Inside Rochdale's Notorious Deprived Estates 🇬🇧

Rochdale is a proud working class town on the outskirts of the Greater Manchester area. Established as a successful town upon the growth of the wooden trade, the town suffered when its principal industry declined in the mid 20th century. This led to an onsite of much decline and poverty. Several social housing estates were built in the town in the 1960's onwards to house the low income population. The Seven Sisters towers are the most notorious of these estates. They have a reputation for being under maintained and a hotspot for drugs and crime. Recently the operating housing authority enacted a scheme to demolish four of the seven towers, met with much opposition by the residents that remain. My old mate Jack is from the area, and invited me to investigate Rochdale's notorious deprived estates.
#britain #uk #England #Rochdale #Manchester #poverty #streetinterview
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[@ryanyates5365]

As someone who grew up in the town for 18 years before heading to uni and later getting work in the south, I'd much rather the council spent money cleaning up old cotton mill factories and sites like the ones in your video, than the millions they've spent on the town centre redevelopments. Locals need more disposable income first before they can really start to feel the benefits of these redevelopments. I'm relocating back up north with my partner early next year, but sadly Rochdale was never on the cards due to the lack of work. I'm a qualified engineer, with skills we're constantly told by national press are in such short supply, but there's absolutely nothing for me in the town and even in surrounding areas! The next 10 years will hopefully see big developments in green energy, AI, and defence across the UK. It seems the young people of Rochdale are more than capable of taking these opportunities, with the town having one of the best performing sixth form colleges in the country, but the council just doesn't seem to want to prioritise Industry 4.0, and well paid skilled and semi-skilled jobs into the town. Great vlog though! Was really interesting to see the inside of the seven sisters!

[@edwinturner1149]

regal moon was the abc cinema

[@TrevM0nkey]

it's not that easy for them to clean up old factories as those old factories are probably still owned by somebody and not necessarily council land.

[@jeannemillsom9300]

I absolutely agree with you Ryan, all these ugly buildings all steel and glass, the Victorians built structures to last, and they fitted in with the local areas. Everything built today is not going to look good in a few years. Just take the Victorian railway architecture as an example, the work, imagination and care that went into those buildings.

[@paulw6183]

I'm not so sure AI is going to benefit many younger people, if anything it could render them redundant, unless big companies decide to build data centres and invest in the infrastructure needed to run these buildings they won't see the benefit. Hopefully the fourth industrial revolution can revitalise these areas.

[@glennjenkinson1103]

Your town is full of people that hate women,been there seen it,why is everyone forgetting the child groomers,is wendell employed by the government to tell lies.

[@gracebowers3524]

An acquaintance lived in the 7 sisters. I was surprised how big they are inside. The resident made the flat adorable & the view was amazing. Viva Rochdale,.

[@ianrobert6239]

Break down of family values. Years ago people on council estates kept their homes clean and tidy.

[@enochpowell8607]

Council estates are full of bag heads and single parents.. back in the day it was shameful for Asian people to live on a council estate now it's full of them.. Asian chavs as my mate nelly would say😂

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

Truth

[@johnr.b.murray3417]

Excellent masked criticism of current trends.

[@mogznwaz]

Truth! Working class people washed their net curtains. Scrubbed the steps and the kids were raised with discipline! What the HELL happened? I know - post war liberal society and welfare dependence…..

[@mogznwaz]

@@johnr.b.murray3417not masked!

[@Iram-s3t]

Thanks for vlogging Rochdale! I live in the Midlands but my heart will always be in Rochdale! Miss everything about it. Despite the bad press about Rochdale it is generally a great community to live in with fantastic places to visit and unfortunately sometimes you realise what you had until you leave.

[@anthonyclegg1511]

Same here user, I was born and bred in Rochdale. I don't live there now but I miss it.

[@jacquelinewalker991]

I was born in Rochdale, haven't lived there for 38 years bit really miss the people they are the best.

[@WillPreston3D]

didnt they rape a million british kids?

[@mickdawkins6404]

Exactly the same, I live in derby now, my first flat was in the seven sisters, I love visiting Rochdale again

[@anthonyclegg1511]

@@mickdawkins6404 I watched the 7 sisters being built from Redbrook school in the 1960s. Happy days, but hard. My first job at 15 was apprentice blacksmith at Joseph Clayton and sons in 1966. 💓👍.

[@museonfilm8919]

I like the fact you ended the vlog on a positive note, and respect for searching out those local street vendors.

[@WendallExplores]

Great feed

[@JJONNYREPP]

Inside Rochdale's Notorious Deprived Estates 🇬🇧 5.2.24 i gave this a thumbs down. not due to his desire to show the town warts and all but due to the town being less than keen on getting it's shit together and being worth the effort to visit. i would recommend disco dancing as a one of though. visit oochie coochie bar for that experience... it's heady stuff.

