Works just as well for the U.S.

Yes, there are large swathes of the country which are full of overweight, binge-drinking, reality TV addicts. Because the binge-drinking culture is so prevalent in many English towns, it tends to overpower anything else that might be there.

The centre of the city where I grew up is a no-go area for most people in the evenings, because there are so many pubs - lots of the old bank, post office and municipal buildings have been turned into vast drinking dens.

Anyone visiting the vast majority of British towns and going into the town centre on a Friday night would see little else than gangs of drunks, both men and women.

My old home town is in fact mentioned in the guide, as 'uninteresting'. Yep, that's about right. Anyone with any get-up-and-go has got up and gone.

Someone I know who still lives in my old town took on an au pair from Germany. They were somewhat taken aback when she asked them which was the better opera house in Derby. And she was taken aback when they told her she'd have to go to London to see opera. In her home town, which is much smaller than Derby, there were theatres, opera houses, galleries, museums and a rich cultural life. The only theatre in Derby is now closed. It is the 18th largest city in the UK (so equivalent to Fort Worth in the US), and it has no theatre. But it does have well over a hundred pubs.

overweight, binge-drinking, reality TV addicts

Well yes, but as a tourist you don't really have to meet them, any more than you have to visit a trailer park when you go to America.

This is the BBC's article on the same story, which has much more detail.

overweight, binge-drinking, reality TV addicts

Nous sommes tous britanniques.

Works just as well for the U.S.
I agree. 'Cept, here in New England, there is a Main Street revival - well, an attempt. Bringin in theater and music and art has gaining more and more interest.

matt, thanks for the link. It's a much better description of the Rough Guide offereing.

How could a country that has produced the likes of Mech's Engbuns EVER be described as irritating? Pshh!

Essex is "an unappetising commuter strip"

What can I say? An 'unappetising commuter strip' awaits anyone who wishes to visit me, apparently.

Mostly harmless.

70% of the country are tedious drunken arseholes, but it's what you do with the other 30% that counts.

Damn, I can't wait to see what they make of the USA.

"Goofball religious fanatics, utterly blind to the realities of life in the rest of the world and the experiences and cultures of the other 95% of humanity but, at the same time, the nicest, friendliest people we've ever met."

There was a bit of a stir a couple of years ago when the Rough Guide to Ireland highlighted us as one of the more racist countries they visited. The same "how ... how ... dare they!" stuff. They don't pull their punches, I guess.

I was googling for pics of Essex. Here's one that came up.

So, are these guys commuters then?

The "This country is a study in contrasts" theme seems pretty standard for tour guides.

When I was working for a travel guide book, we were threatened with a lawsuit from an Irish town's tourism board because the previous edition of the guide had declared the town not worth visiting. It's amazing how much money is tied up in these things.

So, are these guys commuters then?

Yes, taz, I see them on my train every day.

I'm always ashamed whenever I pick someone up from Gatwick Airport because the first view of Essex one sees is the industrial nightmare that you emerge into as you come out of the Dartford Tunnel. There's a big sign there that says "Welcome to Essex" and every now and again someone will add "You're" to the front of it.

Take my Essex. Please!

Of course, Jan, Fort Worth is more than three times the size of Derby, and the metro area is much bigger, even if you exclude bits closer to Dallas. I think Derbyshire is about the same absolute size as the Tulsa, Oklahoma, metropolitan area. Which still has a theatre and an opera, etc., so your point stands.

Heh, that description could apply equally to Australia, depending on which parts you visit. As mentioned above, it's what you do with the other 30% that counts, though.

Also, about this:
"Also, I wasn't sure if this post might not offend so, if it does, mods please do delete." We are not that easily offended. In any case, almost anything goes here.

Fort Worth has 653,320 as of the 2006 estimate; Derby has 233,700 as of 2001. So we're about 3 times your size, more about the size of Glasgow.