As a Derby resident, you missed a trick not visiting Sadler Gate (where the Pyclet Parlour is), the Dolphin (oldest pub in Derby) and Derby Museum (which has an ice age hippo skeleton, viking longboat and a mummy!) But overall, we're just a little city surrounded by bigger ones trying our best. Thanks for coming and showing off how not a dump we are! Edit: It's actually a Bronze Age longboat, so even OLDER than the Vikings!
Fun fact: we DID go to the dolphin for a pint! We hit that pub up before the other one but I didn’t record anything from there. We were gonna get food there but had little time so opted to go closer to the station for a quick bite
Hi @evan I'm Nigel a reporter with Derbyshire Live and BBC. Would I be able to use screenshots of your video with credit to you for an article about your findings? It would be great to do something.
The thing you have to remember about bad towns in the UK, to steal a joke I saw on TV once, is that someone published a book of crap towns, and then had to print a revised version because people sent the author so many complaints that their town *wasn't* in it.
I love the little computer museum, mainly because of the guy running it. He is so obviously in love with his subject. I'm sure he could enthuse even the most jaded visitor.
I did expect it to be Bradford (I'm from Shipley and although I always say I'm from Bradford, not like those traitors who say they're from Leeds), but I've lived in Derby and although it used to be pretty good, it's really dull and not got better since I lived there. Bradford is pretty good for places to visit around the district.
I'm enrolled at the University of Derby, starting my final year this September. Compared to where I live in the summer, it is absolutely not the worst city in the UK. You mentioned near the end that it might be different living here all the time but honestly it's not the case - food is much cheaper, a lot of places do student discounts, and there's both a big-chain and an independent cinema a 15 minute walk away from my student accommodation, or a 5-minute bus ride on weekdays. To top it all off, as a film student, the massive amount of countryside that's right on your doorstep is a blessing and a half. All you need to do is take your equipment out during golden hour near the River Derwent and you can get some shots that rival modern cinema. Sure, Derby has its flaws, but no city is perfect, especially not in the UK. If people want to call it a run-down dump, that's fine by me. That just means I get more Greggs.
You sound so excited to start uni that you've made me feel nostalgic. Good luck - I hope you find people who challenge you to grow in beautiful and interesting ways,
I'm also a derby student, into second year this september! I'm living in even though i'm only from neerish to cromford but commuting in would have been a bit of a pain and cost close to halls. Absolutley agree about the countryside, I often get the train into Edale/Hope Valley or the bus into Ashbourne for a walk/bikeride when i dont have much on. The cinemas are also great, two of my housemates for this coming year are film students and we've already planned to go every couple weeks so that they can culture me haha. My other housemmate and i are electronics students and the amount of related industry in the city is an employment treasure trove for us which is wonderful. It does totally have its flaws like much of the original city centre was flattened in the 70/80s to make way for the A601 but again there's a damn good chippy on ashbourne road and there is absolutly nothing stopping me going every monday! (Discovered friday was too busy and hey, its something to look forward to when monday does monday things.
@realistichypnoticblaze - that all sounds good! Why anyone as a student would choose an expensive city to be a student in is madness. Yeah, you've amazing countryside all around there. Ps. I was a student in Hull in the 80's ('84-'87) and it really was like the city that time forgot! So run down, under developed. But it was unbelievably cheap to live there at the time as a student on a grant (when they used to do them.) So as a student it was brilliant economically - cheap rent, food, beer, bills, gigs at The Adelphi, anything else - on a basic modest grant. No parental assistance either. I didn't even need to get a part-time job and at the end of three years also had.... no debt whatsoever. Hard to believe. Damn, I was lucky! I really feel for students today and the exorbitant financial demands.
I went to uni in Derby in 2011! Absolutely loved it there. I loved how compact the city centre was, could literally walk everywhere. I lived right near the main building and could walk into town in like 20 mins.
I'm Irish, and have lived in England for 10 years and only recently realised I do this. Definitely unconscious for me but very interesting since I don't feel like I have all that strong an accent
To be fair, if you adapt your accent to the locals, they will definitely understand you better. If you have an accent someone doesn't expect, even if it's perfectly understandable, you just get "sorry, what?" all the time.
I studied in Derby Uni for a bit and have to say my experience of the city was lovely. Very friendly people, some nice architecture and great transport links. Yeah its not perfect (no where is!) but its certainly not the worst and so its nice to see some positive feedback about places which really do deserve a little more recognition.
I visited Derby for a day once, went in the Cathedral, went to a nice museum inside an old manor, got a little tipsy in some lovey pubs and even had some fun at the shopping centre. Not a bad city at all!
NO I WILL NOT HAVE ANY DERBY SLANDER. I love it. You have everything. Trains directly to many cities. Museums, restaurants, cinemas, parks. When I saw you’d posted a story about being in The Exeter Arms I was shook 😂 I’m glad you liked it here!!
@@skasteve6528 It is a great thing though, I live a few miles outside of derby but have been living in the city for uni for the past year. The public transport is quite good, the rail links are great for getting anywhere really, especially into the peak district. Derby has some interesting places but it is a very small city as they go and obviously you don't want to be in the same place all your life and so its great being so central for nottingham, sheffield, manchester, birmingham, even getting to london and edinburgh is super easy.
The nostalgia of the computer museum - I grew up with a BBC Model B and played so much original Elite. So glad that someone is preserving the memories :)
@@disco_doris god, I can't remember how much Great Britain Limited I played on the BBC Model B. Yes, my school had BBC Model B's that you could play games on if it was a cold and wet October playtime - and an 8 year old stumbling on to economic theory in order to get elected (most of my friends just abolished taxation) made me a bit of an outlier amongst the 10 years olds that did the right (usually vaguely Socialistic) thing.
My brother still has an original Sinclair ZX Spectrum that still works to this day. I use to have a Commodore VIC-20 but I always wanted the 64. So much nostalgia looking back in the past. Britain was an innovator with computers and still is today. In an ideal world the U.K. is more than capable of having its own version of Microsoft or Apple but british entrepreneurs struggle with excessive bureaucracy and not getting funding which is why so many British tech firms end up relocating to the US.
Such a positive lovely video to watch ! Ive lived in Derby all my life (55 years) and love my city (I run photo website, blogs and my TH-cam channel), its so nice to see someone come to my city and see all the nice things we have to offer. There is so much more too such as Arboretum park which New York's central park was based on. !
Me as American watching this video: This city looks more lively than almost any town/city near me. The city that I go to for everything is consistently among the worst cities in the states for violent crime. The lack of economic growth and the blight is very noticeable. I can't imagine having a greenery area that is well kept and looks to be safe.
I'm from Derby. Its awful as someone who's lived here my entire life and still do. Outskirts are fine. Anything central is awful. Only good thing are museums and the quad or cinemas
I' from a large city in the Midwest. Once I visited Canada and I got lost, so I flagged a taxi. The taxi driver wanted to know why I was in the "worst part of town". I looked around and told him it looks nicer than my city. To be fair though, I love all the people I meet in big cities. They are wonderful for the most part. Don't want to give the wrong impression.
Yeah we dont live super far from derby so i immediately messaged my partner being like oooh lets go as im sure he would love all the old video games. Although i would be a little worried my 3 year old may break stuff 😅
There's a fun video from a few years back done by the Retro Man Cave (or RMC) channel which promoted it too. Great to see a more recent video from the place.
Yeah, that’s a distinction that’s kind of lost on Americans. It’s not a distinction we’re raised with in the same way that it’s a distinct structure here in the UK.
