It breaks my heart what the governments of the last 30 years have down to my England

RIP United Kingdom - gone but never forgotten

The most shocking part was the price of uk train travel.

Hi Ben! You probably already know this: Never leave your luggage on the bed as soon as you enter the room. Check before in case there are bed bugs. ( look out for black stains on the mattress, below the sheets). Bed bugs can be found in 1 star or 5 star hotels. Take care!

Thanks for doing this Ben… as a proud Englishman just shows how the mighty UK 🇬🇧 is portrayed isn’t exactly true the government have forgotten so many places and the train system is far too expensive

I used to drive buses round Page Hall namely the number 5 from Firth Park to City Centre. The crap I used to pick up was unbelievable. I felt sorry for the old Sheffield pensioners who couldn't sell their houses because they were almost worthless.

I live near Birmingham and I'm telling you there are places there like Page Hall... they all have one thing in common, one group dominant of the area and absolutely nocare for keeping it clean. They are literally no go zones

I was born in Page Hall and lived there until 2000. From what I can remember as a kid, it was a good place to live with a neighbourly feel to it. I was able to walk to friends houses without issue. Now as a 30 year old, I avoid it like the plague.

It's a shame English towns and cities have been allowed to get like this, in alot of European countries they have cleaning teams that make the streets spotless every morning, the issue is that people have been separated socially now, no community, the aim is just to keep us spending as much of our wages as possible before the next wage payment. Alot of places in the UK are less welcoming than other countries now.

Even Afghanistan looks more pleasing than some of those neighbourhoods, which is unfortunate

You mentioned £72 for a 3 hour journey. A friend of mine in Portugal has just spent £9 on a similar journey. I suppose the Tories think more about giving money to foreigners who run everything now than the people of this country.

Thanks Ben for all your effort in putting this video together. I left Sheffield in 1974 to come to Australia. It's heartbreaking to see the decline that has occurred, especially in Page Hall.

The UK now resembles a developing country.

I lived half my life in the USA, and the dangerous neighbourhoods there, e.g. West Baltimore, Treme (New Orleans), the Tenderloin (San Franshitsco) and the South Side of Chicago make these areas in the UK look like Knightsbridge by comparison.

Love your authentic content. Really informative and eye-opening. Kiwi here now living in the UK. Back in Auckland, New Zealand, we have some dodgy neighborhoods too - in fact, far worse. Truth be told, they tend to be the more diverse ones too. We also have a huge gang problem, which of course adds to the rich cultural tapestry of these areas. I'm worried that the UK is heading down the same path, in terms of failed diversity/integration policies. Things will only get worse, especially with the recent waves of illegal migration we're experiencing here. (In New Zealand, at least we don't need to deal with invasions of boat people.) I currently live in Devon - it's relatively safe here, and also relatively culturally homogenous. These two aspects, of course, are linked. But spineless politicians won't admit it.

I lived in Page Hall for 16 years from birth, used to be such a nice area, but what it has become now is absolutely appalling, even the rats avoid it, it’s a shame because I have so many happy memories there

Could play every British high street bingo with this 1. Poundland 2.4 bookies in one street 3.boarded up windows. 4.spice intoxicated people 5.Smell of Piss 6.roundabouts 7.outside the town is better than the town 8. Pubs 9.cheaper to drive than to use public transport.

Thanks for showing up England Ben. It’s in a sad state but I know the countryside is beautiful. Good work as always!

Ben, your content generates a lot of comments! :) Great discussion here with my brothers and sisters across the pond. And while we may disagree about the difference in safety between our countries, overall, I love both places. Born and raised American but will always have a special place in my heart for the land and people of the UK. I think we can all agree that there are dangerous places in both, but on the positive, there are so many wonderful things about both as well. I was welcomed with open arms when we visited Ireland and the UK in the summer of 2022. We will always return the favor here, especially in south where I live.

I went to school in Page Hall between 2004 and 2009. It was a little bit ropey with the odd druggie and the local kebab shops looked like they were money laundering but I never saw any gangs or that much litter. I didn't think it could get any worse. Sad to see as I have a lot of memories here.

Thank you for showing us the REAL Britain ... so sad! It's a tragedy that once lovely places are being allowed to devolve into complete ruin. We see the same here in the US; areas that should be lovely are just drug-infested hellholes.

All rough areas have one common theme. Something that's arrived in the last few decades.

That's some brilliant idea to get to see some places around the UK, there is much to discover for sure and I bet Sheffield is not the last surprise on the go )) . There is already a lot on the net about hidden places in remote parts of the world such as India and even Afghanistan, but nothing real about much of the European real life. Good luck on the project Ben!

