£1 for a house | Made in Stoke-on-Trent

This is the Portland street estate, a community ravaged by years of cuts. The council made a bold move in an attempt to turn the estate around - but how did the £1 homes experiment turn out?
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Watch the rest of the Made in Stoke-on-Trent series here ► www.theguardian.com/cities/ng-interactive/2018/jan/08/made-in-stoke-on-trent-episode-1-we-have-lift-off

[@pratheepyoutube9417]

The Guardian happynewyearครับ iPratheep Anumat 08/02/2018

[@harveyskilton2238]

The Guardian I

[@ukdream5982]

The Guardian how can I get it I need it badly

[@errolpowell735]

Do won’t people to move up there

[@merlinmediagroup]

That was such a beautiful and profound moment from 7:26 when she's talking about her mum. The way she avoided crying when someone came and said hi was heartbreaking. She seems like an extremely kind and gentle person, I hope she's doing well.

[@TheGodParticle]

I so agree, she seems such a wonderful lady, I wish her all the best.

[@DanielLarsonTheBlackDragon]

Sadly she recently passed away from an overdose 😢

[@tegmay4155]

It honestly devastates me that this is one of the only videos some people here will see on Stoke-On-Trent. Honestly it's not all like this, it's not all bad. Of course it's not the most picturesque of areas, and it isn't a rich area, but it's better than this. The majority of people are amazing and there's a real sense of community - not everyone should be grouped in this way. Stoke is more than this. We are more than this.

[@secretterces8467]

anna Onymous looks like a reyt shitole luv full of foreigners and thief’s. not for me int stoke on Trent.

[@chrishowell9821]

Well said girl

[@mumdad4889]

TCar same

[@psixi7230]

couldnt pay me to live there lol

[@georgiag2014]

Stoke is actually a nice place. My cousin lives there and I went there for my cousins baptism and it's nice.

[@unityy4234]

Guys I live in this exact area the people are so kind please don’t make fun

[@autismo721]

Stoke is garbage mate

[@110gore]

It's down by go outdoors in Hanley

[@nievegrummett3414]

Autismo it is, I live there, but so are certain other places around England. You get it everywhere. And just to let you know, there are places that are much better than this in Stoke. Like this is just parts of it

[@autismo721]

@@nievegrummett3414 boi I've lived in stoke all my life and honestly it's just getting worse

[@nievegrummett3414]

Autismo I have and it is getting worse it’s just getting really bad in certain places and others, like trentham, aren’t

[@Tipperary757]

This entire series is brilliant. People worked so hard to revive this area, lovely community.

[@96Jesster]

i live 14 minutes away.... i'm suprised they managed to film this on a sunny day

[@lol-kz8lu]

Jessica same😂😂

[@israeladesanya4596]

14 minutes away, you probably wouldn't even be in stoke.

[@beccymiddleton1458]

I recently moved to Stoke for uni and while some of it is pretty beat up, this makes it look worse than it is its not like this all over.

[@LionOfKashmir]

jim taylor Shelton’s littyyyy

[@jjenfield7444]

After living in Stoke-on-Trent for three years I can honestly say the people there are brilliant

[@omicron942]

Good luck to em

[@delboy4407]

Yeah, people above corrupt parliment that's what i like to see doing something positive

[@juliepownall2000]

The place is awful wouldnt live there if u paid me but the people are nice

[@nicklaytonUK]

I think that is part of the reason why it is a £1.

[@rage8kage]

I think you miss spelt inbred

[@jimjam6598]

:0000

[@hollytweedie7913]

I’m from the boarders of Stoke...like every place some bits are nice but some bits are like this

[@Ella-cx1yz]

I mean I live like in the middle of stoke and have all my life but I agree 😂. Some parts are nice though. It’s not all like this.

[@malicahamilton]

Might as well move everyone out knock everything down and rebuild ! The whole area looks run down and depressing it's not going to get better any time soon

[@LabRat6619]

Malica Hamilton after brexit this will be worse than anywhere.

[@malicahamilton]

LabRat6619 that's so true they would do better if they just removed loads of houses and shops in the area and just built new attractive houses make the area look pretty throw in a few nice shops and people are more likely to live there and start something new! I'm sure it would cost a lot but they are taking over beautiful land in the countryside and budding 1,000s of new houses when money should be spent on areas like this you know. It's full of poor people and people on drugs and it seems like there are no jobs for people to earn a living so it's like an endless cycle when they have kids adding a few decent people to the community won't solve the bigger problem in my opinion 😕

[@grimsplague]

That's called gentrification, what happens to all the people who can't afford these nice new houses? do we just kick them out of the communities they've lived in their entire lives.

