Hope you enjoyed this video! If you have any feedback or comments, we'd love to hear them! Do you live/have lived in Tipton or any of the surrounding areas? Whether yes or no, your feedback is valuable to the audience, so please feel free to share.
@@Energyflash1979 A film with the recently deceased Joss Ackland was filmed in part at Princes End. It included Fags an Mags and a chippy, the Frying Scotsman . First and Last, a Michael Frayn play, which ended up on TV.
Hi there I live in Tipton and just thought I would say that the lost city is an estate not a nick name for the town. the shops and flats recorded are in Princess end.
The whole of Tipton isn’t known as the “lost city” because it’s forgotten and deprived …. The lost city is an estate that was built just after the war , it was originally called the “ moat house farm estate” as it was built on the site of an old farm. It got the name of “ the lost city “ because there was one way in and one way out and people used to get “ lost” in the estate , so this is factually incorrect im afraid !!!
The lost city is a council estate it was called the lost city due to it only having one way in and one way out its nothing to do with it being deprived, it's a local name for the estate, the people who live there have a great empathy for the area and living on the "city" was a badge of honor for its inhabitants many of whom have generations of family ties my own family from great grandparents to grandparents to my own children live in and around the area of the "city" and there is a deep pride held by us all to be part of this community.
Much of the west mids is in the same state. We ran a business in Halesowen from 1984 to 2003 and I travelled extensively in the black country and Birmingham areas. I frequently saw this type of scene throughout, some areas slightly better, many much worse. Fundamentally it is caused by the deindustrialisation of the UK, and regions like the west mids have been hit the worst as they depended on large scale employment created by light and heavy industry over the previous 75 years or more, it was known as the workshop of the world at one time, virtually all manufactured goods were made there. After all, Iron Bridge, about 30 miles north, was the place that gave birth to the industrial revolution.
My extended family are all from Tipton and live only streets away from each other. It’s a run down area and definitely has its economic difficulties, but they are a fiercely proud group of people there that look after the place the best they can. They all look out for each other in a way which I have not seen anywhere else in the UK. You could say it’s a place that time has forgotten, but with that comes the sense of community Britain had in the immediate post war period as if it had never gone away.
Another good video. I’m from the West Midlands but moved down south 10 years ago. The West Midlands is a friendly but an extremely run down place especially between Wolverhampton and Birmingham it just seems like it’s a place time forgot. I’m also pleased you don’t run down the areas for clickbait.
Most cities in the Uk are in a mess when you get outside the centre. Spend some time in south east London - or don't is probably the better option. I doubt north or east london are much better, but I;ve had less experience of those places.
@@philipvjones397 There are parts of East London which are far worse than most of these videos. Barking is probably one of the grimmest places I've ever visited in the UK, and I was "lucky" enough to have it close to my doorstep...
Having owned and run a business for 35 years in the Sandwell area before retiring, I found the Tipton folk to be the nicest and most decent people you could possibly find in the UK. There may be a lower standard of wealth than, say, the Cotswolds or Surrey, but I would much prefer to be in their company than anywhere else.
I grew up in Tipton , in Horseley Heath - the 'posh end'! Well, school mates thought I was posh as my folks owned our house. A lot of school mates were from Dudley Port, Sedgley Road East, Park Lane, or on 'the Tibby' and surrounding areas. In fact I was there today, as my mom and dad still live there. I'm in Solihull now, but the people are different here, 18 miles away. It is a shame what post industrialisation has done. There are multiple reasons for the 'urban decay' in Tipton and other areas. As someone else pointed out, the West Midlands was hit badly when factories closed down in the early 80s. My father lost his job (a toolmaker). The Black Country is unique as dialects differ over a few miles, and woe betide anyone calling us Brummies.
I live on an estate that was, 30+ years ago run down, and regarded as 'a bit rough'. Since then, the council tenants have bought their homes, and taken a pride in their area, and more importantly, brought up their kids to respect the area. Now it's a 'desirable' place to live. Not quite gentrified but certainly not the litter strewn, neglected place it was
I love hearing stories like that, gives some hope that things can turn around - I think one of the roots is that people need a reason to feel proud of where the live and what they have, and just like neglect, pride is contagious.
Gosh, this is shocking. I'm German and studied history at Leicester Uni in the middle of the 90s. Back then, I really enjoyed the Midlands and it's so depressing to see how things are going now. I keep my fingers crossed that the region can recover!
The Black Country Development Corporation was an ngo in the 90s which spent millions to improve the area of Tipton. The Queen even visited. At the time the average life expectancy for men was 55! They worked hard to help the area. The industry there was hard and not well paid, several abattoirs and food factories. The people worked hard but it was and is a tough area.
"If you ever go across the cut to Tipton, it might be at the changing of the locks, you'll see the sun go down behind the gasworks, then go catch a bus to Fighting Cocks" Why did I used to sing this?? It was sung to the tune of "Galway Bay" by Bing Crosby
You should have had an explore down the canals like going back in time, Tipton has more miles of canal than pretty much anywhere else of a similar size. The lost city was a name given to the council estates at ocker Hill because when the houses were built they were surrounded on all sides by a canal, a railway and industrial wasteland isolating it from the rest of the town.
Another great video. When you look at these areas one can’t help thinking that they will never get any better it like the UK is turning into a third world country. 👍
I was born there and, like many others of such ilk, have fled the scene. I now live in rural NZ languishing in 3.5 acres. O the contrast. The only good thing about Tipton is the folk- absolutely bostin. Flaxen Saxon.
I have the displeasure of living in one of the blocks in this video open drug-deals, music being played so loud you can feel the bass through the night Aggressive dogs luckily I am moving in the next month or two and I won’t be coming back!
@@ukexploredalso originally from smethwick so excited for your capehill video I was from bearwood area which is abit nicer than cape hill but has go down hill in recent years aswell
I'm a very proud Black Country Wench, born and raised in Tipton. You really did show all of the worst parts of the area. Yes Tipton is struggling but you really need to get your facts straight. My Grandparents had a shop on the Moathouse farm estate (the lost city). It was a great place !
