The city voted among the 'worst' in the UK to live in(Image: Getty Images)

I lived in UK's 'worst' city — and I'd move back there any day

Far from being a terrible place to live, this city has a huge amount going for it, including things you can't get in any other city in the UK

by · The Mirror

"The worst cities to live in in the UK" — that's a list no city wants to be on. But, earlier this year, that's exactly where 10 British cities found themselves, in a ranking compiled by heavyweight consultancy firm PWC.

Right at the top of this list — which was based on 12 benchmarks, including health, safety, personal income and work-life balance — was Swansea, the second largest city in Wales. So if you didn't know any better you'd assume Swansea was somewhere to avoid — and somewhere you did not want to live in. Fortunately, I do know better, having lived there and grown up nearby. I'm still a regular visitor.

Swansea has its problems — where doesn't? In addition to those identified by PWC to compile their list (which can be seen in full below), Swansea has a seriously high drug fatality rate, which is one of the highest in the UK.

But Swansea also has a lot going for it — so much so, in fact, that far from being the worst city in the UK in which to live it could just as easily make a strong case for being the best.

Swansea's Marina is a lovely place to stroll around, stopping for a meal, a coffee or a drink in one of its bars or restaurants( Image: Getty Images)

At the heart of that case would be the natural resources it has right on its doorstep. No other city in the UK has a beach like Swansea, stretching for five miles from the city centre all the way to the gorgeous village of Mumbles at its western outskirts. You can access it at any point. It dwarfs Brighton, one of very few British cities that could claim to have a city beach that comes even close.

The beach runs along almost the entire southern edge of the city, with a footpath and cycle path running alongside it the whole way. You could spend hours here just strolling or cycling along, enjoying the views, popping down to the beach or stopping en route at places like Blackpill lido, where children can play in the splashpad or in the well-kept playground. There's also the LC, a new(ish) indoor leisure pool complete with slides, a wave machine, lazy river, soft play and climbing centre.

And once a year you can plonk yourself on that beach, with thousands of other people, and watch the Red Arrows, typhoons and spitfires roar above you, as you sit on the sand and children play in the sea. Where else do you get anything like that?

The Red Arrows performing their routine above Swansea beach( Image: Richard Swingler)

Thousands of the city's residents live within a stone's throw of the beach. Many of them can walk out of their front door and be stepping on to the beach's golden sands within literally just a few steps.

When I lived in Swansea, I was one of them. I lived in a flat in the marina, so close to the beach that sand would be spread in a fine layer across the car park right outside. Just a few minutes in the opposite direction and I'd be in the city centre and on Swansea's famous nightlife capital, Wind Street, where there are a handful of good pubs alongside the usual chain bars.

In the evenings, I could stroll in minutes to one of the marina's bars, or the excellent Italian restaurant, Gallini's, listening to the boat masts gently clinking in the breeze as I did.

What's more, so close to the beach it is practically touching it, is Singleton Park, a large and peaceful green space that also doubles up as an outdoor music venue which has hosted Taylor Swift. If you're lucky enough to live nearby, you could walk for miles through the park and along the beach and barely have to walk on a city road the entire time.

Mumbles: one of the 'best' places to live in Britain

The village of Mumbles at the far western tip of Swansea( Image: Getty Images)

The people who live there call Mumbles "the Hamptons of Wales" and you can see why. Driving there from Swansea along the waterfront road, lined with large houses and palm trees, it's hard to tell where Swansea ends and Mumbles begins — but once you're there you get the sense of a self-contained community that knows how good it's got it.

Mumbles used to be notorious for "The Mumbles Mile", a challenge that descending stag and hen dos would take on in a bid to drink in all the village's seafront pubs. That image has long gone, and it is now considered one of the finest places to live by the sea in the entire UK.

There’s a vibrant blend of pubs, restaurants and retailers, whether independent or mainstream, and a local produce market every month. In Verdi's and Joe's, it's also home to two of Wales' most famous ice cream makers.

Gower: outstanding natural beauty

Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula( Image: Getty Images)

Not only does Swansea have its own enormous beach, it has the entire Gower peninsula on its doorstep. It features several beaches, including Rhossili, which is often named as one of the best in Europe and the world, as well as several other stunning beauty spots like Three Cliffs Bay and Oxwich.

The Gower's beaches and rolling hills make it a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, where wildlife like sheep and horses can be seen roaming freely at the roadside and there are lots of quintessential country pubs.

And it's amazing how close to the city all this is. Earlier this year, I wanted to cycle from Swansea to the beach at Rhossili. I parked my car in the city centre and, within minutes, I was out in the wide open countryside, with views for miles around. I couldn't believe how lucky I was!

Places to eat in Swansea, from high-end restaurants to superb cafes

Swansea might not be the first place that springs to mind when you try to think of culinary destinations worth visiting — but it should.

There are loads of unique places to eat here, every one operating to a high level of quality. At the cafe end of the scale, Square Peg serves delicious brunches and lunches, with the masala beans on sourdough toast not only an absolute treat, but a steal at £8.50. There's also more delicious informal dining at Gower Seafood Hut, where you can get fresh whitebait and shrimp to eat from the tray.

At the other end of the scale are top-class restaurants The Shed, where one reviewer said "every mouthful was a celebration", and Beach House, which has a Michelin star. Most spectacular of all, perhaps, is Gigi Gao's, a remarkable Chinese restaurant which could well be the most extravagantly-decorated restaurant in the entire country. It's no gimmick, though, the food here is superb.

The 10 worst cities to live in according to the report

  1. Swansea
  2. Sheffield
  3. Sunderland
  4. Manchester
  5. Newcastle
  6. Walsall
  7. Birmingham
  8. London
  9. Bradford
  10. Middlesbrough and Stockton

What the report was based on

Evaluations were made across 12 benchmarks, which were:

  1. Health
  2. Personal income
  3. Employment rates
  4. Safety
  5. Educational skills
  6. Balance between personal and professional life
  7. Accommodation
  8. Travel time to work
  9. Fiscal equality
  10. Retail landscapes
  11. Ecological factors
  12. Opportunities for business launches