I went to "Britain's ROUGHEST Estate" and it was SHOCKING!

[@ukexplored]

Hope you enjoyed this look inside a couple of the highest crime areas in Walsall; Blakenall Heath and Caldmore & Palfrey. As always, all comments, questions, and feedback are welcome!

[@shalevedna]

GreAt place for Prince William and his charity to rebuild, develop, settle with homeless in better houses, open business and schools.

[@Key-Wound]

Created by design 😢

[@Key-Wound]

4:15 😢

[@peterbaker7963]

@@shalevedna don't make me laugh

[@babiy609]

I'm the parish priest of Blakenall and would like to say that the area is not like it was a few years ago. I love Blakenall people! ❤️ The community has lots of positive things going for it! I personally can understand why the lady seeing you film reacted the way she did, because why would any of us want someone filming only the worst parts, just to be derogatory about it? There are streets just the same all over the country as you probably know, because it's a wider issue of unjust government policies and oppression of the poorest in society.

[@johnfrancis2215]

The whole UK is in serious decline. Instead of getting involved in world politics, we should be putting our own house in order

[@sharrowkin1360]

But the WEFfer politicians don't want that.

[@MrPercy112]

Only too true! Vote ‘REFORM’ - you never know, we might get lucky.

[@Dehydratedpencil]

​@@MrPercy112The Reform Party literally wants to give the government more control over the masses by centralising 50% of the energy companies... No thanks. ANY political party that wants to increase the size of government is anti UK.

[@tenniskinsella7768]

No more immigrants a good start

[@billymabum3514]

@@MrPercy112it’s too late .

[@Walsallfandan]

I live on the border between Wolverhampton and Walsall in a market town called Willenhall and it’s tragic to see the decline of the UK in just the last decade.

[@JessicaFuller-t2x]

Yes, it's sad, I've lived many places across the country and whenever I go back after a few years it's gone downhill. 😐

[@CraigBailey-lo1ce]

I agree mate. I also live in Willenhall, and moved here a few years ago to escape the trouble of Walsall. Willenhall is now another place that I don't want to be! It seems the trouble is spreading :(

[@jaynelane7772]

You know these places reminds me of USA what you see back how many years ago on TV and now it’s here in our country utter disgrace government for letting these places go down and our country too get this way.

[@markstarmer3677]

@@brendanstoran7555 that bloody word is banned in our house. No good for the tax paying indigenous Britain. Labour encourage all this crap to get the muslem vote.

[@flybobbie1449]

Market town...what a laugh, another dump.

[@kemberlyw.patterson]

Inflation hits people a lot harder than a crashing stock or housing market as it directly affects people's cost of living that people immediately feel the impact of. It's not surprising negative market sentiment is so high now. We really need help to survive in this Economy.

[@PeterLDemby]

My primary issue right now is how to increase revenue during these tough times. I can't afford to see my savings disappear into thin air.

[@eddiet.campbell]

Honestly speaking, investing is a smart way to secure your family's future, grow your wealth, and stay ahead of inflation.

[@Karen.s989]

​@@eddiet.campbellYou're right! It's important for everyone, especially those approaching retirement to have multiple streams of income, this way, during retirement, you can enjoy the benefits of your investments.

[@D-law65]

​@@Tony.martin831I agree. Based on personal experience working with an investment advlsor, I currently have $985k in a well-diversified portfollo that has experienced exponential growth. It's not only about having money to invest in st0cks, but you also need to be knowledgeable, persistent, and have strong hands to back it up.

[@shana.ball3]

​@@D-law65How can I participate in this? I sincerely aspire to establish a secure financial future and am eager to participate. Who is the driving force behind your success?

[@ultimatesoccershow]

When I left the Army (1993) I was going to buy a council house in the west midlands for 15,000 pound, I decided to move to Canada which is the BEST decision I ever made. Looking at the house prices of nearly 200,000 for these old crap houses leaves me to worry for the young in the UK as it seems like its going down hill fast to a 3rd world garbage dump!!. THE RICH POLITICIANS ARE DRAINING THE WEALTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@stevenhull5025]

You can say the same thing about Canada where you emigrated too. Vancouver is the most expensive place for a home in the whole of North America. Am I wrong??

[@johnkeane1419]

@@stevenhull5025 Canada is also run by communists and feminists.

[@user-vp6cq4sv3d]

​@@stevenhull5025I've seen stuff on very egregious food inflation that's as bad as Australia's over there. But if it were down to me personally I'd move to Canada and see if I could swim to Detroit from the other side. I couldn't really wing all of that on my own though. Sigh. Point being anywhere different that you can move elsewhere to easy enough would be better by default imo.

[@juliecarne7706]

Correct but Canada is rapidly changing and people are being silenced and don’t know what women are

[@mstevens113]

The UK is an open sewer and its population too gullible to see what is happening right in front of them.

[@richied1939]

My parents were brought up similar working class Black Country areas. I remember visiting my grandparents every weekend. The areas were clean, no rubbish at all. Front gardens were well kept, beautiful shrubs, lots of roses. My grandad kept racing pigeons and grew vegetables. He’d put a shirt and jacket on and go to the local pubs. Everyone knew each other and would say hello and chat. My brother and I could safely play in the street. 40 years on it’s a s**thole. Rubbish everywhere. Every front garden is paved / tarmaced over to park cars. A mass of mismatched UPVC windows and doors. What was once a cared for housing estate that people happily called home is a hostile place. Those in power have let things slide because they don’t give a toss.

[@1KJO]

Blair broke Britain.

[@jacquelineithell307]

Long gone are the people who took a pride in their home and areas so sad

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

It's deliberate. Litter is an easy way to make people depressed and angry, the worse an area gets the more the 'good' people leave and the worse the area becomes. The worse areas become, the more money the Councils can demand from the State. That money is then spent buying votes, mostly block votes and the abuse of the postal vote. By the time the money gets to the sanitation departments, it has been mostly diverted off. The remaining money only ever gets spent on signs and exhortations and threats. Never on actually cleaning the streets, like they are legally bound to. They do care, just not about you.

[@simoneastland]

It was the same in our area in Swansea. But we formed Facebook groups and trash pickups, councillors joined on, businesses and now we have no broken glass, better landlord management, respectful tenants, no rubbish, we can look out for issues and help those with vulnerabilities. We've even had the Welsh government plant 12 trees and do up the what used to be fly tipping hangouts into grow our own gardens. It took us 5 years and you gotta keep it going. It's triggered little events now too, plus entrepreneurs want to do up the disused social club into a decent pub/meeting place. 🌿

[@yvonneleonard7665]

​@Ardwick-Crome Absolutely!!! My parents generation were bought up with no money, neighbourhoods were alot cleaner, people/children were bought up with manners...unlike today.

[@joebees21]

I'm from Birmingham and The Black Country and I live in Walsall now - practically in Caldmore (that's pronounced Karma btw). It honestly upsets me when I walk around my home. I hate walking around Walsall town centre and I hate walking around districts of Birmingham that my family are from like Perry Barr and Aston. They've all been ruined - they used to be full of communities of people that cared about the place they lived. Irreversible damage has been done to these places and the saddest part is that I know that this is happening to towns and cities all across the UK. Why? You tell me. I have my own ideas but I'll tell you one thing - if you're working class and from an area like Birmingham and The Black Country - the Tories don't care about you and they never have. You have been well and truly thrown to the dogs.

[@ukexplored]

Yep, I agree with what you're saying, just wish there was hope in sight for things changing..

[@joebees21]

@marthasheilds2446 yes I'm aware.

[@grotesmurf6790]

Like Labour cares more about you, they’re as bad and there is no political solution.

[@burgundycobalt5665]

I'm originally from Birmingham too (Erdington) and now live in Walsall. Erdington is just as bad.

[@joebees21]

@@burgundycobalt5665 It's far easier to talk about places in Birmingham and The Black Country that are bad. I'd be here all day. If you asked me nice places to live around here then I could probably give you 10 at a push.

[@mrmeldrew693]

I went to school in Walsall. It was OK in 2008 when I stopped regularly going there. The pace of decline in England has been incredible.

[@itk2493]

@@paulhitchens7180 and immigration.

[@kelvinpell4571]

But diversity is our strength, don't you know?

[@cvn6555]

But I thought that diversity was our strength? How is it that every area that becomes increasingly diverse becomes increasingly shite? Who could have foreseen that importing third-worlders by the millions would bring the UK down rather than lift them up? That they would have retained all of their filthy ways of living in squalor?