In American terms Luton is a city because it has its own council, I think. Mind you the idea that "City" is just a title and nothing more is quite odd. Most British people seem a bit hazy about it too and we're more used to meaningless titles.
broooooo this hurt as soon as i looked at the preview and saw the cathedral thank you for doing us justice in your video though, it was nice to see you enjoy so many different parts enjoyable
Derbion actually used to be a Westfield Mall! Also, we even have a “Lara Croft Way” that I’ve driven over so many times wondering why it was called that. Thanks to your visit to the Silk Mill I finally understand why.
It used to be called the Silk Mill Museum. The history of the silk mill, originally called Lombe's Mill is quite interesting and involves a rumoured Sardinian assassin.
Derby is also the home of Rolls-Royce. The cars are no longer made there, but they still make some of the best jet engines in the world. Also, it was the centre for one of the larger pre-war British Railway companies, the Midland Railway, which had lines all over the country. Now owned by a French Company, Alstom, it is still an important centre for the assembly of trains and locomotives as well as servicing them at their Litchurch Lane Factory in the city. I've been there a few times and it's very pleasant. By the way, pikelets are basically crumpets, it is really a West Midlands and Welsh term from the Welsh - bara pyglyd - for the delicacy rather than the English 'crumpet'.
Derby born and bred resident of over 60 years here - thanks for the positive and interesting review Its very refreshing to hear the positive comments from out-of-town people who have lived / worked / studied here We are a relatively new City (city status awarded 1977), and quite small population wise, half the size of Nottingham for example. Good jobs, low (ish) crime, cheap(ish) housing and good transport links (road, air and rail) are all positives in my book Fellow Derbieans have pointed out most places you didn't get the chance to see. A couple I haven't seen mentioned are: Allestree Park - a couple of miles west of Darley Park, the site of the biggest urban rewilding project in the UK Calke Abbey - a few miles south of the city, stately home unchanged for over 100 years, set in beautiful parklands
@SewingandCaring I rank cities by public transport accessibility, so 'little walking' might be a point ... only kidding, green space, culture, compactness and usefulness of the town centre, historical interest and how it's presented ... I'm also likely to walk two hours or so around the place. I liked Derby. It seemed like a place where people got on with it. Also the buses were good.
I live in Derby, im not from here originally. New places are opening, like The Iron Ram you walked past, brand new free house, only been open a month. £1.4mil was spent on doing up the building. Secondly there is the new 3.5k capicity music venue being built in the middle of Derby. There is so much that goes on like carnivals. I am glad you visited.
@ziggyzoo9335 hahaha same for Leicester and i think Nottingham although i do hear plenty of people saying it without the duck here too. Im not from here myself but im sure i will end up saying it eventually 🤣 i already say cob instead of roll because its just easier 🤣 plus i have a 3 year old who switches between pronunciations depending on whether she is speaking to me or her dad who is from here 🤣
Derby? Derby is the worst? Looks like someone has never been to Preston. (Also, it is bizarre watching Evan walk around somewhere local to me.) Derby also has Elvaston Castle and Country Park, which is an absolutely love day out.
I will have no Preston slander, we have an excellent beer scene and are home to both the first stretch of motorway and first KFC in the country. Admittedly the main museum is closed at the moment but that’s cos it’s being refurbished.
derby’s ‘downtown’ or what we from the UK call it “city centre” has a lotta zombies. derbyshire (rural derby) is beautiful, if u go to places like: chatsworth, buxton, ladybower, ilam, matlock bath, monsal head, winnats pass, dovedale, water reservoirs. 10:05-10:08 derbion used to b a westfield. if derby is dubbed worst city in the UK, stoke on trent has a lot of closed & run down establishments
I feel sorry for Luton. It has all the ingredients to make it a lovely place; surrounded by lovely countryside, a large student population, passionate support for the local football team. And yet... It really is not a lovely place.
I come from north Hertfordshire not far from Luton. Back in the '70s and '80s, people from here would quite often go to Luton for shopping. Now they generally only go there to fly from the airport.
I know when I think "local bakery" any kind of chain is not what I think of. My "local bakery" is that small independent business owned and operated by a local. Even a small regional chain is a few steps down the line of losing its soul.
The strange thing is that when a survey says your town or city is the best place (or in the top ten) to live it still annoys some residents (or alleged residents).
Right next to the Museum of Making is a nice pub called Ye Olde Dolphin Inne which has some really cosy spaces inside to play cards or board games/ drink pints. Also, once you go inside the facade, they've preserved the old alleyway beside the inn which sits between the bathrooms/kitchens and the pub so there's a really odd feeling of both being inside and being outside at the same time. Also the staff were lovely when we went.
You referenced several other places in Britain that are worse; but they were all towns (except Sheffield). Towns and Cities in Britain are distinct, but the criteria for what separates them is weirdly the whim of the Monarch (though several misconceptions about cathedrals or universities exist)
Walsall is a town, not a city. Ruined by a town council that doesn't appear to care. It had the oldest market, started 1220. People used to bus in to visit it. Now, it's a joke. Council screwed businesses/shops, so they moved away. Now people don't visit the town centre for shopping, leaving it free for scutters to move in. Poor areas really don't need to be vilified, because they have to live this reality, and it's not really a joke.
Lived about 5 miles north for a while, moved to Welsh borders over 30 years ago. Not been back since about 2008, noticed the decline then. Used to like the market.
@@normanbott It was a good market. The loss of Debenhams, BHS and M & S leaves no reason to go to the town now. M & S left because the council wanted all the shops in the Saddlers Centre to contribute to the repairs for the decaying concrete infrastructure, which was down to a previous poor decision by the council, and lack of maintenance by them too.
Walsall is what happens when a town powered by industry has to live on when those industries die. Coal, steel, leather, all industries lost in Walsall and the surrounding area. The collapse of the town centre has also gutted the place.
Staycation means you dont have enough money to go on a holiday so you stay home, and swim in your bathtub. Its been this year's moto in Greece where 2/3 of the population cant even go through the month.
As a Londoner I’ve never visited Derby but it is the place where British company Rolls Royce manufactures some of the worlds most advanced aircraft engines for most of the worlds commercial airlines. Rolls Royce sold the car division to BMW, so it can focus on doing what it does best, making engines for aircraft or propulsion systems for Britains nuclear submarines and small modular reactors, SMR’s which is being developed now to help britain become energy independent in the future. The midlands and the north of England was the heartland of Britains manufacturing prowess and has suffered a lot since we shifted our focus from manufacturing to selling services like finance, insurance and design expertise.
What a great video! I'm biassed, of course, because I cycled 13 miles into Derby and back for work every day for years (Royce's if you want to know) and so I know it quite well. :) The last time we were in the Silk Mill my wife and I got a free cake because it was our 54th wedding anniversary, so that was pretty good. (I hope you looked at the Silk motorcycle because my wife worked at Silks - George Silk btw not the fabric). The statue in the background in the opening scene is of Bonnie Prince Charlie, because Derby is as far as he got before running back to Scotland and Culloden back in 1745/6. One thing I learned was that there is a Derby Computer Museum. I will definitely visit next time we make the journey south :)
Derby is my home town, and i love getting great indian good from Normanton, the beautiful parks and the Georgian architecture around the Wardwick and Derby County FC. Just to say the Museum of Making is the old Silk Mill, the tower is shown in old paintings, though it's had some pretty good attempts to burn down
Local bakeries are better for local baked goods than chains. Longstaff's Bakery in Bishop Auckland does Stottie Cakes, but Greggs or Peter's bakeries anywhere in County Durham do not.
Thanks to Greggs many wonderful independent bakeries have shut down. ☹ Whilst not crap, Greggs is mediocre in comparison so I don't understand why people rave about it..