[@malicahamilton]

grimsplague Well they would need to sort themselves out and get their life together and start start fresh somewhere maybe they could be rehoused

[@LabRat6619]

Malica Hamilton this country is grossly overpopulated and not full of jobs to do. The poor tend to breed like rats to create even more desparate poor! Globalisation totally destroyed The West with cheap imports closing factories. Poor people tended to work in factories and manual labour industries. Previously world war used hundreds of thousands of lives and tended to regenerate the country afterwards. The future is bleak as people continue to breed as if a golden world of opportunity awaits them!

[@av782]

What they need is CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design), and you can tell through the evening gatherings that they are starting to use those methods. If the perception is that the area is safe, crime actually goes down. The suggestions to rebuild, cover up graffiti immediately, plant nice things and maintain the area will bring in more shops and more families moving in. So will better lighting and camera equipment - just the perception that the area is being watched will help a ton in the long-term. You don't have to knock everything down - you just need to put effort into the community.

[@c93636]

how awful for the residents that is a very challenging reality that im sure many in the UK, myself included, were ignorant of. the complete disregard from the council and government is truly shameful. well done to Sarah and Anna for attempting to revitalise the community

[@willpolr]

I’m absolutely gobsmacked that anyone living here could be ignorant of this reality. Time to open your eyes. It’s all around you, just around the corner from all the wealth and arrogance.

[@sarahdean5088]

I'm born and breed in Stoke, I love the people but it's a forgot city sadly. Wouldn't blame my kids if they wanted to move out of the city, don't think I ever will. it's very upsetting, but where there's life there's hope.

[@TCJones]

10 years is far to long to commit to live in stoke, the Liverpool ones where only 5 years of no sale.

[@heyhoes8733]

TCJones I’ve lived here for like 12 years but okay

[@cleobarrett6168]

Im 11 and have lived here ally life. Stoke on Trent isn't as bad as it looks on this video

[@tombarnes7844]

Cleo and Tala bob I've lived in Stoke from birth, no where near as bad as advertised..

[@tombarnes7844]

Sanya Ahmed good then, don't need people like you round our city

[@iJamie8467x]

Technically it's a 10-30k house or how ever much she spend repairing that dump

[@eml9147]

True, but where else can you get a down payment of £1? Depends on the interest on the loan

[@benlotus2703]

@@eml9147 Monies wasted

[@AvaT42]

I just watched that young girl in blue, the artist, and her partner on that gardening show where a guy named Monty help fix peoples gardens. They did a good job with it. Taking and sending those photographs was a good idea.

[@Hebrewmafia]

With a lot of love and determination there can always be change. I respect these wonderful families for not quitting and for standing their ground to make their community safe and welcoming for everyone. Blessings and well wishes to everyone that believes in basic kindness for each other.

[@kravch5653]

Stoke on Trent has a huge potential as a city & as a community! Its friendly people on the streets, who will stop by & answer you if you were to ask for directions for example. Council has neglected many areas of the Stoke, the bright proof is the city centre with old, vacated buildings, which were due for demolition since around late 90s! Money is there, because Stoke is the Mecca of Take Aways & non-chain restaurants, with the variety of Asian cuisine, many car sales, garages & main dealership as well as so many small & medium companies and huge estates of many kind of factories & busineses & are all contributing to the economy of the Stoke! My personal view on the state of the negligence in some areas is bad financial management & laid back approach of local authorities!!!! Stoke on Trent council is sending "un-spent" funds back to the capital & thats why locals fighting for survival & London believe that Stoke is very rich city! I admire efforts of those few, who has a caradge to flow life back into the area, but also know for sure, that each & everyone of us has something to contribute for the success of our full of historical inheritance, city of Stoke On Trent! I wasn't born here, but found hapiness & made it home here! Stoke is incredibly beautiful with a magical & breath taking countryside, canal & boats, museums & sculptures, pottery & factories, where till today you can enjoy a master class with so many talented artists & you can make your own pottery to take home! We have several colleges & one of the best medical university in Britain! Stoke is not a dream city- Stoke is memory maker!!!!! Stoke, i believe in you & your people, now is the right time to get together to help our home blossom & shine again!!!