[@jhareng]

It was bad enough at the Leckie when got out in 77.

[@adamlea6339]

@@paulhitchens7180 More like the rise of right wing extremeist twattery, usually generated by those who read the Daily Mail and use the term "Woke".

[@1961boogie]

Heartbreaking, the decline of our country, so sad

[@StennMathis]

You do realize that 50s through 90s England was absolutely full of utter shtholes... Maybe you just didn't go to those parts. Victorian England if mobiles existed then would of probably left you in horror. Up north after the closing of so many minning towns developed a huge amou of dives in the 60s 70s and 80s. Prior to Victorian England was just swamp... See the thing is we've been sold a myth about ourselves... Kind of like Mrs Bouquet from keeping up appearances. Whilst there are indeed many quaint spots across the British Isles there have always been a vast amount of places you wouldn't wanna live... 80s Glasgow for example with family gang feuds. So many people have said how London was much better in the 60s 70s and 80s...ummm...then you don't really know about London other than the St Paul's bit... Where nobody lives...the tourist bits. Thing is prior to mobiles Englands shtholes weren't really palpable, you'd hear whispers of this and that town but you were so detached you couldn't really grasp it. Now whilst there is indeed a decline in many parts of the world, I for one don't subscribe to the myths about ourselves that we've been sold... Industrial revolution, printing press, and great writers and artists and of course the English countryside... But that's about where it peaks... I've heard a country like Bhutan for example it's free education, free housing, they put a cap on the amount of tourists that can visit each year, all inheritance usually goes to females, and the King demanded that every plant a tree as a birthday present to him... Or Japan which has a far more advanced transport system than England and is far cleaner... Or Canada if it wasn't for that Justin bloke... But England is far to proud to lead from anyone else... So...

[@davidhocknull6520]

Yeah all is

[@Paul-z6f6o]

Been on the decline since world war 1

[@RaikenXion]

You know how you work toward fixing it? Encourage "togetherness" bring People's together and start realising the REAL enemy is your own Govt. Stop voting for the same old Parties. LABOR/TORIES/LIB DEMS, they're all just the same. Like Wrestlers that are drinking buddies bts, backstage; then once they come out on that stage they're "Enemies". Watch them closely during in House of Lords, BOTH SIDES, when they heckle eachother, laugh, sniggering and smirking at eachother. Because they ALL know they're following the same agenda. None of them give 2 sh*ts about us really. What the UK really needs is a whole NEW Political Party, that is completely "INDEPENDANT" of everything else, and purely for us THE PEOPLE! Second this Country needs a TRUE, Real "LEADER" someone who has real BALLS like Fidel Castro, who will just tell it as it is. Castro was a great leader for Cuba because he kicked out ALL the dregs of society, the Criminals, drug dealers, murderers and rapists; he forced them out, shipped them over to Miami; which effectively cleaned up the society of Cuba. The UK needs a leader like that. Someone who will stand firm, and really become a threat to the mainstream Govt Parties. We've had their ilk for long enough, Labor, Conservative and Lib Dems. Even the Green Party they ain't sh*t. It's no longer good enough to just take the stance of - "oh well my Dad's, Dad's, Dad's, Dad's Granddad, ALL voted so-and-so" lol. Just blindly sticking to a tradition just cause they've voted a certain way for generations does Nothing to bring about REAL *Change* in this Country. Mainstream Political Party Voting is one big disception in itself. It needs one Individual to really stand up and be counted, and for the rest to stand up with that Individal. And what I'm talking about is for ALL of us! BLACK/WHITE/ASIAN, the truly GOOD of us in this Country. And we need to get rid of the dregs, the ones who have sold out their forefathers who came over here back in the day, and really Worked Hard, made a Honest Living, and worked to EARN the trust, and really "Integrate" into the Society. All the "Gangstars", the drug dealers, driving arnd in their nice cars, they are the sell outs. Further pushing drugs and crime onto the streets, infecting the youth and decaying society. Those are the ones that need kicking out of society.

[@Ksd80]

I think the uk has always been a scummy shyte place, ok it had its good years after they robbed half the world but if it hadn’t been for that then the uk would still be how it was before, and now its going back to how it was before because no more robbing of half the world, simple.

[@Beau_Kay]

I used to work in Walsall for years before I moved towns, and I visited every weekend as a kid. I've mixed feelings about the place, but here is something you just won't hear from people unless they've really experienced Walsall and its people. Generally, the people from Walsall are a lovely bunch -- and I'm talking about people from all walks of life. They are the kind to take you under their wing and have a real good belly laugh with, and they make the best of their lot. I've had a few run ins with people that were less than nice, but you have to give the majority of people from Walsall their dues. That said, there are areas I would drive through with locked doors and didn't walk around past 5pm. It's a shame the bad areas bring the whole town down so much. I'm not in a hurry to return to Walsall, but anywhere will look like a dump if you just focus on the bad bits like this!

[@taufeeqahmed7741]

Only decent comment here they all seem to be blaming asian ppl don't c any Asians in bkakenell

[@danielhopkins1433]

I live in Walsall again after a 5 year hiatus elsewhere and I work engaging with the general public. As you say there are some very friendly people but it’s becoming less and less common. There’s a disproportionate amount of scumbags in this town (certainly compared to other places I’ve lived) with no shame or etiquette and that’s partly why it’s looks as it does in the video. Unfortunately this is 3/4 of the Walsall borough

[@PeterVaughan-ve5cz]

Spoken from the heart, I am 70yrs old and Walsall born and bred, I don't live their now as at the time work took me to the east. But like you very honestly brought to the attention of the film maker, they only film, where they think it will get an effect. Take your camera,s to Highgate, or Park Hall, and you will see a very different Walsall to the one you are portraying!!.

[@JenniferClarke-v1h]

I live in Walsall I worked in Walsall I know lots of lovely people ,each and everyone of us wish we could go back to market days walks in the many parks . Having lovely shops to wander around . No more it's a soul destroying area . So very sad .

[@dogpound7162]

It's a damn shame the way we allow scumbags to ruin folks lives!

[@timwhite4432]

True and you can't vote them out either.

[@liamcraddock9539]

Yep some people vote Labour and fall for the virtue signal lie that is "Labour are for the working class". This in the video is what Labour actually do to working class areas.

[@mattparkin7224]

@@liamcraddock9539 this is quite literally footage taken 13 years deep into a conservative government

[@liamcraddock9539]

@@mattparkin7224 The people in these areas vote Labour. Labour want more tax for people who have jobs, including the working class and give it to the sort of people who reside here rather than those that actually need it.

[@mattparkin7224]

@@liamcraddock9539sorry... you watched this video and you believe that these people don't need the money? Are you on crack?

[@bentaylor2088]

my mum was from walsall she moved to london in the 50s i drove her back to see it in 1985 after a few hours she said ive seen enough i never want to see it again. she never did she died in 2012 92 years old

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

My late mum (she would now be 99) was evacuated during the war from central London to Tottenham, as it was in the countryside. My dad was brought up in Edmonton, at the rear of the house it was just open fields. Both seem unbelievable now.

[@HitchHikersBlues]

There ya have it. Two different worlds.

[@joebees21]

It's because The Tories only care about London. Get them out.

[@kingbeastie]

Regarding the knife crime that was mentioned, I have lived in Glasgow since 2007 and what a huge difference the Scottish Government have made in tackling gang related knife crime here. They looked at policies, tactics and campaigns used by other governments around the world, in particular I believe, looking at how the Portuguese altered the way they dealt with a large heroin problem in their country. Rather than treating the root causes (not the crimes - the causes) of knife crime as criminal issues it was treated as more of a social issue. It has worked. It's been a huge success, you can easily Google knife crime stats in Glasgow to check this out. The Scottish Gov't offered to help The Met Police address their knife crime issues a few years ago, with advice and information on the tactics that they have deployed. This offer was flatly refused. To be clear, as I'm sure many people will be thinking this is/was a softly-softly "do-gooder" approach, it wasn't. I believe the sentences for knife crimes are more severe than then have ever been - this was looking at addressing people going down certain routes to begin with. It tackled the issue as a social issue rather waiting until the crimes have been committed and then getting "tough on crime". That's not to say that this approach would work everywhere else but it has worked here and perhaps can be used to learn how to help in other areas of Britain.

[@jwithington9347]

If it can work in Glasgow it should at least be tried elsewhere, the fact Glasgow has gone from most dangerous city in Western Europe with knife wielding 12 year olds to the improvements its seen now says alot.