They haven't been to Aldershot. We used to love going to Aldershot army barracks open day every year as kids. We went there a few years back, its shocking. The shopping centre is abandoned and about 80% of the shops are boarded up and it has loads of gambling shops. It was weird.
Derby is a perfectly fine place to live, and unlike most towns and cities, its actually improved in the last few years. I live here, but if i didnt, a staycation using derby as a base for visits to the peak district would be lovely
I’ve heard this thing about Derby being the worst place for a city break before and wondered who the hell has taken a city break there in order to find it out. And it can’t be a worse idea for a break than Wolverhampton (and I say that as someone originally from Wolverhampton).
I clicked on this genuinely wondering if this could be my town since it’s often hated, but then I remembered it doesn’t actually qualify as a city due to the strange city rules over here.
@@nolaj114 I've only gone there to get a cheaper train to London, personally! But I know it's a lovely old settlement with some beautiful architecture, from what I know :)
My mates and i went to Derby some years ago. As Brighton fans we went there to see an away match. We absolutely loved it there. Great place, great countryside, great pubs, great people. So friendly there. Top place.
There is so much to do around Derby you could go round the surrounding towns such as Matlock bath, duffield, belper and walk the trails, go see the stadium, the crich transport museum, go to gulivers Kingdom and so on, I live in Scotland now and live visiting my home city every so often
It's worth pointing out that when Bonnie Prince Charlie marched on London with his army, he got as far as Derby before deciding to pack it in and go home. As someone who grew up in Derby, I've never known whether that is something to be proud or ashamed of.
Can’t believe Sheffield made the worst list, as well. I loved my time in Sheffield. So much to see and do. And the people there are so lovely. Can’t wait to get back there again. Defo putting Derby on my to-do list. Thanks so much for this. Going to try out Time Left, as well.
The last time I was traveling through Derby on the train, we were delayed just outside the city due to a Shopping Trolley/Cart that had been deliberately placed on the tracks by the delightful citizens of Peartree. So, Derby might not be all bad, but I don’t recommend Peartree as a holiday destination.
Derby looks absolutely beautiful and a brilliant place to visit. I would definitely spend a weekend there and not be bored especially after watching this ❤❤
Lived in Derby for 4 years post uni and loved it! Lots of good places to eat and drink and the Peaks are on your doorstep. And darley and markeaton park for some close-by nature. If you want to go shopping in a bigger city then Sheffield and Nottingham are close by. Plus cost of living is relatively low. Really miss the place! Never heard of a pikelet though
As someone who grew up in Derby and has barely been back since leaving, there's a possible reason the museum was lacklustre. Most career opportunities seem to be some form of advertising or sales, or working for Rolls-Royce in some capacity. The lack of opportunities in the area mean that people with ambition often leave (like I did). That means when they call on local creatives for a new project, they're picking from a limited set.
Derby isn’t the worst to live in, but it ain’t the best. That said, to visit? You definitely could do plenty, a choice of different kinds of museums, some great parks and listed buildings, Derbion does exactly what any decent shopping centre does, and there’s a curious amount of decent independent restaurants, including Annie’s Burger Shack and Moon Sha. I moans about Derby a lot living here, but that’s just it, I live here, plus I lived in Bristol and London before which probably spoiled me! Thanks for giving Derby a decent and fair look in!
Joaeph Wright of Derby is one of my favourite artiist, from the 18th century and I'd recommend checking out his work at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
I never listen to critics about most things. I believe in my eyes and I do a lot of travels so I just go to places that critics run down and I found that it was not as bad as critics say. I usually find the people in these places are more friendly.
I think part of the trouble is that Derby, Nottingham and Leicester are all so close and about the same size, so there tends to be competition between them. My only recollection of Derby is from 40 years ago. So I hope that it has improved since then.
Local foods are such a thing in the UK. Something like pikelets are going to be found in a teashop in the Peaks. How about swinging by Bakewell for a genuine local tart? the Mr Kipling jobbies are an abomination. What about Staffordshire Oatcakes? I'd never heard of these until I lived in the Potteries. I finally got to making my own a couple of weeks back; delicious with cheese and bacon. The recipe is pretty unique as a pancake containing a blend of oat and whole wheat flour with yeast used as a raising agent.
Oh my goodness, that's near me! The Brunswick was a good choice of pub, well done! There are some sadder parts of Derby if, unlike me, you aren't into architectural history and social change. I always describe Derby city centre as 'four fields and a beer festival' - but lovingly.
In fairness to Derby, as suggested in the piece, only the 25 biggest cities were ranked, which put it up against the city break tourist power houses like Liverpool, Edinburgh, York, Belfast and London. They finished 1st to 5th as it happened.
I think Derby's problem among English cities is that it's very middling (and not just geographically). It does have that issue of not standing out very much. It doesn't evoke strong emotions one way or the other. I've never really gone there without a compelling need to do so. I'm a Derbyshire lad by birth, but Derby never meant much to me growing up. Being from the northwestern corner of county we were a long way from Derby and very firmly part of Manchester's orbit. When people think of Derbyshire it's probably the Peak District they bring to mind as it's where all the stuff worth seeing in Derbyshire lies! I think folk are far more likely to have spent time in Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock or even Chesterfield than they are in the county capital.
To be fair, as an American, the only thing I knew about Derby before watching this video was that Derby County has the record for lowest point total in a Premier League season. And I’m only assuming that Derby County actually plays in Derby.
You're completly right, i'm from Matlock area, even though im practically on the doorstep of getting the train into derby i'd always jump on the bus to alfreton and train up to sheffield instead if i needed to go to a city. Anything for entertainment was straight into the peak district. I'm actually living in derby at the moment for uni and it's decent, fine, alright, just completly and utterly unnoteworthy as far as citys go, it has some nice features, but nothing reallly for people to travel for. Its a nice place to live, definatly far safer feeling at night than many other cities i find but otherwise its just the most middling place in the middle of the midlands.
@@otj.0000 I don't blame you at all! Derby vs Sheffield is no contest! Sheffield's great these days. I remember it being a bit of a soot encrusted wasteland back in the 80s/90s but it's had a total renaissance since then.
It was nice to see you turn one of those nasty articles that drags places down into a positive video that showcased lovely people and places to visit! I feel like it would be very easy to visit any place on a bad day and come away with a bad impression - I remember having a rotten time in one of our local cities here, but it was winter, I got stranded at a freezing railway station, and I think on a sunny day it would've been a very different story. Likewise, I see people in my own city complain about how bad they feel it is, but I find this a very vibrant place to live, with so much community organising and grassroots culture. There's definitely overpriced pubs and restaurants, and like most large towns and cities in the UK, you can see the results of funding cuts in so many ways, but there's so much to celebrate too.
As someone who was born and still lives in Derby, it became rundown around 5 years ago with a lot of highstreet shops and clubs closing and a lot of homelessness. The guildhall closing also didnt help. I have noticed in the last few years it seems to be getting back on its feet with bars and entertainment places opening up which makes me want to go into the centre more. Also, the Derbion used to be a Westfield centre.
Yes, that annoys me when people say Staycation to mean staying in the country on holiday. To me, it's time off work, with maybe a couple of day trips out, but always back in your own bed at the end of the day 🙂
Yes! That annoys the hell out of me, if it only counts when you're abroad I've been on holiday like twice in my life, despite going away with family every year.
@@Debbie76 yep, we've been doing staycations due to our cat getting older and being medication dependent. It's not fair to put that on someone else and it keeps him in his routine.
