Poorest Towns in the UK - Greenock, Inverclyde

[@molecatcher3383]

Some of the best people are the poor people. Greenock is very close to the beautiful Scottish Highlands, the lovely islands of the Firth of Clyde and has big areas of open countryside all around. It has lovely Scottish folk living there and has not been excessively "culturally enriched". It is poor because all the well paid jobs were exported overseas but many people in the town commute to well paid jobs in Glasgow which is not too far away and there are good rail and road connections. There is a big, well equiped, hospital there and plenty of shops. Overall not too bad, do not be misled by the bare numbers.

[@shilpamaheshwari7974]

i want to come and work there in junior schools.i m from india.how are the possibilties

[@molecatcher3383]

@@shilpamaheshwari7974 You are needed more in India that you are in Scotland.

[@shilpamaheshwari7974]

@@molecatcher3383 yes i m working in india since 10 years

[@jazz185]

Always was a tough wee toon, most sea ports are, but if you grew up here in the 50s to the early 80s you'll probably have happy enough memories of what was a good town with reasonable prospects. Unfortunately with the onslaught of the drug culture, and unemployment, like many towns, it has went downhill. God speed Greenock.

[@FeedbackPete]

My mate Scott who lives in Drumchapel loves coming down to Port Glasgow and Greenock to see me. It's a more relaxed pace from the hustle and bustle of Glasgow city centre he says. I've him the view from Lyle Hill which is world class. Not an overstatement. And recently introduced him to the delights of the Esplanade Cafés ice cream. Still amongst the best I've tried. Last few years I've enjoyed seeing the dolphins in the Clyde in summer. Also a trip on the boat to the sugar ship. What I love about Inverclyde is that there is easy access to the countryside and walks such as along the Cut or up Corlic hill. And there are amenities for locals. But if your looking for more something bigger. With great train links Glasgow is only 30 minutes away. I'm also glad that China Crisis are coming to play here at The Albany. Just go to show there are alternatives for bands to Glasgow.

[@shilpamaheshwari7974]

i want to come and work there in junior schools.i m from india.how are the possibilties

[@FeedbackPete]

@shilpamaheshwari7974 namaste I'm not an expert but I guess the opportunities are okay. You can commute to Paisley or Glasgow those places are close by by train

[@niamhconnolly2694]

I’m from Greenock/port Glasgow, I moved to Dublin 15 years ago. I never knew it was one of the most poorest places in the uk but knew there wasn’t much opportunity at home I worked a lot of the main electronics factories in the area like IBM, Mimtec n few others but Greenock has amazing scenery n people my family are all still there. Hope it gets out of this “poor list” 😂

[@mimi64231]

I was Greenock 4 years ago. In my opinion, Greenock is lovely place. All the best from Poland.

[@KittyO7878]

IBM has gone entirely now, I'm also from the area but moved away just over 2 years ago.

[@MegaGordyboy]

you never mentioned the new 20 million pound health centre which opened last year,the 19 million pound visitors centre for the 130 cruise ships from all over the world will open in a few weeks.we are hardly living on bread and water.

[@jackcharlie9322]

Still low tier

[@momo1760]

And what happens when them cruise ships come in uts certainly not greenock that reaps the rewards as soon as there here there put on a bus and heading to Glasgow or Edinburgh another waste of money from the council 😂😂

[@Yu-Gi-OhScotland]

@@momo1760exactly theres coaches sitting there waiting on them disembarking… the only thing the cruise passengers use in Greenock is the Oak Malls free Wi-Fi 😂

[@TJL6969]

Meanwhile in the real world folk here are using Foodbanks

[@FOTOMOTOGP]

I used to live in Greenock. It’s always had its rough and tough areas. Overall the people were always warm and welcoming, and I’m sure they still are. It’s not the fault of the working class people that their livelihoods were taken away from them with the closure of the shipyards. No work, no money, no hope. How can you expect people to survive and be happy. Even when the shipyards were open, the work was tough. So many men would drink a fair bit because they were depressed with their existence. This led to poverty. Missing the rent then never being able to catch up. Gambling to try and catch up but getting further and further in debt. Using money lenders to survive, but in the end making matters worse. Drinking, smoking and gambling. Today it’s drugs. Greenock had such great architecture and character. Some town planners and councillors need to seriously look at the decisions they made in destroying the character and history of the town in the name of “progress” and “regeneration”. Come on people of Greenock. You live in an area of beautiful scenery. You have a great history. You are great, warm and friendly people. Don’t let people put you down. Let your educated young people show you the way forward to regenerate the town for today’s world. God Speed Greenock.