[@mikefraser4513]

A different approach to tackling gang-related anti-social behaviour resulted in a drastic drop in crime in the Gorbals. "Operation Modulus", taken from Police Scotland's operational name for their work in this community, involved developing a different way of dealing with the serious problem of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour cause by one gang in Gorbals. The scheme has been so effective in reducing crime in one area of the city that the programme is now being used elsewhere. Initially run in 2014 it has now also been used in Castlemilk to stop problems with neighbouring gangs from South Lanarkshire and more recently in Govan. It's taken a long time, but it's been proved successful.

[@rodericblack4657]

The "social" issue is a genetic issue. Some people are just bad people inherently, and are predisposed to committing crime. It's not poverty, it's not abusive parents, etc. it's genes. But of course, no one wants to even suggest getting these people to have less children.

[@jwithington9347]

@rodericblack4657 agreed I lived on a bad estate years ago and was on the same income as any other family there yet managed to pay my bills, feed my kids and keep a clean tidy house. Other family's in the area had dirty kids that weren't being fed properly in filthy houses and they were running wild while the parents spent all their money on drugs and alchohol. It's got little to do with poverty in this day and age

[@mikefraser4513]

​@@jwithington9347One says in boxing "no punching below the belt". There are rules. Then some of them forgot, overstepped the mark up, kicking you in the face when you were down, until the point where it became "normal" and no-one bats an eyelid anymore today.

[@gorgeousgeorge3947]

I lived in both between 1977 and 1997 and they've always been the same. I've been violently assaulted in both places. Stabbings, rapes and murders were commonplace. Prostitution was rife. The council have been in denial for decades. But you'll always get the people who say, we've lived here for years and it's not that bad. It absolutely is. Caldmore is unfortunately home to a wonderful Grade 2 listed building called the White Hart, the second oldest building in Walsall, parts of which date back to the 1600's.The council let it stand empty and derelict for years in the 1980's. They begrudgingly spent £26K on refurbishing it, turning it into flats in 1993. The flats were never maintained and themselves fell into disrepair and were abandoned. The White Hart was recently sold at auction for over £400K. A very nice profit for doing almost nothing, but Caldmore people will never see a penny of that money. An absolute scandal.

[@HitchHikersBlues]

The people who say those things are in denial. Some of the people who see the decay try and do something about it.

[@inspirationalaries]

Born in the 70s and growing up in the 80s and 90s I naively thought that the UK would prosper and get better as I got older. How wrong was I. Your video today was about Walsall, but in fairness, it could have been about any number of towns and cities north south, east and west in England alone. Really sad to see the country go to the dogs, it's as if we're slipping back into Victorian times very fast, really depressing, stay safe on your video journal travels...

[@MegaVinny73]

Yep agree with what you say there. The 80s and 90s were significantly better, safer, cleaner and more fun times for those living here. The speed and scale of decline since the late 90snis disturbing. Surely things should have only improved, not taken us to where we are today.

[@billyliar1614]

Yeah well, it's a result of 3 decades of uninterrupted neo-liberal economics. We've basically had a one party state for the past 3 decades working to make the rich richer. The winners are doing better than they've ever done, the losers a lot worse. Same old Victorian crap. The masses would do better to re-direct their anger towards calling for a fairer wealth distribution than taking drugs and attacking each other but the establishment have got it all worked out. Harder to mobilise politically if crime is out of control and you're afraid for your life on a daily basis. Harder to do anything other than survive. Really, the bottom half of society is a glorified prison labour camp (there's little to choose between a spell inside and a lifetime living on such an estate) with the top 10 per cent as spectators insulated from the circumstances of crime and disorder by their wealth - they are the policy makers, the system suits them fine and they don't care. Even those in the middle third of the populace who prop up endless neo-liberal governments aren't happy, living frightened in the suburbs and working like dogs to avoid falling back into the squalor thus described, or worse homelessness. The carrot and the stick. Destitution is not an inevitability but a deliberate tool of social control. The reason we had a Labour movement during the 20th century was largely because two wars toughened up an otherwise frightened populace . They were no longer prepared to accept crumbs from the table and the establishment got scared.

[@paulbateman8412]

It's probably worse now than the Victorian era, they at least knew how to build a decent quality house & didn't have any plastic to throw all over the place. Depressing indeed.

[@necaacen]

well the tory party and their british empire fetish want exactly that, a return to the good old days of empire when an english gentleman was a king and a working class british child was spending 16 hours a day up a chimney or working in an unsafe factory to line the pockets of his betters.

[@deathvalleybro9320]

this ghetto culture is imported from america

[@ianwhitehouse2487]

I grew up in Brownhills, just north of Walsall in the 1970’s which was a great place to grow up, but I remember the entire area going downhill very quickly in the 1980’s. We moved far away from the area about 20 years ago thank goodness

[@Michelle-gj7bt]

I to grew up in Brownhills in 1970s to 1993 when I left to work away I to was shocked to see Walsall it was nice when we lived there

[@davidthomas3826]

Your video captures a defeated nation slowly decaying in the shadows of better times

[@tiger100ss3]

Well put old bean!….it’s like a cancer eating away at our once beautiful country!

[@threethrushes]

I feel that it will be part of a record of the decline of an empire in the same way people read about Gibbons and the Roman Empire.

[@davidthomas3826]

@@threethrushes We're on the way out. Unless something colossal happens, Britain won't exist in a few decades

[@stevenhull5025]

Going round the world for 200 years plundering and pillaging others wealth has led to the old saying - you reap what you sow.

[@user-vp6cq4sv3d]

@@tiger100ss3 England and the UK have always been grim. I wish I was a foreigner so I could get deported.

[@ChronicCraftsman]

After living in and around Birmingham for more than 40 years I have noticed that the more diverse areas have a massive problem with fly tipping and general littering. I don't know why though 🤔

[@horuslupercal2385]

If the opportunity ever arises, look into the culture and habits of the places of origin of some of our "diverse" visitors. Put simply, the general attitude I've encountered has been that as long as their own homes are in good order, there is little concern as to the state of the immediate surroundings (this is probably exacerbated with us having the basic infrastructure to cover things like local refuse collection. Probably a literal case of "if I just leave my 💩 outside somewhere, someone else will eventually deal with it"). I'm not one to point fingers at outsiders exclusively, but if the native population also cares less about the state of the immediate surroundings, then what hope is there for anyone without any connection to a place to care about it either?

[@ChronicCraftsman]

@@horuslupercal2385makes sense to me mate, thinking about it every place these people come from is usually a proper sh*t hole. It is just baffling to me that some people don't care about the state of the area they live in!

[@RcNerd]

Cultural Rats live in bins. No respect for anything.

[@a.s.2322]

Same here in germany. You know that you are in a multicultural area when it looks like shit with litter everywhere. Guess those people like to live like that.

[@Habu2]

You don't know why ?.......tell me you are kidding

[@MxLee192]

The West Midlands in general is sadly a place in decline. It's really sad. I grew up near Walsall and as a kid the town centre was alright in the late 90s, very early 00s.. Now. It's full of rubbish everywhere. The buildings look like crap. Everyone looks down trodden and unwell. I used to deliver shopping to the areas covered in this video, it was dodgy as you can get. Walsall feels like an indicator for how other parts of the West Midlands are going. Trying to leave the region. Ending over 150 years of family lineage in the area. Very sad, but it's too depressing.

[@monkeyman4556]

If you build nice houses and put terrible people in them for free. Then they clearly dont value it. If you moved a working couple in at a reasonable price or gave them a incentive like pay your rent the cheaper the house will be come. Youll see life thrive. Jobless should always be made to do something for there benefits.

[@jgdooley2003]

That was tried in Ireland and it displaced paid workers and only made things worse. The cost of one to one supervision of people forced to work for their benefits was higher than employing willing workers for longer hours even if you had to pay overtime. Many of these forced workers damaged stock or took away from the good work of others and jeapourdised quality output for no gain. The current system is to write off unwilling unemployed as disabled or uneducated and unemployable. Others are disqualified from many jobs due to previous criminal records as most modern jobs now require police vetting and a clean record. This also disqualifies many from emigrating to countries requiring a visa.