Lived in Britain from early 2000’s to just around the 2010’s, loved my time there and the people. Returned post pandemic for a reunion of some old friends and that was kept basic due to cost of living, all these lads collect £35-£48k wages. Visited some the water hole I used to frequent in my younger years and noted how run down the areas had looked. Friends spoke about crime in the areas had rampant up, wishing to leave, but jobs outside of the area not as frequently available and pay not matching house price’s they were stuck. I just put it down to that city, my partner and I decided to drive around the midlands and wales. But towns were more and more looking neglected and improvised, I understand that councils have gone bankrupt. I left with the since that people had just given up.

Helmand province is probably more welcoming than Page Hall , my dad got blue lighted in a ambulance last year though Page hall , I was sat in the front with the driver while my 80 year old father was being worked on in the back with the other paramedic . All well on the 5 mile journey to the hospital until we entered Page Hall ,.a.gang of kids threw a couple of stones at us and flagged us off while driving through there . Honestly its a third world place within the City .😔

Depressing.... but we need vloggers like you Ben showing reality 👍

Really interesting to see your perspective across normal towns in UK... Basingstoke is the closest to me in the vid, great to see the comparison. Great vids lately!

Lets be honest its the wave of migration from Eastern Europe such as Romania and Slovakia that has destroyed Page Hall in Sheffield.

Good to see you back on the road Backpacker,as for the most dangerous part of this once great nation,take your pick as you'll be spoilt for choice,RIP Great Britain

The local councils and business owners should be ashamed, what a mess.

Great video Ben. I could tell you a few good stories about my time in Glasgow in the late 80's as a 20 something Canadian. Keep up the good work bud.

Scunthorpe town centre is one of the grimmest town centres I've seen....Worksop is pretty grim,too...but not as depressing as Scunthorpe...Scunthorpe makes Doncaster look really nice! In fact,Doncaster town centre wasn't nearly as bad as I expected!

yes sir. I remember you asking in a poll about what to do next and I voted for the random places in the UK. Being born and living in the Philippines my whole life I am curious about what life is like in other places in the world specially the random ones in Europe. thank you for showing us what is really like out there.

So, I was in the UK last summer. Started in Scotland, which was absolutely amazing. We loved it. Then, headed down to London. We stayed in Shepard's Bush, near the Westfield Mall. It was kinda like what you showed in Sheffield. Loads of trash, graffiti and hypodermic needles all over the place. Lots of shady characters about. Really had to keep your head on a swivel. At the end of our trip, I spent 3 days in Daventry with my mate and his family. It was lovely. Really beautiful country up there in the midlands. Looking forward to your Scotland videos. We were in Edinburgh for 2 days on our tour and it was great.

Love to see these UK videos. Thank you and Kat.

Thank you very much for your informative video. Always try to cover all sides before deciding your views and impressions about a place.

Also the roads in England have become a nightmare during the daytime. The increase in traffic in the last 4 years has been massive, especially in the South. But away from the rat runs, the countryside is still some of the best in the World.

Loving the Great UK adventure so far mate, keep up the great content!

I've lived in Japan for some 40, and I have to admit your videos are a real eye-opener. Was in Oxford for a couple of weeks in June to close a bank account and remit funds, and Oxford looks completely different to Basingstoke, albeit a lot more expensive.

I live in Toledo, Ohio, USA. In the outskirts of this city, there are hotels for seventy-five dollars a day which include breakfast in the same price. Next morning when you try to get your breakfast, the breakfast area is always closed and you can only get coffee and few things to take with you to your room. Try to sit down at the breakfast area tables and then the hotel manager will come to tell you off.

I think it’s important to mention that our government - which supposedly backs the levelling-up of deprived towns and regions - is the same bunch of ideologues who cut funding to councils and public services by a quarter in the last decade. Would streets be as covered in litter, footpaths obscured by weeds, and reeking of piss, if councils had adequate resources to look after public spaces? If you vote for cuts, you get cuts. This video documents the consequences.

UK worst neighbourhoods have got a LONG way to go until they’re as bad a places in North America! Just check out East Hastings in Vancouver, Kensington in Philadelphia, Tenderloin in San Francisco!..

excellent video, you need to visit Smethwick and West brom bordering on Handsworth.

Just amazing thank you for sharing. Learning experience for sure.

The open borders politicians and the care4calais lot should be forced to live in these areas. It breaks my heart seeing my homeland die like this.

