This town just outside London has been named the ‘worst’ in the UK – here’s why you should visit

Last month, the Telegraph ranked Britain’s cities from best to worst and put poor old Southampton at the bottom of the pack. Now, it’s delivered its verdict on Britain’s 25 biggest towns. This time, it’s Watford that has drawn the short straw. 

The Telegraph gave Watford, which is just 35 minutes out of London on the Metropolitan line, a measly score of 0.5 out of 10. It said that it ‘sacrificed its town centre’ back in 1992 to the divisive Harlequin Shopping Centre, one of the biggest retail hubs in the UK. One TripAdvisor user dubbed the centre an ‘ugly lump’, though others have called it an ‘excellent little gem’ and a ‘nice day out with the family’. 

However, the paper did highlight some attractions worth travelling for. Its top attraction is Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, home to the very warehouses and studios where the Harry Potter franchise was filmed. There, fans can explore iconic sets from the movies, like Hogwarts’ Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Platform 9¾ and the Forbidden Forest.

It also acknowledged the town’s heritage trail, which covers around 2.1 miles of the town. The route takes visitors by the Grade II-listed art deco town hall and by the Colosseum, an entertainment venue known for having some of the best acoustics in the country. It’s been used for recordings film scores such as that of The Lord of the Rings and has hosted performances from the likes of The Who, Oasis, Robbie Williams and Luciano Pavarotti. 

It also includes stops by the Grade II-listed Monmouth House, which was built in the early 1600s and home to Earl of Monmouth Robert Carey (the man famous for bringing the news of Elizabeth I's death to James VI of Scotland).

Besides all of that, Watford is also home to the most Green Flag parks in Hertfordshire. The jewel in its crown is Cassiobury Park, the largest of the town’s green spaces. It covers 190 acres, is home to the beautiful Cheslyn House and Gardens and was recently voted one of the top 10 parks in the UK. 

There’s also a fine offering of places to eat and drink in Watford. Humo is a Spanish firehouse in the town centre with DJ nights and a fun list of cocktails while pubs like the Royal Oak, the Tudor Arms and the Southern Cross will satisfy all your ale-related needs.  

Just above Watford in 24th place on the Telegraph’s list was Crawley, and just above that was Luton. At the other end of the scale, it named Blackpool the UK’s greatest large town, with Cheltenham and Ipswich taking second and third place. Time Out named Blackpool one of the country’s top places to visit in 2026.

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Did you see that a petition has been launched to reopen a new train station in Watford?