[@George-rv3rt]

@@jgdooley2003Australia has a similar problem.😊

[@foreignofficeclub5815]

Absolute nonsense

[@Dogs-of-war]

I could cure it overnight, people would be given notice that benefits will be stopping in 6 months, the money saved would go to doctors, police, prisons etc. People would then be tested for fitness, work availability etc. The amount of people using benefits as a choice for a way of life is ridiculous. I had a vacancy for a warehousing role recently, arranged 6 interviews....not 1 turned up.

[@kirkhunter146]

@@Dogs-of-war Pay better wages

[@chazztazz22]

As someone who currently lives in blakenall and has been for the last 3 years I can confirm that it’s rough, especially of an evening time. We constantly have police helicopters flying over the area. If you’re out and about during the morning/early afternoon it just looks like a run down area but as soon as it hits 4pm onwards you’ve got teens and kids in big groups hanging around lighting bins on fire, riding bikes through shops and even attacking buses and police cars. Cars doing burnouts, people shouting and fighting in the streets, cars speeding into dead end roads with cops chasing them and the drug use in the area is disgusting. Half the time I can’t walk into the hallways of my flat block because all I can smell is weed. As a young woman, I refuse to walk through the place after 3pm without my partner with me.

[@ljhm6816]

I'm sorry that you are living this way, I had to move away from my area, I always tell good folk, just leave these places.

[@Floromancy_]

I'm from Blakenall/Bloxwich, and my mom and dad still live there. Every time I visit I feel like I'm watching my back. My mom and dad never let me out as a kid, and that was 20+ years ago so it's saying something. It's my biggest dream to move them away from there. Hopefully you can move out soon too and find somewhere nicer 💛

[@ljhm6816]

@@Floromancy_ I used to think that no matter where I lived I could make a home, but I have found by having to move from place to place that rich or poor can make you feel unwelcome in their neighborhoods

[@ericboxer3053]

Is diversity it's strength?

[@daydays12]

The 'reporter' said that Blakenhall is predominantly white. Enough of that racism already. This awful situation is the decline of the UK back to the Victorian era with a massive gap between the small number of ultra rich and millions of barely surviving poor. Shocking decline. @@ericboxer3053

[@joevenables3393]

I grew up in quite a nice part of walsall (park hall) and it’s amazing to me how localised the conditions of an area can be. I wasn’t that old when my family moved so I wasn’t old enough to be going out on my own but I remember just how drastic the difference in surroundings can be within a couple minutes of being in the car.

[@wodens-hitman1552]

Had a mate in Falmouth Rd in the 70s -early 90s. It was a beautiful estate. Now it's just a multi culti shit hole like the rest of walsall

[@footsoldierforflatearthtru8523]

I Imagine the only people on the streets at night are fly tippers and groups of youths intimidating any law abiding citizen that ventures out-Tragic

[@SteveGWilcox]

But there are no law abiding citizens out, according to your imagination ....

[@DavidL1986]

nah cos this is not the usa with law abiding shite

[@paulholland5270]

Junkies ☠️

[@stevenhull5025]

And where are the parent/ parents of these feral late night youths - getting sloshed down the pub or they just can't be bothered??

[@thebodykeepsthescore2828]

​@stevenhull5025 Probably sucking dealers off for a heroin fix

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

In the 1980s I worked on a computer system for the DoE. Walsall was one of the few, all Labour, councils that refused point-blank to co-operate with the government. They didn't want it known how bad the place really was.

[@jamescpalmer]

Curious

[@liamcraddock9539]

No suprises that Labour would turn a place like that.

[@jimtaylor294]

Well we've found the reason why it's declined then 😅

[@chrisbartram3034]

It's been Conservative controlled for the majority of the time for many years now.

[@TheRedPeril]

Same happened in Rotherham. Again a a Labour council. Let 1500 young girls get raped and wouldn’t report it. For fear of being seen racist you see. Never mind the girls.

[@GB140459]

Clearing all that litter is a great project for the local unemployed, just 3 or 4 hours a day will bring about massive improvements and everyone including those unemployed who do it will start to feel better overall

[@loriswafford4672]

I know, what the hell? My family was poor growing up in the seventies but we never littered and our street was clean and pleasant.

[@shauncorless8965]

Its like this all over the uk ,i used to live in Burnley and life expectancy is 7 yrs less than in Beirut 😢

[@JohnCollins]

I've travelled the UK widely because of work. I've seen some dumps in South Wales but Burnley is the pits. A poor town for sure. Accrington and Blackburn are almost as bad.

[@AmigaA-or2hj]

Even lower in Glasgow. Average life expectancy is 53 for men.

[@dart-fi3ez]

@@AmigaA-or2hj In Birmingham it's 18 for everyone.

[@AmigaA-or2hj]

@@dart-fi3ez Live fast die young.

[@truebro77]

hmmmm what doo they all have in common???? DIVERSITY@@JohnCollins

[@MartinA-kp8xg]

It needs to be realised that if you move a pig into a palace, the pig does not become a king, the palace becomes a pigsty. Also maybe a single parent family have none disciplined youth, well these youth then become the parents.

[@shaun7638]

100%Agreed...

[@billyliar1614]

It also needs to be realised that if you allow pigs - i.e our political class and the top earners - to take too much swill from the trough, so much in fact that they are on their backs nauseous, the other pigs will become distressed as a result of the rigours of starvation

[@Habu2]

Yes Martin whilst pretty much an issue in itself the breakdown of the family unit has had a gigantic impact on society. Girls with rock bottom I.Q's open the legs to the nearest chav and then the whole cycle starts over......

[@alisongalloway1455]

Pigs are spotlessly clean animals if allowed to be. These areas are hideous. People with zero respect and councils and police with obviously the same morals!

[@shaun7638]

@@billyliar1614 oink oink....

[@ponyboycurtis3795]

I'm a Brummy and I'm 44 years old..but I went to Walsall College back from 95 to 98 and have friends from Blakenhall and Tipton..its always been a bit rough but not this bad..whereas Caldmore and Palfrey is just filth and the more ethnically diverse these areas get the more fly tipping and drug dealing and general filth you see...but cultural diversity is great right 😂

[@mistermoptser]

Very true. Because they live that way in their own countries they think it's acceptable to live like it here, same with the parking.

[@SenorPenor1337]

It's islamic culture, some immigrants have Western values

[@sloeberdoet]

It is more their culture than the religion of Islam. You see the dirt and rubbish in their countries of origin? They just continue their dirty lifestyle here. Nothing to do with Islam.@@SenorPenor1337

[@pauli2169]

Always nice to get a racist dig in where you can. I left the UK 25 years ago (thank god) but I still visit my parents who retired in Coventry which is also a shithole. The worst thing is that even driving down the motorway and A roads you see litter everywhere ( I suppose it’s the immigrants doing all that as well) The worst thing I was was in a local supermarket, young teenagers in their dressing gowns and slippers doing their shopping (not immigrants by the way) even worse the same happened in the hotel I was staying in, a family came down to breakfast in their pyjamas? Who the hell does that. I was with a Belgian friend who was completely astounded. If they cannot respect themselves how the hell can they be expected to respect their environment. In 25 years the country has declined beyond measure…so let’s keep it simple and blame cultural diversity.😂

[@ponyboycurtis3795]

@@pauli2169 not racist..just facts..I've lived all around Brum and the nicer more white areas are clean and well looked after and friendly and non threatening etc whereas places like Alum Rock and Handsworth and Small Heath etc are vile and the demographics prove I'm right.

[@alexdelargesupertramp]

I was born and bred in Blakenall, and it wasn’t that bad of an area until the summer of 1997 - when it got flooded, seemingly overnight, with crack and heroin. A few months after Tony Blair got in. Never recovered since.

[@TheAndropoff]

Hit the nail on the head!

[@Aaaah-b6p]

It was the pakis who ruined it

[@Superking.Menthol]

I don't know how you can pin it on Tone ha

[@joebees21]

The decline of areas like The Black Country is nobody's fault but the Tories. Don't let them fool you anymore.

[@wodens-hitman1552]

​@@joebees21what about blairs open door immigration policy?

[@MickAngelhere]

I lived In Walsall back in 1990 I ended helping a security guard one night at Tescos or Sainsburys , can’t remember, he was attacked by a gang of fifteen to sixteen year olds . He was trying to get them to leave the premises, instead they piled onto him, wel myself and another bloke went in to help the man and after a bit of a brawl the ten brats couldn’t cope with the three of us hammering them. They ended up legging it in their Doc Martins boots. Last time I visited Walsall was in 2016 and was shocked at the decline of the place, it wasn’t much back in the nineties but now, worse. The whole of England is in decline with uncontrolled immigration both legal and illegal and it’s coming home to roost. I left England in 96 , been back a few times the last back in 19 , no way would I live there now

[@version736ha2]

In one 😊

[@nigeluter9668]

Bullshit it's all ways been a dump bad politics and governance tbh.