Tipton Green by Owen Street is lovely, Victoria Park is lovely too - im surprised Tipton Train station hasnt linked itself to the Black Country Museum (like Bournville station has with Cadburys attraction). Coronation Gardens would also make a lovely square for an annual Christmas market. Or different seasonal pop-up markets/ also the flats around Union Street have been empty for years above post office, which is shockingly disgraceful as we have a housing crisis. Also, Tipton shopping centre by Andys Chippy and Poundland needs some better shops - like a gregs outlet / a decent cafe / and maybe a smaller company shop (supermarket) or knock all the units out next to poundland and have an aldi or lidi. Owen Street also needs better direct bus routes to bham City to save residents having to travel to dudley Interchange to get a bus. Tipton is also getting a metro stop by Sedgley Road East, which will link it to Wednesbury and Brierley Hill . It's definitely not a lost city, but it definitely needs some investment / love and some links to the BCLM to improve footfall and accessibility into the town.
Most famous exports are the Tipton Three. Held prisoner by the US Government in Guatanamo, Cuba for 2 years back in 2001. They filed a lawsuit against the US Government due to the torture treatment whilst they were detained.
Can't understand how people can live with rubbish . We have bins and weekly collections ....be proud of where you live and clean up. KEEP BRITAIN TIDY.
Thanks, appreciate it. I actually included some shots of Mad O’Rourkes and I did pop in on the day but they were too busy and I was in a hurry. I enjoy a good pie, it’s a shame I missed out.
Agreed. Used to be my local go too. Also, good ol Frank Sinner, used to do a friday night stand up before he got nationally famous. I love watching this channels videos. But sometimes I do think he tries to aim for the worst parts for shock and awe factor. Guess it helps getting views. But Tipton is a genuinely nice area of the BC. Like he's said before at the wrong time and wrong place can get you into trouble, this is a case for Tipton sadly. Theft is a problem and the lack of aspirations for some of the male population. I grew up going to school in Tipton with some idiots 😅🤣 None the less awesome content. Keep up the work. 💪🏽
@@kdotroy1 I'm assuming he was from Tipton lol!? Even weirder to have it tattooed if you're not from there lol! Yeah used to see him up dudley, my ex used to say hello to him....think its the same everywhere isn't it? The towns have gone downhill all over the borough :(
It's just like a lot of northern towns. This is what happens when the local economy is totally trashed by governments who close our industries whilst not providing funding and alternative sources of jobs.
People turn up at that guys house thinking it’s a real Chinese takeaway/bike repair shop. “Who would want that happening?” A cannibal. A literal cannibal. #LostCity4Life
Ive been to tipton a few times it looks rough but its not too bad, people are usually nice there and i felt safe. Other areas of the west and east mindlands i cant say the same for.
Sandwell has to be the worst local authority in the country, i lived close by at burnt tree opposite what was the roman mosaic, long gone along with my old iron house, now in the black country museum, when i last walked those streets fifty years ago Tipton was clean tidy and well kept, makes me wonder where the public funding has gone that would've kept the place looking nice, great shame to see it looking so down at heel.
It's because Asians move in wake up look around! Councils are going bankrupt!! Look up sandwell council exposed, multiple councillors sent the money to Pakistan and fled there. Some are in prison because they were running grooming gangs!! Smethwick up the road is mental aswell it's literally Bangladesh
Thanks for being reasonable - taking the mick doesn't help, folks & families have to live in these places. Home is home. I'll bet folks who leave will always miss some bit of life there.
I visited Tipton on business resently. While the area can no way be described as up market, I think its important not to stereotype working class areas as rough and dangerous. I never felt unsafe in any part of the Tipton, far from it the locals were friendly funny and welcoming. There is a complete lack of graffitti, vandalism or litter around the place and I never saw any drunkeness or anti social behaviour. Its not a place I would choose to live given a choice but on the whole it was fine.
You mentioned the Lost city a few times but didn't show it, the closest you got was St Marks road, it would have been interesting to have seen what the Lost city looks like today, i was raised on the Lost city in the 60s and early 70s in Hall Lane, loads of tatters in those days, i loved the Lost city i only moved because of work.
Yeah, thanks for that, I researched it pretty deep before going and didn’t pick up on that. Information in general online sucks most the time, people hold the real knowledge.
To be honest I didn't even know that people from outside the area knew of 'The lost city' at all, quite (in)famous apparently though lol. I lived in Tipton for 20 years, all my family are still there now, not far from some of the footage that you filmed here. I'd recommend checking out the area called 'The tibby'. I think the general consensus is that it overtook the lost city as the roughest area.@@ukexplored
Being born and bred in walsall local dialects varied within the black country.Tipton was a very strong dialect as was netherton and cradley.The birmingham main line canal runs through the town which telford improved since brindleys original canal.Yes Tipton was built on industries long gone .
Perhaps that's the problem, with the closure of the round oak and all the associated heavy industry the heart was ripped out of the area, they couldn't adapt to the new world, great shame.
@@monteceitomoocher Round Oak aka the Merry Hell Centre.In Darlaston there was Lloyds steelworks aka Ikea etc now.There was Patent Shaft aka a buisness park now.My dads engineering buisiness survived by hook and crook but all my first wifes family had worked at Rubery Owens which also went circa 1981.Darlaston now is a town still with no real purpose 40 years on.
@@GlennPowell-ls3lg all familiar names to me, i lived opposite the roman mosaic at burnt tree in one of the iron houses, the whole area was tidy and well kept until the heavy industry closed down, if memory serves the merry hell centre was built by the Richardson brothers, who weren't exactly honest afik, went there once, not long after i married and moved away, i swore that i would never set foot in that awful place ever again!.
You’re right! There was a lack of sofas compared to most areas I filmed. Maybe it’s due to being so many flats? Or people nick them? Or a sofa fairy? I need to investigate!