@@TravelSignal It's staying HOME not visiting Derby. Chilling with some PlayStation, late morning, bumming about the house in your socks. Doing nothing at HOME - not a day trip to somewhere 130 miles away....strangely that's called .....A DAY TRIP
I think I get it. I'm in san francisco and I see the silliest videos titles about san francisco. Like "get paid to use drugs" and "san francisco is dying" ...
I managed to confuse the hell out of my uni flatmates when i sent them to find "Westfield" last year during our first week, it'd never occured to me that they wouldnt have known such crucial local history!
Derby is great if you just enjoy wandering/exploring. You ideally need a car to enjoy the local area. It just isn't a very 'young person' destination, and even if it is, other towns and cities do it better. Derbyshire has a load of very odd history if you want to explore (modern bananas coming from Chatsworth, shrovetide football games played since 1154, Eyam the Plague Village). Derby's biggest flaw is that it's entirely forgettable, so there is no reason to stay. But as a major transport hub (East Midlands airport, every PO BOX you see on TV), i think thay that's the point. Derby is a conduit, rather than the destination I used to hate the Derby shopping centre/high street but the Maidenhead comparison is so fair, I think i just dislike shopping
regarding whatstandwell the name some from the person (Walter Stonewell), who lived next to the bridge that connected that area. So in "old" times it was cross the river at "walters stonewell".
I herd many years ago now that his name was actually Walter Standwell and was responsible for the building of the bridge after (I think) some members of the clergy were killed using the ford that the bridge replaced hence Walter Standwell's bridge which over the centuries morphed into Whatstandwell. As an aside the Derwent Hotel on the corner was always a good place to watch the bikers get the braking into the bridge horribly wrong on the Sunday pilgrimage to Matlock Bath in the 80's
I was born and raised in Derbyshire, not far from Whatstandwell. My school friends and I invented a song about the village, detailing all of Whatstandwell's virtues. To the tune of Welcome to the Jungle, the lyrics were; Welcome to Whatstandwell, We've got fun and games, Welcome to Whatstandwell, We've got... trees. It was a short song.
Derby has its run-down areas but it's not that bad. Good train links to other places, and apparently still trying to upmarket itself. Something that has been happening for decades.
Nice. I lived and worked in Derby for Silktide for a short time, nice to see they are still sponsoring the Micro-museum. That mall that looks like a Westfield WAS A WESTFIELD when I was there. Also in the UK cities have a charter and Luton don't have one, and Wrexham has only been since 1st September 2022.
As a Derbyian born and bred. The Derbion shopping centre only offers high end fashion and highly expensive shops which the regular Derbian can’t afford. You compared it to a Westfield, that’s what it originally was built as, it was then owned by “Intu” and then became the place you saw it as it is now. If you want to find fresh Pykelets in the future probably try Birds who are an East Midlands based bakery, they have a branch in the city. If the Market Hall wasn’t still shut you could’ve gone there as that’s where you’d find local produce.
Lived in Derby for 4 years . This video highlighted most of the things i loved about living in Derby including Darley park, which was my sanctuary. It was inexpensive, people were friendly and even the homeless people were more polite and charming than some cashed up bankers in London. I miss it.
It is my birthday today :)🎉
Happy Birthday!! Have a wonderful day. Hope you have time to do something you really enjoy!!
Have a lovely day on your special day. Always love your vlogs and look forward to them on my Monday mornings here in NZ.💝🥰
Happy birthday!🎉
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday! Lovely weather for it.
Derby isn’t even the worst city in the Midlands, let alone the UK
You can say Birmingham, all of us who’ve ever had to change trains at New Street know 😭
@@clsismanbirmingham defo isn't as bad as people make out
Definitely not the worst in the Midlands
Birmingham is my home.
True it is a shithole but it’s MY shithole.
What are the contenders for worst in the midlands? Coventry? Peterborough? Leicester?
As a Derby resident, you missed a trick not visiting Sadler Gate (where the Pyclet Parlour is), the Dolphin (oldest pub in Derby) and Derby Museum (which has an ice age hippo skeleton, viking longboat and a mummy!)
But overall, we're just a little city surrounded by bigger ones trying our best.
Thanks for coming and showing off how not a dump we are!
Edit: It's actually a Bronze Age longboat, so even OLDER than the Vikings!
Thank you for sharing some more reasons to visit Derby. The city looked nice in Evan's video
Fun fact: we DID go to the dolphin for a pint! We hit that pub up before the other one but I didn’t record anything from there. We were gonna get food there but had little time so opted to go closer to the station for a quick bite
Hi @evan I'm Nigel a reporter with Derbyshire Live and BBC. Would I be able to use screenshots of your video with credit to you for an article about your findings? It would be great to do something.
Is that the museum where they have recreated the room Bonny Prince Charlie used as his HQ? I really enjoyed that place - an unexpected gem.
@@brianparker663 I think that is Pickford House museum
The thing you have to remember about bad towns in the UK, to steal a joke I saw on TV once, is that someone published a book of crap towns, and then had to print a revised version because people sent the author so many complaints that their town *wasn't* in it.
A second edition, actually. I.e. a completely new book. "Crap Towns II".
I love the little computer museum, mainly because of the guy running it. He is so obviously in love with his subject. I'm sure he could enthuse even the most jaded visitor.
As someone from Bradford, that is not the worst city
Clicked on this video fully expecting Bradford. I feel like Evan is wrong here.
As someone from Leeds Bradford Airport area, hard agree
I did expect it to be Bradford (I'm from Shipley and although I always say I'm from Bradford, not like those traitors who say they're from Leeds), but I've lived in Derby and although it used to be pretty good, it's really dull and not got better since I lived there. Bradford is pretty good for places to visit around the district.
Should I visit? I thought Doncaster was the contender
As someone from Sunderland who lives in the Leeds-Bradford area, I would say Sunderland is more run down
I'm enrolled at the University of Derby, starting my final year this September. Compared to where I live in the summer, it is absolutely not the worst city in the UK. You mentioned near the end that it might be different living here all the time but honestly it's not the case - food is much cheaper, a lot of places do student discounts, and there's both a big-chain and an independent cinema a 15 minute walk away from my student accommodation, or a 5-minute bus ride on weekdays.
To top it all off, as a film student, the massive amount of countryside that's right on your doorstep is a blessing and a half. All you need to do is take your equipment out during golden hour near the River Derwent and you can get some shots that rival modern cinema. Sure, Derby has its flaws, but no city is perfect, especially not in the UK. If people want to call it a run-down dump, that's fine by me. That just means I get more Greggs.
You sound so excited to start uni that you've made me feel nostalgic. Good luck - I hope you find people who challenge you to grow in beautiful and interesting ways,
The only reason I have an American friend here in Wales is that he chose the local university (my alma mater) over Derby two years ago.
I'm also a derby student, into second year this september! I'm living in even though i'm only from neerish to cromford but commuting in would have been a bit of a pain and cost close to halls. Absolutley agree about the countryside, I often get the train into Edale/Hope Valley or the bus into Ashbourne for a walk/bikeride when i dont have much on. The cinemas are also great, two of my housemates for this coming year are film students and we've already planned to go every couple weeks so that they can culture me haha. My other housemmate and i are electronics students and the amount of related industry in the city is an employment treasure trove for us which is wonderful. It does totally have its flaws like much of the original city centre was flattened in the 70/80s to make way for the A601 but again there's a damn good chippy on ashbourne road and there is absolutly nothing stopping me going every monday! (Discovered friday was too busy and hey, its something to look forward to when monday does monday things.
