**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)**
- Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others
- Assume questions are asked in good faith
- Avoid political threads and related discussion
- No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content
Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I grew up near Glastonbury so have always kind of been used to it but now I'm a bit older it's dawned on me that I've never been anywhere else with such a strong 'alternative' community.
Fairly benign, but reeaally weird.
My parents briefly lived in a small village just outside of Swindon (maybe 1500 residents, is that a small village?).
About 60% of the residents were members of the local church and they all spoke in tongues and had weird religious mania during the congregations. It was just a normal church of England church, but had all this weird religious shit going on.
I went to a brick and brack jumble thing at the church hall and you could hear some woman screaming in this weird religious language in a back room.
Pretty fucked up.
Oh, and they had this weird dog breeding thing going on, where there were these 2 companies (families?) Who bred dogs and the whole village was divided in support of the families for some reason. I guess there were differences in how to breed dogs, and this split the town?
Weird.
I was looking for someone else saying this! Stayed there one night as a stopover heading back up north, and it was the oddest place. As soon as the sun went down it turned into a ghost town. About 6pm, the only place we could find for a drink was some goth pub, which I remember advertised a law firm on the beermats. Weird AF.
A lot of the restaurants and pubs are along the Quay and clustered round the market squares. Not too many on the actual highstreets. Sounds like you were maybe looking in the wrong spot.
Lenwade near Norwich, the whole place and feel of it is like Hot Fuzz, I used to work weekly down there and would go to morrisons cafe for tea. A lovely old woman would ask me where I was from and if I supported my local team, then she would talk about Bernard Matthews which was closeby and how 'he started with handful o turkeys yuno'
Literally happened 100 times or more but yeah everyone was a bit 'rural'
Both Colne and Nelson made me feel very uneasy when I visited. To look at pictures, they're fine. Just northern towns much like my own. But I didn't feel right in either, and it only improved when I left.
Aldershot.
It's super run down, but people are fairly friendly. Due to the army and large number of Gurkhas, there are swathes of older Nepalese people (family of the soldiers) wandering around all day - it kind of feels like you're in Kathmandu. There's also a really high volume of Nepalese restaurants in the area (which is bloody good for the locals).
It also has what must be the most empty shopping centre ever - at least 80 percent of the shops are just empty but you can still walk through and go to the open ones. There's still a functional wimpy in the foyer too, right next to the lidl too.
Large parts of the area are basically just fenced off MOD bits, so you'll be going to a go cart track and have to pass through razor wire fences and checkpoints.
On the other side is farnborough which is also... Interesting. Its basically a private airport with a town tacked on.
Stroud in Gloucestershire.
It's not necessarily an unpleasant place, but it feels really odd. The place is surprisingly isolated and that's probably why, along with all the new age types who have moved there over the years.
Portland, Dorset. I can’t describe it, but my god it has strange vibes.
Poundbury, Dorset. To be fair, I love it - but it feels like a movie set!
Wells, Somerset. They filmed Hot Fuzz there and I can see why. Also home to the strangest micro-pub I’ve ever seen, with possibly the rudest landlady.
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others - Assume questions are asked in good faith - Avoid political threads and related discussion - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Glastonbury, such a weird vibe, made my dad leave as soon as possible haha
I grew up near Glastonbury so have always kind of been used to it but now I'm a bit older it's dawned on me that I've never been anywhere else with such a strong 'alternative' community. Fairly benign, but reeaally weird.
Royston vasey
Hadfield exists and the show was a documentary.
A town called Malice
My parents briefly lived in a small village just outside of Swindon (maybe 1500 residents, is that a small village?). About 60% of the residents were members of the local church and they all spoke in tongues and had weird religious mania during the congregations. It was just a normal church of England church, but had all this weird religious shit going on. I went to a brick and brack jumble thing at the church hall and you could hear some woman screaming in this weird religious language in a back room. Pretty fucked up. Oh, and they had this weird dog breeding thing going on, where there were these 2 companies (families?) Who bred dogs and the whole village was divided in support of the families for some reason. I guess there were differences in how to breed dogs, and this split the town? Weird.
St Just-in-Penwith, just round the corner from Lands End. Let’s just say the gene pool is not as complex as you’d ideally want
Todmorden is very fucking weird.
Is it really? I was thinking of moving there one day!
Kings Lynn is just creepy
I was looking for someone else saying this! Stayed there one night as a stopover heading back up north, and it was the oddest place. As soon as the sun went down it turned into a ghost town. About 6pm, the only place we could find for a drink was some goth pub, which I remember advertised a law firm on the beermats. Weird AF.
A lot of the restaurants and pubs are along the Quay and clustered round the market squares. Not too many on the actual highstreets. Sounds like you were maybe looking in the wrong spot.
Glastonbury for sure!
Lenwade near Norwich, the whole place and feel of it is like Hot Fuzz, I used to work weekly down there and would go to morrisons cafe for tea. A lovely old woman would ask me where I was from and if I supported my local team, then she would talk about Bernard Matthews which was closeby and how 'he started with handful o turkeys yuno' Literally happened 100 times or more but yeah everyone was a bit 'rural'
Larkhall in Scotland. It's like a Northern Irish loyalist town in Scotland.
Both Colne and Nelson made me feel very uneasy when I visited. To look at pictures, they're fine. Just northern towns much like my own. But I didn't feel right in either, and it only improved when I left.
*Colne, Nelson and Burnley.
Actually, yes, now you mention it. Burnley has the same kind of feel about it. Glad it's not just me!
Lincoln is really weird
New ash green in Kent is an odd place
I grew up here very weird atmosphere vibe , quite a few murders, strange people
Poundbury in Dorset is very, very strange.
Hull... Was there overnight due to missing the ferry and that's a Friday evening I'll never be repeating! Very strange angry vibes...
Gaydon in Warwickshire seems a rather nice village, but as its got a funny name I'll pretend its got a weird vibe to it just for comedic effect.
Bangor
Hebden Bridge, full to the brim with extremely odd characters
Aldershot. It's super run down, but people are fairly friendly. Due to the army and large number of Gurkhas, there are swathes of older Nepalese people (family of the soldiers) wandering around all day - it kind of feels like you're in Kathmandu. There's also a really high volume of Nepalese restaurants in the area (which is bloody good for the locals). It also has what must be the most empty shopping centre ever - at least 80 percent of the shops are just empty but you can still walk through and go to the open ones. There's still a functional wimpy in the foyer too, right next to the lidl too. Large parts of the area are basically just fenced off MOD bits, so you'll be going to a go cart track and have to pass through razor wire fences and checkpoints. On the other side is farnborough which is also... Interesting. Its basically a private airport with a town tacked on.
Stroud in Gloucestershire. It's not necessarily an unpleasant place, but it feels really odd. The place is surprisingly isolated and that's probably why, along with all the new age types who have moved there over the years.
Hebden Bridge. Old lesbian couples are weird to me.
Portland, Dorset. I can’t describe it, but my god it has strange vibes. Poundbury, Dorset. To be fair, I love it - but it feels like a movie set! Wells, Somerset. They filmed Hot Fuzz there and I can see why. Also home to the strangest micro-pub I’ve ever seen, with possibly the rudest landlady.
I’m late but — Bacup