[@mrmeldrew693]

​@version736ha2 the countryside is still nice. I'm about an hours drive from Walsall now......may as well be on a different planet.

[@mmwaashumslowww7167]

​@@mrmeldrew693The countryside is nice but for how long, when councils are under pressure to build more housing from the government. Once the estates are built, then a new town will be declared. Wouldn't be long before that turns into shite and mountain tops will be the only countryside left. Smells like a Kalergi plan to me.

[@threethrushes]

Londoner here. I emigrated in 2015. Central Europe seems like paradise in comparison.

[@michaeljohndennis2231]

The thumbnail really grabbed my attention, as I have visited the other Dawson St (in Dublin in my native Ireland) many times and it is nothing like this - I’ve lived in a council estate in Manchester 21 years and it’s very clear that privileged, establishment, upper-class Labour have totally and utterly betrayed and held back working class people in the U.K. since 1914 - being proudly Irish, I really feel sorry for my English friends here, but given the stories I’ve heard from my extended family back home in Rural Ireland, my native Ireland is in a much worse situation and is far more dangerous than the U.K. which is far safer by comparison - since Covid, emigration is no longer an option for young Irish people as it once was and I am really scared for my family’s safety in Rural Ireland

[@peakseamus]

Ireland is multiple times safer, especially rural Ireland.

[@johnhewett9483]

Shocking. I am amazed too at the average house prices there too. Who would want to buy a house there?

[@johnwilkes681]

And its only going to get a whole lot worse across the country.

[@stevenhull5025]

It will thanks to apathy and the spineless amongst us who allow yobs to rule their streets. You will get what you deserve.

[@davidsivills3599]

Britain feels rundown everywhere these days.

[@threethrushes]

Londoner here. Sad to see the collapse of a country in real time. I emigrated in 2015 to central Europe. Save yourself.

[@stevenhull5025]

That is why London no longer represents the English. The English run away and allow it to be taken over by foreigners.

[@shrimpman8422]

I though all of Europe had the same problem forced on them.

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Haven't other country got.rough areas

[@adamglu20]

Visit Poland and you’ll find out how different things are at our end of Europe😛

[@MattSB2588]

​@@tenniskinsella7768plenty of issues throughout Europe.

[@DrSales-zl3kq]

It would be nice if you could contrast it with some footage from the 70s so we can see the difference

[@shrimpman8422]

what a great idea!!!

[@LighteachEstate-yf7uv]

I live in Walsall. It is a town of 2 halves. The area of Streetly for example is really nice. But no one in their right mind goes to the areas you mention. They have been as rough as they are for at least the last 50 years - you would have thought that something would have changed in that time but it is still the same social deprivation and yobs who look identical to the yobs of the 1960's

[@truebro77]

so, they're white?

[@angelsone-five7912]

This is what cultural enrichment has done for us.

[@jacquelineithell307]

Well ENOCH POWELL TRIED TO WARN THEM ,IF WE COULD TURN BACK TIME ⏲

[@necaacen]

this si what the tory part has done for us

[@MrObiwan1]

​@@necaacenthe labour party started mass immigration back in the 90's, do you homework and dont be a sheep

[@necaacen]

@@MrObiwan1 mass immigration isnt the problem. the guy in the video showed you a majority white area and a majority asian area and theyre both exactly the same, a complete trash heap. you know why? because theyre both working class communities losing a class war being waged on them by right wing neoliberal capitalism implemented by margret thatcher and amplified by 13 years of austerity, the intentional impoverishment of the british people by a multimillionaire elite. you know how the right wing who exist solely to take from the working people and give to the rich get elected in a democratic system? by selling working class idiots on the idea that their problems are caused by immigrants, who have no power, rather than the people who rule our country that have all the power. think about it m8, you use the term sheep, but think about whats really going on in this country and where your mind is at, whos agenda you are buying and who its helping.

[@joebees21]

​@@MrObiwan1You're the sheep if you've let the Conservative constantly fool you. Can you honestly tell me that you're better off than ten years ago? If you're working class then I'd say no you're not. They have let our areas fall into absolute ruin because they don't care and they never have. As long as London prospers and they keep their own pockets lined and their seats warm in Parliament then they couldn't care less about you. Look around you and look at Tory Britain for what it is. Wake up.

[@jamesmac5024]

Multi culturalism- the gift that keeps on giving!!

[@b0rg1010]

They certainly know how to enrich the area.

[@jacquelineithell307]

And the government and every government allows it shameful

[@encoreunefois1X]

Cool! Blame everyone else, and take zero responsibility, thus ensuring the continued demise of this sorry little self-isolating country.

[@dustyautumn8780]

Don't blame Muslims for your own failures.

[@tommo9757]

​@@dustyautumn8780who mentioned Muslims? There's more to multiculturalism, you know.

[@smith2781]

It is sad. I’ve been to Walsall for a couple of times. I thought Luton was bad but a lot of people in Walsall look like they’ve had a hard life. You see a 50 year old looking man he’s probably only 23.

[@mabbrey]

the uk is becoming as massive dump

[@ariescustom]

England maybe. There's nowhere nearly as bad as this near me.

[@ukexplored]

The endless litter in some of these areas is ridiculous isn't it, how does it get that bad.

[@barrieboy10]

Same in Wales - council services are cut to the bone , no money for cleaning up the mess and terrible waste management rules ie max black bags, max dump trips , green waste now is not classed as collectable unless pay , no cleaning up of fly tipping

[@scottg3456]

@@ukexplored it's basically impossible for the authorities to keep up with the shear amount of constant fly tipping and littering. Sadly, it seems many of the residents do not have any pride or self-respect for their community too.

[@user-Orkb186-3]

I lived in a town near Walsall. In the fifties Walsall was a lovely town with its Arboretum. Used to visit the illuminations every autumn. I'm sorry to hear how the Black country has suffered such a decline.

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Loafs of countries being destroyed by immigration

[@joevenables3393]

And the illuminations don’t happen anymore :(

[@andrewtaylor6737]

I was bought up in Aldridge, left the midlands in 1994 & settled in lovely Dorset. I used to love the illumination's, when I was growing up.

[@joebees21]

I used to love the illuminations as a kid. Imagine having that now 😂. How has everything got worse.

[@juneriley-lodge8276]

Absolutely shocking, no law and order on our streets anymore. Feel sorry for anyone genuine that lives there. Thank you for posting the video, its opened my eyes.

[@LordWalsallian]

I'm from Brownhills, 5 miles NE of Walsall. Caldmore has always been rough...it was known as Walsall's "red light" area. Walsall's decay...and that of other towns like it are a direct result of austerity (that never ended) and mass uncontrolled migration turning many areas into ghettos (lack of integration) where the Police and Council workers are afraid to go. I am a Community Nurse in Walsall and that large grey block of flats you featured as well as those around it house many of our patients, good people (from all ethnicities) who have been left to rot by out of touch politicians on a local, county and, national level. We have issues that only radical political change will solve.

[@seansmith-hv1gz]

I remember walking along the Wednesbury Rd one evening, on my way home from football training. I got approached from a 'lady of the night' asking did i want business ? When i said 'no thanks', she replied with 'oh go on, I'll even carry your sportsbag'. That was over 35 year's ago.

[@LordWalsallian]

@@seansmith-hv1gz That's hilarious! You made the right decision, bit pricey to have someone carry your bag. 😂

[@thesoundlikechameleons2082]

Sure you did.

[@seansmith-hv1gz]

@@thesoundlikechameleons2082 were you there ? No.

[@thesoundlikechameleons2082]

@seansmith-hv1gz No, obviously! but it's easy to lie, politicians do it all the time 🤣

[@corsair919]

I was born in Palfrey, Caldmore (Karma) was a vibrant place, we moved away in 1955. I drove through at 10:30 am a few years ago and was amazed at how the place had deteriorated. Just on the green there were four pubs a Liberal Club and a Conservative Club and the Forum cinema. In addition there were three toy shops and a model shop, three cafes and a bakery and every sort of shop you could think of, indicating how prosperous the place was.

[@timsanders33]

Karma had a big prostitution problem in the 90's and it probably still does. The area has been run down at least 30 years!