[@seanrm]

When you look at yourself in the mirror each day, you don't really notice the slow, incremental stages of aging. But when you meet an old friend that you haven't seen for a long time, the change can be striking. I left the UK in the late 80's and used to regularly return home every few years and, latterly, just once every 3 to 5 years. Each time I came home, I was always looking for hooks that would draw me back, but I was able to see, and feel, the changes that were taking place and I increasingly felt that there were fewer & fewer reasons to ever return permanently. As the cost of everything went up there, it seemed that the quality of just about everything went down. Now it has become a very expensive place to live and, despite the increased costs, whatever isn't already broken is on the verge of falling apart. I wish I could be more optimistic, but it is a decades long trend in decline that seems set to continue. I have now given up on any plan to ever return home permanently. And now, it seems, even the people at home are finally acknowledging an almost unrecognisable face in the mirror.

[@Nick-io9uk]

Your second paragraph, first sentence is basically the explanation in a nutshell. Half the comments on these videos are 'born & bred in X town' or 'Moved out of Y town' Its people that make a place, and those with drive & ambition see the writing on the wall & vote with their feet & get out. Those without those things don't. Not saying those who stay are bad people. Most are not. But most of the people in these videos cant even better their own lives, (often through no fault of their own), let alone an entire town. If there is one thing nigh on half a century has shown, its vote with your feet. The ballot box doesnt work (and probably never did) People can buy into politicians visions all they want, but they'll be waiting a very long time, i suspect. The only reason places like Rochdale even continue to exist is welfare. Abandoned 'Ghost towns' are a constant feature throughout cultures & history...only now with the welfare state being what it is do places like Rochdale just continue in Zombie form. Slowly decaying, but are never quite put out of their misery.

[@ignoblesurfer6281]

Spot on. I still go back once a year or so but the decline is noticeable each time. In the richer cities and the university towns it can still feel prosperous and hopeful but small towns like this one, and the one I grew up in, are just in a slow downward dive

[@Brookman59]

I was brought up in Rochdale when my parents moved over from Ireland. I left Rochdale in 1983 to work abroad then lived in the south when I returned back to UK. I used to visit my late parents and was shocked when I saw the decline in the town in the 90s. It was a great town back in the day despite people not having loads of money, houses and gardens were generally well looked after. Such a shame.

[@B0r0]

The main problem with UK towns (and now Australian towns) is all the shops are huge mega businesses, the money gets sent back overseas and no local taxes are paid except for the odd jobs, Im looking at Zara, Maccas (Macadees to you) and the likes of Pukebucks.

[@JM-ws6k]

*Maccies Before 1964, manufacturers required shops (big & small) to have minimum resale prices for their products in order to keep the retailers in business. Once this was banned, the larger shopping chains were able to drive independent shops away with artificially low prices whilst being buoyed by cheap credit, leaving to the ashes we see today.

[@blacksunshine7485]

​@@JM-ws6k*Maccy Dees

[@MrSuperG]

Stop using them

[@f.dmcintyre4666]

Apparently Aldi too .............

[@carolinejohnson22]

It's such an absolute shame that the Cotton Industry was given to India. That is the reason they are abandoned and no jobs, apart from the lockdowns which wrecked most businesses 😤

[@lorrainebennett7528]

I was born at Birch Hill Hospital just outside Rochdale, grew up in Scotland and now live in Spain. When my Grandad diedin the 70s my Gran moved from a lovely house near Syke pond to the flats at Falinge. She declined rapidly after that, she was so lonely.... On a more positive note, Zaki's food looked fantastic, they work very hard and deserve to reap the benefits. Thanks for the upload!

[@peterduffield1401]

Me too...born at Birch Hill in 1950. Lived on Littledale Street for my first 8 years. My Grandmother owned a hat shop on Spotland road which seems to have been demolished a number of years ago. I've lived in Canada most of my life but still have pleasant memories of my early life in Rochdale.

[@christiangarvin7351]

It's in rochdale 😂

[@lovenature6218]

It's in rochdale you nutter 😂

[@martd1352]

Lol it is and it's just 10 mins from me it's actually in littleborough so everyone born there is from littleborough!

[@lorrainebennett7528]

​@@martd1352 indeed, my passport says Littleborough!

[@gerwynbirtles7505]

Big shout out for the lady with the white woollen hat. She's got a better understanding of the challenges facing people in society than most of the politicians we have to endure.

[@JJONNYREPP]

Inside Rochdale's Notorious Deprived Estates 🇬🇧. Where you were tramping, the new mall, was, the old bus station and council offices. The Black box. They had a really nice pub there - for some reason termed old post office social Absolutely minted place. Brunswick had seen better days but it was worth keeping. The decline is always instigated with pub closures. Rochdale's been absolutely ruined. A smash and grab of sorts. the old shopping mall, which was fine is now home to poundshop and dole office which no one visits cos they can't find it!!!! LoL........ a shame, really.

[@andymac9678]

I was born in Rochdale and lived in Rochdale for 30 years. A more notorious living dwellings was the Ashfield Valley Flats, knocked down now. The weatherspoons was a Cinema before..........

[@andymac9678]

Also famous people Snooker player John Virgo and Ain't half hot Mum star Don Estelle who played lofty have previously lived in the 7 sisters.......