[@briggaskin]

I live in stoke.... its not great though is it. Nice try but its a dump

[@welovepies]

A lot of stoke is nice these days, I think this estate is a exception not a rule bc regeneration has been really strong generally. there are dilapidated bits in every city.

[@jonmills5097]

I used to live in Portland street and trust me it’s finished

[@madisontaylor5647]

Not all people from Stoke are in Benifits and things like that . It’s how they are as a person that matters . All of the people are lovely and all of the people that go there agree . We love you Stoke xxx Lol

[@dearfutureme2929]

There’s a mansion near me that went for £1 at auction in the 90s... it’s only just been fully renevated!! 😂😂

[@LabRat6619]

Due to brexit these houses have been reduced to 50p.

[@cait3666]

LabRat6619 😬😬😬how awful

[@isenfyre612]

It's a joke 😂

[@nickjupp6868]

dont be silly... england has survived far worse on worse terms dont be a fool...

[@sandysimpson4785]

🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@carlomarco1895]

@@nickjupp6868 this time is the end!

[@tombollox10]

"I know what will improve squalid social deprivation in inner city Stoke!" "What?" "Ceramics" 😳

[@paulnicholls8683]

Tom You are right. Sourcing out ! Wedgewood was losing money sothey moved most of their business to Indonesia. Doullton mo ed most of their production to China and Thailand. If they hadn't done that, the companies would have gone down the tube. It's difficult to find anything which is not made in China.

[@mistermotivation2502]

I laughed too, sorry folks but in 2019 young people aren’t interested in ceramics smh

[@tormon506]

@@mistermotivation2502 Not true. Many are sick fed up of everything being digital. We had a similar project in Scotland and the kids loved it, especially the teens. We re-decorated and old church, made a bar, a workshop, a stage. They loved it and still do.

[@emilyc7783]

Anna was my art teacher at Uni and was fab, has a great heart in the right place. I loved Stoke while I was living there, it was very run down but the people were on the whole very friendly.

[@TheHarmonicaBarge]

This series is really great!!

[@AhmedAhmed-yz4rd]

strong woman don't give up

[@margin606]

Romantic stereotype?

[@nicholasdickens2801]

So they sell homes to locals for £1 and someone from Kent moves in. *Sigh* haha. Oh the irony.

[@yasminpaul3068]

Nicholas Dickens none of the locals can afford to buy the house AND renovate it to make it liveable

[@rashhuman]

No, because locals wouldn't even pay a pound in this area as they know what it's like! True, it's not all bad, but no way would I live in Hanley or Middleport, even for a quid.

[@sneekz07]

Well if no one could afford to buy and renovate then they will sell to someone who can.

[@itzyashirooo]

@@rashhuman Hanley isn't as bad, yes, there's thieves and poverty, BUT GIVE IT A TRY HONEY.

[@rashhuman]

@@itzyashirooo I did, hence the comment.

[@Kayzef2003]

I won't be surprised if many of these people voted Brexit. AND, I can't blame them. This level of neglect is shameful.

[@UKgamer87]

Alot more is needed but if the eu is far more trustworthy than any tory government. No that brexit is happening these areas will probably become massively more derelict.

[@Lycaerix]

Yep. That's the unfortunate reality: their own government (that they have most likely also voted for) has failed them and they blamed the EU. Sheer ignorance but no, you can't blame them for what they have been led to believe.

[@UKgamer87]

@Hugo I mean how can people fall for the lies of the media. It feels like sooo many people in the country have lost the ability to think critically. Muslims can't fart in an empty field without getting negative coverage.

[@SL-yz6ew]

Kayzef2003 I'm from Stoke and the majority of people living here are benefit scrounging white people

[@jimibarker2744]

+d your totally correct the biggest parasitic benefit scroungers are indeed white all the royal family are indeed white

[@AJGeeTV]

Wow! I used to live nearby in Shelton and left for a new life abroad with 20 quid in my pocket in 1990. It's amazing how things are 30 years later! I'm still quite skint where I'm living now in Germany.

[@AlessandroAloisi23]

I lived there for 2 years during my uni studies . A lot of burglary news on a daily basis and people collapse around the town like in this video . I hope they can fix this it really needs some support.

[@lorrainegriffith8101]

Re: the closed down pub. “This part we’ll hopefully make ceramic wares & the room with the carpet will be the permanent community room”. 🤣🤣🤣

[@marktaylor6491]

Clear they could do it on a cold November in Stoke.

