Slough.

Sluffy, what's wrong with Slough?
I was listening to a couple of radio comedy shows this week, and the butt of many of the jokes was the town of Slough. I've heard many people making jokes about it, along with Milton Keynes, which is another town certain to raise a laugh, but I have to say, I don't get it.
I've never visited Slough, so I can't comment. Milton Keynes is also unknown to me.
Is there something particularly awful about Slough? Sluffy, give me a reasoned view. Is Slough wrongly maligned?
And do any of you have a particular place you'd least like to live?
Mine is Blackburn.

Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!
It isn't fit for humans now...

Sir John Betjemen wrote that in 1937 so it's reputation is long standing.

Slough is a bit like Bolton - an industrialised work town - but plonked in the middle of rural southern England, right next to Eton, where our future leaders get schooled, and Windsor where the queen lives in her castle. Its just a bit down river from Henley where they have their regatta's and not far away from Ascot where the royal family race their horses. Sandhurst where our future military elite are trained is not too many miles away, nor is Bisley where they practice their shooting.

In short Slough is a 'new' town that was established following the first World War (to store and decommission all of the hardware that had been used in the war) that in turn had to draw in labour (immigrants if you will) from far away places like Wales and the industrial north to work there.

It was I guess a blot on the landscape for those who didn't welcome that sort of thing - and continued to be the same ever since and be out of tune with its neighbours - Slough is often the only Labour MP constituency between London and Wales.

It just doesn't fit in with its surroundings.

It isn't anything special and I think is probably on a par with how Bolton is these days but with richer neighbours surrounding it.

Milton Keynes probably doesn't fit easily with its neighbours too.


Betjeman was probably right about the friendly bombs though!

Bonce they are both shit.

Sluffy wrote:Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!
It isn't fit for humans now...

Sir John Betjemen wrote that in 1937 so it's reputation is long standing.

I am impressed you knew that literature. I need to research it. I am wondering where he wrote it. Maybe on the wall of the front stands to the ground.

Impressed with that Sluffy, well researched mate. 
I lived in Stony Stratford, which, in effect, is part of Milton Keynes, and I quite liked it to be honest. Everything was well laid out, an excellent shopping centre, and pretty tidy and clean. (This was in 1983)
Two interesting things I learned about MK, one was that it had more roundabouts than any other town (at the time), and more people from MK mail-ordered sexy underwear, etc, (now online I suppose), than any other town, (again, at the time).

My impression of Slough is that it is mostly populated by Asians who make extra money by renting out their garden sheds for Polish immigrants to live in

Growler wrote:My impression of Slough is that it is mostly populated by Asians who make extra money by renting out their garden sheds for Polish immigrants to live in

First part is factual and the second part does/has happened - so fair comment.

Absolute disgrace this country is and i bet the Asians are not declaring it to the tax man.

It's all happening. In Slough.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/gallery/slough-thunderbirds-hotel-opens-library-19758360

Seems nice on the inside, but the more I look, the uglier it gets.

A first view of Nat might elicit similar reactions.

boltonbonce wrote:Seems nice on the inside, but the more I look, the uglier it gets.

A first view of Nat might elicit similar reactions.

i can see a death threat coming your way boncey 

Norpig wrote:

i can see a death threat coming your way boncey 

I'm fearless. Stupid, but fearless.

I see a resurrection of the good old Fatwah coming soon. Get your insurance in order Bonce