I used to live there. Did ALOT of drugs whilst there. Lived in the “Tipton Towers” - Bolton Court. Lifts smelled of piss. But we had floors 7-11… so was pretty good. The local girls had that Dudley accent. Awful. But enjoyed close links to the metro… I can remember for months I thought the metro was free….
What's shown here isn't the lost city the lost city is an housing estate in Tipton Just like the Tibbington Estate is an housing estate in Tipton just like all towns and cities Tipton has good and bad places most of Tipton has had investment and there are worst places to live
Great video. What surprises me is how relatively tidy and litter-free the opening scenes are on the first sink-estate you visit. Plus the relative lack of graffiti elsewhere. I suppose the local council etc have, in effect, given up on the area - there’s only so much the authorities can do if the local residents either refuse to work, or are forever “on the disability”, and who don’t send their kids to school and discipline them effectively - all not helped if vast numbers are brought up in single-parent families, where the father (if known to anyone) has run off. The local population, as a whole, reaps what it sows. And flats are not an excuse for urban dystopia, crime, drugs, thuggery, and vandalism - in many parts of the world flats and tower-blocks are as attractive as homes as houses (e.g. Singapore). I suppose at least the place doesn’t have 4-star hotels, or they’d by now be filled up with illegals and shut to the British public.
Thanks - and I agree with you, for the most part, yeah. But the problems run a lot deeper, and there is more the government could and should be doing to help areas like Tipton. Areas like this are becoming larger, and more widespread, and it’s not a coincidence. We’re in a time where generational poverty can be traced back now, the UK is wealthy enough and well-equipped to make a bigger dent in that cycle for sure; but it’s not my place to say here how I think that could happen.
I was born and bred on the lost city in north road in 1949 lived there for 23years a there was a lot of good people lived there the pub lost city wes in coronation road. A very good pub it was to happy days
I live in Tipton and its because the people that live here are chavy, most have been dragged up and not bought up. Obviously they don't think that because they only know the life they grew up in. Most have no ambition because their parents never did. I don't have alot of money but i NEVER turn to crime. Its an excuse. There are really nice areas in Tipton but ruined by chavvy people.
I've been to Tipton and from what I saw it seemed OK to me TBH, (this was a long time back) didn't see rubbish in the streets, No vandalism or graffiti, yip lots of flats, so what, it's great for young and old maybe not the middle classes though, as for the closed shops, like everywhere else places are going through change, they will never reopen and be repurposed eventually, it is down to internet shopping, I'm sure the people who live in Tipton see it with different eyes to someone who is looking for only the bad bits,
Never lived tipton but I know where is I ve done security job in 2009 2010 with securitas birmingham there george Henry road at tulip ,also couple of families my relatives lives in tipton at Whitehouse Street, I visited them first probably end of September 1999 or October than 2011 March,April when I went there to buy car Ford focus as I,ve been living walsall
As Steph said...I lived in Rocket Pool estate which was not very far away, infact all the Midland ares you've travelled to were my old stompnig grounds and could be very violent if you were looking for the knock, but no-one ran the area down like you see it is today, rough neck people for sure but not disrespectful to the community, more likely to meet on neutral ground for a ruck if anything...no drug problem in the 80's but the plethora of nite clubs, pubs and cheap drink was the fuel for violence...fair to say it chilled out when pot and extasy appeared but in the early to mid 90's when heroin showed up it totally ravaged and destroyed many lives leading to real heavy social darkness. wednesfield flats, Heath Town and Blakenall were drug hotspots for smoke or if you were lucky enough to have a way in with the bikers but it didn't destroy the areas we lived in, we were too busy having a good time in our spare time. Just for a couple of years from 1990 -1993 people who would normally be bashing the sh*t out of one another were dancing together in clubs, it was quite bizzarre but totally real.
To the narrator, you dont know what is dangerous and what isn't. Ask some of the decent residents who have been thrown in by the councils with some of the low lives made to live with them and then see how they live , frightened mate that's how they live.
1:51 burberry court isnt in the lost city the lost city is a small estate too the left if you come from top of st marks road from Princes end towards Great bridge.
I spotted Mad Ò Roarkes at the end, still very much open, I'm told. I went to the one in Droitwich, now closed, it was brilliant and I've heard great things about the Tipton one, so perhaps a jewel in the rough
I actually popped in to see if I could buy a couple of pies to takeway but I couldn't see anyone serving and it looked like a sit-in pub set up and I didn't have time.
@@ukexplored It's been years, but it was a sit-in place. If you saw the size of the cow pie, you would know why, we're not talking Pukka pies, we're talking reinforced tables. Well worth visiting for the experience.
Not very good quality employment though. Lots of zero hour contracts. My other half used to be on a zero hours contract, she'd go to work and get sent back sometimes due to it being slow. Then on her "day off" she'd get phoned up to go in urgently because they needed more staff. Totally unpredictable, and over a long period causes quite a lot of financial stress. Also just over minimum wage (10p more). We have millions of people earning wages that are hovering around minimum wage, and even the better salaries haven't kept pace with house prices. I work in IT, my salaries haven't allowed me to afford a decent sized house in my area to even think about starting a family. Probably the biggest problem in this country is house prices. Even in deprived areas they are ridiculous. Paired with the fact that UK housing stock is some of the smallest houses in the world, often poorly suited to modern living (i.e. no garage, no parking/on-street, no spare space, small gardens [no possibility of extending]) it all contributes to a bizarre situation where Brits are spending up to 80% of their income on housing and that same housing isn't even suited to their needs. This large cost (including setting aside money to save for a deposit) starves the productive economy of spending. Also most spending that does occur is not particularly productive. E.g. in the 70s, 80s people might have spent their money on furniture or building materials creating things of lasting value, while today lots of people buy a new phone every 2 years. That seems ridiculous but it's almost becoming necessary as software vulnerabilities are making it harder to use a phone for a long period of time. I'm still using a phone that's 7 years old but it's no longer possible to use it for mobile internet banking, for example. So there's lots of factors that are in play here. A lot of the discretionary spending that does occur doesn't get reinvested in the UK, there's a lot of wealth extraction going on.