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

And yet people say the is a shortage of homes due to this, that and the other. There are lots of homes available. The problem is people don't want to live there or can't afford to live in the nicer bits.

[@flumpaustin1994]

There is also high unemployment in these areas and people would not be able to afford to renovate the homes.

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

That's kind of my point. The people with many to do them up don't typically want to live there an dated people who might end up living here can't afford to renovate the properties into a decent habital standard.

[@TakumiXD]

Why can’t they just put the homeless in these houses

[@fpl_bailey]

How the homeless going to pay for utilities?

[@ifihadfriends437]

Because they're derelict and need significant renovation which somebody without income could not do

[@jomama5186]

Wow, i might really consider moving here. How neat! Beautiful place

[@nicklaytonUK]

Really really well made. And what a challenge.

[@rafalotreba6824]

Well done Hannah. You are a strong, brave woman with a purpose in your live to make changes by doing the work. Others will only look at your hands standing and waiting for your failure.

[@h3526]

1900's: in the future there will be flying cars 2019: a £1 house

[@ANTHONYBOOTH]

if anybody tried to burgle my gaff then they would run back out as it always looks WELL burgled!!! :p

[@israeladesanya4596]

Used to hang around there when i was younger. Its ok selling the council houses for a quid but theyve still got to live by smackheads in the private rented.

[@charlestalks5638]

These look like nice victorian houses. They've just been poorly looked after that's all

[@-soaponarope-1261]

Watching this today for the first time does anyone have an update on how the programme is going?

[@soul2soulibelieveinkarma661]

Well done people , I wish you all the best

[@aoifekennah1161]

I wouldn’t be able to live there even if you could buy the house for £1

[@SunnyBeetle1922]

I know Anna who started the ceramic project. She’s an art Tutor at Staffs Uni and a very nice lady. We need positive movement in Stoke now even more than ever💛💛💛👏🏽👏🏽

[@lunes-1]

I want 10 houses please. Have you got change of £20?

[@kimberleysimpkin1529]

Lived there about 20 years ago with my x partner and 1 year old daughter, needles everywhere, smack heads everywhere. We got burgled and that was the last straw we moved. Lived in Stoke-on-Trent all my life and sadly that area has been stained many many years back

[@k-lou7012]

hard to believe this is happening 20 minutes away from me?

[@bunntonalters9452]

massive respect

[@juan-claudewakefield8373]

North? i'm in the South , we don't have these problems. It's a disgrace . The government should seriously step in!

[@lukemullin9153]

We having issues down north it's England's Sithole

[@juan-claudewakefield8373]

Absolutely !

[@heyhoes8733]

Juan-Claude Wakefield it’s called West Midlands 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

[@newsannouncement226]

Well Ireland isn’t perfect but it’s going better than this

[@matthewJworthy]

I live in stoke and i feel that will not help

[@thebestoflondon]

can we still buy?

[@pavanbhatia389]

Are the houses still on sale....?

[@zopo1976]

I live in stoke and when you listen to tv you sound like the other British people and when you here stoke people you sound so weird 😂😂😂 who agrees

[@nellydoyley3815]

ASMR Gang we actually do sound so odd though haha

[@zopo1976]

Nelly Doyley ik we all do when you hear yourself on tv 😂

[@Hope-bn9xz]

I hope it all works out for the community.

[@jessicafenton5098]

Any updates?

[@jordantheallroundangler85]

i lived in stoke and handley for a few yrs. i can say its a nice place to live but there is a big homeless amd drug issues in the city. but over all its not that bad tbh

[@AngusYoung4100]

Lol at the timestamp 02:11, the lady asks: "Have you called the police?", then she gets the reply: "Yeah, eight years ago...". :D

[@alisonwilliams4862]

They had this initiative in Liverpool too. I half thought about applying for a house myself but like here, they were in a dodgy area. Plus you have to have a considerable amount of money to do it up in a short time and you don't know what defects you might come across. I don't know if you would be able to insure a delapidated house before it is liveable either. Although if you only paid a pound for it, it probably wouldn't matter lol.

[@lucyburns-hawkins8052]

I live in the area and it's not all as bad as this...we have community gardens and parks it's just where you live ..but Portland Street it very rough and I hated living round there

[@ciscocastello3561]

“Benefit Street’s got nuffing on this” ahahaha

[@englishrose4388]

That’s an immense commitment.