[@paddyeejit1954]

I lived in the valley

[@darylevans5075]

I was born in Littleborough, about 5 miles from Rochdale, left when I was 18 and only went back to see family. When I did go back, I used to drive around the outskirts of Rochdale, and the thing that was most noticeable to me was fewer and fewer white faces. It truly is a prime example of White Genocide. I didn't find this video at all representative. It's not the only place obviously, there's Bolton, many parts of London, Birmingham etc. In political positions of power, it's even worse. Note our current PM, Foreign Minister, Mayor of London, Scottish FM, Irish PM. Leafy villages and the countryside are fine, for the moment, but I'm moving to Eastern Europe to live in a similar ethnic culture. It's so sad what has happened to Britain, hard to believe it's all by accident.

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@scorpius3010]

Not sure if that would be deemed a racist comment or not, however, i am reluctantly inclined to agree, although i have myriad of different races in my social group, i am taken by the one aggregate factor in conversation between us. This is the fact that this country (ENGLAND) cannot sustain the amount of immigrants legal or not, the country has been an end destination for thousands upon thousands of imigrants because of one main reason, the reason is, WE LET THEM STAY AND THEY ARE FREE TO GO ONTO OUR STREETS UNDER THE PROVISO THAT THEY ADHERE TO THE CONDITIONS THEY ARE SET UPON ARRIVAL INTO THIS COUNTRY. How many actually do acquiesce to those stipulations. I WONDER??? 🤔

[@glennjenkinson1103]

Why didn't you touch on the real reason Rochdale is broken, do you not remember the grooming gangs scandal,not that long ago.are you sure you were in Rochdale, been there loads of time,never seen as many white people you found,strange is that.

[@muffin535]

That’s what’s called a Selective audience

[@shabayaba123]

Grooming gangs dont stop other people from getting an education or training and getting a better job

[@Eight_Nine_G]

Rochdale, stockport, bury etc all these big towns round manchester fell on hard times in post industrial britain. Its good to see some getting back on their feet. We need industry to come back. The government sold us out.

[@daaljones9584]

Bury is way way better then all of them not even comparable

[@DanAxl-x9d]

​@@daaljones9584 thought the same when reading the comment. I went to college there in 2013 and loved the area

[@najmaashiq7964]

I have lived in Rochdale all my life. I live right opposite the flats. They are a reminder of my life. 1 of my sisters currently lives in one of them. The times of the flats has changed on and off. First you used to get people committing suicide off the roofs. You used to hear that drug dealers used to occupy the flats. They kicked all the trouble maker out. Since then the flats have been quite. No trouble of noise from them. By the way the Regal Moon used to be the old ABC cinemas. Used to watch movies in there when I was a kid.

[@Jon14141]

Nice

[@The-Audi-driver]

They serve a purpose the Seven Sisters. A lot of people over a short space. Imagine knocking them down, you’d need a massive estate, which means more money on pot holes, gardening, roof repairs etc.

[@fionanicholson1995]

9 pounds for a kebab!! No wonder the English can’t pay for heating!

[@hendo19742]

RISING COSTS OF LIVING, EVEN KEBAB SHOPS DON'T MAKE THE MONEY THEY USE TO, SUPPLIERS KEEPS RAISING PRICES!😑🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Monicablackbelt24]

£9!!!! It’s £15 for a kebab where I live in south London!!

[@doctorjames4245]

Local crackie is charging a ton for a gum job. Disgraceful

[@lorrainebennett7528]

It would probaby feed me for 3 days lol 😂

[@julianandrews6025]

I find it absolutely shocking that these housing associations are held accountable for their misappropriation of what is essentially or should bloody well be public money. Totally scandalous

[@ajmwhiteside]

its daylight robbery mate ! £300 a week they charge round my way for a shitty room and very minimal support its a scandal

[@paulievee]

speak english!

[@Enigmatic..]

I find it shocking, that you find it shocking lol.

[@Enigmatic..]

@@pn2124 Really, you're shocked at me being shocked at him ? ..... that's just shocking.

[@markunsworth2364]

I'm shocked at the first guy being shocked and another two guys shocked at the first guy being shocked in the first place

[@susan7553]

Weather spoons used to be a cinema, remember going watching films there with Mum and Dad then go to Wimpy bar at the bottom of Drake street. My ex husband his Dad lived in one of the flats in 7 sisters in the early 1990's and loved living there until he passed away.

[@paulleach3612]

It was an Odeon - if I remember correctly - up until the '90s. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was the final film I saw there.

[@francoiscalvo2891]

Thank you for the video. I like seeing real people and their struggle in the modern world ❤

[@algorithm4390]

Technically post-modern ... caused by the decline in objectivity.

[@jameshenderson6877]

love this series - so incredibly informative

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

In 1985 I spent a weekend in Rochdale. By 1989 I`d gotten over it.

[@algorithm4390]

Is it along the lines.. 1st Prize: weekend for 2 in Rochdale. 2nd Prize: 2 weeks... 3rd Prize: 1 year throw away the key..