Lived in bolton court (twin towers) for a year when at college. That was grim. Milk bottle dropped near me on day 1. Local pub firebombed. Kids nicking and setting fire to cars. Think they are demolished now
Sandwell College used to house the students there, when I went to the Wednesbury site. I couldn't believe they used to put students there, as it was rough. A few years earlier, I knew a girl who squatted in one of the Bolton Court Towers. A friend of my girlfriend at the time. It was often mentioned in the Express and Star reports as having some sort of fire - rubbish chute, bins, flats themselves. ASB was rife. And yes, they've been demolished about 15-20 years. Itw as well rough there in the 80s.
@@markwilson4052 yep I was at the Smethwick site. We shared 3 people to a flat (with plastic covered matresses) over 2/3 floors. Had a good laugh and I think the rent was like £25 a week. Also had a great view. Remember watching the cooling towers coming down. Oh yes, those rubbish chutes well 😷
I know a lot of good people from Tipton that live on the tibby estate and lost a great friend off the estate just over a year ago R.I.P Scotty Bibb… miss you brother❤
Tipton is good copared to Lye unfortunately like a lot of town in the black country is slowly becoming run down with empy shops and pubs dirty streets and roads fly tipping we all know why but cant say .
Suggestions where to visit to make future research and future videos. - Newport South Wales, specifically Pill to the south of the city center - Cardiff South Wales, again to the south of the city center - Grangetown, Riverside, Adamsdown, etc - Swansea, city center and council estates, Town Hill - Pontypridd - Cwmbran - Pontypool - Rhondda valleys - Tredegar - Ebbw Vale - Merthyr Tydfil - Aberdare - South Wales Valleys Many of these are close together can be grouped into a trip. I live in Abergavenny about 10 miles from the valleys and 20 miles from Newport. There are so many rough and rundown areas in urban South Wales they will do well on your videos, very reminiscent of your footage recorded in the failing towns in West Midlands.
The Lost city isn't all of Tipton, none of this video even showed any part of it? You were just around the corner when you were at the ocker hill shop. Video at 7.13 is actually a steel works and does very well, the flats off of st marks road are actually houses.
Super happy you mentioned the tilted. I used to know the old owner Joe Glover, did sweeping in the car park for a short while before she sold it off. pretty nice pub to be fair. Also had a friend who worked the bar for a while but he kept showing up to work stoned lol. he got away with it since he was close with the old owner. Also met the cousin of one of my favourite local music producers there which was nuts. Honestly Tipton is a bit of a shithole but its the kind of shithole with tons of character ha. Also nuts watching you go places in Tipton ive been 100 times before hah.
Hope you enjoyed this video! If you have any feedback or comments, we'd love to hear them!
Do you live/have lived in Tipton or any of the surrounding areas?
Whether yes or no, your feedback is valuable to the audience, so please feel free to share.
You should visit Crewe, Cheshire.
Why you don't reply
I used to work around Tipton for years. It's a great filming location if anyone wants to make a TV series set in the 50s
@@Energyflash1979 A film with the recently deceased Joss Ackland was filmed in part at Princes End. It included Fags an Mags and a chippy, the Frying Scotsman . First and Last, a Michael Frayn play, which ended up on TV.
Hi there I live in Tipton and just thought I would say that the lost city is an estate not a nick name for the town. the shops and flats recorded are in Princess end.
The whole of Tipton isn’t known as the “lost city” because it’s forgotten and deprived …. The lost city is an estate that was built just after the war , it was originally called the “ moat house farm estate” as it was built on the site of an old farm. It got the name of “ the lost city “ because there was one way in and one way out and people used to get “ lost” in the estate , so this is factually incorrect im afraid !!!
Was about to comment this, glad to see the creator acknowledged you 😒 not a bad vid but the condensating tone and inaccuracies ruin it.
@@DonnaKebab69condescending* hahah
Hard not to be, you should be ashamed of yourselves leaving your manor in that nick. Tramps.
This!
i had to read the comments straight away glad you know the correct reasons!!!
Why all the litter? You can be poor but don’t be lazy, have some pride.
The UK as a whole has a littering, fly tipping problem imo. Never seen so much litter as in the UK.
Good old tipton....just up the road from me.....its a crap hole but its our crap hole....black country and proud 🙌🙌🙌
The lost city is a council estate it was called the lost city due to it only having one way in and one way out its nothing to do with it being deprived, it's a local name for the estate, the people who live there have a great empathy for the area and living on the "city" was a badge of honor for its inhabitants many of whom have generations of family ties my own family from great grandparents to grandparents to my own children live in and around the area of the "city" and there is a deep pride held by us all to be part of this community.
Between the Railway and Canal bank.
The cut.
Much of the west mids is in the same state. We ran a business in Halesowen from 1984 to 2003 and I travelled extensively in the black country and Birmingham areas. I frequently saw this type of scene throughout, some areas slightly better, many much worse. Fundamentally it is caused by the deindustrialisation of the UK, and regions like the west mids have been hit the worst as they depended on large scale employment created by light and heavy industry over the previous 75 years or more, it was known as the workshop of the world at one time, virtually all manufactured goods were made there. After all, Iron Bridge, about 30 miles north, was the place that gave birth to the industrial revolution.
My extended family are all from Tipton and live only streets away from each other. It’s a run down area and definitely has its economic difficulties, but they are a fiercely proud group of people there that look after the place the best they can. They all look out for each other in a way which I have not seen anywhere else in the UK. You could say it’s a place that time has forgotten, but with that comes the sense of community Britain had in the immediate post war period as if it had never gone away.
Another good video. I’m from the West Midlands but moved down south 10 years ago. The West Midlands is a friendly but an extremely run down place especially between Wolverhampton and Birmingham it just seems like it’s a place time forgot. I’m also pleased you don’t run down the areas for clickbait.
Most cities in the Uk are in a mess when you get outside the centre. Spend some time in south east London - or don't is probably the better option. I doubt north or east london are much better, but I;ve had less experience of those places.
