The UK town where houses sell for just £15,000

At first glance, the former mining town of Ashington appears tidy, with ample green spaces and well-kept lawns. However, a closer look reveals properties in dire need of attention, including a house shockingly vandalized with offensive slurs.

The sight of numerous ‘sold’ signs on houses, some with prices as low as £15,000, raises questions about the town’s future prospects. Once known as the world’s largest coal mining village, is Ashington on the verge of a renaissance?

The wider Northumberland region is world famous for its stunning beaches such as Bamburgh and affluent market towns including Morpeth, hailed as one of the most picturesque in Britain, located just a few miles away. However, Ashington appears to be an outlier.

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According to a well-known satirical YouTube channel, it is the worst place to live in the region. With a population of around 28,000, the channel joked that “this place hasn’t been relevant for at least 60 years”.

However, the city’s problems extend beyond irrelevance. It struggles with crime, ranking as the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Northumberland, the Express reports. Local pensioner Ian Best, 78, who works at his son’s business N. B Furnishings, believes his town has been neglected.

He lamented: “There’s nothing good about Ashington at the moment – ​​but it’s a sign of the times.” Ian also acknowledged the rampant crime and drug problems affecting the area, saying: “There are a lot of drugs and thieves – we have steel shutters on businesses (but they target) elderly people, they come in, they steal things. It’s a big drug. area.”

Ian, a local pensioner, is struggling to make ends meet on his weekly pension of £159, saying Ashington residents are feeling the pinch due to rising living costs. He said: “The only way to get it going again is for the Government to put more money into the area – and give more money to the people for fighting back.”

In contrast, Dawn Duddridge of Rickard, a local real estate agency, reports that despite the economic challenges, the real estate market is thriving. With houses starting from just £15,000 on Rightmove, she said that in the city centre, “old houses in mine rows” can fetch around £50,000, which is significantly below the average property price in United Kingdom, £282,000.

Dawn has seen an increase in interest from buyers and investors, attracted by the low prices. She said: “To be honest last week was crazy busy – it was full on. Properties don’t stay on the market very long – a few weeks’.

She attributes the buoyant market to the housing shortage at all levels and the resolution of election uncertainties. Suraj Singh, a 24-year-old business owner from the affluent Gosforth area of ​​Newcastle, capitalized on Ashington’s lower property costs, particularly modest commercial rents, to open a vape shop in the city centre.

He said: “I saw that it was (for rent), I did a bit of research and saw that it could have potential. It’s a nice place. There’s a lot of shops around and a lot of independent businesses. I think it’s an area in up.”

Excitement is building in the city with the imminent arrival of the Northumberland Line, a new train service that will link the city to Newcastle in just 35 minutes, part of a £166m project. In a local coffee shop, a group of women eagerly express their opinions about their hometown.

A retired supermarket worker, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed her preference for keeping property prices low. The lifelong Ashington resident, 76, said: “If property prices go up then it’s harder for young people.”

She expressed concern that wealthier southern buyers are driving up prices and outbidding local youth. However, she is concerned about the decline of the city centre, reflecting a trend seen in many UK towns and cities, and the lack of employment prospects for the younger population.

She said: “People need jobs. Children are walking in the streets on these bikes or scooters, passing by her”. Jane Stirton, 57, a registered nurse also from Ashington, married with two children, shared her perspective.

She said: “Property prices are low because there is a lot of poverty and people can’t afford to get on the property ladder and there aren’t many job opportunities.”

Carol Gatenby, 59, who has been at the helm of the immaculate cafe for more than a quarter of a century, agrees with the sentiment. She said: “It’s changed so much – I think it has challenges because a lot of people are unemployed.”

Claire Kelly, 46, a nurse who lives in the city center and is currently renting, admits low property prices can come from a “bad reputation”. Still, she said, “It’s not a bad place to live.”

For Claire, there is a silver lining; the affordable housing market may soon allow her to achieve her aspiration of home ownership. She added: “I would love to own my own property and it could be achievable here.”