[@mrrawson8385]

Me and the boys buying 5 houses then smashing down the walls to make a big house

[@humbug4478]

My Dads family left Stoke in the 60's

[@robmanson6210]

This place has all been levelled now

[@ayahedries]

Who else is from stoke and watching this??... nope just me ok

[@Benjy52]

Did you even look at the other comments?

[@Maggie2183]

I watching eet duck!! (Even though I’ve lived in London for the last 20 years!! 🤭😬)

[@sawiyemane9113]

I live near there and I've seen that house millions of times and it looks nice

[@mscherylb7950]

So sad, I hope things change for the better.

[@mick2345vid]

stoke on Trent its hell i know i live here

[@soniatucks4214]

I love Stoke. Coal, steel and clay. The Industrial heartland of England.

[@briggaskin]

No coal mines anymore, steelworks has gone years ago and although ceramics are still made here, most companies have moved abroad. Stokes a broken relic now

[@andrewdonaghy1248]

Never been here but you will find that the majority of the people there are some of the kindest people in the world. I spent years living in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland and the people would honestly give you their last pound.

[@MrJokerh61]

This was done in Liverpool as well £1.00 homes..

[@pingopong]

awwwww!! there is still hope for humanity!

[@shaunwilson7148]

I wonder how they're getting on now

[@katesmith3431]

This is horrible to see people do that but there is always someone to turn it arrowed ❤️❤️❤️ xx

[@solar1Aus]

good on you all....

[@barrydavies9747]

I would love to see an update places like this need more resources the government should be working better with the community and if your doing drugs were kids play your sent to rehabilitation

[@elliemoore8630]

I live In stoke on Trent and honestly this is quiet an accurate representation of the majority of the area. But there is alot that isn't like that but you just sort of get used to it. Oh looks there's TinTin passed out maybe dead on the corner again someone go try wake him up. And we shouldn't have to deal with it the government needs to step up

[@gillianbrookwell1678]

The U K sure looks like a different place that I remember as a child; I haven't lived there for almost 50 years.

[@samussnake6601]

Started seeming depressing, but it was optimistic - wholesome at the end

[@samuelmushtaq8671]

Great!

[@Kryzon_]

What if some of them "drunk" people are sleeping 🤣🤣

[@independentpuppy7520]

is Etruria a decent area?

[@misfit2022]

Same house in London 400K. The north needs more investment. I once lived further north but know the area and there were worse areas than Hanley a few miles down the road so looks like Hanley has changed dramatically.

[@noboilfrog9431]

Great to see a community fight back, you'd think someone would set up a charity to help set up projects that help?

[@sarahjaynesimmons1712]

Did it happen

[@memyselfi3258]

Wish I could buy it for a pound and do it all up and show people with perseverance we can get there. It’s only a few streets away from me but I’ve never actually ever been there 😕

[@Mark-ms5pn]

We used to park there for free then go up Hanley

[@memyselfi3258]

Mark haha what a place to park.. I know it costs in Hanley to park but I used to park in side streets in Hanley then walk up.

[@richardgoode4761]

Community with the pound!

[@yahiatalbi3606]

I want to buy one.... right now...

[@beesbubble8154]

As someone from Stoke-On-Trent it hurts because this isn’t what it’s like... its not all bad...

[@arilebon]

Watching British TV series, never had the impression the UK would be like this.

[@shivababy4899]

complaining about crime in your area while supporting it at the same time... lol

[@patrioticjustice8462]

Can't believe Hillingdon Council were trying to stick me and my kids in a place like this I'm so glad a stood my ground and stayed in bnbs until I got a property. Not slagging the place off but it doesn't look like a place I'd like to bring my kids up in

[@samesame8502]

1 pound for that trim too?

[@jtayyy7126]

I hate that people are calling this a dump, this is dump because of how it has been left, and its disgusting that there are so many people on the streets that would love to have a roof over their head and the government has let this shambles happen.

[@soniaedet4937]

I'm from Stoke-on-Trent too .Woop Woop

[@helencoven]

How can you be a part of the community if you paid a quid for your house and all the residents around you are struggling to live and are paying a rent for the same type of house?I think the local people need more than a bloody ceramics workshop!

[@scotttheboss1]

Ha ha Sara is a legend, Neil the dog

[@mireladelcea7495]

This place is in Longton??

[@anonymous0121]

No its Hanley