Luton – England’s Toilet

Living in or moving to Luton, Bedfordshire

Well what can I say about this absolute hole? I had the misfortune of living in Luton for just over a year. I was lucky, being that I lived in Leagrave; pretty posh for Luton. But still a complete dump.

When I first moved to Luton I decided to walk to work to try and keep fit. Little did I know that I would have to walk through an area that you could safely describe as Gaza Strip aka Bury Park. I could not believe my eyes of what I saw.

I kid you not I saw a police raid on a house using a battering ram to bash down the door to a drug den. I wouldn’t mind but this was just before 8am in the morning. You can imagine what it was like walking home at night.

How grim is your Postcode?

It didn’t take me long to realise I should get the train to work. The local train company was First Capital Connect; a suitable train company for such a rough area. Everyday going to work on a train that should have been discontinued in the 1960s.

Walking into a pub in Luton meant putting your life on the line. Nobody spoke to anyone and if you looked at someone the wrong way; then you should expect a glass in your face.

One of the most shocking moments of my year stay in Luton was on Christmas day. Where I went with my friend in his car to pick up some relatives. Only for my friend to point out the local McDonald’s. Explaining to me that it gets busier every year. I could not believe my eyes. The place was full of families having their Christmas dinner in McDonald’s. It wasn’t like a couple of families. The place was absolutely heaving.

As summed up by someone at work who was visiting from the Prague office.

“I didn’t know what to expect from Luton. I was a little concerned because most friends I spoke with described it as England’s Toilet.”

I laughed when he said it because it was funny. Sad thing though; it’s the best description for such an awful town.