In defence of Slough

In the 1930s, Sir John Betjeman wrote a poem calling for bombs to fall on it, in 2001 David Brent poked fun at it in The Office and in 2024, the Telegraph named it the UK’s ‘ugliest town’. Now, it’s been branded as ‘the unhappiest place to live’ on Rightmove. Times change and public attitudes evolve, but everyone seems to keep agreeing that Slough is an absolutely awful place. 

The town’s Brutalist architecture, decaying high street, widespread poverty and crime aren’t the stuff of many poets’ dreams and only this week, the Daily Mail said that Slough is ‘plagued with drugs, boarded up shops and even human faeces’. It does sound a bit short of ideal, doesn’t it?

The fact it’s just down the road from beautiful Windsor only seems to make Slough seem more ugly. It’s quite a contrast. But as someone who lives in a village between Slough and Windsor and knows both towns very well, I’m here to tell you that the ugly duckling of the area has more swanlike qualities than you might think.