain… but the seemingly endless rain exacerbates greatly the feeling of sadness, generalised grubbiness and pointlessness of this place.”
We told you it was grim reading.
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Bolton is the highest-ranking Greater Manchester place on the 2022 rankings / Credit: Geograph (Bob Embleton)
The top 50 list is unfortunately filled with what seems like all things Northern, with other North West towns and cities claiming places in the rankings including Liverpool, Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley, and Accrington.
On a lighter note though, a town that has previously enjoyed “three glorious years of taking the crown” has been knocked off the top spot, with Peterborough being knocked down to 5th on the list and being replaced by the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury at number 1.
Aylesbury scored an impressive 25% more votes than its nearest competitor, Huddersfield, with locals saying the town’s traffic jams were part of the “magnificent beauty” of the area, and “all part of the tour.”
They said: “As you enter into Aylesbury, you find yourself in a traffic jam.
“Don’t worry, it’s all part of the tour. Being stuck in the traffic allows you to observe the magnificent beauty of all the ‘trashy citizens’ that live there.”
Top 10 Worst Places to Live in England 2022
Aylesbury
Huddersfield
Luton
Liverpool
Peterborough
Bolton
Corby
Jaywick
Slough
Bradford
You can read the 2022 list of Top 50 Worst Places to Live in England 2022here.
Featured Image – Geograph (John S Turner)
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Trailer for Clayface gives closer look at Batman villain in new DC film shot in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
DC have dropped a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Clayface film: a new ‘body horror’ movie by the Hollywood studio and superhero franchise.
Giving the first extended look at the cult favourite Batman villain, it’s set to be one of the darkest and most disturbing big-budget DC projects for some time.
Set to release on 23 October, it drops in just time for ‘spooky season’, and judging by this latest trailer, they’re certainly doubling down on the creepiest sides of the character. If you’re a bit squeamish, we’d say proceed with caution:
It’s certainly a striking reveal and has some of the most mature themes we’ve seen from DC over the years; that’s what you get when you park a supervillain like this.
For anyone who hasn’t come across Clayface before, it is an alias used by multiple individuals in the comics, including Basil Karlo and Preston Payne.
However, this version of the alter ego follows the story of Matt Hagen, a struggling actor who suffers serious disfiguration and experiments with experimental science before embarking on a tale of revenge.
While this differs somewhat from Hagen’s original backstory, without straying into spoiler territory, there’s plenty to be made from the trailer, as you can see.
If you’re wondering what kind of film to expect beyond what you’re now already aware of, it’s worth noting that James Watkins is known for films such as The Woman In Black (2012), Bastille Day (2016), and the heavily nominated James McAvoy-led movie, Speak No Evil (2024).
We were lucky enough to walk past their other major period of filming over in Manchester city centre last September, where the often-used Castlefield doubled as Gotham.
Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? named biggest UK studio album EVER by Official Charts
Danny Jones
You’re damn right: Oasis continue to be MASSIVE as new figures from the Official Charts Company have confirmed that (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? has clocked in as the biggest UK studio album of all time.
The Britpop icons and history go hand in hand.
Yes, according to the latest numbers by our domestic chart-crunchers, only two other albums surpassed Oasis‘ second LP – and they’re both greatest hits collections.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, 22 July, just over a whole year on from those reunion world tour shows at Heaton Park. How fitting.
Starting off by channelling Liam Gallagher energy and quipping that “Oasis vibes are in the area”, they go on to explain the colossal cumulative record.
“Oasis claim one of the biggest honours in British music history, they write, “as (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? is named the UK’s Official biggest studio album of all time, according to new Official Charts Company data.”
Combining UK sales of the record – both physical and digital over the years – along with modern streaming statistics, the sophomore outing from the Britpop giants has amassed approximately 6.2 million UK chart units. Staggering stuff.
Last year’s Live ’25 shows have no doubt helped give an added boost to their metrics, but it’s still gargantuan stuff from the local band.
Yet another incredible stat not just for the Burnage boys but the Manchester music scene as a whole.
2026 looks to be just as big a comeback, by the looks of things.
In case you were wondering who beat them out in the race for the top spot, they were pipped to the post by Queen’s Greatest Hits and the same again from ABBA, two worthy opponents to take third place after.
You can see the rest of the list in full right HERE.
Oh, and Definitely Maybe also made the list, too, coming in at number 39 – making that two in the top 50 even amongst all the compilations.
It feels like last July all over again, doesn’t it? And if now isn’t the perfect time to stick on the title track, we don’t know what is.
Actually, sod it – we’re sticking the full thing on…
Emily Sergeant -
4th January 2022 