@realistichypnoticblaze - that all sounds good! Why anyone as a student would choose an expensive city to be a student in is madness. Yeah, you've amazing countryside all around there. Ps. I was a student in Hull in the 80's ('84-'87) and it really was like the city that time forgot! So run down, under developed. But it was unbelievably cheap to live there at the time as a student on a grant (when they used to do them.) So as a student it was brilliant economically - cheap rent, food, beer, bills, gigs at The Adelphi, anything else - on a basic modest grant. No parental assistance either. I didn't even need to get a part-time job and at the end of three years also had.... no debt whatsoever. Hard to believe. Damn, I was lucky! I really feel for students today and the exorbitant financial demands.
I went to uni in Derby in 2011! Absolutely loved it there. I loved how compact the city centre was, could literally walk everywhere. I lived right near the main building and could walk into town in like 20 mins.
I love the slight accent change when you're speaking to retail staff 😂
I’ve done this pretty much since I moved here 😅 just never on camera
@@evan As a fellow immigrant, I understand. It's not even something I do consciously anymore, it's just automatic ✨😂
I'm Irish, and have lived in England for 10 years and only recently realised I do this. Definitely unconscious for me but very interesting since I don't feel like I have all that strong an accent
To be fair, if you adapt your accent to the locals, they will definitely understand you better. If you have an accent someone doesn't expect, even if it's perfectly understandable, you just get "sorry, what?" all the time.
@@evan I codeswitch too, unintentionally 😅 Hope you had a happy birthday, Evan!
I studied in Derby Uni for a bit and have to say my experience of the city was lovely. Very friendly people, some nice architecture and great transport links. Yeah its not perfect (no where is!) but its certainly not the worst and so its nice to see some positive feedback about places which really do deserve a little more recognition.
Only ever changed trains at Derby. It looks lovely. And that fellah who runs the computer museum seems like an absolute diamond
He was pretty awesome
There are a few good retro computer museums in the UK.
@@evan Leicester and Swansea are both 2% worse...
@@RustyVaperGameplayI'm fairly sure that Swansea is a pretty shitty city! ;-)
@@vacuumdiagram Yeah it is but the whole title of the video is wrong...
I visited Derby for a day once, went in the Cathedral, went to a nice museum inside an old manor, got a little tipsy in some lovey pubs and even had some fun at the shopping centre. Not a bad city at all!
NO I WILL NOT HAVE ANY DERBY SLANDER. I love it. You have everything. Trains directly to many cities. Museums, restaurants, cinemas, parks.
When I saw you’d posted a story about being in The Exeter Arms I was shook 😂 I’m glad you liked it here!!
You'd recommend Derby for it's great rail links to other cities?
@@skasteve6528I literally hate how hard I LOLLED at this. 😂
I expect that she meant that it is easy to get to Derby
@@skasteve6528 It is a great thing though, I live a few miles outside of derby but have been living in the city for uni for the past year. The public transport is quite good, the rail links are great for getting anywhere really, especially into the peak district. Derby has some interesting places but it is a very small city as they go and obviously you don't want to be in the same place all your life and so its great being so central for nottingham, sheffield, manchester, birmingham, even getting to london and edinburgh is super easy.
And the A52 to gtfo to Nott'm 😉
No visit to Derby is complete without a visit to the Rolls Royce Heritage Centre! Engines galore, and oh what engines.
The nostalgia of the computer museum - I grew up with a BBC Model B and played so much original Elite. So glad that someone is preserving the memories :)
@@disco_doris god, I can't remember how much Great Britain Limited I played on the BBC Model B. Yes, my school had BBC Model B's that you could play games on if it was a cold and wet October playtime - and an 8 year old stumbling on to economic theory in order to get elected (most of my friends just abolished taxation) made me a bit of an outlier amongst the 10 years olds that did the right (usually vaguely Socialistic) thing.
My brother still has an original Sinclair ZX Spectrum that still works to this day. I use to have a Commodore VIC-20 but I always wanted the 64. So much nostalgia looking back in the past. Britain was an innovator with computers and still is today. In an ideal world the U.K. is more than capable of having its own version of Microsoft or Apple but british entrepreneurs struggle with excessive bureaucracy and not getting funding which is why so many British tech firms end up relocating to the US.
👌🏾 original Elite was a favourite.
Such a positive lovely video to watch !
Ive lived in Derby all my life (55 years) and love my city (I run photo website, blogs and my TH-cam channel), its so nice to see someone come to my city and see all the nice things we have to offer. There is so much more too such as Arboretum park which New York's central park was based on. !
Me as American watching this video: This city looks more lively than almost any town/city near me. The city that I go to for everything is consistently among the worst cities in the states for violent crime. The lack of economic growth and the blight is very noticeable. I can't imagine having a greenery area that is well kept and looks to be safe.
Where do you live?
If you elect cackling Kamala, you can live in a Mad max fantasy turned reality
I'm from Derby. Its awful as someone who's lived here my entire life and still do. Outskirts are fine. Anything central is awful. Only good thing are museums and the quad or cinemas
I' from a large city in the Midwest. Once I visited Canada and I got lost, so I flagged a taxi. The taxi driver wanted to know why I was in the "worst part of town". I looked around and told him it looks nicer than my city.
To be fair though, I love all the people I meet in big cities. They are wonderful for the most part. Don't want to give the wrong impression.
Eyyy, I'm a Derby local, nice to see you sticking up for us.
Love this series. There are ALOT of 'I visited the Grim cities of the UK' videos around, and this is a nice light hearted rebuttal to that. :)
Really liked the look of that computer museum - hope they get a lot of visitors (and donations) as a result
Yeah we dont live super far from derby so i immediately messaged my partner being like oooh lets go as im sure he would love all the old video games. Although i would be a little worried my 3 year old may break stuff 😅
There's a fun video from a few years back done by the Retro Man Cave (or RMC) channel which promoted it too. Great to see a more recent video from the place.
0:48 that’s because Luton isn’t a city, it’s a town…
Yeah, that’s a distinction that’s kind of lost on Americans. It’s not a distinction we’re raised with in the same way that it’s a distinct structure here in the UK.
As is Maidenhead.
@@simhedgesrex7097... and Walsall.
In American terms Luton is a city because it has its own council, I think. Mind you the idea that "City" is just a title and nothing more is quite odd. Most British people seem a bit hazy about it too and we're more used to meaningless titles.
Reading Wolverhampton and Luton all have city size populations, but also that niche commuter hub distinction
Nice to see you outside of London in the UK again.
Was expecting stoke on trent LOL
Me too
What is wrong with Stoke?
I used to live in Stoke, nowt wrong with Stoke. Though a lot of shops have shut since I left, that's very sad. Friendliest people there
Stoke would be a culture shock, he could try some oatcakes and make friends with dustheads
It's a hole, but at least he would have been able to buy half a dozen pikelets
You should change your channel so you just go around the UK reviewing towns and cities, Chesterfield next please.
Good luck lasting the entire day in Birmingham, unless you're a fan of construction sites...
broooooo this hurt as soon as i looked at the preview and saw the cathedral
thank you for doing us justice in your video though, it was nice to see you enjoy so many different parts enjoyable
Derbion actually used to be a Westfield Mall! Also, we even have a “Lara Croft Way” that I’ve driven over so many times wondering why it was called that. Thanks to your visit to the Silk Mill I finally understand why.
It used to be called the Eagle Centre back in the day.
It used to be called the Silk Mill Museum. The history of the silk mill, originally called Lombe's Mill is quite interesting and involves a rumoured Sardinian assassin.
Derby is also the home of Rolls-Royce. The cars are no longer made there, but they still make some of the best jet engines in the world. Also, it was the centre for one of the larger pre-war British Railway companies, the Midland Railway, which had lines all over the country. Now owned by a French Company, Alstom, it is still an important centre for the assembly of trains and locomotives as well as servicing them at their Litchurch Lane Factory in the city. I've been there a few times and it's very pleasant. By the way, pikelets are basically crumpets, it is really a West Midlands and Welsh term from the Welsh - bara pyglyd - for the delicacy rather than the English 'crumpet'.