[@ukcharlie7591]

Excellent comment - 100% right on same way all over the UK back in the day but you are right one dark chapter was replaced with another!

[@Hjack460]

Growing up in Greenock up the gibby the memories of them days had more good than bad. Might not of had much but everyone looked after each other always had a smile and asked if you were ok.

[@trentsteele1986]

spent time there in the late 80s great live music scene ok it was no stuck up and stiff town like you find down south but i liked it and cost of living was cheap

[@dave-kr6sc]

It's not the town it's the people and their attitudes the history of that wee town is spectacular and they should remember their ancestors and what they sacrificed for the people that live their today

[@OnyxDragonGB]

IBM also had a major manufacturing part of Greenock as well, at Spango Valley but that's been downsized to a call centre. I would also add that water/sewerage cost in Inverclyde is included in the council tax.

[@Andrewjg_89]

What about transport like buses and trains. Greenock does have good transport links to Glasgow including ScotRail and the new Class 385 trains that are suitable to cope with more extra passengers during rush hour.

[@jazz185]

Great toon. Born in the Rankin as most were in the fifties onwards. Rooms in the Ann St area then Royal St Gourock, Margaret St.. Branchton in 1957 til 74, Braeside then Gourock. Not much different from from Drumchapel, Coatbridge etc. Scotland.

[@BelowTheGold]

The footage in this video is more or less the better parts of greenock. The photographer must have been too scared to go into the schemes or he did go into the schemes but got mugged and had his camera taken off him.

[@labos7250]

It’s greenock not New York pal you’re trying to make it out like a ghetto get a grip

[@lukeh465]

The scenery around the town looks pretty great though!

[@MrZOMBIE170]

Inverclyde Turing into a wee Africa

[@johnscott3714]

Greenock and Port Glasgow are changing beyond all recognition and it's all down to politicians.

[@fintonstack1608]

No mention of IBM and the chip manufacturers leaving in the 90s, after 40 years. This was the final nail in our town. The upper working class and lower middle class lost everything after that, and we've yet to recover. Great to see incoming investment. Perhaps there's life in the old Toon after all!

[@joe18425]

Thatcher

[@davidnichol6282]

It shows you how materialistic we have become, being poor is not a crime, although the way some talk about it you would think its a crime.

[@lenaperminova5418]

Greenock has its cons, some dreadful ones, but this video was nevertheless completely inaccurate and misinformed.

[@l3awjawz]

Well obviously Greenock has it's cons - there is a prison there after all. 😉

[@simonlumsden6045]

Greenock isn't poor. There are places in Glasgow and Edinburgh, like Easterhouse, Drumchapel, Wester Hailes and Niddrie, which are much poorer. Greenock is a relaxed, decent place with lots of things to do.

[@MrZOMBIE170]

under huge cottage to to be on the hill above the Cardwell garden center never head of it before

[@owenmccall632]

Same as anywhere else,there is a huge gap between the haves and havenots.the area hasnt really recovered from the government vandalism to shipyards and other heavy engineering employment.

[@SarahSilly10]

Lets remember the council build flats on top of nuclear waste lol

[@lorenzom7237]

???? What???

[@christolliday3054]

I think Greenock has huge potential I have a freind and his family live there they love it.......The people seem user freindly as well lets hope this community can set an example of whats really possible...

[@TheColdHarshTruth]

First place I ever got in a fight in my life. I was three years old. Got stabbed in the back with a nail file for being on some kid’s swing.

[@Dylanm849]

Greenock is nice if you’re just going along the waterfront

[@arch52mccallum]

wheres kelburn , robert st, larkfied etc that the real poor deprived parts blame the torys they privatised and shut down everything in the area

[@l3awjawz]

Kelburn & Boaby St. are in the Port, no Greenock. The Tories will solve the problem with the bottom feeders once they take away the NHS and the goblins won't be able to afford the massive costs for treatment for their knife wounds or alcohol poisoning which will probably kill off 90% of the locals!

