This is Britain's worst town, according to a survey

The people of Dover are not happy.

You wouldn't be either if your town had just been named the worst in the country, with people describing it as a 'herpes-infested s***hole'

Charming.

The south coast seaside town in Kent came top of a league table conducted via crowd opinion by ILiveHere.co.uk beating the likes of Hull, Scunthorpe and Bradford to the unwanted top spot.

Some words against the findings.

Firstly:The methodology seemed a little less than conclusive. The website read:

Thousands of readers have voted for their least salubrious dump in this septic isle.

That seems a way to go from impartial and weighted survey data.

Secondly: Surely anywhere with this view can't be that bad?

Picture: Getty Images

Now for some testimony in favour of the top spot.

MailOnline spoke to a number of local residents who agreed with those sentiments.

There are really nice seaside resorts then you come here and there's nothing that really draws you to the town.

In the town centre it's awful.

There are lots of drunks in the parks and stuff.

Said 36-year-old Dave Heath.

59-year-old street cleaner Roy McLester knew exactly who to blame for Dover's decline; the politicians.

The government has reaped all the loose change out of people's pockets so all the pubs are shut now, the shops are shutting, it's the same old story all over I think, apart from London - that's where all the money is.

Others did try to be a bit more positive, like teenager Charlie Corrigan.

I like it because I've always lived here.

It always looks a little bit run down but it's not too bad, there are a few places to hang around and my mates all live around here.

That's the spirit.

Council worker June House, had the best response to the news.

We are trying really hard. Lots of things have happened.

We've had a few disasters such as the ferry crash in 1987 and the fact that there are a lot of vacant shops in the town.

But I think in all of that we always smile and get on and think that life is going to get better.

She continued.

We're great. we've got the seaside, we've got the castle, we've got the most amazing heritage that you could ever want and it's such a fantastic castle.

How could you say it's not a great place to live? It is a very pretty town and I think people see all the negatives.

They see the homeless people who are sleeping by the local shops but it is such a diverse town.

I think it's great.

How many towns do you see where they've still got a Marks and Spencer in the town centre and a WH Smith?

Marks & Spencer and WH Smith?

Now you're talking.

HT MailOnline

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