‘Armpit of Berkshire’ named UK’s most miserable place to live — yet again

The most miserable place to live in the UK has been revealed – and, yet again, the Berkshire town of Slough has received the unwanted honour.

Property website Rightmove asked people across the country to rank how they feel about their area, including how proud they feel to live there, whether they feel a sense of belonging, and whether they earn enough to live comfortably.

Unfortunately, the good people of Slough weren’t too impressed with their town – which has previously been nicknamed an ‘island of despair’ and ‘North Windsor’ in reference to its much brighter, happier sibling, which ranked 32nd for satisfaction nationally.

Slough came in 220^th place, behind Bradford, Barking and Dagenham, Dudley and Croydon, which ranked in 219^th, 218^th and 217^th place respectively.

Slough famously featured as David Brent’s hometown in The Office. But this claim to fame has done little to boost community spirit.

‘Avoid the centre if you value your sanity,’ @avidresolver advised in a Reddit thread.

Meanwhile, @lemnesiaa1995 lived there for just three months ‘before moving,’ while @GunstarGreen has ‘lived locally to Slough for 20 years.’

‘It’s a craphole…the shoppers were miserable as sin. The traffic isn’t good and neither are the drivers,’ they added, as another described it as the ‘armpit of Berkshire.’

But there were some Slough defenders, as @Mr_Kiplings argued that it’s ‘very commutable’ to places like Windsor and Reading, while @emlynb even went as far as labelling it a ‘beautiful part of the world.’

So, with that in mind, is it really all doom and gloom in Slough, or is there another side to the story?

House prices in Slough

It might be miserable (according to Rightmove’s statistics, at least), but Slough has a lot going for it when it comes to the property world.

For starters, it was previously named the second hottest location for first-time buyers by Halifax who, in 2023, accounted for 73% of all property purchases in the area with an average price of £322,961.

More widely, general house prices tick in at £423,677. It might be considerably steeper than the national average (£267,200 as of October, according to Zoopla), but it still comes in cheaper than many of its neighbours.

As per figures from Rightmove, over the last year, properties in Windsor sold for £569,595, while Maidenhead saw averages of £537,044 and Uxbridge £502,082.

So, if you’re looking for a commutable, relatively affordable destination to call home, it’s easy to see where Slough appeals.

Things to do in Slough

There’s also no shortage of family-friendly activities to engage in – particularly this time of year.

Fancy immersing yourself in nature? Slough is home to both Black Park and Langley Country Park, featuring woodland trails, impressively colourful displays of flowerbeds, and ample space for long dog walks.

There’s also Alexandra Park, which dates back to 1893 and now hosts a playground, crazy golf course and numerous cafés – and in the winter, there’s even an ice rink and a Christmas market.

There are family-friendly activities aplenty to try too, including Absolutely Ice, where you can dabble in everything from ice-karting to skating and discos, as well as Slough Ice Arena and even Go Ape.

Around 3 miles south, Windsor is just on the doorstep – famously home to Windsor Castle (and Legoland, no less).

Here, you can watch the guards march throughout the year, or learn a little bit about the local history at Windsor and Royal Borough Museum.

And, if you’d like to stretch your legs, why not stroll along the aptly named Long Walk? The route was famously created by Charles II, and, spanning 5,000 acres of countryside, finishes up in the picturesque Windsor Great Park.  

Transport links in Slough

With speedy railway links into central London, Slough is also an ideal commuter hotspot. Trains into Paddington run approximately seven times an hour and take between 18 and 33 minutes.

Plus, once you’re there, you’re easily connected to the rest of the Big Smoke via the Bakerloo, Circle and District Lines.

So, with all that in mind, perhaps don’t write Slough off just yet.

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