[@MonstaTrapz]

My mom used to take me every Friday to a toy shop in Carmour and I'd buy a little cowboy figure, this was in the late 1979/80, I was only 5. I'll never forget it. Our parents moved us to Devon in '83, best thing they ever did for us. I went back and forth a lot in the 90s, sad to see it has deteriorated so much.

[@corsair919]

@@MonstaTrapz There was one next door to the White Hart one along Caldmore Rd. and Grainger's model shop on the corner of Mount St. Noddy Holder was born in the street opposite. The Doll's Hospital was in West Bromwich Rd.

[@MonstaTrapz]

@corsair919 Thanks mate, from memory it was in the middle of a row of shops on the green I think, the memory is patchy at best. I'm pretty sure it was still there some years later though

[@TheYopogo]

It's a cliche, but it's true: This is because of Thatcher. In the victorian period, every British city was covered in places like this. The ONLY reason it ended was that after the war, we changed direction. We built millions of good, decent council homes, we set up the NHS, we built the welfare state, and it made Britain into the modern, better country that we became. Then Thatcher changed everything, and started us on the road back to the bad old days, and everything has been in decline ever since.

[@onelove111]

Right. Thatcher def had some mental issues

[@janehenry2819]

What a crying shame. Walsall used to produce the best saddles in the world. There are some affluent areas in Walsall but like many other towns across the uk , it has lost most of its industry and large factories so there is a lot of unemployment. The old saying ' the devil makes work for idle hands' rings true unfortunately 😢😢

[@japfourme381]

They still do!! My sons father in law still makes saddles for a reputable company, that ship them all around the world!!

[@EgoChip]

Maybe if they got harder on actual crimes, and made them clean up the rubbish as a part of their community service, that might improve things. But I guess the police are too busy on Twitter. If they decide to use their time and energy on antisocial behaviour then force them to spend their time in more productive ways.

[@jimtaylor294]

The real reason it's a dump is because it's a labour constituency; rampent crime is basically their thing.

[@AmigaA-or2hj]

Even Streetly is going downhill.

[@janehenry2819]

@@jimtaylor294 well apparently many councils are going bankrupt as theyve been wasting money on nonsense. One council even bought a helicopter, so I heard , so it's not just labour

[@wolvespunk]

I live in Wolverhampton and I used to teach in Blakenhall and Goscote and it looks much worse than it really is. No different to any other council estate. The local authorities neglect these areas, if there’s rubbish lying around then that’s down to lack of council funding to clean it up In fact, Goscote in particular is a predominantly traveller community so even if the area looks dirty people keep their homes spotlessly clean There are far worse places than Walsall….. Dewsbury Moor Estate in West Yorkshire for example. Also, Low Hill estate in Wolverhampton is worse than these areas; it was the largest slum in Europe and now it's the 5th largest Council estate in Europe but it's still just a byproduct of neglect, unemployment and under funding

[@truebro77]

hmmm what do all those places have in common??? DIVERSITY ahahahha

[@japfourme381]

My son lived with his girlfriend in Blakenall for a few years before getting married, his wife said, she lived there all her life, yes the area was a bit rough, but never really had any trouble around there. They both now live in Brownhills, rent a lovely two bedroom house and are very happy together!!

[@heretic5116]

Brownhills is just as much of a shit hole 😂

[@thebodykeepsthescore2828]

So fucking what

[@user-vp6cq4sv3d]

​@@thebodykeepsthescore2828I'm having the habit of spam replying to every thread so it's a good thing to notice I have yet to be the biggest troglodyte here when I see rough responses like yours that make you look as if you're bordering on having a stroke.

[@joebees21]

That's lovely to hear - I'm glad they're doing well. We do live in a shithole though let's not beat around the bush 😂.

[@shughy1]

It's funny how media are so quick to blame "the area" instead of the people, the area was fine before the people moved in 😀

[@user-ov4wr5yu4r]

Isn't that always the way?

[@mattparkin7224]

bit of a classist dogwhistle, isn't it?

[@shughy1]

@@mattparkin7224 it's avoiding stating the obvious, I don't see it as a class thing though, just people who choose to make bad decisions in life and as a result are destined to be working class, so that's a choice for the most part.

[@mattparkin7224]

@@shughy1incredibly cynical viewpoint that gives you a very convenient mindset for disregarding those that society has failed.

[@shughy1]

@@mattparkin7224 who are you referring to exactly? society doesn't fail people, some parents do though. It's not wider society's job to raise you, it's down to your parents and your own efforts... Gotta stop blaming everyone except yourself.

[@51504.]

I used to work round the areas. Honestly never had much trouble but I used to work in the health centres and GP's and you could see the deprivation just by looking at the patients. Malnourished, unhygienic and there were massive drug issues, so much so that most surgeries had ultra-violet lights in the toilets and you had to get a key from the reception to use them. Typical example of former industrial towns being left to rot by successive governments and councils.

[@bhamboy05]

Asian areas and litter / dumping seem to go hand in hand

[@ianbamford1857]

And getting married to cousins

[@jamesrobert4106]

Import the third world...Inherit the third world.

[@GoldenToothBrush]

"Cultural Enrichment"

[@mikesaunders4694]

I grew up in a northern working class area in the early 70’s and back then even though people didn’t have money they had a pride and a real community spirit. As I recall things were always kept tidy and clean and you got a back hander if you misbehaved. Elders and the police were respected. That all started to change in the late 70’s eventually leading to the rise of chav culture and a focus on individuals “rights” but not their “responsibilities”. Now it’s all me me me and wanting quick easy cash without grafting and look where we are.

[@willywonka7812]

Capitalism is destroying society. But that's hardly news to anyone who's ever paid attention

[@mikefraser4513]

Watch the film "Harry Brown" with Michael Caine. A good reflection of how life has deteriorated. in these council estates. I grew up on a council state. We had fighting, but knives, drugs and local prostitution were unknown. (Wilson and Callaghan were in power followed by Thatcher, so it didn't really make that much of a difference), and the police had the last word. Now it's "you can't touch me I'm 14"..and their parents will defend them).

[@mikesaunders4694]

@@mikefraser4513 Yep the “ entitled” and obsession with “my chiiilllld” are a big part of it. Plus the police trying to be a “service” and not a force.

[@paddyconnolly6213]

Well said Mike, I grew up in a council estate in dublin if you where playing ball on the road and say a copper you ran for it, everyone older person was called Mr or Mrs, you got a beating of your dad if you stepped out of line, I was one of 11 children , we all done reasonably well in life and I put that down to good parents who weren't afraid to say no

[@LordHeath1972]

When you said "it's worse than Birmingham - believe it or not!" I burst out laughing!

[@merlin1346]

I was born in Leamore in 1954. Caldmore (locals pronounces it carma due to accent) went into decline early 70's when multiculturism started. Blakenhall area had a influx of 'travellers' as well, but in the 60's most of Walsall was bloody good.

[@Isleofskye]

Exactly the same in Inner London,2 miles from Brixton and Peckham where I was born in 1954 ,as well.

[@Aaaah-b6p]

Yes my grandfather used to tell me exactly how good Walsall was till these p@kis and others come invading. It's a shame it's like Pakistan now.

[@seansmith-hv1gz]

Totally agree. I grew up on the Alumwell estate, had friends and family live all over Walsall. Ok, it wasn't Chelsea, but it was a good place growing up. Caldmore (karma) always had a large Asian community back in 70s 80s, but now those small pockets of communities are huge. So the mess is obviously coming from the locals. The day after 9/11, I remember passing near Karma, and the small Asian children were laughing and making plane noises at white people. The same time I witnessed a car full of young Asians with a sign saying 'Kill white b------ds'. I left the Midlands shortly after.

[@Isleofskye]

@@seansmith-hv1gz When you said "small" Communities became huge that makes perfect sense because what I have witnessed in my 69 London years in East and South London(no doubt the same all over London) is that because Asiatic, Black and Muslim families average 4 kids (not including Black Half Siblings like Jay of "The Repair Shop" who had 25 Half Siblings) and Whites, Chinese, and Jewish families average 2 children then they will have less than 150 offspring over 7 generations while The Asiatic, Black, and Muslim Racial Groups will have over 16,000 i.e. 100 times more progeny so their Communities will get bigger and bigger.