@@philipvjones397 There are parts of East London which are far worse than most of these videos. Barking is probably one of the grimmest places I've ever visited in the UK, and I was "lucky" enough to have it close to my doorstep...
Having owned and run a business for 35 years in the Sandwell area before retiring, I found the Tipton folk to be the nicest and most decent people you could possibly find in the UK. There may be a lower standard of wealth than, say, the Cotswolds or Surrey, but I would much prefer to be in their company than anywhere else.
I grew up in Tipton , in Horseley Heath - the 'posh end'! Well, school mates thought I was posh as my folks owned our house. A lot of school mates were from Dudley Port, Sedgley Road East, Park Lane, or on 'the Tibby' and surrounding areas. In fact I was there today, as my mom and dad still live there. I'm in Solihull now, but the people are different here, 18 miles away.
It is a shame what post industrialisation has done. There are multiple reasons for the 'urban decay' in Tipton and other areas. As someone else pointed out, the West Midlands was hit badly when factories closed down in the early 80s. My father lost his job (a toolmaker). The Black Country is unique as dialects differ over a few miles, and woe betide anyone calling us Brummies.
all the money in the uk has been sucked up in crippling rents, thanks to property speculators.
Once you start seeing mosques everywhere the town is done.
Ye my town was pretty peaceful till they built a mosque
Here we go 🙄
@@sbaby-kg8hn yes, I wish you would go…
We used to drive them out in the 60s whenever one of them moved in.
@@sbaby-kg8hn our country was peaceful until these Muslims corner shops started popping up now our average high street looks like a dumping ground
I live on an estate that was, 30+ years ago run down, and regarded as 'a bit rough'. Since then, the council tenants have bought their homes, and taken a pride in their area, and more importantly, brought up their kids to respect the area.
Now it's a 'desirable' place to live. Not quite gentrified but certainly not the litter strewn, neglected place it was
I love hearing stories like that, gives some hope that things can turn around - I think one of the roots is that people need a reason to feel proud of where the live and what they have, and just like neglect, pride is contagious.
Exactly. Being able to buy council houses is the best thing that happened to many estates.
Gosh, this is shocking. I'm German and studied history at Leicester Uni in the middle of the 90s. Back then, I really enjoyed the Midlands and it's so depressing to see how things are going now. I keep my fingers crossed that the region can recover!
Love tiptons people salt of the earth just like us gornal folk
The Black Country Development Corporation was an ngo in the 90s which spent millions to improve the area of Tipton. The Queen even visited. At the time the average life expectancy for men was 55! They worked hard to help the area. The industry there was hard and not well paid, several abattoirs and food factories. The people worked hard but it was and is a tough area.
Great video the country is gone 🇬🇧🏴😢
'Blocks of flats' in the UK - is really a euphemism for 'people wharehouses.'
"If you ever go across the cut to Tipton, it might be at the changing of the locks, you'll see the sun go down behind the gasworks, then go catch a bus to Fighting Cocks" Why did I used to sing this?? It was sung to the tune of "Galway Bay" by Bing Crosby
haha 😂
In my eyes the birth of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council amazingly coincided with the start in the decline of Tipton.
You should have had an explore down the canals like going back in time, Tipton has more miles of canal than pretty much anywhere else of a similar size.
The lost city was a name given to the council estates at ocker Hill because when the houses were built they were surrounded on all sides by a canal, a railway and industrial wasteland isolating it from the rest of the town.
That’s some awesome info that i wasn’t able to find online. I’m sure I’ll go back, so I will explore the canals next time.
Cuts not canals👍
Another great video. When you look at these areas one can’t help thinking that they will never get any better it like the UK is turning into a third world country. 👍
Thanks, yeah it certainly feels and looks like some areas of the UK are hitting third world standards - because they are, sadly.
I was born there and, like many others of such ilk, have fled the scene. I now live in rural NZ languishing in 3.5 acres. O the contrast. The only good thing about Tipton is the folk- absolutely bostin. Flaxen Saxon.
The only building being renovated is the mosque. Says it all really
Says what...... It's usually done by donations at the mosque
Says they look after their own is all it says. 🤡
I have the displeasure of living in one of the blocks in this video open drug-deals, music being played so loud you can feel the bass through the night Aggressive dogs luckily I am moving in the next month or two and I won’t be coming back!
Happy to hear you’re getting away, antisocial neighbours can make life hell.
@@ukexploredalso originally from smethwick so excited for your capehill video I was from bearwood area which is abit nicer than cape hill but has go down hill in recent years aswell
I lived in Greenlawns in the mid 90s and it was exactly like this back then.
I'm a very proud Black Country Wench, born and raised in Tipton. You really did show all of the worst parts of the area. Yes Tipton is struggling but you really need to get your facts straight. My Grandparents had a shop on the Moathouse farm estate (the lost city). It was a great place !
Tipton Green by Owen Street is lovely, Victoria Park is lovely too - im surprised Tipton Train station hasnt linked itself to the Black Country Museum (like Bournville station has with Cadburys attraction). Coronation Gardens would also make a lovely square for an annual Christmas market. Or different seasonal pop-up markets/ also the flats around Union Street have been empty for years above post office, which is shockingly disgraceful as we have a housing crisis. Also, Tipton shopping centre by Andys Chippy and Poundland needs some better shops - like a gregs outlet / a decent cafe / and maybe a smaller company shop (supermarket) or knock all the units out next to poundland and have an aldi or lidi. Owen Street also needs better direct bus routes to bham City to save residents having to travel to dudley Interchange to get a bus. Tipton is also getting a metro stop by Sedgley Road East, which will link it to Wednesbury and Brierley Hill . It's definitely not a lost city, but it definitely needs some investment / love and some links to the BCLM to improve footfall and accessibility into the town.
i believe that some money has been put to one side for the Owen Street area.
