Ten reasons Barrow should not be on the 'most depressing towns' list

The poll, run by scathing town reviews site iLiveHere.com, is scouring the UK looking for the worst place to live - with 153 British towns and cities currently on the shortlist.

We asked readers why they love Barrow.

Sophie Love said: "I love Barrow. I love that I can walk and have conversations with people who are always too busy and segregated in the South. I love the 10 minute conversations I have in the fish and chip shop. We need more shops, but we have a cinema that is only £5 to attend (where else can you do that), we have a thriving theatre, a market.

"Barrow Park is amazing with water, train rides, little paths, big paths, big green open spaces and where is impossible to see from one end to the other. We often have special events in town for the community like "The Festival of Light." And to top that off, we have many community projects such as those happening within our excellent library."

Pam Johnston said: "Wonderful Barrow, great place, lovely people and Walney Island is the best place ever!!!!"

Graham Reid said: "Come up twice a year to South Walney caravan park. We always have a trip to town and Roa Island. There are various pubs and restaurants - great times."

And here are our ten reasons why Barrow is NOT a depressing place to live.

Royal Town status

Recently, a campaign has been launched to grant Barrow Royal Town Status. Not many towns in the UK can be a contender for Royal patronage

Based on its contribution to international safety for decades, however, Barrow is and the small town has built some of the biggest vessels the world has ever seen, seeing several visits from Royalty themselves.

Landscape

Barrow holds a unique place on the Furness peninsula with a protected coastline and four designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest. 

From sandy beaches, and dunes to areas of natural beauty, Barrow was rated as No.1 in England for natural assets and is a great place to find a range of fauna and flora.

Wildlife

Barrow is one of the most unique corners of the UK offering an array of wildlife of national and international significance.

South Walney Nature Reserve is also home to the only grey seal colony in Cumbria and is a fantastic place for bird watching.

Sandscale Haws is an outstanding dune habitat supporting a wealth of wildlife including one fifth of the national population of the UK's rare amphibians.

Events

The town has some fantastic events throughout the year including Dino Day, Soapbox Derby and the Festival of Transport as well as underground events such as Funeral Fest.

Shipbuilding legacy

The shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness was founded in 1871, and over the past 150 years it has produced some of the most significant marine vessels the world has even seen.

BAE Systems is the biggest employer in Barrow and is often described as the heart of the town investing back into the community.

Affordability

The cost of living in Barrow is relatively affordable as compared to other UK cities and town. It's a great place for families to settle down as there are various schools providing a decent education. 

And according to Zoopla, one of its biggest draws is the affordable price of houses. On average, a home costs £148,000 as of December 2023.

History 

The borough has more than 200 listed or historic buildings. This includes Furness Abbey founded almost 900 years ago.

The Abbey was once the largest and wealthiest monastery in north-west England and today offers some of the finest monastic ruins in England.

Pubs and bars

There’s a wide selection of options in Barrow - from quiet pints in picturesque pubs. Enjoy a beer with a view on Walney Island pubs such as King Alfred or stylish cocktails at the Meeting place.

There are also plenty of lively clubs such as Cloud 9, The Lounge, Manhattans and Hollywood.

Community spirit

Barrow is full of community spirit from residents and local businesses.

Throughout the year residents have been collecting bags of rubbish found on their streets to make a cleaner, safer environment for all.

Constant charity fundraisers from members of the public to help raise money for local charities and people in need also happen every year.

Barrovians

Last but not least are the friendly people of Barrow. Brian Boyd, president of the Rotary Club of Furness, summed it up best when he said: "In Barrow, we don't pretend to be anything we're not.

"Throughout all the change that has happened in the country, we've overcome challenges and we've always delivered consistently which is shown in our great shipbuilding legacy."