Don't forget Crown Derby, and Denby just up the road.
@@PedroConejo1939 👍👍👍
Derby born and bred resident of over 60 years here - thanks for the positive and interesting review
Its very refreshing to hear the positive comments from out-of-town people who have lived / worked / studied here
We are a relatively new City (city status awarded 1977), and quite small population wise, half the size of Nottingham for example. Good jobs, low (ish) crime, cheap(ish) housing and good transport links (road, air and rail) are all positives in my book
Fellow Derbieans have pointed out most places you didn't get the chance to see. A couple I haven't seen mentioned are:
Allestree Park - a couple of miles west of Darley Park, the site of the biggest urban rewilding project in the UK
Calke Abbey - a few miles south of the city, stately home unchanged for over 100 years, set in beautiful parklands
Looks beautiful. Who is doing these rankings?
"Which? Expert testing, reviews and advice"
@SewingandCaring I rank cities by public transport accessibility, so 'little walking' might be a point ... only kidding, green space, culture, compactness and usefulness of the town centre, historical interest and how it's presented ... I'm also likely to walk two hours or so around the place. I liked Derby. It seemed like a place where people got on with it. Also the buses were good.
I live in Derby, im not from here originally. New places are opening, like The Iron Ram you walked past, brand new free house, only been open a month. £1.4mil was spent on doing up the building. Secondly there is the new 3.5k capicity music venue being built in the middle of Derby. There is so much that goes on like carnivals. I am glad you visited.
3:19 That Peregrine mural absolutely rips, would love to have that in my city
A pair of peregrine falcons nest on Derby Cathedral each year, their is a webcam run by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
*there
Hahaha as someone who lives in leicester which isnt far from derby, i enjoyed the " 'ey up" 😂😂😂
Proper derby greeting would add duck at the end tho
I’d been in Sheffield the day prior 😉
@ziggyzoo9335 hahaha same for Leicester and i think Nottingham although i do hear plenty of people saying it without the duck here too. Im not from here myself but im sure i will end up saying it eventually 🤣 i already say cob instead of roll because its just easier 🤣 plus i have a 3 year old who switches between pronunciations depending on whether she is speaking to me or her dad who is from here 🤣
Eyup mi duck.
As someone that lived in Walsall for 3 years as a student I am in agreement with you, Evan.
I found the Leather Museum interesting though a few weeks back.
And Dudley town centre - a couple of miles from me - is worse than Walsall IMO.
Derby? Derby is the worst? Looks like someone has never been to Preston. (Also, it is bizarre watching Evan walk around somewhere local to me.) Derby also has Elvaston Castle and Country Park, which is an absolutely love day out.
I will have no Preston slander, we have an excellent beer scene and are home to both the first stretch of motorway and first KFC in the country. Admittedly the main museum is closed at the moment but that’s cos it’s being refurbished.
Also nearby is Kedleston Hall! A great day out
I live about a mile away from Elvaston Castle.
derby’s ‘downtown’ or what we from the UK call it “city centre” has a lotta zombies.
derbyshire (rural derby) is beautiful, if u go to places like: chatsworth, buxton, ladybower, ilam, matlock bath, monsal head, winnats pass, dovedale, water reservoirs.
10:05-10:08 derbion used to b a westfield.
if derby is dubbed worst city in the UK, stoke on trent has a lot of closed & run down establishments
I feel sorry for Luton. It has all the ingredients to make it a lovely place; surrounded by lovely countryside, a large student population, passionate support for the local football team. And yet... It really is not a lovely place.
It is truly a dump.
Only time I ever went there was when dad booked the wrong plane back.
Luton is so bad, not worth visiting, just a place for students to stay. Must be a shock for them when they get there.
Also, it's not a city. the only thing people go to Luton for is to support the away team or the airport.
I come from north Hertfordshire not far from Luton. Back in the '70s and '80s, people from here would quite often go to Luton for shopping. Now they generally only go there to fly from the airport.
Local bakery, proceeds to go into Pound Bakery 😂
Is it some sort of northern chain??
@@evan Yeah, they do the greasiest sausage rolls, in the best possible way. Used to be 2 for a quid.
I know when I think "local bakery" any kind of chain is not what I think of. My "local bakery" is that small independent business owned and operated by a local. Even a small regional chain is a few steps down the line of losing its soul.
@@evanthe worst part is. You said you were using Google etc. it would have brought up Derby’s actual local bakery chain. Birds
@@coreybelluk he went into Birds, but without pyclets left - a shame, it's a really good bakery
I used to work in the silk mill. Over 12 years ago. Surprised it's changed as much
The strange thing is that when a survey says your town or city is the best place (or in the top ten) to live it still annoys some residents (or alleged residents).
Right next to the Museum of Making is a nice pub called Ye Olde Dolphin Inne which has some really cosy spaces inside to play cards or board games/ drink pints.
Also, once you go inside the facade, they've preserved the old alleyway beside the inn which sits between the bathrooms/kitchens and the pub so there's a really odd feeling of both being inside and being outside at the same time. Also the staff were lovely when we went.
8:20 How could back-flips like that occur in the worst city in the UK? Madness…
damn, good spot
Well spotted! Had to scroll back up and go through that bit twice before I saw it.
Markeaton Park is great too. A million visitors a year.
You referenced several other places in Britain that are worse; but they were all towns (except Sheffield). Towns and Cities in Britain are distinct, but the criteria for what separates them is weirdly the whim of the Monarch (though several misconceptions about cathedrals or universities exist)
I don't know why I gave this a like; I'm from Sheffield.
Walsall is a town, not a city. Ruined by a town council that doesn't appear to care. It had the oldest market, started 1220. People used to bus in to visit it. Now, it's a joke. Council screwed businesses/shops, so they moved away. Now people don't visit the town centre for shopping, leaving it free for scutters to move in. Poor areas really don't need to be vilified, because they have to live this reality, and it's not really a joke.
Lived about 5 miles north for a while, moved to Welsh borders over 30 years ago. Not been back since about 2008, noticed the decline then. Used to like the market.
@@normanbott It was a good market. The loss of Debenhams, BHS and M & S leaves no reason to go to the town now. M & S left because the council wanted all the shops in the Saddlers Centre to contribute to the repairs for the decaying concrete infrastructure, which was down to a previous poor decision by the council, and lack of maintenance by them too.
Walsall is what happens when a town powered by industry has to live on when those industries die. Coal, steel, leather, all industries lost in Walsall and the surrounding area. The collapse of the town centre has also gutted the place.
Staycation means you dont have enough money to go on a holiday so you stay home, and swim in your bathtub.
Its been this year's moto in Greece where 2/3 of the population cant even go through the month.
Yeah. Going somewhere in the country is just a holiday lol.
Exactly
Whilst I agree, I think the term may also be used for people who would travel abroad who stayed holidaying in the UK.
As a Londoner I’ve never visited Derby but it is the place where British company Rolls Royce manufactures some of the worlds most advanced aircraft engines for most of the worlds commercial airlines. Rolls Royce sold the car division to BMW, so it can focus on doing what it does best, making engines for aircraft or propulsion systems for Britains nuclear submarines and small modular reactors, SMR’s which is being developed now to help britain become energy independent in the future. The midlands and the north of England was the heartland of Britains manufacturing prowess and has suffered a lot since we shifted our focus from manufacturing to selling services like finance, insurance and design expertise.