[@jaredini]

Nothing wrong with tower blocks (I've lived in various blocks most of my adult life) its the people in them. I wouldn't live everwhere else as they're pretty decent size, great views and luckily I've had great neighbours, most work, all a different mix of people. There's a housing crisis on but councils still demolish high rises because they get run down...... surprise! Put shit in a box and the box is gonna stink. Either tighten the tenants rules or house people that appreciate it.

[@getsomecolourinyourlifedav2478]

I'd live there just for the views

[@anonymousonetwothree]

Never thought id see you doi g a video in rochdale!....I've lived in rochdale my whole life...high drug and alcohol problems, asylum seekers, homelessness & poverty and lack of funding to combat any of these issues, ....and yes, the regal moon (spoons) used to be a cinema. I work in Surrey and the difference in how much the councils have to splash is night and day.

[@WendallExplores]

Big commute Rochdale to Surrey

[@anonymousonetwothree]

@@WendallExplores you're not wrong!

[@sabrinajohnson7611]

​@@WendallExplores448

[@efescuer]

Greetings from a now Costa Rican Spaniard who taught at Oulder Hill Community School for 5 years some 20 years ago! Rochdale! A town with character!

[@DaveBeaven-tx2tp]

Rochdale looked like great place in the 1950s/60s. It’s a completely different place now.

[@jacquelinewalker991]

I remember it in the 60s it was a decent place to live.

[@billybeetroot8595]

Like every town in the UK

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@jumanj5632]

I live in Rochdale, the place itself isn't bad, very well connected, great places are such a short drive away. The people on the other hand, well - they leave much to be desired.

[@wanderingturnip]

Here we go. 15 mins drive from my house yet i've got no idea what it looks like these days, excited for this one...

[@christislord2832]

I love the surrounding moors …amazing views…fantastic walks and bike rides ❤

[@zosothezephead837]

First thing I thought when I saw the busker with the guitar was "he reminds me of Keith Chegwin [RIP]". I fell off my chair when he told Wendall he was known as "Cheggers".

[@christislord2832]

He asked for my JESUS belt, so I took it off and gave it home x x x ✝️

[@jambosausage2773]

That's why his nickname is that. He's genuinely a really nice and humble man

[@6079SmithW]

It was the only cinema in Rochdale before it was the Regal Moon. One pound to watch a film. I saw loads of great films there. Everyone was proper gutted when they turned it into a pub.

[@Sandylaner63]

We are the boys and girls well known as, minors of The ABC ,,,,if you’re old enough you’ll know,,,happy days 😊

[@W.J.Blythe]

There were 2 cinemas in Rochdale the one that’s now the regal moon and one at the top of Drake street..was a great town many years ago

[@6079SmithW]

@@W.J.Blythe Well, yeah In my mum's day, there were several. The regal moon one was the only one left

[@6079SmithW]

@@W.J.Blythe Then they opened the Sandbrook park one.

[@gpz550a2]

It was the ABC when I was a kid. It became a bingo hall before wetherspoons bought it, if memory serves.

[@grezjoseph6257]

I Was born and raised in Rochdale, It has a Beautiful town Centre as you see at the start. However i left 30 years ago. When Rochdale stared to be filled with the scum of the earth. It went from a hard working population to Scum bag town very quickly. Of course not all the good people could leave and not all the people are scumbags. It was a town were people worked hard in mills and factory's and kids played outside and was a nice town. This town has been ruined by Labour. Yes Labour have run Rochdale for years and dumped the scum, on the people who vote for them. I now live in a leafy small countryside market town no crime to speak off nice people beautiful countryside. Great Schools And don't tell people I came from Rochdale.

[@cultfiction3865]

Don’t agree with your comments about the tower blocks. I’d love to live in one the views are stunning from up there. People pay to go on the London eye but you can see just as good from these flats every day. Criticising perfectly good accommodation just because it’s cheap is convoluted. The real eye sores are these ghastly pink and orange soulless modern developments that have absolutely no character at all and are poorly built

[@stephenkelly3404]

Great video mate and highlighting the issues, I used to work in the asda there many years ago and all the issues coming to the store was from failinge and Seven Sisters was a nightmare… But so many decent people aswell same as any inner city town

[@alexwong88]

So close to Manchester, so much energy around the area, Rochdale will turnaround to be a nice place soon

[@zaneta3880]

Well... It belongs to Greater Manchester, so of course is close 😅

[@ol1ver89]

Yeah it’s greater Manchester , and it ain’t changing any time soon it’s full of grommers, the Asian community are running these gangs aswell as faring dealing and getting young children to do it for them , it’s a scummy place let me tell you that , best place after Manchester in the north west is by far bury

[@asa1973100]

When I saw Rochdale in the headline if you video, the first thing that comes to mind is Muslim grooming gangs that forever be associated with Rochdale …

[@martinryan2370]

The buildings are not an issue it's the people. If you build some people a palace it will become a pig sty

[@artmallory970]

Most of them could barely speak functional English...

