I visited the seaside town people keep slagging off and would go back in a heartbeat

I visited a seaside municipality dismissed arsenic a "s***hole" but I person to hold with locals who told maine it's a "wonderful" place.

Most of the residents and visitors I met defended Poole erstwhile I was successful the municipality past week. A fewer others complained astir the High Street, antisocial behaviour and "no spell areas".

Debbie Smith, 57, moved to Poole from London 8 years agone with her husband, John Smith, and said neither of them privation to spell back.

She told me: "We emotion it here. There's tons of restaurants. It's accessible successful tons of places. A batch of radical enactment down Poole, but I deliberation it's wonderful."

The full-time carer said the Dorset municipality is friendly, cleanable and particularly successful the summertime determination is ever thing going on. Mrs Smith said: "We person nary regrets astir moving."

We were speaking connected the town's quayside connected a sunny September time arsenic visitors ambled past yachts and circuit boats lining the harbourside, which boasts views crossed to Brownsea Island and RSPB Arne quality reserve.

Debbie described Poole arsenic an perfect constituent to research the surrounding country arsenic well, recommending adjacent Knoll Beach, Lake Pier, Durley Chine and Studland. Poole's tourism website besides hails the town's maritime heritage, pottery manufacture links, bustling Old Town and "fabulous" eateries.

Husband and woman Leigh Williams, 67, and Jayne Williams, 64, from Bognor Regis, were spending a time successful Poole. Jayne told me: "We perfectly emotion it. We ever travel to Poole. There's truthful overmuch to do. There are beauteous cafes and restaurants - it's ideal. There's ever thing going on. It's a moving picture, and beauteous and clean."

Lindsey Thyer, 37, and her husband, George Thyer, besides 37, had travelled down from Bristol. Mrs Thyer said they wanted to sojourn Poole's quayside portion Mr Thyer recommended the harbourside's pubs and shops.

While a bulk of visitors and locals hailed Poole arsenic a destination good worthy a visit, a fewer felt little favourably astir the town, which is location to Europe's largest earthy harbour and wherever luxury yacht-maker Sunseeker is based.

Richard Phillips, 59, from adjacent Southbourne, compared Poole to worn retired treasures members of the nationalist instrumentality to the deed BBC amusement The Repair Shop to beryllium mended. He said: "It's not well-loved... It's a homogenised High Street, though it retains a small spot of individuality and quality here."

Mr Phillips added: "There's an constituent of antisocial behaviour. There's a consciousness anyone wearing a hoodie is simply a wrong-un... I don't travel present regularly but there's a consciousness of mild malaise here. There's a consciousness of foreboding."

Friend and erstwhile colleague, Barbro Hoel, 78, added: "It's conscionable depressing. You tin consciousness susceptible erstwhile you visit."

Pensioner Mick Jones from Christchurch didn't clasp backmost successful his criticism. He said: "It's a s***hole. Poole makes Bournemouth look similar the southbound of France."

But Mrs Smith, who had visited Poole since puerility earlier settling there, said: "It's an introduction to tons of places successful Dorset. You're not acold from the countryside. There's everything you request successful town. It's a beauteous place."

And I was inclined to hold with her - the High Street was bustling, the harbourside a representation postcard and locals friendly.

Maybe immoderate places consciousness similar "no-go" areas, but isn't that a cognition existent of astir towns and cities successful Britain?

In my humble opinion, Poole is good worthy a visit.