What a great video! I'm biassed, of course, because I cycled 13 miles into Derby and back for work every day for years (Royce's if you want to know) and so I know it quite well. :) The last time we were in the Silk Mill my wife and I got a free cake because it was our 54th wedding anniversary, so that was pretty good. (I hope you looked at the Silk motorcycle because my wife worked at Silks - George Silk btw not the fabric).
The statue in the background in the opening scene is of Bonnie Prince Charlie, because Derby is as far as he got before running back to Scotland and Culloden back in 1745/6.
One thing I learned was that there is a Derby Computer Museum. I will definitely visit next time we make the journey south :)
Derby is my home town, and i love getting great indian good from Normanton, the beautiful parks and the Georgian architecture around the Wardwick and Derby County FC. Just to say the Museum of Making is the old Silk Mill, the tower is shown in old paintings, though it's had some pretty good attempts to burn down
Oh so the emphasis here is CITY..
Yeah, he mentioned Walsall at one point which is obviously ineligible for the poll.
@@oliverraven As is Luton, which he also mentioned.
I was going to go to town on this topic... then I realised.
Local bakeries are better for local baked goods than chains.
Longstaff's Bakery in Bishop Auckland does Stottie Cakes, but Greggs or Peter's bakeries anywhere in County Durham do not.
Thanks to Greggs many wonderful independent bakeries have shut down. ☹
Whilst not crap, Greggs is mediocre in comparison so I don't understand why people rave about it..
They haven't been to Aldershot. We used to love going to Aldershot army barracks open day every year as kids. We went there a few years back, its shocking. The shopping centre is abandoned and about 80% of the shops are boarded up and it has loads of gambling shops. It was weird.
Derby is a perfectly fine place to live, and unlike most towns and cities, its actually improved in the last few years. I live here, but if i didnt, a staycation using derby as a base for visits to the peak district would be lovely
I’ve heard this thing about Derby being the worst place for a city break before and wondered who the hell has taken a city break there in order to find it out.
And it can’t be a worse idea for a break than Wolverhampton (and I say that as someone originally from Wolverhampton).
Wolverhampton Civic Hall gets great musicians there though
I seriously cant imagine anyone going for a city break in Wolvo!
By chance I got to.visit Wolverhampton and I like it!
@@vickywitton1008I did in 2023!
What about Doncaster? Rotherham? Middlesbrough? The competition is fierce!
I clicked on this genuinely wondering if this could be my town since it’s often hated, but then I remembered it doesn’t actually qualify as a city due to the strange city rules over here.
Omg I absolutely love the Midlands representation!!!!
What's Rugby like? It seems to the closest accommodation to where I want to visit. (Older Aussie here).
@@nolaj114 I've only gone there to get a cheaper train to London, personally! But I know it's a lovely old settlement with some beautiful architecture, from what I know :)
My mates and i went to Derby some years ago. As Brighton fans we went there to see an away match. We absolutely loved it there. Great place, great countryside, great pubs, great people. So friendly there. Top place.
There is so much to do around Derby you could go round the surrounding towns such as Matlock bath, duffield, belper and walk the trails, go see the stadium, the crich transport museum, go to gulivers Kingdom and so on, I live in Scotland now and live visiting my home city every so often
Matlock and Belper are so lovely and historic! But yeah I moved up this end of the country back in ‘14 and I really like it
Sounds like he made it to Sheffield.
It's worth pointing out that when Bonnie Prince Charlie marched on London with his army, he got as far as Derby before deciding to pack it in and go home. As someone who grew up in Derby, I've never known whether that is something to be proud or ashamed of.
Can’t believe Sheffield made the worst list, as well. I loved my time in Sheffield. So much to see and do. And the people there are so lovely. Can’t wait to get back there again. Defo putting Derby on my to-do list. Thanks so much for this. Going to try out Time Left, as well.
The last time I was traveling through Derby on the train, we were delayed just outside the city due to a Shopping Trolley/Cart that had been deliberately placed on the tracks by the delightful citizens of Peartree.
So, Derby might not be all bad, but I don’t recommend Peartree as a holiday destination.
Derby looks absolutely beautiful and a brilliant place to visit. I would definitely spend a weekend there and not be bored especially after watching this ❤❤
Not Slough? oh, no, that's a town
My first thought, or Grimsby! but neither are cities!
Not Stoke On Trent?
@@meezursrule the locals in Stoke have a sense of humour!
@@rogu3rooster And massive oatcakes too!
Speaking as someone who grew up in Slough, I would say it's barely a town. More of a scab on the landscape.
I'm not wondering why more places don't offer a board to try three different coffees. Seems like a great idea.
Lived in Derby for 4 years post uni and loved it! Lots of good places to eat and drink and the Peaks are on your doorstep. And darley and markeaton park for some close-by nature. If you want to go shopping in a bigger city then Sheffield and Nottingham are close by. Plus cost of living is relatively low. Really miss the place! Never heard of a pikelet though
As someone who grew up in Derby and has barely been back since leaving, there's a possible reason the museum was lacklustre. Most career opportunities seem to be some form of advertising or sales, or working for Rolls-Royce in some capacity. The lack of opportunities in the area mean that people with ambition often leave (like I did). That means when they call on local creatives for a new project, they're picking from a limited set.
Derby is great. Nice theatre and the museum you went is great.
The thing is the real worst cities aren't as much on people's radar, because nobody is going to them, because why would you?
"city" has a very specific definition in the UK. There's like 55 cities in England, and the inclusion criteria are mainly historical.
Watch the Map Men video. Dare to learn.
Derby isn’t the worst to live in, but it ain’t the best. That said, to visit? You definitely could do plenty, a choice of different kinds of museums, some great parks and listed buildings, Derbion does exactly what any decent shopping centre does, and there’s a curious amount of decent independent restaurants, including Annie’s Burger Shack and Moon Sha.
I moans about Derby a lot living here, but that’s just it, I live here, plus I lived in Bristol and London before which probably spoiled me! Thanks for giving Derby a decent and fair look in!
Joaeph Wright of Derby is one of my favourite artiist, from the 18th century and I'd recommend checking out his work at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
The first proper framed print I bought was a Joseph Wright. The guy understands light like few others
I never listen to critics about most things. I believe in my eyes and I do a lot of travels so I just go to places that critics run down and I found that it was not as bad as critics say. I usually find the people in these places are more friendly.
I’ve always thought of Derby and Derbyshire being pleasant overall
I think part of the trouble is that Derby, Nottingham and Leicester are all so close and about the same size, so there tends to be competition between them. My only recollection of Derby is from 40 years ago. So I hope that it has improved since then.
I’m so excited for the Sheffield video!
Local foods are such a thing in the UK. Something like pikelets are going to be found in a teashop in the Peaks. How about swinging by Bakewell for a genuine local tart? the Mr Kipling jobbies are an abomination. What about Staffordshire Oatcakes? I'd never heard of these until I lived in the Potteries. I finally got to making my own a couple of weeks back; delicious with cheese and bacon. The recipe is pretty unique as a pancake containing a blend of oat and whole wheat flour with yeast used as a raising agent.
Were these people rating these City's from London by any chance
Oh my goodness, that's near me! The Brunswick was a good choice of pub, well done! There are some sadder parts of Derby if, unlike me, you aren't into architectural history and social change. I always describe Derby city centre as 'four fields and a beer festival' - but lovingly.
The irony: A ham shank reviewing UK’s worst cities lol
In fairness to Derby, as suggested in the piece, only the 25 biggest cities were ranked, which put it up against the city break tourist power houses like Liverpool, Edinburgh, York, Belfast and London. They finished 1st to 5th as it happened.