[@isabelstokes4042]

Blame Margaret Thatcher for closing down the shipyards. I grew up there and it was just fine.

[@onemanandhisdog]

My town has some of the best people in the world! The best scenery in the world! Wee problem is, theres people in this town with shit loads of money who like to keep greenock appear poor to make themselves look bigger and better! We have so much potential here, we just have to realise it and take the opportunities! The potential here for a small community to grow is there in abundance. We just need to get wash out the snobs and embrace the people❤

[@mick6949]

You don't know what your talking about 😂😂

[@stuartd9663]

Lived in Inveclyde all my life and this video is one of the most uninformed I've ever heard. I doubt the people who made this have ever been to Inverclyde.

[@jedlinnen6528]

The place is pathetic. People live in appalling conditions that would not be tolerated in a civilized society. The roads are hostile to pedestrians and the town's planning is backward. It's rough and the police are non responsive. I could go on and on but it's all too depressing

[@dzod]

We keep electing ineffective councils.

[@Newton2109]

Wehm iss bay

[@ThomasOneill-ru6et]

Who'd have thought? The Port spotless and booming and Greenock a shit hole.

[@robertjarman4261]

Robert Street? Greetings from Holy Russia.

[@kevinmccavanagh2460]

Got three kids all employed never not worked plenty opportunity every we're 😊

[@MrJimclyde]

Rubbish ! Try the West end and The Esplanade of Greenock! And nearby town of Gourock! The most expensive houses in Scotland!

[@tomhewitt9187]

What "the inhearants of such towns don't want to hear"? I think you mean inhabitants. So they paid this person to read their script for their video and he's not reading it correctly?

[@craigm6878]

They can’t even spell Gourock correctly. It’s like listening to the station announcements on the train when he tried to pronounce Wemyss Bay.

[@mairianncullen8753]

Pretty sure the script is AI generated

[@mouthyman5505]

this video is out of date. it looks like it was made with pictures from the 90s to early 00s. i live in Greenock and its not as bad as this video says. if it was as bad as this video says all the cruise ships wouldn't dock here.

[@whocanbreatheunderwater5423]

Yeah you're right. It's much, much worse!

[@garymalone8294]

It has nice areas and bad areas like everywhere else

[@JacquelineMelvin-cl7ny]

Actually spell Gourock right and Say Greenock right 🤣🤣🤣

[@Ebube-h8v]

Of course, Nigeria high School

[@YahiaChamp21]

I vlogged Greenock

[@kevinmccavanagh2460]

No poor people here where I stay... Junkies and alcoholic like every other town In the world....

[@Jesus420.69]

I remember driving into Greenock for the first time and being surprised about how crap and run down it looked.

[@Данєк-р4я]

Ach, Ah min' weel Greenock an' Largs, it's a wheen years syne noo, but thae wur guid times. Ah mind the IBM, guid fowk thare. Ye ken, Glasgae an' the airts aroon' thare can be a bittie rough, aye, even back then it wis yin o' the maist craiturie an' drug-hingin' places in aw o' the UK. But maist o' the fowk wur braw an' brawlie aff wi' fowk fae abraid. Ye haed the bonnie hills an' the braw scenery, an' fowk whae wid pit thir ain mither afore onythin' else. An' ye cannae forget the braw pairty zone in Glasgae, can ye no? It wis a' crackin' back then.

[@toriatsikatten8941]

as someone from greenock who goes to school outside of greenock, greenock is seen as this weird otherworldly place, i tell stories about the druggies, loons, and strange occurrences that i see, and the others who have been to greenock always confirm it. I have seen people defecate in buses, I've had to walk through the residential areas where there are gangs round every corner, half of the houses are completely run down and/or severely ugly and decrepit, all young people are loud, obnoxious, and violent neds, all the small shops have sticky wrappers, and there is no sort of internal economy. Back when the Ohio meme was around, everyone used to call the place the Ohio of Scotland as it is so genuinely strange. The only good thing about this town is Tonino's and the view from across the clyde.

