We live in Britain’s ‘most miserable’ seaside town – critics call it ‘festering, rough & dirty’… but here’s the truth

A COASTAL town named one of the UK’s most miserable places to live has been described as “festering, rough and dirty” – but locals have lashed out at critics.

The two remaining piers were also recently ranked as the worst in Britain but locals say those insulting the commuter town “don’t know what they’re talking about”.

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYGravesend’s Royal Terrace Pier was ranked the worst in Britain[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYGravesend’s Town Pier was ranked a bit higher but locals believe it’s even worse than the Royal Terrace[/caption]

Gravesend in Kent was dubbed one of the worst towns in the UK in 2017JOHN McLELLAN

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYJason Taylor, 55, was shocked to hear how much people hate the piers[/caption]

A recent list of piers in the country ranked them according to length, age, online ratings and food and drink available.

In Gravesend, Kent, the Town Pier and the Royal Terrace Pier, which stretch out into the River Thames and are just a five-minute walk from each other, ranked low on the list.

The town, which gets its grim name after the bodies of plague victims were transported from London to be buried there, was also ranked as the seventh worst place to live in the UK in 2017.

The Sun previously reported Gravesend had been blighted by ruthless drug gangs trying to recruit members as young as 12.

Brutal reviewers called the town, with a population of around 100,000, “festering” with others referring to it as “rough and dirty”.

But residents approached by The Sun were defensive of the area, saying the pier was “clean” and “pleasant” and people had no clue what Gravesend was really like.

The Grade II-listed Royal Terrace Pier, which dates back to the 1840s and is currently off limits to the public, was ranked number 56 out of 60, meaning it was dubbed the worst pier in England.

But when asked if they agreed, many locals were baffled, saying the Town Pier just down the road was far worse, despite ranking slightly higher at number 49.

One couple said it was a “shame” people aren’t allowed to walk on the Royal Terrace Pier, which is owned by the Port of London Authority (PLA) and recently underwent an £800,000 refurbishment.

Sue Dixon, who used to work on the Royal Terrace pier in 1975, now works opposite in the Clarendon Hotel.

She was in disbelief that the seaside attraction was ranked so badly.

‘How do people know?’

She said: “We used to have 13 working piers here – now I think it’s about two. We’re on the Thames, so people come here for the river and the boats.

“The Town Pier used to be a nightclub, but it’s shut down and now it has been bought by Uber. But we can’t use it at the moment. That one is far worse.”

Incredulous, she defended the Royal Terrace: “How do people know it’s the worst pier? You can’t walk on it! It is used by the PLA. It’s functional – not for the public.

“Whoever said it’s the worst don’t know what they’re on about.

“They’re not from around here.”

JOHN McLELLANPolice in Gravesend – a town that has been blighted by drug gangs[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYSue Dixon, who used to work on the pier in 1975, says people criticising the town ‘don’t know what they’re on about’[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYThe Terrace Pier isn’t open to the public so locals were baffled by the ranking[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYVicky and Ian McDonald, who are tourists from New Zealand, laughed when they were told about the ranking[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYLocals said the Gravesend Town Pier, which ranked 49th, wasn’t as nice at the Terrace pier which ranked even lower[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYNeil, who was visiting the town, said the pier is just old not dirty[/caption]

Jason Taylor, 55, was also confused about why people hate his local pier enough to dub it Britain’s worst.

“It’s not the worst I’ve ever seen. It’s not dirty. I think it’s quite pleasant,” he says.

“It’s probably been voted that by people that don’t live here.  It’s a nice place to sit for 5-10 minutes to enjoy the view.”

‘Clean and tidy’

Vicky and Ian McDonald, who are tourists from New Zealand, laughed when they were told about the ranking.

Ian says: “It’s not the worst I’ve seen at all! It’s not unattractive is it. It’s clean, it’s tidy.”

Vicky added: “But it’s a shame you can’t walk on it. If it’s not unsafe, why can’t people go on it to enjoy the view?”

A photographer in his 80s who has lived in the town his entire life said the pier is old, but “it’s nice to have old things around”.

He said: “People come down here to the water for the view, there’s lots of benches for people to sit and watch the ships go by like I do.

“It’s not the worst in Britain, there’s plenty worse.”

Neil, who was visiting the town, said: “I’m not sure it’s the worst I’ve seen. I don’t really notice it. It’s not dirty.

“But you can’t go on it, it’s not like it’s a super long seaside pier like in Southend with things to do on it for a day out.

“There’s not sewage or anything, it’s just old.

“The wooden ones are way worse, when the boards are rotting away beneath your feet.”

The pier in Southend, Essex, was ranked the best as it is the longest pier in the country and boasts a fairground, theatre space and numerous food and drink options.

A close second was Llandudno Pier, the longest in Wales, which features an amusement arcade and a ferris wheel.

Mrs Green, 48, who lives in Gravesend with her husband, refused to believe that the Town Pier was ranked higher than the Royal Terrace.

“The Royal Terrace is not the worst, it’s the one next to it!

“That’s the Town Pier. It used to be a club, I used to go dancing there in my 20s.

“But that all got shut down. It’s been bought by Uber now.

“All the tourists used to come over on there and come into town, people used to get boats to work. Not anymore.”

‘We love the pier’

When The Sun went to the Port of London Authority, staff were in disbelief that their pier had been ranked so badly.

One woman told us she sometimes sees dolphins playing in the river outside.

Mark Anderson, a spokesperson for the PLA, said: “We love the Royal Terrace Pier!

“This is a peerless 1840s wonder – from waving off Royals on world tours in Victorian times, to hosting the RNLI as they work to keep people safe today, the Royal Terrace Pier is a proud landmark for Gravesend’s past, present and future!

“It is a live, operational pier, working 24/7 to help the UK’s biggest port safely bring in more goods to the country than any other.

“We recently finished a refurbishment – working with local trades and specialists – to make sure this amazing pier continues to look and operate at its best for many years to come.”

Despite the ranking, locals still speak fondly of their seaside attractions and hope that one day the piers could be restored to their former glory.

JOHN McLELLANKids as young as 12 are found to have been dealing in Kent[/caption]

AlamySouthend Pier was ranked the best in the UK with its fairground and theatre[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYMark Anderson, a spokesperson for the PLA, said: ‘We love the Royal Terrace Pier!’[/caption]

STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHYTown Pier, pictured above, and Royal Terrace Pier are just a five minute walk from each other[/caption]

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