I think Derby's problem among English cities is that it's very middling (and not just geographically). It does have that issue of not standing out very much. It doesn't evoke strong emotions one way or the other. I've never really gone there without a compelling need to do so.
I'm a Derbyshire lad by birth, but Derby never meant much to me growing up. Being from the northwestern corner of county we were a long way from Derby and very firmly part of Manchester's orbit. When people think of Derbyshire it's probably the Peak District they bring to mind as it's where all the stuff worth seeing in Derbyshire lies! I think folk are far more likely to have spent time in Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock or even Chesterfield than they are in the county capital.
Matlock bath is amazing tho, it’s seaside town without any sea. Evan should visit there lol
Also I agree, Derby is just mid
To be fair, as an American, the only thing I knew about Derby before watching this video was that Derby County has the record for lowest point total in a Premier League season. And I’m only assuming that Derby County actually plays in Derby.
You're completly right, i'm from Matlock area, even though im practically on the doorstep of getting the train into derby i'd always jump on the bus to alfreton and train up to sheffield instead if i needed to go to a city. Anything for entertainment was straight into the peak district. I'm actually living in derby at the moment for uni and it's decent, fine, alright, just completly and utterly unnoteworthy as far as citys go, it has some nice features, but nothing reallly for people to travel for. Its a nice place to live, definatly far safer feeling at night than many other cities i find but otherwise its just the most middling place in the middle of the midlands.
@@otj.0000 I don't blame you at all! Derby vs Sheffield is no contest! Sheffield's great these days. I remember it being a bit of a soot encrusted wasteland back in the 80s/90s but it's had a total renaissance since then.
It was nice to see you turn one of those nasty articles that drags places down into a positive video that showcased lovely people and places to visit! I feel like it would be very easy to visit any place on a bad day and come away with a bad impression - I remember having a rotten time in one of our local cities here, but it was winter, I got stranded at a freezing railway station, and I think on a sunny day it would've been a very different story. Likewise, I see people in my own city complain about how bad they feel it is, but I find this a very vibrant place to live, with so much community organising and grassroots culture. There's definitely overpriced pubs and restaurants, and like most large towns and cities in the UK, you can see the results of funding cuts in so many ways, but there's so much to celebrate too.
They clearly haven't been to Stoke on Trent!
Yes I agree the whole potteries area is gloomy and depressing!
As someone who was born and still lives in Derby, it became rundown around 5 years ago with a lot of highstreet shops and clubs closing and a lot of homelessness. The guildhall closing also didnt help. I have noticed in the last few years it seems to be getting back on its feet with bars and entertainment places opening up which makes me want to go into the centre more. Also, the Derbion used to be a Westfield centre.
Oh I love this Evan. A snippet of England...It would be great to see more like these...
As a Brit i honestly forgot Derby existed 😅
STAYCATION is staying at the place you live not a holiday the UK - that's just a holiday
Yes, that annoys me when people say Staycation to mean staying in the country on holiday. To me, it's time off work, with maybe a couple of day trips out, but always back in your own bed at the end of the day 🙂
Yes! That annoys the hell out of me, if it only counts when you're abroad I've been on holiday like twice in my life, despite going away with family every year.
@@Debbie76 yep, we've been doing staycations due to our cat getting older and being medication dependent. It's not fair to put that on someone else and it keeps him in his routine.
Which is literally what Evan did - took a train there for a day trip
@@TravelSignal It's staying HOME not visiting Derby. Chilling with some PlayStation, late morning, bumming about the house in your socks. Doing nothing at HOME - not a day trip to somewhere 130 miles away....strangely that's called .....A DAY TRIP
I think I get it. I'm in san francisco and I see the silliest videos titles about san francisco. Like "get paid to use drugs" and "san francisco is dying" ...
10:00 "this is basically a westfield" well ... Funny story, it was a Westfield, then intu, now Derbion 😂
I managed to confuse the hell out of my uni flatmates when i sent them to find "Westfield" last year during our first week, it'd never occured to me that they wouldnt have known such crucial local history!
Derby is great if you just enjoy wandering/exploring. You ideally need a car to enjoy the local area. It just isn't a very 'young person' destination, and even if it is, other towns and cities do it better. Derbyshire has a load of very odd history if you want to explore (modern bananas coming from Chatsworth, shrovetide football games played since 1154, Eyam the Plague Village). Derby's biggest flaw is that it's entirely forgettable, so there is no reason to stay. But as a major transport hub (East Midlands airport, every PO BOX you see on TV), i think thay that's the point. Derby is a conduit, rather than the destination
I used to hate the Derby shopping centre/high street but the Maidenhead comparison is so fair, I think i just dislike shopping
regarding whatstandwell the name some from the person (Walter Stonewell), who lived next to the bridge that connected that area. So in "old" times it was cross the river at "walters stonewell".
I herd many years ago now that his name was actually Walter Standwell and was responsible for the building of the bridge after (I think) some members of the clergy were killed using the ford that the bridge replaced hence Walter Standwell's bridge which over the centuries morphed into Whatstandwell. As an aside the Derwent Hotel on the corner was always a good place to watch the bikers get the braking into the bridge horribly wrong on the Sunday pilgrimage to Matlock Bath in the 80's
I was born and raised in Derbyshire, not far from Whatstandwell. My school friends and I invented a song about the village, detailing all of Whatstandwell's virtues. To the tune of Welcome to the Jungle, the lyrics were;
Welcome to Whatstandwell,
We've got fun and games,
Welcome to Whatstandwell,
We've got... trees.
It was a short song.
Derby has its run-down areas but it's not that bad. Good train links to other places, and apparently still trying to upmarket itself. Something that has been happening for decades.
Nice. I lived and worked in Derby for Silktide for a short time, nice to see they are still sponsoring the Micro-museum. That mall that looks like a Westfield WAS A WESTFIELD when I was there. Also in the UK cities have a charter and Luton don't have one, and Wrexham has only been since 1st September 2022.
I was expecting you to be in my hometown of Luton but I guess going on holiday somewhere is a lot different to living there 😂
Luton’s not a city mate, just a humble town. Obviously it’d be the worst town in the country!
I've been to both Luton and Derby on work trips. Luton was definitely worse.
Come to the town of Basingstoke, if you do though, look poor, no watch, no phone and no brand trainers, you don't want to be mugged.
You didn't talk about the peregrine falcons that dwell on the cathedral! (Good video, though.)
As a Derbyian born and bred. The Derbion shopping centre only offers high end fashion and highly expensive shops which the regular Derbian can’t afford. You compared it to a Westfield, that’s what it originally was built as, it was then owned by “Intu” and then became the place you saw it as it is now. If you want to find fresh Pykelets in the future probably try Birds who are an East Midlands based bakery, they have a branch in the city. If the Market Hall wasn’t still shut you could’ve gone there as that’s where you’d find local produce.
"Have they been to Luton?" That made me laugh. I grew up near there.
Good to see Evan outside London.
I had pikelets at my hotel last week. They are popular in Australia and New Zealand too.
Derby looked great.
'do you have any idea how little that title narrows it down?'
Things that make me feel old #1 - a museum in which almost every exhibit is something that was made after I left school.
I think our ideas of what "frottage" means differ greatly with how casually he said that
Same lmao.
I giggled because a gay friend told me what it is 😂
As an innocent youth, I thought it was a kind of cheese curds. 'Cottage cheese' and 'fromage' made perfect sense to me. Anyone for frottage cheese?
@@Bakers_Doesnt💀
I almost started choking it was so unexpected
Lived in Derby for 4 years . This video highlighted most of the things i loved about living in Derby including Darley park, which was my sanctuary. It was inexpensive, people were friendly and even the homeless people were more polite and charming than some cashed up bankers in London. I miss it.