@@pubtalkpubtalk4642
Yeah the council is all Pakistani that money has been sent to Palestine to aid hamas like Birmingham council did
Most famous exports are the Tipton Three. Held prisoner by the US Government in Guatanamo, Cuba for 2 years back in 2001. They filed a lawsuit against the US Government due to the torture treatment whilst they were detained.
the accomodation was better there, apparently!
Can't understand how people can live with rubbish . We have bins and weekly collections ....be proud of where you live and clean up. KEEP BRITAIN TIDY.
It's a shame no one mentioned Mad O'Rourke's, The pie factory, a real highlight of Tipton. I have to say you make a good video.
Thanks, appreciate it. I actually included some shots of Mad O’Rourkes and I did pop in on the day but they were too busy and I was in a hurry. I enjoy a good pie, it’s a shame I missed out.
Agreed. Used to be my local go too. Also, good ol Frank Sinner, used to do a friday night stand up before he got nationally famous.
I love watching this channels videos. But sometimes I do think he tries to aim for the worst parts for shock and awe factor. Guess it helps getting views. But Tipton is a genuinely nice area of the BC. Like he's said before at the wrong time and wrong place can get you into trouble, this is a case for Tipton sadly. Theft is a problem and the lack of aspirations for some of the male population. I grew up going to school in Tipton with some idiots 😅🤣
None the less awesome content. Keep up the work. 💪🏽
Yeah forgot about the pie house! And the black country museum! That guy who had Tipton tattooed on his forehead still about lol??
@@Mylostsock11 never heard about him. So god knows. 😅😆 but tipton is a great place. Just some of the youth ruin it for everyone else.
@@kdotroy1 I'm assuming he was from Tipton lol!? Even weirder to have it tattooed if you're not from there lol! Yeah used to see him up dudley, my ex used to say hello to him....think its the same everywhere isn't it? The towns have gone downhill all over the borough :(
It's just like a lot of northern towns. This is what happens when the local economy is totally trashed by governments who close our industries whilst not providing funding and alternative sources of jobs.
I can't stand the West Midlands and will be leaving as soon as I've finished training for my job!
Awesome, there’s a huge world to be explored, and much of it presents better opportunities! 😀
People turn up at that guys house thinking it’s a real Chinese takeaway/bike repair shop.
“Who would want that happening?”
A cannibal. A literal cannibal.
#LostCity4Life
I’ve seen low budget horror films with worse scripts than that 😂
Ive been to tipton a few times it looks rough but its not too bad, people are usually nice there and i felt safe. Other areas of the west and east mindlands i cant say the same for.
LOOKING FORWARD TO seeing Tipton regenerated.
Me, too!
Do they still have a good athletics club? Ray Smedley used to run for Tipton Harriers.
Sandwell has to be the worst local authority in the country, i lived close by at burnt tree opposite what was the roman mosaic, long gone along with my old iron house, now in the black country museum, when i last walked those streets fifty years ago Tipton was clean tidy and well kept, makes me wonder where the public funding has gone that would've kept the place looking nice, great shame to see it looking so down at heel.
It is a shame, especially when I hear from people like yourself who knew what it was like once firsthand.
It's because Asians move in wake up look around!
Councils are going bankrupt!!
Look up sandwell council exposed, multiple councillors sent the money to Pakistan and fled there.
Some are in prison because they were running grooming gangs!!
Smethwick up the road is mental aswell it's literally Bangladesh
Thanks for being reasonable - taking the mick doesn't help, folks & families have to live in these places. Home is home. I'll bet folks who leave will always miss some bit of life there.
please visit jaywick in essex poorest place in the uk
I visited Tipton on business resently.
While the area can no way be described as up market, I think its important not to stereotype working class areas as rough and dangerous.
I never felt unsafe in any part of the Tipton, far from it the locals were friendly funny and welcoming.
There is a complete lack of graffitti, vandalism or litter around the place and I never saw any drunkeness or anti social behaviour.
Its not a place I would choose to live given a choice but on the whole it was fine.
There are definitely far worse places IE look at some of the areas of Birmingham.
I lived in Tipton when I was 21 it's a great place to live love the place
Love the layout of this Video!♥️
Thanks! A lot of clips stitched together 😀
You mentioned the Lost city a few times but didn't show it, the closest you got was St Marks road, it would have been interesting to have seen what the Lost city looks like today, i was raised on the Lost city in the 60s and early 70s in Hall Lane, loads of tatters in those days, i loved the Lost city i only moved because of work.
Great video. Just for clarification, Tipton isn't known as 'The lost city' but rather there's an estate in Tipton that's known as it.
Yeah, thanks for that, I researched it pretty deep before going and didn’t pick up on that.
Information in general online sucks most the time, people hold the real knowledge.
To be honest I didn't even know that people from outside the area knew of 'The lost city' at all, quite (in)famous apparently though lol.
I lived in Tipton for 20 years, all my family are still there now, not far from some of the footage that you filmed here. I'd recommend checking out the area called 'The tibby'. I think the general consensus is that it overtook the lost city as the roughest area.@@ukexplored
The rough ones from both the City and the Tibby all grew up and moved to Princes End, the area shown in the intro, so that's 'Rough Central' now. 😉😅
Being born and bred in walsall local dialects varied within the black country.Tipton was a very strong dialect as was netherton and cradley.The birmingham main line canal runs through the town which telford improved since brindleys original canal.Yes Tipton was built on industries long gone .
Perhaps that's the problem, with the closure of the round oak and all the associated heavy industry the heart was ripped out of the area, they couldn't adapt to the new world, great shame.
@@monteceitomoocher Round Oak aka the Merry Hell Centre.In Darlaston there was Lloyds steelworks aka Ikea etc now.There was Patent Shaft aka a buisness park now.My dads engineering buisiness survived by hook and crook but all my first wifes family had worked at Rubery Owens which also went circa 1981.Darlaston now is a town still with no real purpose 40 years on.
@@GlennPowell-ls3lg all familiar names to me, i lived opposite the roman mosaic at burnt tree in one of the iron houses, the whole area was tidy and well kept until the heavy industry closed down, if memory serves the merry hell centre was built by the Richardson brothers, who weren't exactly honest afik, went there once, not long after i married and moved away, i swore that i would never set foot in that awful place ever again!.