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

​@@artmallory970here we go 😂😂😂😂😂

[@maxrebo8455]

Darn it, that mixed steak on chips looks incredible.

[@WendallExplores]

Top feed 👌

[@joe-vl3nd]

So much of wonderful Britain has gone 👎🇬🇧

[@Saliah-Begum]

We have expensive areas as well. In all towns and cities you have affluent areas just as much as deprived areas. What’s the fascination with the seven sister.

[@shuddupeyaface]

If your local guide Jack can't provide you with details regarding the history behind the building that currently hosts the Regal Moon - Then just don't bother.

[@TravellingTorunn]

Good video again. I visited this area of England in October, but not this spesific place. Great to get some info even if all is not so pleasant. But the food looked really delicious.

[@JJONNYREPP]

Inside Rochdale's Notorious Deprived Estates 🇬🇧. 5.2.24. It's why I went round photographing it all..thry can't remember what used to stand in the places he was documenting rg. old council offices and bus station where now shopping mall stands.... these guys have no real idea and you would have been better served getting' old of some clued up pensioner to ask what's been lost, what spoilt, what replaced....

[@freakinfrugal5268]

I enjoy your content - subscribed. I really love the guitar guy and his song.

[@stephenflowerday4038]

Never been to Rochdale, but looks worth it for the history and street food

[@zaneta3880]

The town centre isn't dangerous. Try and go to the surrounding areas... Excellent places to eat, walks and music venues... People are friendly. Just be careful with the boyracers. All over the area

[@leehenry5764]

Don't expect anything English😂

[@zaneta3880]

@@leehenry5764 You might be surprised 😉😉😉 more English than you think 😉😉😉

[@paulgordon5822]

What exactly is the problem with Wetherspoons selling pints at £2.20. How does that bring the tone down? I'd like a reply please.

[@Acuteism]

Cheap alcohol = More alcoholics

[@paulgordon5822]

​@@Acuteismyou can buy alcohol at any city centre supermarket for a fraction of the price of buying draught beer in a Wetherspoons pub.

[@edwinturner1149]

beer is a dear hobby,wethers does the buisness by making it reasonable

[@rachel.mcgowan]

It's just snobbery, disappointing to hear. No-one accuses big supermarkets of bringing the tone down when they sell litre bottles of spirits at near loss-leader prices, a much cheaper way to get smashed quickly.

[@InputArchive]

I was thinking he meant that the cheap prices drives out local independent pubs which can't match or beat Wetherspoons

[@DaveBeaven-tx2tp]

The severn sisters flats are run down and not looked after. The council decide to build them selves new offices. What are the Labour run councils priorities? Obviously not the people they claim to be on the side of. They should have refurbished the flats and kept the old Black Box offices instead of spending millions on demolishing and rebuilding offices that only benefit a few councillors.

[@shsh-he5qg]

Was born in Rochdale and moved from there when I was 8 years old, still have family friends who we are still in touch with, now in late 40’s ! Yes Rochdale has its problems, but the community structure they have you will never find that anywhere in London ! Discovered a place called international chippy decades ago ! And it is a must go to spot for us before we leave Rochdale ! Chicken chips with chutney ! Will change your world lol 😂 try that out , or Rochdale kebab house !

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

Why do you need to put London down to lift Rochdale up?

[@shsh-he5qg]

@@sbaby-kg8hn I’m not putting London down, I’m talking about the community in general, in London most people are too busy, living a fast life, no one says morning or smiles, everyone is 😐. People live in a place and don’t even know who their neighbour is.

[@leehenry5764]

Kebab house in Oldham now aswell on Leeds Road.

[@polmacdhomhnaill3021]

Rochdale is a fantastic place if your after anything for work wise, it’s like what great bridge was once where you could get anything. Rochdale is very tame compared to parts of the Midlands and the folk in Rochdale are nice folk. Asda reminds me of Darlo Asda. Seven Sisters I wonder if it’s like Pleck flats 🤔 big up to Rochdale ❤

[@utprez]

ok, y'all - American here. this channel is making me wonder which parts of England are actually decent. what are some of the nicer, drug/crime free towns and cities over there?

[@Azrael1st]

Nowhere. Everywhere you go there is some sort of problem happening be it environmental or a people problem.

[@neilboulton9813]

That is the point of the channel, is that a dificult concept for you to grasp? It is not the point to go round the nice areas. However most people seemed positive about the flats. I appreciate the elder ladies perspective that it is their home. However it is so short sighted she should go down to London and see the modern redevelopments of awful 60s cold and dilapidated estates. These cannot be brought up to spec. On the space available they could have lower level modern energy efficient houses.

[@entropy5431]

In fairness, the worst parts of the UK are nowhere near the worst parts of the USA (from what I've seen on utube/TV). I've been to the states twice but obviously very nice tourist parts.

[@zorakzoran1]

What a wonderful channel. Thanks for all the great videos and happy new year!

[@craigwilson4439]

Hi mate, I'm watching you on KZbin from Melbourne Australia and that food truck scene has just made me bloody hungry. I have never seen a kebab type meal in a box like that with chips and salad, it looks awesome so I'm gonna have to see if there's anything like it near me. Good show man. All the best.