Page hall, so culturally enriched

I lost it when he said Basingstoke straight off the bat… 😩🤣💀 guy doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about if he genuinely believes Basingstoke is a rough place… that’s like comparing a kitten to a lion

Great channel, you have inspired me to travel and start capturing these beautiful places 🙌👌

These don’t seem so bad at all, you should try visiting some estates on Merseyside, south London or Glasgow for truly dangerous places

When I lived in Dagenham, School children would throw trash all down the High Street, chips papers flying everywhere.

I love your content. Keep up the great work 👏👏

Brilliant 👍 Thanks for your videos 👍 God Bless you Ben.🙏

20:48 because if you import the 3rd world, you become the third world

Pitsmoor, Burngreeve, Page Hall, Firth Park, all very undesirable places now. Shiregreen, Sheffield Lane Top and Parsons Cross are all going same way, its just a slow progression north and fanning out. I was born in Pitsmoor but I wouldn't go back there at any price..

Came up in my recommended, was surprised to start watching and see you're visiting my town Basingstoke haha. Isn't that bad, although you didn't go into the boroughs, won't really find much in the town centre.

Good video mate. Thank you for showing us the not so glamorous parts of the UK

Mike seems like such a good bloke! I hope you adventure with him another time

Haha I've been watching your travel vids for a while mate and never thought you'd be filming Basingstoke - I live right by where you filmed so get to enjoy that lovely smelling staircase most days.

ben your the man. thank you!... youre really good at talking to the camera. how did you get so good? did Bald give you pointers

Ben you should visit Wythenshawe next, it is such a nice place!

hahah i'm from sheffield and this was great! Page Hall is next level, nice to see someone showing the other side of sheff and not just showing a few posh parks and the peak district. if you get chance to make it back up north, i recommend barnsley just up road, rough in a whole diff way, lots of content, people are always up for a chat, proper northen pit town.

I live in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago, most of our street names here are of English places, yet the populations is mostly German, Polish and Irish. Love it when you say where you are currently at and I can relate because a street name comes to mind.

Don't know how you did the 9 hour journey from Basingstoke to Manchester by coach I would have had travel sickness and a headache. What type of camera are you using ?

As Joe will tell you. That whole Area from Saville St (Massive Tesco)-Meadowhall via Attercliffe & Darnall past the Northern General & onwards to Meadowhall are all rough & its 2013 since I last went through there or in Sheffield for more than a few days. There are nice areas in Sheffield & its tends to be the West/South/South West. Anything heading East always tends to be abit dodgy like Page Hall. North tends to be Southey Green/Firth Park again you need to keep your eyes open. So close to the centre & you didnt visit "The Manor" as in Manor Park.. That is dangerous as well & you really need to watch your back. Not somewhere I would go when it s dark. If you look at the Tram map then anything past the Train Station then you need to keep your eyes open. Crystal Peaks & Halfway dont tend to be as bad as the Closer to town areas & Wincobank has a heck of a view from Jenkin Road. As I say, its been 2013 since I last "explored" & things wont have got any better in the bad areas. Thankfully mostly they are all together the shitty areas. The one thing that Sheffield is good for is the views from the top of the "7 Hills" & being so close to Castleton & Derbyshire Countryside.

The place like Sheffield had me surprised when One Direction member Niall said he thought he was going to die and felt blaming himself when he went out of the hotel. It could have been a nice place if locals have a care of their place. Couldn't even put trash in those huge bins on the streets. I think there's no mandate by local Government office to maintain cleanliness even that area fronting one's residence (like in India). I now stay in our provincial home in my country, though not like in the city with street sweepers maintained by local government, we take care of sweeping fronts of each our houses. Now, seeing the actual condition but taking note more on one's safety, my earlier curiosity on visiting to see Manchester and Sheffield, I have to take a raincheck. Seeing Glasgow, Scotland at the end, I enjoyed my stay there for s few days, but stayed only in the city to go to the Highlands, then returned to London.

The migrants bring such diversity with them. Soon all British cities will have their own little Mogadishus, & little Karachis.

Your right Ben. Speak as you find 😮 Travel broadens the mind 😊

Loving this, makes a change to see some reality ..sometimes hilarious too. Keep it up 😂

Sheffield was an industrial place in England . How come it changed so much? Thank you Ben for the informative video

Can't believe you went to Manchester and didn't visit Moss Side. You get a lot of druggies and down and outs around Oldham Street near the hotel you stayed in but the city itself has improved a lot. I used to live in Saddleworth and commute to work in the city. I used to catch my bus on Oldham Street and I had my purse stolen and then a group of thugs cleaned out Cash Converters behind me as I waited for my bus. I was constantly hassled by druggies asking for my change or a cigarette. I felt in danger even though it was rush hour and I decidec to pay more and commuted by train. Wendy

Your a brave sole waking found page hall . I’m from Sheffield I it is just disgusting it really winds me up that the people who live there can’t even be bothered to put rubbish in the bin . A war torn country looks better than page hall . I feel sorry for the law abiding people that have to live there and have no way of leaving. No decent person should have to put up with that level of violence and fear 😰

Interesting whistle stop tour around some of the UKs cities. I lived in Manchester and with a brief look around the bus station area and an overgrown cavern wasn't very reflective of the city. Would of like to of seen more around Sheffield we didn't see much of the city centre. But the UK is looking rough and neglected.