[@labos7250]

Just a slight exaggeration there 😂😂. I’ve stayed in greenock my whole life and I’ve never had a problem. Worked all over scotland in the building trade and there’s a hell of a lot worse than greenock. Some people don’t realise how lucky they have it. When you’re out of town telling people about greenock why not talk about the positives instead of exaggerating the negatives we have.

[@toriatsikatten8941]

@@labos7250 well, as much as i get what you mean, i don't know the positives yet, except from the view, the water, and toninos

[@l3awjawz]

@@toriatsikatten8941 Hahaha where is hell of a lot worse than Greenock? Port Glasgow mibbes? Apart from that wee cluster of middle-class streets by the water towards Gourock, Greenock/Port is just one big concrete post-industrial wasteland.

[@labos7250]

@@l3awjawz most towns in Ayrshire, glasgow/Lanarkshire are and don’t get me started on places in fife. Perth, dundee all worse than greenock and inverclyde.

[@l3awjawz]

​@@labos7250 I won't argue that all the above have some real shitty places too. Most of them aren't as large or gang plagued as Greenock tho smaller places like the three towns of the North Ayrshire coast are probably as bad as Greenock/Port albeit on a smaller scale. Kilmarnock is another ned infested scumhole, though one thing I notice is that Greenock seems to have a disproportionate number of rival ned gangs for such a small area. Perth seems to be more middle-class than most of the others. Lanarkshire in the main is not dead rough so much as just plain shite and with a few exceptions here and there, I still find Lanarkshire to be overall less threatening than Greenock/Port. Some of the wilder parts of Glasgow are probably more dangerous overall, though it is a much more diverse place on the whole.

[@mrbushlied7742]

To me, Port Talbot will always be the worst town in the UK.

[@maebtadhg8307]

Greenock far from poor, if your prepared to travel for work.

[@colinmcgregor123]

Votes for Westminter (labour)

[@kevinmccavanagh2460]

Get a grip every other car people drive in Greenock is brand new ffs

[@frickfrog6546]

Ofc

[@kevza1978]

Very inaccurate.

[@mairianncullen8753]

The script and presenter both sound as if they were generated by AI.

[@hamishallan8939]

Belvil street greenock was recently vote mostt deprived area in europpe .. glasow was labele the sick man of europe and cocaine cappital of ...... yea . Recent shootins ppetrol bombings and daily knife crime ... welcolm to best part of the greenock

[@hamishallan8939]

Greenock takes the crown for cocaine and street valium ( itasulum , after Dublin)

[@hamishallan8939]

Recent influx in immigrants is killing us

[@MrZOMBIE170]

wit gangs

[@JamesBratton-p8t]

Not good enough

[@kevintravis1807]

Scottsdale national party doing nothing. Vote labour.❤

[@ScranMan-oi8qg]

Paisley seems worse

[@labos7250]

It’s not a competition by the way. I’ve stayed in both and paisley’s definitely worse 😂. Both naw as bad as they get made out imo but aye paisley just edges it for me.

[@l3awjawz]

​@@labos7250 Paisley only really has one really wild scheme but the rest of the town is pretty much like any other. If Feegie was wiped off the face of the Earth, then Paisley would probably be more desirable than many other towns in the Clyde area. In contrast, if aw the riff-raff were cleared out of Greenock, then it would be a tottie wee village with barely enough population to make up 2 fitba teams! 😅

[@labos7250]

@@l3awjawz only wild scheme in greenock was larkfield and the rest of the town is fine as well. The ports always been rougher than greenock.

[@l3awjawz]

​@@labos7250 The only wild scheme? Hmmm, I knew someone who used to do milk rounds in Gibshill and they were often chased out the scheme by local neds. The bit by Whinhill train station used to have a menacing atmosphere back in the day as did the Grieve Rd area during the fights between the 'Mavy' and 'Wrenny' gangs. I do believe that Larkfield could be pretty heavy between the tap and bottom ends tho doesn't Larkfield also include Braeside and Branchton as well? 😕

[@labos7250]

@@l3awjawz it’s 2023 not the 2000s. There’s not been gang fighting in greenock for near 20 years.

[@chrispaterson6372]

Cause it’s full of smelly tims 🤮🤮🤮🤮 simple

[@DanXray-ww1hs]

Greenock full of huns mate