[@WendallExplores]

I spent 6 misspent months in St Kilda a long time ago 🇦🇺

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

It's by design they don't repair them because they want the tenants to get so disgusted, they'll move out voluntarily when they all move out. Then the developers will move in, fix it up and then charge double the rent, they do the same in America. That's what they try to do is buy design. So it's cheaper. Do not fix it up and wait, and do those people move out?

[@davehughes6501]

The abandoned factory near the canal, is listed and was destroyed by fire around 2010/11. Before that, it was still in use. Sadly a few people died in the fire. My profile photo is taken opposite where you were filming. The regal moon wetherspoons was a cinema before, upstairs still has the cinema rotting away.

[@nezbitt1469]

Same as most listed buildings the council want rid of, they mysteriously catch fire.

[@jamiecurran3544]

@@nezbitt1469 indeed!😏👍

[@lllleeds]

Did not even scratch the surface of the issues of Rochdale. Looks like you just spent a few hours there, shied away from any of the issues, the root cause, the crime groups, the grooming gangs.

[@johnr.b.murray3417]

Grab a camera, an orange box and off you go.

[@6079SmithW]

W hey, my town. I got the Hell out of there, flew one way to China in 2009 to be an esl teacher. Still here. Never looked back! 😂

[@gillianangus515]

Oh we come from Rochdale we moved in the late 60is i was a lovely place going to the carlton felt very safe we still have family and friends there but 2of our friends are moving tomorrow they are going to live in Anglesey they cant stand Rochdale anymore but they are leaving everything they have known gor other people to take there place it was so nice and had a lovely childhood and safe but hear horror stories now it is so sad

[@edwinturner1149]

had a friend who,a long time since,moved from Rochdale,left the home and garden tidy,the neighbours filled the garden with junk, the friend had to foot the bill for the cleanup

[@Northerner1966]

Lived in Mardyke for a year. Thats one of the Seven Sisters block. Never felt in any danger. Far rougher places around. Rochdale is struggling however,as are all the outlying towns around Manchester and Leeds. Most voted for Brexit out of anger at the lack of investment by governments and the EU over decades. Parallel societies, whites and Asian Muslims rarely mix outside of takeaways and taxis etc

[@marcoroams]

Watching from Sri Lanka 😎

[@WendallExplores]

Big up Marco 🙏

[@bremember]

It’s actually a lovely town, people are friendly and welcoming. There are really nice places like Hollingsworth lake, Wardle village, Norden and Bamford. The guide did a disservice to the locals.

[@ASOA_STRENGTH]

Hollingsworth lake is a real gem!

[@ArtificialFertilizer]

No offense to @Wendall but sometimes I've got a feeling that he does a bit of disservice to the towns he's visiting as he concentrates on the negatives. It would be nice to see also the good parts of the towns to get a good picture of what's hapenning.

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

Bamford is very nice

[@yoshimitchsu8855]

I lived in Norden until I was 11 and have very fond memories

[@flizfloss]

I live in Rochdale, thought about moving to seaside but have a real soft spot for Rochdale. So we're staying.

[@buckoxt]

About 20 years ago me and my mate got done in by about 25 Asian lads in the underpass near the college, managed to fight our way back to the entrance closest to the college near the canal and legged it. 😂

[@edmundblackaddercoc8522]

Are there Asians in Rochdale?

[@ebrahimkarolia4812]

Now it will be their kids doing same things...nothing changes.

[@darylevans5075]

@@edmundblackaddercoc8522 There's massive numbers of Pakistanis, has been for many years. They're only called "Asians" in BBC terminology.

[@vinceblack9062]

​​@@edmundblackaddercoc8522not many asians😂

[@aaronshaw9982]

are you kidding@@edmundblackaddercoc8522 its full of em. even the council are scared of them.

[@EllisWR]

Show what's happened to my Blackburn mate. Sad stuff.

[@Craig-k6u]

Loved the vid, I detest any time I have to go into Rochdale now (I live a few villages away now) but yeh The Regal Moon used to be a cinema! I recall watching Karate Kid 3 there when younger haha.

[@MONEARPRODUCTIONS]

my new favourite channel!! seriously love the work you do man!! big ups!

[@WendallExplores]

Appreciate it mate

[@Sidistic_Atheist]

It was never this bad back in my day. Went to obtain my City and Guilds in Electrical Engineering in 1981 at Rochdale College.

[@johnbirch6365]

A lad I went school with fell off the balcony at the 7 sisters and died, God rest his soul 🙏

[@MoMindSetCrypto]

Super coverage.... Rochdale getting better and better.... Cheers mate

[@tessa1238]

Is that the place in England where all those ?1400 kids were raped by grooming gangs, and the police didn't pursue it cos they didn't want to be accused of racism?

[@tea3man]

I lived on Ashfield valley for 6 months in the mid eighties, always remember a story about some punk rockers putting some furniture in one of the lifts an setting fire to it then sending the lift up.