[@seansmith-hv1gz]

Also, i recently visited Birmingham for work. Blimey, what a shock. Again, growing up, it was the place to visit. It was so much fun being a teenager and catching the train, looking at the new shops / buying the latest trainers or clothes. Now, those small communities are again HUGE. The outer city is a right shithole. Slums everywhere. It was such a shame to witness. I tried to explain this to a work colleague who is half my age, and sadly, they couldn't see what is happening right in front of them. One day, passing a school I joked 'let's play spot the white kid'. There must have been one hundred plus children, and we never spotted one English white child. During one evening out in Birmingham, we had our meal then returning to the hotel, we noticed how the atmosphere changed, gangs of youths everywhere. It was extremely intimidating. Now before anyone starts saying I'm racist, I'm not. I have friends from all cultures. BUT I CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY. I'm just glad i don't have children / grandchildren growing up in this sad world.

[@jazzdub4958]

I used to go clubbing in Walsall in the mid 1990s when I wanted to rough it from Sutton Coldfield every now and then. Was a student at the old Walsall Tech College got to know great bunch of lads in my class that made it worth driving over. Awesome nights out starting at the old Black Horse pub on the corner before hitting other venues. Cheap beer, cheap women, no speed trap or bus lane cameras zapping you at 6am like it is nowadays. Like many West Midland towns, it's all gone to sh*t now and haven't been back in nearly 10 years.

[@annoyingbstard9407]

If you think no speed cameras is a good thing you’re probably the problem.

[@manichairdo9265]

Cheap women? 😱

[@Pius-XI]

Sutton is a dump these days

[@jazzdub4958]

@@Pius-XI What part of minimum £700k pound houses around Sutton are the dump areas then? Newhall and Reddicap Heath don't count.

[@jazzdub4958]

@@annoyingbstard9407 Why am I the problem of the ills of Walsall you boob? I don't live there.

[@drayblanco1319]

Living in both Walsall and Birmingham, both places are close to my heart, but its not a place to raise a family. James was also a close friend, and is amongst one of the countless reminders of why I decided to move away. I count myself lucky as many of the people I grew up with are either dead or in prison.

[@heycidskyja4668]

How much of this is Asian-related? It seems that rubbish and fly-tipping are common among these newcomers.

[@cjp8155]

All of it is. Walsall is infested with 'em.

[@LouisHarris-re7md]

Go down Walsall town centre on a Saturday about 80% of people there aren’t English

[@burgundycobalt5665]

Ethnicity doesn't matter.

[@carolwood9930]

Agree .Disgusting .​@@LouisHarris-re7md

[@pauliesk.7102]

I've so many fond memories of Walsall, it really saddens me to see it now: it used to be such a vibrant, lively town. I rarely go there these days, but when I do I see all the places I had such great nights out all derelict and boarded-up.

[@neil73]

Unusual story: I lived in Leeds until around 2015, when I emigrated. I had a neighbour called Robert, a lonely autistic man who had many mental health problems. He was obsessed with Walsall, going so far as to change his first name by deed poll to Walsall. It was his ambition to move to Walsall, as he had been happy there in comparison to living in a suburb of West Leeds (which in comparison to this video is a much better place). Anyway, he finally did and the last I heard he wanted to move back to Bramley, Leeds. I don't know if he changed his name to Bramley whilst living in Walsall. Not heard anything about him since 2017. The poor sod is probably dead now. He'd be 70 anyway - and there aren't too many obese 70 year olds.

[@JoeBlowUK]

At least in the UK the roughest areas have big warning signs where the trouble spots are... Mosques.

[@sirsteve1969]

What a wonderful tour of our diverse community .

[@zh2266]

You people are so predictable.

[@jfluffydog2110]

shutup@@zh2266

[@mark675]

​@@zh2266so are yours

[@njones420]

By diverse you mean 70.8% white? I'd suggest the issue here is not people's race...

[@mark675]

@njones420 have you heard the percentage of crime committed by blacks per percent of the population 🤣 go and play woke somewhere else lol

[@jonsaddler3067]

I live in Walsall though thankfully not in one of these areas. My Grandparents were from Palfrey. I spent many happy hours in the local park there as a child. To see it now is heartbreaking. The lack of pride in the people that live in these areas now is awful to witness. 50% of Walsall is still decent to live in but the decline in the other 50% in the last 10 years is shocking

[@Solicitor1957]

Asians think nothing of depositing their rubbish anywhere they please. What a fantastic contribution to our culture…🧐

[@JessieJensen-zk4uz]

Not cool.

[@IAMNationX]

Humans, humans in general can be disgusting. Nothing to do with race.

[@carolmarshall3027]

Enrichment ? I'm glad I'm old

[@wanderingwilliam5031]

Massive respect for going in to these areas and documenting them, videos are well produced to. I only do town centres personally. Can I ask, surely you don't go in on your own to these places?.

[@ukexplored]

Thanks, there is usually two of us, but we split up and go alone to cover more areas quicker. Maybe I'm a bit naive and I'll get a slap one day, sometimes it's fairly obvious that locals don't like seeing someone filming, but I do try to avoid filming people and confrontations.

[@wanderingwilliam5031]

@@ukexplored I wear a motorbike glove incase I have to defend myself, might be an idea for you in these areas. It's ballsy wandering around on your own in these places haha. Always handy to keep recording if anyone gets confrontational for evidence in my experience, but whatever works best for you mate.

[@Mrbobinge]

@@wanderingwilliam5031 Good one. Also maybe do the old trick of carrying bucket and rags (like a window cleaner). Or, carry a black plastic bag full of scrunched newspapers - to appear to be looking for a convenient fly tip. When in Rome.....

[@baloodarling486]

@@ukexplored If you want to avoid confrontations, don't create them; If one of these residents were to film the front of your house, you would probably call the police out of fear.

[@ukexplored]

Being an educated videographer and passive individual, I have to disagree. I'd never call the police, or even complain if someone is doing a lawful activity in public. There is CCTV, dash cams, Ring doorbells, and more all over the place anyway, we're all recorded dozens of times if we walk down a couple of streets.

[@fkos86]

I wonder if our dear leaders in Westminster are even aware of how badly this country has fallen into decay outside of London.

[@TerencePetersenAjbro]

I grew up in Oldbury in the 60s and 70s, it was much safer back then. It was all white British and everyone was on friendly terms with their neighbours, police even walked the beat back then. I left the UK in 1984, so my memory of the place is frozen in time.

[@Emtbwebb]

You left the year i was born, I'm 38 now! You haven't missed anything i was born in Dudley It's all a massive shit hole

[@curtisducati]

Now full of Muslims and blacks , government is turning the UK into a nightmare with 150,000 Scumbags protesting over Hamas last week attacking cops and people in London ....

[@tortoisetamer486]

Diversity is ruining Britain

[@colin7225]

What a year to leave congratulations on getting out, crazy to think as you post that comment us that still live here are living in george Orwell's 1984.

"It was all white"... lol Its still mostly white...

[@onion2112]

What I find most heart wrenching is the use of west coast funk as a backing track, perhaps some Doom Metal might be more fitting. Great vids.

[@leoderbyshire1076]

i don't know what's more shocking. the state of the place or the high house prices for the dump

[@cvn6555]

I was shocked until I remembered that "Asian" is British code for Middle Easterners, Pakistanis, etc. "Asian" in the US means Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. Generally associated with extremely safe, clean neighborhoods and children that are bright and industrious.

[@mobilephil244]

Birmingham is FINE to visit - as long as you don't stop the car.

[@dionneleah]

My dad is from Sparkbrook, Birmingham (yup, that's two short straws...) and moved to Walsall when he married my mom. *I grew up in Blakenhall* in 2000s and my school life was horrific. Being mixed race, I experienced a lot of of overt racism and just general bullying. I'm not certain it's as bad now but it probably is. I know Caldmore very well and would be super vigilant if I was to walk through the main triangle of shops. Having said that, you can get vegetable samosas for 25p a pop lol. Despite the negative side of this town, the people of Walsall are bold, resilient and have heart. I live in Birmingham now but I'm proud to be from Walsall. This video projects a negative image of Walsall, which is fair enough, but there is also a nicer side to Walsall that you'd have to explore further to really understand :)

[@ukexplored]

Appreciate your comment - sucks to hear about a rough childhood; wish I'd known about them samosas when I was there 😀 and, I hear you, I'm not trying to bash the area or the people. I'm reporting the stats along with some footage, my dry humour doesn't always do me any favours hah, we should all be proud of where we came from if we're proud of who we are today as it's part of who we are, so I salute you for that!