Its just now resembling the places they moved from to the UK. Just look at the state of the streets in places like Pakistan in your videos. The 'communities' fighting each other in Page Hall, I've read, are Roma and Pakistanis.

Love Sheffield my home for last 20 years. You get places like Page Hall everywhere in the world but not many of them have such a nice and friendly people like here in Shefield or entire Yorkshire. And there are not many places where you got beautifull mountains on your doorstep. Big up Sheffield👌

Wow the bit about page hall and the state its in saddens me. I lived on page hall road in the mid 1980s. When i was at Sheffield poly. The area was quiet and the people were friendly. Although the area was a bit rundown the streets were clean.

I'm from Enfield in London I use to always think that outside of London was nice but this proves the grass is never greener on the otherside. I live in Norfolk now and I had a mate at my work that moved to Sheffield.

Great to see all sides Ben cheers! It needs showing - it’s where most people live in the uk…in dangerous areas of towns

As someone from the NYC area, that Page Hall reminded me of either Newark, NJ, Bridgeport, CT, or Newburgh, NY… 😳🤔😱

Finally catching up on your UK videos, this was great. I live in London, train prices are a joke, I just came back from Sofia, Bulgaria, ok it is a much poorer country, but I paid 160 lev ( £0.72p ) to get an underground train from the city to the airport. it had aircon and in better condition than a London one.

Regarding the wagons - It might be a nice idea to name one after Taff. Even a small initial would be a nice touch. All the best lads.

There's pockets of places like this in many places. High unemployment, poverty high crime rates etc. People don't ask to live in these places they are just born there and don't know any difference. We should be thankful that we we got lucky where we were born.

Seeing where Backpacker Ben is from makes me understand why he is so happy when hes in another country that has an abundance of bright golden sunlight! 🌞

I’ve seen you’ve walked Torquay have you found anything rough about Exeter? Where I’m from

Wow... Loved the mines! Great videos!

Sacha? Most famous DJ from the hacienda? 😉 That cave is something else! Great find!

hahah Basingstoke, this is not a rough town. I suggest international viewers give these places a cursory check on wikipedia. Every toln has its slums but he's chosen the safest of the slum neighbourhoods to visit.

It's so sad I went with my family from Burma in around 1952 was only around 2 and a half years old and lived with my parents and grandparents in this area but it wasn't like this then, as kids we went to Firth park to play went to the shops at Page Hall it's completely unrecognisable now, I did some years ago went to see the area and the house we had lived in completely shocking state but not when we lived there

Which model of camera do you vlog with?

We live in a beautiful country with some bad places , just like every country in the world

I really appreciate the UK content! Much thanks!

really nice to view ghettos of UK.. @BackpackerBen - Can you also make videos of West Yorkshire ?

What a throwback to see that station from my youth and to find it here on KZfaq... gosh then you visiting luton, yup train travel is indeed very expensive more so from where you are...

Looks like the Sachas Hotel was just recently updated and cleaned up! Maybe it'll start getting better reviews now...

Do some Glasgow neighbourhoods next you'll love it. Lovely locals lovely place

Alright Ben, thanks for the content, get yourself up to Possilpark, Glasgow aka Posso, good luck 👍

i was a young Deckhand in the 70's working on a Coaster and we sailed all of Europe and a bit north africa but England was our favorite country to go to,we had great times hanging out in pubs and eating fish & chips and all the rest just a great place to be with mostly easygoing people,so i have not been there for over 40 years i am shocked what i see on tv and youtube..the total decay..mindblowing really..sad to say my own country,Holland,is not doing much better..Holland used to be safe and clean and there were no homeless or drifters,it's a nightmare unfolding all over Europe 🤨

Oh you came to Sheffield Ben, my home town, i could've shown you some better places than Page Hall, Sheffield is actually quite beautiful in places

Wish you would have spoken more about the Sheffield incident

At last someone that shows us lovely England! I lived in those places Southall, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Walthamstow, Swindon and Birkenhead. Ben you should check them out. They are the best of England...

I am a South African living in England and this is such an interesting video - you will get the good and bad!