[@edwoodsnowden]

Corr that Mixed Steak looks nice!! If I wasnt down south, i would pop up and pay a visit to that food van!

[@Enigma77Reviews]

The weatherspoons was a cinema I was born n bred in Rochdale until I was 34 I moved to West Midlands for 10 yrs now I live down south but my kids n family still live there. The town flats I have an uncle who moved in there in 1979 he is still there in 2024 he will no doubt be there until the end I've lots of memories of staying there. It has changed a lot but has had its fair share of issues

[@jamesbowe7746]

The weatherspoons used to be a cinema. Would’ve thought Jack would know that. 🤔

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

The white guy in the background so funny says I'm good That's because he. don't like Pakistani food.

[@edwinturner1149]

becoming that a good old meat n2 veg is as rare as rocking horse sit,we have been conditioned on oriental foods for 50 -years now,saw a kid in my b n b at mealtime-he didn’t know the veg on his plate,he wouldn’t eat it

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

@@edwinturner1149 Actually, that makes sense what you said you know if you don't understand or don't recognize a food you're not gonna eat it but I say try it first time because some food looks haterable and ugly but when you try it takes as good as hell I've done that myself but if you taste horrible, you try it once and it leave them alone. That's what I say cause if you're on a desk island and that's the only food that's there. Trust me, you will eat it. I know I would. Because after all I want to live But I'm just saying.

[@arniearnie3963]

That Zaki food dude is a proper grafter, hes open 7 days a week 12 hours a day! If there were more people like him there wouldn't be as much deprivation

[@grez6330]

Thats a very rare sunny day for Rochdale.

[@independentpuppy7520]

You can take the people out of slums but you can't take the slum out of people. People had a harsh life in Victorian times, and some decades beyond, but they took pride in themselve's and the homes they lived in. Those that live in such dreadful places created it themselve's.

[@Mr.SLovesTheSacredHeartofJesus]

Well said.

[@shibbymiyah6614]

I subscribed cos your channel is great

[@johnsharman76142]

Hi Again Wendall, Loving your Vlogs 🥰🥰

[@VinylFrontier81]

im driving from the south coast to zakkis mate, thats unreal for 9 quid. looks amazing.

[@rwaters11]

I live in Rochdale now having grew up in Devon and lived in London and Kent in my 20's, aside from boy racers and general anti social behaviour, I honestly don't think its as bad as some areas of the UK. Most people, particularly the Asian community, are sound. Parts of the town centre are nice and have had quite a bit of cash poured in, plus the history here makes it worth a visit if you're into that. I use a lot of the public services, council run childrens activities, leisure centres , other big events etc and never experienced that much trouble. The really crap parts aren't that far away but the two tiers of living don't tend to mix that often. The Medway towns in northern Kent like Chatham and Gravesend were far worse

[@jamiethornton5358]

I lived in Rochdale from the age of 2 and moved away when I was in my early 30's. Personally I hate Rochdale, it's a horrible place to live. I couldn't wait to get away and I'd never move back. Loads of crime, drugs, homelessness, rough impoverished areas, nothing to do and many other issues, I hated every minute of living there for about the last 10 years I lived there. However, I had a great childhood, as a child Rochdale was so much different/better/nicer, it's turned to sh*t in recent years and just seems to be getting worse. By the way, the Regal Moon (Wetherspoons) used to be a cinema called the Regal cinema which opened in 1938.

[@shaun-qc4tg]

wendall has addicted me to binge watching his videos showing the reality of most towns.

[@joanwainwright2591]

Enjoyed the tour of our great town, shame you didn't get a guide who actually knows the place - if he's not old enough to have known it before Weatherspoons it's a poor show. Many of the grand buildings you pointed to have wonderful heritage. The 7 sisters are wonderful homes which have been treated to 10 years of wilful neglect by the housing authority who were also complicit in the death of Awaab Ishak - primarily to make names for themselves as the saviours of Rochdale by removing said 7 sisters and replacing them with a fraction of the number of homes. Thankfully Robin Parker and others had the foresight to see what the estate could again be (Well said Ann) and we are now hopeful of a successful outcome. The changing face of the country and its requirements unfortunately demand the likes of the Riverside centre which is not to many people's taste, whilst the dereliction of close surrounding areas is not addressed - much needed housing stock could be placed in these areas without causing excessive disruption. A few bad pennies don't need to destroy a town's reputation - Rochdale Borough as a whole has much going for it with the countryside so close and accessible - our immigrant population has a lot to offer and the diversity is great for the town if we all just give it a chance. Thanks Wendall for highlighting us. THE ONLY WAY IS UP !!

[@WendallExplores]

Good comment

[@markkilley2683]

Sad to see where I was born 60 years ago in a sorry state. Members of family and relatives worked in the cotton mills, before migrating to Australia. I have no idea whether we lived in those towers.

[@chrismcilroy2735]

Great video chum.....can't believe you never asked your tour guide if he wanted anything from the street food cart.....little wonder he didn't want a bite.

[@brickie59]

Like most area’s the infestation came to live there and ruined places where decent people live.