[@dionneleah]

@@ukexplored of course - I'm all for the dry humour! thank you ❤

[@in6087]

The house prices in those areas are astonishingly high

[@uweinhamburg]

You're braver than me - i wouldn't go there. Thanks for the reminder in which well organized and overall pretty clean area i can live. Far too often, we just take it for granted.

[@danielduong3212]

SOOOO glad i no longer live in the UK, it was such a depressing and miserable 3yrs of my life. Never again! Glad to be back in sunny Australia ❤❤

[@flybobbie1449]

I lived in the Birchills till 12 years ago. Place is a dump now. Wasn't bad 15 years ago, but we all know what happened. There are nice areas, but a few rough areas. Fortunately i had a job from 1987 that took away from Walsall eveyday till i left in 2009. I can still remember the trolley buses around the ABC.

[@carolebarker2195]

You should have called this "I went to Britain's roughest estate, and lived !!!"

[@EntropyRisen]

Mosside in Manchester is still to date one of the worst/roughest places ive ever visited. My dad was born there and the stories he has told me from his childhood are scary to say the least.

[@Streetender-tonka]

Moss side aint on the same level im sad to say

[@ianbanks2844]

Cultural enrichment has given us so much . Especially litter and rubbish .

[@10highsky]

Yeah ever since recent immigration from Europe the crime and fly tipping has gone through the roof.

[@arthurlincoln9093]

Let's be honest. Some people do not deserve to have homes. What they deserve is a tent in a windy field.

[@stevenhull5025]

What they deserve is a non return air ticket to the Amazon rainforest.

[@spinyjunior8118]

So... you're saying they deserve to go to a music festival?

[@sharonnicholson8547]

I live in walsall& there are alot of very bad areas including ones just highlighted. Its the people who make an area what it is.Rubbish doesnt walk & dump itself& people who hurl abuse & go round causing bother are what bring an area down.

[@jonathanwhittaker677]

I lived in blakenall from 94 to 2007....still visit my son and his mom and family every 2 weeks (trains permitting)...in the time time I lived there the place actually improved...it had a stigma in the 80s but they genuinely tried to improve the place....admittedly when I go now I dont see much of the estate but it's very sad if this video is anything to go by 😢

[@jonathanwhittaker677]

@@NormanCollier-nf7nu ok the ex...that better?...😂😂

[@kerkiraz]

Great Britain urgently urgently needs to redistribute its wealth with way to much investment in London and surround ing areas.

[@mikefraser4513]

I can tell you..there are a lot of shitholes in and around London. Take Tower Hamlets and Luton to begin with.

[@Tracy-y8y]

People in Walsall are fabulous. I got mugged twice in one day and both times I was asked if I wouldn’t mind giving them my handbag. I was mugged in London and they took my bag without asking #rude

[@christop_bader]

Great Britain? not so great and the Govt is responsible for this tragic decline

[@m0o0n0i0r]

I lived in Wednesbury back in the day. Moved down south for University and stayed here for work. Went to back to visit old friends and family last year. Went for a drink in Walsall at night, the old Yatses, Varisty, Black Swan (Changed to Sofa Sofa). None of those pubs exists or have changed in to dive bars. Felt unsafe, went back home early. Haven't been back since, and chalked it up to the town I used to live in, doesn't exist any more.

[@PATRIOTICBRITAIN42]

Hi I've been brought up and bred their, I've lived and raised in all places Birmingham, thank you.

[@sirjosephwhitworth9415]

In the late 1990s I worked very near Blakenall and it was a s...hole back then. The company car park had its security camera stolen over night along with a failed attempt to break into the huge safe. An indication of the mental capacity of the local residents was highlighted when a council house resident who was in dispute with the council authorities, removed all the doors in the house and made a bonfire. In the middle of winter!!! You couldn't make it up!

[@davidhocknull6520]

I was sad in Walsall I had so many depressing times

[@trevmacc]

i am glad i left Blakenall 30 years ago thought it was bad then but can not belive its even worse now

[@ukexplored]

How much worse has it gotten?

[@trevmacc]

@@ukexplored lot of crime then even ,i think there was a panorama program about it in the 80s on how bad it was around there then,cars being burn out on estates but not as bad as it looks in your video

[@neilpalmer1662]

Coalpool that was kid

[@LC-xz2vd]

Blakenhall was a very small 'local' place, not all bad folks, but I remember the Roger Cook programme about coalpool, I left around. 30 yes ago and moved away completely i5yrs ago, I'd hate to go back, though......oh and I recall a film going round "Walsall on tour" and that C4 programme about the race issues in birchills,

[@trevmacc]

@@LC-xz2vd i thought it was panorama thanks for correcting ,yes some were great,can not believe whats its like now there are even more places like that around i have seen

[@158alfie]

I live just outside of Walsall and I simply avoid it like the plague. Only ever go just to go to the manor hospital ahah

[@terryhopper5286]

I can't think why the areas are in decline

[@Sunset-t9d]

Nore me 😉😂

[@Jack__Reaper]

Must be all the racists lol

[@Willisoverthemoon]

The locals pronounced 'Caldmore' in the same way as 'Karma', easy to way to identify someone as being from Walsall or not!

[@ukexplored]

Ah yeah, I enjoy talking to locals in some areas and getting a feel for the pronunciations and stuff, but some areas are too hostile, honestly, sounds dramatic, but it's true.

[@Willisoverthemoon]

@ukexplored I've spent many an hour working in Caldmore, I can well believe it!

[@goldilocks913]

I was just going to comment! A man was stabbed there a couple of years ago when two yobs heard him mispronounce it and knew he was a non resident

[@jfluffydog2110]

I'm from walsall and I don't pronounce it that way.@@Willisoverthemoon

[@Willisoverthemoon]

@@jfluffydog2110 how do you pronounce it then? :)

[@justinsmith5697]

I was brought up in palfrey. I left when I was 18 after my parents decided to move to the countryside, it was always working class in the 70s and 80s but clean and people were proud . As the older generation died off new groups of people moved in and within years the pubs shut the clubs closed and the place started getting filthy every other house had house numbers painted on the walls... thank god we left.

[@dggbl9974]

Caldmore is pronounced ‘Karma’ and Palfrey is pronounced ‘Pullfree’. Lived here all my life and yes there are some ‘rough’ areas like every town but there’s also some decent estates and good people. The press make it sound like a lawless no go zone lol

[@raymondvaughan6262]

Correct only takes a few people but it is rough good and bad parts still wouldn't like to walk round some of it even in the day time scary

[@MickeyMouse-ul2zs]

The fly-tipping reminds of Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad, Dhaka, Chittagong etc..... What a surprise, NOT.

[@waynecheshire7878]

I know these areas and every word you said is true 👍

[@ukexplored]

I wish it wasn’t true, but it is, isn’t it.

[@kpec3]

"Fly-tipping" is bad in the American south where I live. It is the worst in blighted neighborhoods or on the side of freeways. They post signs "no dumping", but I think people used those signs to help spot a place to dump! The real problem in my opinion is when people dump out car trash. They buy food at a McD, and then just dump it on the street, because they probably hate the smell when it's in the car. In my complex, the building has this weird entranceway, and you can't turn around until you're deep in the complex. So a lot of people pull up here all the time, and there's always a fast food bag in the parking lot, smashed, rotting, greasy disgusting quazi-food, less than 15' from the dumpster no less.....

[@hvidhavn1]

I visited friends in Walsall way back in 1980 ..even then these guys said it was risky going into town at night ..many blacks & asians were attacking people & wielding knives back then ! ... i remember a huge billboard advertising a new housing estate - for ethnic or asians only it said on the board !

[@markstarmer3677]

That is the main trouble with towns today, too many low life ethnics.

[@flybobbie1449]

Nah, 80's ok in Walsall, was a nice town. Rot set in say mid 90's. too many others there.

[@user-ov4wr5yu4r]

That's insane. By Asians, you mean??? Because I live in Asia, and it's not crime free, but I haven't ever been a victim or witnessed a crime.

[@nitabone6416]

The lies

[@flybobbie1449]

@@user-ov4wr5yu4r I lived Birchills, peaceful enough but some Asian did get contract shot sat in his car outside post office.

[@robertfletcher3421]

Society itself has collapsed.

[@ukexplored]

It's not looking great, is it. I try to stay positive, but, meh.

[@thehumblegent]

Quality video, especially enjoyed the juxtaposition of the absolute despair and bleakness of the area and the jaunty, uplifting jazz/funk muzak playing in the background. Peace and Love