A town once famed for its hatmaking and car production plant is hitting the headlines for a somewhat negative reason, after a recent poll named it the 'worst place to live in England'. A whopping 105,598 people voted for Luton in a poll compiled by iLivehere.
Peterborough swerved the unfortunate accolade which Luton - a town which some described as "not easy on the eye" - was crowned as the worst place to reside, in the annual poll, which gives power to the people to make their voices heard. It can be said every place has good, and not so salubrious areas.
However some Luton residents are able to appreciate the reason why their town was top of the undesirable list, reports the Mirror. Reporter Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz visited Luton to get a first-hand experience of the town and chatted to locals to hear their thoughts about the listing and if they agreed with the recent poll.
You can usually pick up a vibe when you visit a place by train. The railway station which is in close proximity to Luton Airport has the potential to leave people 'initially pleasantly surprised'.
The route into the town centre is peppered with positive slogans including 'The future demands your participation' and 'If you can dream it you must do it'. However some locals don't quite feel the sentiments are true.
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On the day of her visit, Ariane saw a busy town as people made their way into the centre, passing by the the Hat Factory Arts Centre which is a local landmark where a crowd had congregated. The Mall Luton was a hive of activity and one of the busier areas in the town centre.
The Mall Luton has big brands such as JD Sports, Schuh, TK Maxx and H&M as well as some independent stores. There are plenty of fast food outlets including Chopstix Noodle Bar and Burger King but not any restaurants.
It appears the pandemic changed the landscape of shopping centres across the country including Luton, as a number of shops were impacted by lockdown. The shopping mall started off life as an Arndale Centre in 1972, which were the first American style malls to appear in the UK.
It was given a new lease of life when it was purchased by a property management company in 2006. Since then the mall has seen various upgrades including a remodel creating new retail space and opportunities, which it can be said still need to be realised today.
Upon exiting the mall you immediately see discount shops inspired by Poundland such as One Below. Perhaps the changing retail landscape during tough financial times and a cost-of-living crisis, reflects the myriad discount stores that have popped up in hundreds of high streets across the UK in the past five years.
When locals describe Luton, the word "unsafe" pops up more than once, especially when evening falls on the town centre. Employment is cited as a key issue for this, and coupled with the dwindling number of bars, nightclubs and social spaces, this has reportedly led to people hanging out on the streets more.
Statistics show there are more than 3,443 people in Luton classed as homeless. This new research from Shelter makes Luton the worst area for people without permanent accommodation in the East of England.
A manager of a Polish café who has been a Luton resident for 17 years, says opinions on whether Luton is "bad" will depend on "your perception". Agnieszka Cwieluch, likes the Warden Hills and Stockwood Park, where she enjoys walking her dog in the daytime.
Other areas in Luton of note are Wardown House and Wrest Park, which won a TripAdvisor's Travellers Choice Award in 2022. The coffee shop manager, who previously studied business at the University of Bedfordshire, added: "If you want to create the life you like, it doesn't matter where you live, I think".
Agnieszka, who has a teenage daughter, does feel Luton is "unsafe" at evenings and on weekends. She said: "I wouldn't let my daughter go out for a few hours at night-time."
Expanding on why she thought it was risky to venture into Luton in the evening, Agnieszka said there are "suspicious" people hanging around, adding there aren't "enough places for young people like my daughter" to go.
The 45-year-old is now eyeing up an exit from Luton. She would like to move somewhere "more quiet like a village".
Business owner Lorna Smith is another resident who has mixed feelings about Luton. She left London for the town two-and-a-half years ago and thinks Luton has "good and bad areas" like every other place.
She added: "I'm sure there are worse places to live than Luton" and that the "harsh" title might "upset people" who were born there. Lorna loves speaking to customers who come to her indoor market stall Sahara Bee, which serves, she says, "people from all different types of cultures".
She added: "Luton isn't a bad place, there are things that could be improved. There could be better facilities for the youths, for people with mental health issues and substance abuse."
Lorna remains hopeful and feels "some things are starting to happen". She said: "I just feel like the councillors and the people in government need to take on board that there is a lack of facilities."
The 38-year-old is keen to see the opening of more restaurants and bars in the town centre and beyond. She recognises there is a "lack of employment in the area," but assures me that it's "not a bad place".
The owner of the Arndale Newsagency inside the mall says the town deserves the unfortunate title of "worst place to live in England". Metin Bas has been a resident of Luton for 21 years and says one of the town's main problems is trust in the police.
"I don't trust the police," said the 50-year-old. "They don't do their job," is an opinion he has that he says, is based on past experiences. He mentioned that there are many "thieves and beggars" outside the mall, who "come inside to steal stuff all the time," and that "the police say they can't do anything about it".
According to Metin, the mall and the high street are some of the worst areas. He said: "If you look in the evening, everyone shuts down.
"People are scared and I don't feel safe. Other people are scared to come to the town centre."
Two international students in the town centre have differing opinions on Luton. Naman Agarwal, who is studying for an International Business degree at the University of Bedfordshire said that he agrees to an extent that it is a bad place to live.
The student, who is from Nepal, said: "It's not fun. It's not all that great here financially."
"Looking around at the people who are in the town centre, it just feels a little sad. People are not happy about something here, everyone walks around with a frown on their face."
The 21-year-old is "really happy" he met friends at the University, and said "otherwise I wouldn't be here". Naman added: "Honestly, after a year I would have moved somewhere else."
Axel Bi Dje, an International Banking and Finance student felt more positively about life in Luton. The 21-year-old, who travelled to study in Luton from the Ivory Coast, doesn't agree that the town is the worst place to live in the country.
He added: "Most of the time it depends on your perception of things. Luton, for me, is a better place to live as a student than London, which is much more expensive.
"Financially, it's better to stay in Luton," although he would consider moving to get a job. Comparing it to his home, he says the "infrastructure is better", and he also says the "police is good" and that he has "never had an issue with the police here".
Speaking about personal safety, Axel said he has never had an issue, but does appreciate that other groups of society, such as those that are more vulnerable, may feel differently.
