I travel around a lot these days, and have visited countless towns and cities across the land. I’ve been to places where I witnessed seagulls eating fresh sick, places where the desolation rivals that seen in war torn Aleppo. Places where you’re lucky to get out alive after 7pm. Yet none of them compares to Axminster, by far the worst town I have ever spent time in!
At First Glance
At first glance, Axminster appears to be a quiet and pleasant town, with a small shopping area, a pretty railway station, and a large Tesco. But it’s only when you dig a little deeper, that the truth soon reveals itself.
Local Yokels
Let’s begin with the locals. I don’t mean those who have moved from better areas, no, i’m referring to the local locals. These people are really something else. You can’t even talk to someone without being approached by strangers at a later date, who know exactly what was said down to the most minute detail. That said, if they approach you and ask about who you’re friends with/dating, then you’re lucky, as most are the sort who will stop their car alongside you, wind down the windows, shout a load of abuse at random, then drive away (had that happen a fair few times).
Little of Note
The town itself has little of note apart from a medium sized Tesco, from which access to the town centre on foot requires a climb which is comparable to scaling the north face of the Eiger, whilst making your way past a large cow statue (which a number of locals have likely violated over the years). Once on the high st, you will find the traffic is atrocious due to the lack of a north/south relief road, and convoys of tractors race through, almost knocking you off the narrow pavements. Many of the shops here have disappeared in recent years. The newsagents has gone and the small department store (Trinity House) has also gone. All that really remains is the River Cottage restaurant which more geared towards tourists than locals anyway.
Getting Out
One of the main ways to leave town is the bus of course. The main bus stop in town is actually a traffic island with a bird bath on it, well, i say bird bath, but over the years it’s spent more time being used as a toilet or a sick bucket than it ever did bathing birds.
Education
The school (which i attended during my teens) was a ****, reprehensible, and often incredibly violent place, which at the time (1990’s) was put into special measures thanks to it’s crumbling structures and unpleasant atmosphere.
I could go on forever as to why Axminster is utterly dreadful, but instead i will conclude with this; i spent many years walking the streets of Axminster, i was miserable, it is a fleapit.
