Sussex towns nominated for Britain's 'most depressing town in the UK'

Eastbourne, Haywards Heath, Crawley, Wadhurst, Hastings, Bexhill, Bognor, Chichester and Rye have all been put forward by residents for iLiveHere’s annual search for the worst places in the UK.

The scathing town reviews site has changed the emphasis for this year’s contest and wants to find the most depressing town rather than just the worst place to live.

So far 153 towns and cities are on the shortlist.

The website said: “Bland, boring, soul-destroying mediocrity with a gaping cultural void. This is what our new poll is about. This year we are ditching the usual suspects to focus on those towns throughout this septic isle that give you an almost-terminal case of ennui.

“The towns where you just exist rather than live. From home counties commuter dormitories that close down at 10pm to seaside resorts that are ghost towns in winter, this poll is about them.

“Tourist traps like Padstow that have been expunged of locals to make way for weekend AirBnBs or places that exist solely to part Americans from their money like Edinburgh and Canterbury.”

Despite the nominations, Sussex has also routinely been named as one of the best places to live the UK with Wadhurst being named the best place to live in the country in 2023 by the Times and in November, Rye and Lewes were named among the ‘prettiest towns in Great Britain’ by the Telegraph.