It can't be that bad, I didn't see any abandoned Sofas.
You’re right! There was a lack of sofas compared to most areas I filmed. Maybe it’s due to being so many flats? Or people nick them? Or a sofa fairy? I need to investigate!
I used to live there. Did ALOT of drugs whilst there.
Lived in the “Tipton Towers” - Bolton Court. Lifts smelled of piss.
But we had floors 7-11… so was pretty good.
The local girls had that Dudley accent. Awful.
But enjoyed close links to the metro… I can remember for months I thought the metro was free….
What's shown here isn't the lost city the lost city is an housing estate in Tipton Just like the Tibbington Estate is an housing estate in Tipton just like all towns and cities Tipton has good and bad places most of Tipton has had investment and there are worst places to live
Great video. What surprises me is how relatively tidy and litter-free the opening scenes are on the first sink-estate you visit. Plus the relative lack of graffiti elsewhere. I suppose the local council etc have, in effect, given up on the area - there’s only so much the authorities can do if the local residents either refuse to work, or are forever “on the disability”, and who don’t send their kids to school and discipline them effectively - all not helped if vast numbers are brought up in single-parent families, where the father (if known to anyone) has run off. The local population, as a whole, reaps what it sows. And flats are not an excuse for urban dystopia, crime, drugs, thuggery, and vandalism - in many parts of the world flats and tower-blocks are as attractive as homes as houses (e.g. Singapore). I suppose at least the place doesn’t have 4-star hotels, or they’d by now be filled up with illegals and shut to the British public.
Thanks - and I agree with you, for the most part, yeah.
But the problems run a lot deeper, and there is more the government could and should be doing to help areas like Tipton.
Areas like this are becoming larger, and more widespread, and it’s not a coincidence.
We’re in a time where generational poverty can be traced back now, the UK is wealthy enough and well-equipped to make a bigger dent in that cycle for sure; but it’s not my place to say here how I think that could happen.
Vote Reform UK!
And
God help this country.
UK DECAY
Sad.
Willenhall is a lot worse than Tipton
Yea. Rose Hill. Wear body armour😂
Tipton is no different to any area, has good and bad part parts.
Do your research the whole of Tipton isnt "the lost city" . The lost city refers to an estate.
I was born and bred on the lost city in north road in 1949 lived there for 23years a there was a lot of good people lived there the pub lost city wes in coronation road. A very good pub it was to happy days
The Drayton....
The lost city pub was renamed the Drayton. Many years later but it was always known as the lost city
My Grandparents had the grocery shop on the city 😊
I live in Tipton and its because the people that live here are chavy, most have been dragged up and not bought up. Obviously they don't think that because they only know the life they grew up in. Most have no ambition because their parents never did. I don't have alot of money but i NEVER turn to crime. Its an excuse. There are really nice areas in Tipton but ruined by chavvy people.
I live in a better part of Tipton but nonetheless you forgot to mention the main reason for the decline - immigrants.
Absolutely disgusting. How anyone could live there is beyond me.
I've been to Tipton and from what I saw it seemed OK to me TBH, (this was a long time back) didn't see rubbish in the streets, No vandalism or graffiti, yip lots of flats, so what, it's great for young and old maybe not the middle classes though, as for the closed shops, like everywhere else places are going through change, they will never reopen and be repurposed eventually, it is down to internet shopping, I'm sure the people who live in Tipton see it with different eyes to someone who is looking for only the bad bits,
The UK is just like the third world but you have to be rich to live there.
Lovely 😍
Never lived tipton but I know where is I ve done security job in 2009 2010 with securitas birmingham there george Henry road at tulip ,also couple of families my relatives lives in tipton at Whitehouse Street, I visited them first probably end of September 1999 or October than 2011 March,April when I went there to buy car Ford focus as I,ve been living walsall
As Steph said...I lived in Rocket Pool estate which was not very far away, infact all the Midland ares you've travelled to were my old stompnig grounds and could be very violent if you were looking for the knock, but no-one ran the area down like you see it is today, rough neck people for sure but not disrespectful to the community, more likely to meet on neutral ground for a ruck if anything...no drug problem in the 80's but the plethora of nite clubs, pubs and cheap drink was the fuel for violence...fair to say it chilled out when pot and extasy appeared but in the early to mid 90's when heroin showed up it totally ravaged and destroyed many lives leading to real heavy social darkness. wednesfield flats, Heath Town and Blakenall were drug hotspots for smoke or if you were lucky enough to have a way in with the bikers but it didn't destroy the areas we lived in, we were too busy having a good time in our spare time. Just for a couple of years from 1990 -1993 people who would normally be bashing the sh*t out of one another were dancing together in clubs, it was quite bizzarre but totally real.
To the narrator, you dont know what is dangerous and what isn't.
Ask some of the decent residents who have been thrown in by the councils with some of the low lives made to live with them and then see how they live , frightened mate that's how they live.
1:51 burberry court isnt in the lost city the lost city is a small estate too the left if you come from top of st marks road from Princes end towards Great bridge.
Great vid m8. Went to Sandwell recently and it was eye opening. So sad. I love my country.
Tipton used to have large iron works and made beautiful cast iron lampposts and fittings all sadly long gone
GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT The lost city is that because of a pub that was on there
Ah jolly old Tippers , great place for a special brew on a bench followed by a quickie in the bushes ! Up the Albion 😂
The cars do not appear damaged, it is a negative view, certain religions do not frequent pubs by the way..... etc etc
As someone raised in Tipton, you can 100% label it as a dangerous town
Tipton aint a bad place. Go film Wednesbury around Newtown and Friar park, then you will see a shit hole
The houses and flats are quite nice. People don’t know they’re born.
Not inside they are run down and tiny
@@gibbo822
Okay got it.
@@earlbee3196 the houses are beautiful though
@@gibbo822 Nice one.