[@A_5678]

What's the infestation ?

[@johnnymathematics6216]

I was an 18 year old policeman there in the bad old days in the early 80’s. If Yobs resisted arrest they routinely got ‘a kickin’, either in the Sherpa or back at the Nick. The upside was that yobs ‘knew their place’, the police was a force to be reckoned with……….

[@GilgaFrank]

My only encounter with Rochdale police was at the age of about 12 when my older brother asked if we could "have a go on the firing range". Bizarrely they said yes and some senior police guy with appalling dandruff let us spend the afternoon firing .22 and .38 revolvers and I think a .45 semi auto pistol. That would be around 1979, before it was considered inadvisable to let the public play with firearms.

[@johnnymathematics6216]

@@GilgaFrank Different world, much more laissez faire and less judgey…..

[@Astrophobia88]

Im from middlesbrough. I recently moved to Rochdale. I thought Boro was bad, but its actually really nice compared to Rochdale.

[@Ckwisall]

Why ya move ? I'm Irish thinking of moving to Aberdeen

[@sbaby-kg8hn]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Astrophobia88]

@@Ckwisall Started uni in Manchester. Know a few people in Rochdale so rented a flat here!

[@danpadgett8762]

Vibrent Ashian community in Rochdale. Great.

[@shuddupeyaface]

Looks quite majestic set against a bright blue sky! I think from some of the nostalgic comments on this thread, those who could afford to, have long since fled. Makes you think?

[@Pakitin-r7v]

As an ex pat living in Ottawa Canada people here wouldn't be surprised at all by block's of flats or apartments like they call them here! Ottawa has numerous places like these even in a country this size, but the difference is how they are run! They are all privately owned rentals for very reasonable prices! They are sought after not dreaded like in the UK! It all boils down again to the government! Privatise them but regulate rent prices and maintenance etc! Make people have pride in where they live!

[@johnellery9665]

i remember Rochdale in the early 90s i lived in Middleton on the Langley estate met three families from kirkholt... lovely people they were Rochdale born and bred..not sure which was rougher Langley or kirkholt

[@theabandonedhunter3604]

Got to be honest Wendall I really enjoyed this episode! I remember living in an area in Halesowen that was once notorious in the West Midlands and they pulled down two 21 story tower blocks which seem to reignite the area. This doesn’t always work with tight knit communities so the Severn Sisters estate will be interesting. Top Video …. Smithy

[@DongJohnsonMANC]

I would have loved you to have seen Hulme in the 80's ... The crescents... I don't think anyone knows "rough" until you have witnessed that...when the bar is set that low I find it hard to relate...My Brother lived in the sisters in 2009 and it wasn't that bad...suppose when you've lived in abject poverty and then look at places like this you don't see the depravity we saw in the 80s and 90s so it never seems that bad... great video on highlighting the people...regardless of social status, wealth, ethnicity, religious view points, people on a whole are generally good eggs round here...

[@karenjenkins2799]

I use to live in the seven sisters until last year. People use the stair ways their own loo. RBH was going to nock the last 4 down and do the other three up, but the council wouldn't give them planing permission. The council have since took them back and are wanting to do all 7 up but the council aren't pushing people out.

[@buffbuff5016]

That food looked really good. I love spicy! 😊

[@GilgaFrank]

The Wetherspoons was a bingo hall and before that a cinema - I know because I saw Die Hard, Back to the Future and Ferris Bueller's Day Off there while skiving from the tech college.

[@jambosausage2773]

I'm sure it was also originally a ballroom, that's why the piano and pianist are still above the bar

[@zaneta3880]

The only problem I have is the generalization of the deprived word. Rochdale and Oldham has lots of money and rich people living in the area. I lived in Littleborough and Wardle and you can see the two sides of the spectrum..like everywhere else. One thing I noticed is that people decide to have shit lives for whatever excuse.. you find people that give up cause they had a bad upbringing, but you also have people that thrive cause they too had a shit upbringing... It's choice. One of the best night out ever I had it in Rochdale town centre. You should go to film the Ridge in Lancaster... That's a proper shit hole with shootings and stabbing and lot of drugs and antisocial behaviour

[@princebuster93]

@ Zaneta, exactly this 👆👍👏🏻💥💥🔥 I come from a poor family but have made some good choices to get me to a better life, most of all I thank God in heaven for his tender loving kindness, mercy, grace and being a real Father to me when my earthly Father has ignored me for decades without a reason. You should always be grateful to God, everyday for a hot shower, porridge in your tummy, a kind husband, and a warm bed.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Government gave Knitwear away, Hosiery away, Shipbuilding away, Steelworks away, Locomotive building away, Mining closed, Most car industry away need i go on i dont think so.

[@michellewhittaker2135]

They gave everything away be us next

[@chrisshelswell3222]

Did anyone find Mick Cheggars? I'd like to hear some more. That song was great - kind of Bob Dylan

[@WendallExplores]

No trace of Cheggars

[@PeterMitchell-s5t]

Back in the 90s, great night life! Well was when I use to visit!