I spotted Mad Ò Roarkes at the end, still very much open, I'm told. I went to the one in Droitwich, now closed, it was brilliant and I've heard great things about the Tipton one, so perhaps a jewel in the rough
I actually popped in to see if I could buy a couple of pies to takeway but I couldn't see anyone serving and it looked like a sit-in pub set up and I didn't have time.
@@ukexplored It's been years, but it was a sit-in place. If you saw the size of the cow pie, you would know why, we're not talking Pukka pies, we're talking reinforced tables. Well worth visiting for the experience.
Glad to see it still open too. Going there to celebrate me great niece's birthday in a bit lol
Locally, its called The Pie Factory. 😉
They want to visit Glasgow now that's poverty
Tipton is not the Lost City so please check your facts
It's so sad...😥
Shit ‘ole
The terrifying thing about this is the UK has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe.
Not very good quality employment though. Lots of zero hour contracts. My other half used to be on a zero hours contract, she'd go to work and get sent back sometimes due to it being slow. Then on her "day off" she'd get phoned up to go in urgently because they needed more staff. Totally unpredictable, and over a long period causes quite a lot of financial stress. Also just over minimum wage (10p more). We have millions of people earning wages that are hovering around minimum wage, and even the better salaries haven't kept pace with house prices. I work in IT, my salaries haven't allowed me to afford a decent sized house in my area to even think about starting a family.
Probably the biggest problem in this country is house prices. Even in deprived areas they are ridiculous. Paired with the fact that UK housing stock is some of the smallest houses in the world, often poorly suited to modern living (i.e. no garage, no parking/on-street, no spare space, small gardens [no possibility of extending]) it all contributes to a bizarre situation where Brits are spending up to 80% of their income on housing and that same housing isn't even suited to their needs. This large cost (including setting aside money to save for a deposit) starves the productive economy of spending. Also most spending that does occur is not particularly productive. E.g. in the 70s, 80s people might have spent their money on furniture or building materials creating things of lasting value, while today lots of people buy a new phone every 2 years. That seems ridiculous but it's almost becoming necessary as software vulnerabilities are making it harder to use a phone for a long period of time. I'm still using a phone that's 7 years old but it's no longer possible to use it for mobile internet banking, for example. So there's lots of factors that are in play here. A lot of the discretionary spending that does occur doesn't get reinvested in the UK, there's a lot of wealth extraction going on.
Lived in bolton court (twin towers) for a year when at college. That was grim. Milk bottle dropped near me on day 1. Local pub firebombed. Kids nicking and setting fire to cars. Think they are demolished now
Sandwell College used to house the students there, when I went to the Wednesbury site. I couldn't believe they used to put students there, as it was rough. A few years earlier, I knew a girl who squatted in one of the Bolton Court Towers. A friend of my girlfriend at the time. It was often mentioned in the Express and Star reports as having some sort of fire - rubbish chute, bins, flats themselves. ASB was rife. And yes, they've been demolished about 15-20 years. Itw as well rough there in the 80s.
@@markwilson4052 yep I was at the Smethwick site. We shared 3 people to a flat (with plastic covered matresses) over 2/3 floors. Had a good laugh and I think the rent was like £25 a week. Also had a great view. Remember watching the cooling towers coming down. Oh yes, those rubbish chutes well 😷
Eat the obcenely rich.
Loving these local vids man thanks :)
Also hope you had a Mad O'Rourkes!
Thanks, mate! I popped into to O’Rourkes to check out the layout but didn’t have time to order 🙁
I know a lot of good people from Tipton that live on the tibby estate and lost a great friend off the estate just over a year ago
R.I.P Scotty Bibb… miss you brother❤
Im from tippy RAAAHHHHH
It’s grim up north 🤦♂️
disappointed you didn't mention the best part of Tipton..... the pie factory
Tipton is good copared to Lye unfortunately like a lot of town in the black country is slowly becoming run down with empy shops and pubs dirty streets and roads fly tipping we all know why but cant say .
It’s run down because responsibility was taken from the local council when it was Staffordshire. And given to half wits who can’t be trusted.
I’ve seen worse
Yep just another decaying UK town! RIP the late Great Britain
There’s pub in Tipton called the pie factory you should go their it’s famous for its oies
Started out as a collection of small hamlets, ended up as another English ghetto.
The lost city is only an estate in Tipton you also have an estate called the tibby
Suggestions where to visit to make future research and future videos.
- Newport South Wales, specifically Pill to the south of the city center
- Cardiff South Wales, again to the south of the city center - Grangetown, Riverside, Adamsdown, etc
- Swansea, city center and council estates, Town Hill
- Pontypridd
- Cwmbran
- Pontypool
- Rhondda valleys
- Tredegar
- Ebbw Vale
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Aberdare
- South Wales Valleys
Many of these are close together can be grouped into a trip.
I live in Abergavenny about 10 miles from the valleys and 20 miles from Newport. There are so many rough and rundown areas in urban South Wales they will do well on your videos, very reminiscent of your footage recorded in the failing towns in West Midlands.
Jaywick is the worst place in the UK..
Yeah, I’ve seen the TV show 😀
The Lost city isn't all of Tipton, none of this video even showed any part of it? You were just around the corner when you were at the ocker hill shop. Video at 7.13 is actually a steel works and does very well, the flats off of st marks road are actually houses.
Princess end is still quite thriving
Did you meet Doreen from Tipton x
No I didn’t, I’m assuming I would have known or remembered her if she’s well known in the area? 😂
Great 👌 video 🎉
Thank you 👍
Super happy you mentioned the tilted. I used to know the old owner Joe Glover, did sweeping in the car park for a short while before she sold it off. pretty nice pub to be fair.
Also had a friend who worked the bar for a while but he kept showing up to work stoned lol. he got away with it since he was close with the old owner. Also met the cousin of one of my favourite local music producers there which was nuts. Honestly Tipton is a bit of a shithole but its the kind of shithole with tons of character ha. Also nuts watching you go places in Tipton ive been 100 times before hah.
Th glover's name was fitting tbh 🥊